# Why of WHY did they make "Terminator 3"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 30, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556 "2003-01-30T05:48:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/21 "2003-01-30T17:21:11Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > \*\* Why did they make this film? I dunno and I don’ care, because it paid Mr. Rilch’s and my bills for two months! Yee-ha!_\* Hey, thanks for the confession, **Rilchiam**. Now the rest of us have a scapegoat handy to vent our frustrations at when the movie comes out. That was very thoughtful of you to volunteer! ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/22 "2003-01-30T17:29:18Z")
The Cyborg has jumped the shark. ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/23 "2003-01-30T20:07:18Z")
Jumped it? He’s taken it to the prom and given it his class ring, by this point. Personally, I could handle a T3, maybe even 4, _ **if** _ the story took place in continuity, as it were. Let’s see the story of John Conner, raising a rebel army in the nuclear ashes to destroy the machines, or even a drawn out (think of a **The Dirty Dozen** type of flick) the final assault on Skynet, that ends with either Kyle Reece or the reprogrammed T-101 (hell, even both of 'em) jumping into the time machine, before it’s destroyed. But new Terminators coming back from a timeline that’s been wiped out and can’t exist now… C’mon guys. If we **need** a sequel to make Arnie feel better about his career, (or help finance his inevitable attempt at a political career) someone get him a decent screenplay for another Predator flick, with or without the Aliens involved. [sub]And for Pete’s sake **someone** make sure Bill Paxton gets to be in the first half of the movie, before being killed off **again**. The guy just keeps coming back. Maybe **he’s** a Terminator.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/24 "2003-01-30T21:20:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > **Cameron _didn’t_ have anything to do with this movie. He got sued over the first two and has refused to have anything to do with this movie because of it.** Can you tell me a bit more about who sued him and for what, or let me know where I can read more about this? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/25 "2003-01-30T21:37:26Z")
Or they could advance it into the future, to make a sequel/prequel-how John meets up with Reece and sends him back in the altered time line? ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/26 "2003-01-30T22:57:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ianzin \* > \*\*Can you tell me a bit more about who sued him and for what, or let me know where I can read more about this? \*\* Harlan Ellison sued him since apparantly the original Terminator movie had elements from a couple of his screenplays for the Outer Limits, plus he said Skynet was a rip off of the computer from _I have no mouth and I must scream_. Settled out of court and in new prints he gets credited. [Cite.](http://us.imdb.com/Trivia?0088247) ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/27 "2003-01-30T23:14:48Z")
Come to think of it, somebody should make a movie of _I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream_. Real crowd-pleaser there, perfect for the whole family. I don’t know anything about the lawsuit, but it does make me think of the Outer Limits episodes “Soldier” and “Demon With a Glass Hand”. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/28 "2003-01-31T00:23:02Z")
The Harlan Ellison lawsuit had absolutely nothing to do with Cameron’s decision to not do T3. And IMHO that suit was complete and utter bullshit. Even though Ellison didn’t even want any money, just a credit, Cameron refused to give him that because he adamantly denied ever having read his earlier work. It was just a coincidence. Ellison won, and there’s a small _‘Acknowledgements to the works of Harlan Ellison’_ at the end of the credits of The Terminator. After Titanic, when James Cameron could literally get a green light on absolutely any project he wanted, he considered doing Terminator 3. Ah-nold wanted to as well. And although Cameron had sold away the rights to the franchise after he wrote the first Terminator (on the condition that he got to direct it) the studio always gave him ‘first look’ on T3. Unfortunately he ultimately passed on it. He said variously that he wanted to do something more ‘positive & upbeat’ or just ‘something totally new’ so who knows exactly why. Even Schwarzenegger tried to get him to agree by (at first anyway) refusing to star unless Cameron directed. If Cameron had wrote & directed it it wouldn’t have even needed **Ah-nold,** let alone Furlong or Hamilton, in order to be great. Oh well. Could have been worse. Roland Emmerich could have directed it! ---
**Author:** ![ILENSER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/977dab/32.png) [@ILENSER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ILENSER)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/29 "2003-01-31T00:37:04Z")
Terminator 3 " PAY DAY " I’LL BE BOCK. Again and Again and Again and Again and Again and Again ---
**Author:** ![Protesilaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Protesilaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Protesilaus)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/30 "2003-01-31T00:53:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Silentgoldfish \* > \*\*To make up for it I give you [True Lies 2](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0238674) \*\* If they can get Eliza Dushku to play Arnold’s daughter again, I think it would definitely be worth seeing. Especially since the plot outline the IMDB gives makes it look like Dana will have a significant role in this one. ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/31 "2003-01-31T01:35:09Z")
Maybe he needed to fatten up his War-chest if he makes a bid for Govenor of California, Maybe he needed a break from Maria, Take your pick. Can Twins 2 be far behind? ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/32 "2003-01-31T01:55:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vivalostwages \* > \*\*Because this is the Year of the Relentless Sequels. > > A Dumb and Dumber prequel > A second X-Men > Two Matrix installments > and more. :rolleyes: \*\* Not only that, but I hear they are releasing ANOTHER sequel to that _Fellowship of the Ring_ movie that came out in 2001. I mean, come on people, get some new ideas! What? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/33 "2003-01-31T04:28:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baldwin \* > \*\*I don’t know anything about the lawsuit, but it does make me think of the Outer Limits episodes “Soldier” and “Demon With a Glass Hand”. \*\* Those would be the two that Ellison cites as being ripped off by Cameron. According to Ellison, Cameron admitted to a Starlog writer (for which magazine Ellison also wrote) that he ripped them off. Ellison has been known to exagerate, but… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/34 "2003-01-31T04:47:58Z")
I doubt Linda Hamilton and Cameron would work on the same movie, seeing as how he left her for the girl who played the granddaughter in _Titanic_. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/35 "2003-01-31T09:04:45Z")
> [@](#): > > But new Terminators coming back from a timeline that’s been wiped out and can’t exist now… Since when was it shown that the timeline was wiped out and can’t exist? All we had was Sarah Connor’s half-delusional rantings about saving the future. Clearly… she was wrong. Is it so difficult to accept that a character in a movie was speaking the absolute 100% True Gospel of Our Lord Suspension Of Disbelief? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/36 "2003-01-31T09:21:48Z")
Rather, that a character in a movie WASN’T speaking the absolute truth… ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/37 "2003-01-31T17:19:10Z")
**SPOOFE** : Nah, not really, it’s just that, if they’re gonna make another Terminator flick, I’m gonna end up seeing it. No escape. I’m hooked. So, I just want to see 2 solid hours of men and machines blowing each other up real good, with top o’ the line special effects, and not have to bend my brain around any more temporal physics storylines. They’ve already beaten the grandfather paradox to death: The machines exist because they came back in time, and facilitated their own creation. If they hadn’t come back, they never would have existed. Actually, that’s not the grandfather paradox at all, is it? Just poor attention to detail. \ I just want to see purty colors and laser beams at this point. And less anthropomorphosizing of semi-sentient robots by Arnie. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/38 "2003-01-31T18:48:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skeezix \* > **They’ve already beaten the grandfather paradox to death: The machines exist because they came back in time, and facilitated their own creation. If they hadn’t come back, they never would have existed. Actually, that’s not the grandfather paradox at all, is it? Just poor attention to detail. \** It’s sort of the ‘anti’ grandfather paradox. It’s still a classic one. I was hoping T3 would be a story about a LIVING man that the Arnold terminator was based upon. That would be cool. ---
**Author:** ![doc\_miller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f05b48/32.png) [@doc\_miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doc_miller)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/39 "2003-01-31T19:15:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skeezix \* > They’ve already beaten the grandfather paradox to death: The machines exist because they came back in time, and facilitated their own creation. If they hadn’t come back, they never would have existed. Actually, that’s not the grandfather paradox at all, is it? Just poor attention to detail. \ > > I just want to see purty colors and laser beams at this point. And less anthropomorphosizing of semi-sentient robots by Arnie. How about calling it a Bootstrap Paradox? ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556/40 "2003-01-31T19:43:54Z")
Sequels/Prequels for 2003 (according to [Excite.com](http://Excite.com)): The Matrix Reloaded The Matrix Revolutions (3) The Return of the King Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines The Fast and the Furious 2 X-Men 2 Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle American Wedding (American Pie 3) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Desperado follow up) Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde Shanghai Knights The Whole Ten Yards Barbershop 2 Bad Boys II Jungle Book 2 Spy Kids 3 Scary Movie 3 The Rugrats Meet the Wild Thornberrys Freddy Vs. Jason Gods and Generals Exorcist: The Beginning When Harry Met Lloyd: Dumb & Dumberer [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-of-why-did-they-make-terminator-3/151556.md?page=3)