Ahead of this Friday's release of Terminator: Dark Fate, director Tim Miller says he may have quit the project if original star Linda Hamilton did not return to the franchise. Hamilton first played Sarah Connor in the first Terminator in 1984 and returned for Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Since then, she has largely stayed out of the franchise aside from a voice role in Terminator: Salvation. Her big return in Dark Fate is one of the reasons this reboot is highly anticipated.
Terminator: Dark Fate aims to be the third Terminator film fans have always wanted. In addition to Hamilton coming back, it sees James Cameron revisit the franchise for the first time since Judgment Day. He produced the second Terminator flick, but took a step back for Terminator 3, Salvation and the heavily disliked Terminator Genisys. While Cameron did not settle into the director's chair for this one, he has a producing and story credit. Deadpool directer Miller has taken the reins for this one, which also sees the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800.
Speaking to Screen Rant at the Terminator: Dark Fate press junket, Miller shared his thoughts on what would've happened if Hamilton decided not to revisit her iconic character. When asked if there was a plan in case Hamilton decided not to return, Miller said:
You know, we had a really brief time where we talked about other options before we said, “Well, what if Linda comes back?” Because that's the optimal thing. And once we started talking about that, we didn't talk about anything else until Jim had an answer. So, we all just kind of followed. Because if Linda says yes, then that drives a whole bunch of decisions. And if she says no, then you have to do something completely different because there was no world in which anybody else played Linda Hamilton. So, all roads lead to Linda and I don't know what was beyond them. Probably nothing. I probably would have fucked off and quit if she didn't do it.
If fans like Dark Fate, it sounds like they can thank Hamilton for making this version of it possible. Also starring Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, and Gabriel Luna, Terminator: Dark Fate follows a cyborg-human hybrid named Grace (Davis) tasked with protecting a young woman from one of the most highly advanced Terminators (Luna) ever. Sarah Connor, having prevented Judgment Day many years ago, joins Grace in protecting the woman, which leads them back to the original T-800 that changed Sarah's life forever. Early Terminator: Dark Fate movie reviews have given it a 68 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with many praising it as the best third Terminator yet.
It is easy to see why Miller wouldn't be interested in Dark Fate without Hamilton having a role. The Terminator franchise has dealt with several setbacks in the years since Judgment Day, mainly through critically bashed installments. Going back to the franchise's roots seems like a solid way to reset its path forward and has gotten fans excited about this new film. Sarah Connor is one of the most iconic sci-fi/action heroines of all time, and in an age where Han Solo and Rambo can make big returns, it's refreshing to see such passion for a female character's comeback. It remains to be seen if Terminator: Dark Fate is a worthy vehicle for Hamilton, but either way, fans are pumped, and it sounds like Miller was too.
