'Terminator 2: Judgement Day' In 3D Could Happen, Says James Cameron

Few people like 3D more than James Cameron. The director of the two biggest films in the history of cinema has embraced it wholeheartedly in his new world of Avatar and recently converted the other smash hit, Titanic, for a 3D rerelease. But what about some of his other works, specifically, The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day?

At the Los Angeles Times Hero Complex Film Festival this past weekend, Cameron was asked that exact question. He played coy, said there weren't any plans, but had a very well-thought out reason for why Terminator 2: Judgement Day, at least, might get a 3D conversion in the future. Read his Terminator 2 3D quote below.

Here's Cameron's response to an audience member asking if he'd consider releasing Terminator and Terminator 2 in 3D.

Terminator 1 I don't think so because you could upgrade it to 3D but it's still pretty gritty, available light photography, low budget filmmaking. We'd spend more converting it to 3D than we spent on the movie. That feels a little imbalanced to me.But Terminator 2 is a more polished film and, I think, it has a kind of timeless appeal. If there was someone who was interested in doing that, and we could make a good case for the business model like, perhaps let's say, it's never been on screens in China which in the next few years is about to become the biggest market for films worldwide. That alone might justify the cost of a conversion which might be 6 or 7 million dollars. And then a 3D re-release might attract some eyeballs in North American and Europe and then the Chinese release, which would be the first release on the big screen, might pay for it.I'm just using that as an example. I'm just saying we're not ruling it out. We're looking at it.

Sounds like a pretty well-thought out rational for someone who is "just using that as an example." 2016 just so happens to be the 25th anniversary of the film. Could we see Terminator 2 3D? It sounds possible.

We'll have more coverage from Cameron's Q&A at the Los Angeles Times Hero Complex Film Festival soon.