Neil Calloway wants James Cameron to return to the franchise that made him sooner rather than later…
While the news that James Cameron will return to The Terminator films is welcome, it really can’t come soon enough.
Given that the last of the Avatar movies won’t be out until 2024, it would be 2025 at the earliest before we could see a glimpse of a new Terminator directed by James Cameron; by then, with a quick law change in between, Arnold Schwarzenegger could be President of the United States.
I’ve written about this before, but eight years after the first Avatar movie was released, nobody is exactly screaming for another one. Looking back at the hyperbolic, hyperventilating reaction that surrounded Avatar’s release now looks ridiculous. An article in The Times cited a neurologist who claimed that it activated parts of the brain that other films had failed to reach, and mentioned journalists that couldn’t stop dreaming about it. Frankly, I wouldn’t want that neurologist looking at any of my brains scans. James Cameron – and possibly Sam Worthington – are the only people on the planet excited at the prospect of more Avatar.
On the other hand, people still want Terminator movies. And James Cameron needs to be in control of them. In what might be termed a “Reverse George Lucas” – that’s not a wrestling move, by the way – the films have suffered since he stepped back from the franchise. He needs to be front and centre.
Cameron can be a great director – I’ll go to my grave arguing that Aliens is the best film in the series. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet were on the front page of the papers just this week. It wasn’t fans of Revolutionary Road that were worked up. Titanic might be derided by everyone now, including one of the best West End shows in recent years, but at least it has a place in popular culture. Avatar doesn’t. When was the last time you got excited about seeing Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana in a photo together? James Cameron knows how to make films that make money and make an impact.
The other week, not for the first time, I saw someone wearing a Tech Noir T-shirt. When did you last see anyone wearing Avatar branded clothes? Before some bad weather recently I said “Viene la tormenta” to my girlfriend. Find me someone who can quote Avatar and I’ll show you a very odd person indeed.
Yes, cameras are about to roll on Avatar 2: Electric Boogaloo, but any money spent will be a rounding error for the studio who can make billions off a new Terminator film. Someone should sit Cameron down, take away his blue face paint and hand him a phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.
Neil Calloway is a pub quiz extraordinaire and Top Gun obsessive. Check back here every Sunday for future instalments.
Originally published July 30, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
