“Stupidest Thing I Ever Heard”: Arnold Schwarzenegger Questioned James Cameron’s Vision as It Wouldn’t Help Him Defeat Sylvester Stallone

Arnold Schwarzenegger became a sensation after starring in The Terminator (1984). The film garnered a massive fanbase who wanted more of James Cameron’s sci-fi action universe. In 1991, the much-anticipated sequel was released, but Schwarzenegger’s iconic T-800 had a massive difference compared to the first film. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Arnie’s character transformed from a killer to a protector. When the actor and director first discussed his role change, Schwarzenegger threw a tantrum.

Speaking at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures about his upcoming Taschen book, the 75-year-old discussed his career in Hollywood. While recounting what would be the biggest movie of his career, Arnie recalled protesting against Cameron’s vision. With his rivalry against Sylvester Stallone reaching new highs, Schwarzenegger only wanted to put out his competition.

James Cameron wouldn’t hear any of it

During the interview, the 75-year-old said he became suspicious when Cameron sat him down to explain his vision. “In the beginning, I was suspicious. He says ‘I want to make you a good Terminator,'” Schwarzenegger said. However, he couldn’t believe that the filmmaker flip how his character acted even though he would still play the menacing T-800.

“I said what do you mean a good Terminator?… I was killing 68 people in the first one. In the second one, I have to kill 150,” an absolutely animated Arnie told Cameron. The 75-year-old action cinema veteran even described how he wanted to kill people on screen in Terminator 2. Since Sylvester Stallone had killed numerous guys in Rambo: First Blood Part 2, Schwarzenegger said, “We gotta outdo Stallone.”

However, Arline’s filmmaker friend wouldn’t compromise with his vision. The Titanic director said the Austrian Oak won’t kill anyone on screen. “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” quipped the bodybuilding icon. While Cameron’s vision had no flaws, Schwarzenegger’s rivalry with Stallone blinded him. The actor was determined to beat his rival in every aspect of the cinema.

Why was Arnold Schwarzenegger obsessed with on-screen kills?

During the height of their rivalry, Schwarzenegger and Stallone fought over everything. Simply beating one another at the box office wasn’t enough. If a Sylvester Stallone movie had two explosions, Schwarzenegger demanded four, and vice versa. It was no different for the on-screen kill count.

Once the duo ran into one another and even during their short meeting, they compared who had killed more people in their then-latest action flicks. Sylvester Stallone, who appeared in Arnie’s latest Netflix docuseries, compared their Hollywood rivalry with that of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

Read More | From Enemies to Friends–Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone’s Relationship Over the Years

While Arnold Schwarzenegger threw a tantrum, Cameron calmed him down. The Ture Lies director said Arnie’s T-800 would beat up and shoot people in the leg at most. Despite not agreeing with the filmmaker initially, Schwarzenegger came around and Terminator 2 became arguably the biggest movie of his career.

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