Duh!

What else would the creator of the Terminator franchise think should be the focus of a fifth film be, other than the character he created it around?

Speaking with MTV, James Cameron responded to questions about conversations with the rather busy Arnold Schwarzenneger by describing a conversation regarding his involvement with the Terminator franchise. Suggesting that the project is only worth doing if his Terminator character is pretty much the center of it, he makes it clear he merely advising a friend.

“I was talking to him back in fall about a new ‘Terminator’ film and quietly advising on that, I suppose you could say… I was trying to be as encouraging as possible. Frankly, at that time, I thought it needed to be more about him. I told him he should not do it until it’s focused on his character or he shouldn’t do it. I think there are some great stories that can be told about that character that haven’t even been thought of yet.”

It’s a rather casual comment, but if you care to extrapolate some value out of it, perhaps it’s a indicator that when and if we do see a Terminator 5 emerge with Arnold involved it will put him front and center. The rights, now owned by Angelic super-producer Megan Ellison after a Cannes-timed buyout, haven’t been exploited as quickly as seemed likely at the time of their purchase. Originally Justin Lin was going to direct some kind of sidequel, but he departed for faster pastures. Perhaps Arnold deciding it’s time to go for another round of a more traditional, center-stage action role for himself will get the project re-written and off the ground- assuming he ever becomes convinced that’s the case. Perhaps sating his Gatling tooth among an ensemble in The Expendables 2 will suffice though. That’s all reading a little far into a throwaway comment from someone only tangentially involved, but didn’t want to totally waste your time! And besides, surely Ellison won’t sit on such a pricey purchase for too much longer. Some real news on this franchise must be imminent…

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