Before the release of “Terminator: Dark Fate” last fall, there were stories from James Cameron and actress Linda Hamilton about how difficult it was to convince the actress to return to the franchise that she said goodbye to decades prior. But with ‘Dark Fate,’ the franchise was supposed to get a jumpstart and Hamilton was convinced to take on a role. Well, the film ended up receiving mixed reviews and flopped at the box office. Now, it appears that the actress would like to go back to being done with the role of Sarah Connor for good.
Speaking to THR, Hamilton said she would love to be done with the ‘Terminator’ franchise, not because she was unhappy with the previous film. Instead, she’s just unhappy with the current state of the industry and how so much is at stake with each blockbuster.
“I would really appreciate maybe a smaller version where so many millions are not at stake,” she explained. “Today’s audience is just so unpredictable. I can’t tell you how many laymen just go, ‘Well, people don’t go to the movies anymore.’ It should definitely not be such a high-risk financial venture, but I would be quite happy to never return. So, no, I am not hopeful because I would really love to be done.”
Now, is a low-budget, back-to-basics “Terminator” film a terrible idea? Actually, not at all. That sounds pretty awesome if done right. (Yes, I’ll admit I’m a fan of the franchise and sad that it appears to be dead.) But considering how James Cameron doesn’t do small films and the ‘Dark Fate’ box office performance points to an audience that just doesn’t care, a “Terminator” film that would appeal to Hamilton doesn’t seem to be in the cards. At least, not anytime soon.
So, for all intents and purposes, it appears that Linda Hamilton won’t be returning to the franchise that turned her into an icon. Maybe that’s for the best.