Movies - TV
Why The Original Terminator 2 Idea With Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Scrapped
By MICHAEL BOYLE
Director James Cameron originally considered casting Arnold Shwarzenegger in the roles of both good and bad robot in his wildly successful sequel, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”
The film’s success was partly due to its departure from the original, most notably, letting Schwarzenegger's Terminator be the good guy this time. But Cameron had other ideas, too.
Cameron explained his original idea to Ringer, “I basically had two competing ideas.” Skynet sends another Arnold Terminator, while the resistance reprograms the original Arnold.
The result would’ve been two Schwarzeneggers: one protecting John and Sarah and another trying to kill them. The film’s second half would then switch to the now familiar story.
However, co-writer William Wisher said, “Having Arnold fight another Arnold is just boring.” Cameron chose instead to bring in the new Terminator as well as Arnold as a good robot.
“I merged the two ideas. Instead of Arnold versus Arnold, it was Arnold versus the scary liquid metal weapon,” he said, introducing audiences to Robert Patrick as the new T-1000.