Terminator 3

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl (John Connor), Kristanna Loken (T-X), Michael Biehn (Kyle Reese) (cameo), Claire Danes (Kate Miller), Mark Famiglietti; other cast not yet announced.

CountingDown took a visit to the set and got a few interesting tidbits out of Arnie, "It's fun and it is a big responsibility at the same time because people expect this movie obviously to be as good if not better than the second one, and the first one" he says. "So the good thing about this is that Hollywood -- the whole industry -- is in a mood for making the sequels better than the originalsS whereas in the old days, just ten to twenty years ago, it was just like a hit-and-run thing where they throw a bit of money at something, and say, 'Let's make some money out of that and bow out.' Now they're making them much differently, they're making them in a quality way, they hire good people, the best in the business in every department, and spend the money on it."

Jonathon Mostow also had some thoughts. "[Making T3] is a little like a through-the-looking-glass experience, it's just... fun! This is the most fun I've ever had coming to a set every day... [Arnold] is a delight to work with and you see why this guy - how some guy [who] arrives with a gym bag and two dollars in his pocket got to where he got to. Just completely focused on what he has to do. I'm not about to go tell Arnold how to play the Terminator because he's been doing it for twenty years and he does great. If he does something that I think is like, wrong for The Terminator, I'll tell him but that hasn't happened because I always joke with him ­ I say it feels like I'm making the movie of the Bible and I've got Moses playing the central character. He's so dialled into this role ... often I sit there watching it like, I cant believe I'm not having to pay eight bucks and just watch him do this stuff."

This third film will tell the tale of the first battles between humans and the artificial intellgences of the SkyNet network. John Connor (played by Edward Furlong in the 2nd movie) will be the star. (7/12/00) The advanced android that Schwarzenegger will be going up against will be female this time around. (11/20/00) Arnold told The New York Post that the female cyborg will have several new powers, like being able to disappear, mold into someone else, or even turn into an energy form. (11/30/00) Famke Janssen is in talks to play that advanced female android. (5/22/01) The producers are continuing to tweak the script, with word from USA Today that the famale cyborg might now be a "good guy", and the villain would be a male (Vin Diesel was mentioned as a possibility). (7/18/01) Vin Diesel may have signed on for that role. (12/3/01) Michael Fleming confirms that the villain is still a female cyborg, and that the story is set 10 years after T2, as Connor and his cyborg buddy fight off the all-new, all-dangerous T-model. (12/15/01) A replacement for Edward Furlong is being sought. (1/27/02) Talking recently to Access Hollywood, Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed that his character switches sides in the film, as the computers take over control of his circuitry. (2/20/02) Norwegian actress Kristanna Loken will play T-X.Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines have been around since probably the day after T2 ignited theaters and fans in 1991. And now, we've got word that two sequels that will deal both with how the whole thing started (T3) and how it might end (T4) are being planned. As often happens with sequels, the writers will not be the man who started the series (James Cameron).

This has happened with many series, such as Hellraiser and Children of the Corn. In this case, they are the writers of Tank Girl and Supernova. Of course, this should be expected in an atmosphere when fans expect a sequel even when the original people aren't interested in doing it anymore. My personal opinion on sequels is that in most cases, I'd rather see the director, star, etc. do something new rather than regurgitating the same old story. Of course, there are exceptions (Star Wars, The Matrix, etc.). Which is to say, I don't know if I'm particularly excited about a Terminator sequel one way or another... I guess I'll just wait and see what these new movies actually look like to judge.

So, besides the writers, and a short idea of the premises, we don't really know much yet about these sequels. Filming is expected to start sometime this year (2000), so that should change soon. (3/27/00) Help has come along for these projects in the form of German and Japanese distributors as financing partners. (5/28/00) The preview for Terminator 4 has been posted.

(6/20/00) Arnold told Access Hollywood this week that he's still open to this project, "We'll make an announcement soon. It's all a matter of the script, the director and all of those kinds of things…My big wish is Jim Cameron and I [will] work together again." The problem with this quote is... Jim Cameron is still quite unattached to this project. Sure, it's possible Arnold's statement indicates otherwise, or this just might be another of those quotes from Arnold that ends up not meaning anything.

(6/22/00) It's official... Arnold Schwarzenegger has indeed signed to star in this third Terminator. As to James Cameron, Arnold said "My big wish is that Jim Cameron and I will work together again (on this movie)." The question seems to be... can Arnold talk Cameron into coming back?

(7/12/00) James Cameron definitely won't be directing. That's a closed subject. Now, the search is on for his replacement, with The Hollywood Reporter listing David Fincher, Ridley Scott, Roland Emmerich, and Christian Duguay as helmers the producers are talking to. My guess would be Duguay (Screamers, The Art of War, The Assignment), who seems to be the one with the least commitments elsewhere. Fincher, forever, has tons of other things he's already got on his plate. We'll see. From that same article comes the news that this time around, the advanced android that Schwarzenegger will be fighting will be female.