James Cameron reveals his idea for a Terminator reboot

Speaking on the Smartless podcast, director James Cameron divulged the different themes he would want to broach in a potential Terminator reboot.

Classic films from the 1980s have come back in full force in recent years, thanks to reboots, continuations, and everything in between.

Blade Runner finally received a sequel a few years ago, for example. And Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 Dune film reached technical heights that weren’t possible for its 1984 counterpart.

Terminator also returned in the last decade, with 2015’s Genisys and 2019’s Dark Fate. But does the classic sci-fi brand need a new coat of paint? At least one person who wouldn’t mind delving into the possibilities.

Here’s what James Cameron would do with a Terminator reboot

Director James Cameron recently appeared on an episode of the Smartless podcast with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett (via The Playlist). The discussion briefly turned to artificial intelligence and its use in films.

Cameron acknowledged the environmental motif prevalent throughout Avatar but expressed an interest in exploring AI as a theme. Were he to do such a thing, it seems as though a Terminator reboot would constitute the vehicle. Cameron told the podcast hosts:

“Well, the Avatar films are about the environment; I’m not dealing with AI. If I were to do another Terminator film and maybe try and to launch that franchise again, which is in discussion, but nothing has been decided, I would make it much more about the AI side of it than bad robots gone crazy.”

Of course, this isn’t confirmation that pressing reset on the Terminator is on the cards. But prioritizing artificial intelligence could be an interesting new direction for the IP in the future.

For the time being, however, James Cameron seems most focused on churning out even more Avatar sequels.