20 Intriguing Details About Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Looking back, it’s astonishing that Terminator 2: Judgment Day succeeded at all. The film was funded by distributors fixated on star power, hastily planned under tight deadlines, crafted with untested technology, and finished mere days before its premiere. Despite these challenges, it stands today as a testament to innovation, dedication, and significant financial investment. The now-closed production company Carolco guided James Cameron’s vision to completion, resulting in a box office triumph. T2 grossed an unprecedented $52 million in its opening weekend, though it first set a record as the most expensive film ever made, costing $102 million.

The film also masterfully expands the universe Cameron introduced in the original The Terminator—a sci-fi horror that evolved into a cautionary tale about technology’s dehumanizing effects, ironically relying on cutting-edge visual effects to tell its story. T2 brought back the original cast in fresh roles, solidifying Cameron’s creation as a timeless franchise. This enduring legacy has inspired numerous filmmakers (four so far) to revisit the series, exploring new layers of its intricate mythology. As we celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary, we reflect on the remarkable decisions and events that converged—often against the odds—to produce one of cinema’s most impactful and lasting sequels.

1. James Cameron sold the rights to The Terminator for just $1.

To secure the production of the original film, Cameron sold the rights to The Terminator for just $1—a decision he never regretted. When discussions about a sequel arose—even before Cameron was approached to direct—Carolco spent $15 million to reclaim the rights from the original distributor, driven by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desire to reprise his iconic role.

2. Initially, James Cameron was hesitant about creating a sequel to The Terminator, but the studio provided him with 6 million compelling reasons to reconsider.

When Carolco initially contacted Cameron about developing Terminator 2, he expressed disinterest. However, his stance shifted when they offered him $6 million to take on the director’s role.

3. James Cameron committed to making a sequel to The Terminator without a clear plan for the story.

Despite the original The Terminator earning $78 million on a $7 million budget, Cameron had shifted his focus and never planned for a sequel. When he eventually agreed to direct the follow-up, he reached out to William Wisher—credited with “additional dialogue” in the first film—and together they outlined the foundational ideas for T2. In a 2017 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Wisher described the screenwriting process as surprisingly swift and smooth.

4. James Cameron and his team were given under two years to finalize Terminator 2.

Shortly after agreeing to helm the project, Cameron faced a tight deadline: Carolco’s founder, Mario Kassar, declared the film would debut in 1991 over the Fourth of July weekend. This left Cameron, Wisher, and a yet-to-be-assembled crew with roughly 20 months to complete T2.

5. The T-1000’s design was partially influenced by James Cameron’s earlier work on The Abyss.

Cameron attributes the concept of the T-1000 to ILM visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren. Muren proposed expanding on the techniques from Cameron’s The Abyss to develop a computer-generated character composed of “liquid metal” instead of water. This decision removed the challenge of transparency but introduced the complexity of reflectiveness.

In The Ringer's T2 oral history, Cameron recounted how Fox distribution head Tom Sherak was frustrated upon realizing the studio had financed a costly flop with The Abyss, only for it to serve as a trial run for a more successful project: “He said, ‘Who would have thought we spent $60 million on a movie that was essentially a test for Terminator 2?'"

6. Arnold Schwarzenegger initially disliked the Terminator 2 script.

Cameron completed his first draft of T2 just as Carolco was preparing to showcase its upcoming releases at a major industry event. During the flight to the event, Schwarzenegger read the script for the first time and was far from impressed. Beyond grappling with technical terms like mimetic polyalloy, the action star was confused to find his character wasn’t killing anyone in the film. Cameron, however, convinced him that this twist would surprise and engage audiences, and assured him he’d still have plenty of iconic scenes. "Arnold HATED it," Cameron told The Guardian. "He even tried to talk me out of it! But I said: 'No, this is what we’re doing, it’s really cool.' And along the way, he saw the wisdom of it."

7. Linda Hamilton agreed to return as Sarah Connor only under a specific condition.

When Cameron contacted Linda Hamilton to return as Sarah Connor, he told The Ringer she agreed on one condition: "She said, 'Sure, I’m in, but I want to be crazy.' I asked, 'How crazy?' She replied, 'Crazy, like I’ve lost my mind.' I clarified, 'Like institutionalized, in an asylum?' She said, 'Exactly. Let me go all out.' I responded, 'Alright, but it’ll be my version of crazy,' and she agreed, 'I’m in.'" This choice, portraying Connor as driven to madness by her knowledge of the future, added depth to the film’s family dynamics. At the time, Cameron was married to Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, though they divorced in 1991, the year T2 was released. Cameron and Hamilton later began a relationship, had a daughter in 1993, married in 1997, and separated in 1999.

8. James Cameron aimed to make the T-1000 visually distinct from Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Cameron sought a contrasting physical presence for the T-1000 to stand apart from Schwarzenegger’s imposing frame, leading to Robert Patrick’s casting. "It was one of those perfect moments where everything aligned," Patrick told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017.

9. James Cameron initially envisioned Billy Idol as the T-1000.

Cameron briefly entertained the idea of casting Billy Idol as the T-1000 due to his striking appearance. However, the plan was derailed when Idol suffered a serious motorcycle accident. "Sadly, he injured his leg in the crash and couldn’t meet the physical demands of the role," Patrick told The Hollywood Reporter.

10. Edward Furlong was discovered out of nowhere to play a key role in Terminator 2.

After rejecting numerous polished young actors whom Cameron described as overly rehearsed and "trained to be cheerful in family settings and sell cereal," casting director Mali Finn found Edward Furlong at the Pasadena Boys and Girls Club. Despite having no acting ambitions, Furlong was guided through three auditions before Cameron decided to cast him.

11. James Cameron conceived Edward Furlong’s character while under the influence of ecstasy—and inspired by Sting’s music.

Cameron revealed to The Ringer that he developed Edward Furlong’s character while in an altered mental state: "I recall sitting there, under the influence, jotting down ideas for Terminator, and Sting’s song struck me—'I hope the Russians love their children, too.' It hit me that the concept of nuclear war is completely opposed to life itself. That’s how the kid’s character emerged."

12. The visual effects for Terminator 2 exceeded the entire budget of the original film.

Cameron meticulously storyboarded every scene, ensuring production ran smoothly, though he inevitably exceeded the budget. The 42 computer-generated visual effects alone cost more than the entire budget of the first Terminator. Overall, the sequel’s budget was roughly three times that of the original. Muren and the ILM team scanned Robert Patrick’s face and body, capturing his movements as the T-1000, such as rising from beneath a sheet, which served as a foundation for animators to enhance.

13. Twin actors were employed for scenes where the T-1000 morphs into other characters.

Don and Dan Stanton portrayed the asylum guard and his duplicate during Sarah’s escape from Pescadero, while Hamilton’s twin sister, Leslie Hamilton Gearren, played Sarah’s off-camera double when the T-1000 mimics her. She also stood in for Linda in a deleted scene where Sarah and John reboot the T-800. For this shot, Cameron constructed a mirrored setup, and Leslie mirrored her sister’s movements perfectly.

14. James Cameron filmed the canal chase sequence while seated in a motorcycle sidecar.

The canal chase was filmed in the San Fernando Valley, necessitating the diversion of a man-made river to maintain continuity. Peter Kent, Schwarzenegger’s stunt double, executed the Harley jump, and the production modified several Harley Fat Boy motorcycles to achieve the desired effect. However, the bike was ultimately lowered into the canal using cables rather than jumping. Cameron personally operated the camera during the chase while riding in the sidecar of another motorcycle.

15. While Terminator 2 is celebrated for its revolutionary visual effects, it also relied heavily on practical effects.

Despite its pioneering use of CGI, many scenes were achieved through practical methods, thanks to Stan Winston’s models, miniatures, and intricate prosthetics. For the “nuclear nightmare” sequence, VFX artists Robert and Dennis Skotak constructed a large-scale model of Los Angeles and used air mortars to topple the miniature buildings, which stood only a few feet tall.

16. The final chase scene in Terminator 2 required 10 miles of electric cables for lighting.

The climactic chase scene was filmed on the Los Angeles-Long Beach Terminal Island freeway, necessitating 10 miles of electric cables to properly illuminate the road and vehicles. One of the most jaw-dropping shots involved flying a helicopter beneath an overpass.

17. Terminator 2 initially featured an alternate ending.

Several endings were filmed, including a more reflective conclusion featuring Sarah (played by Hamilton in aging makeup) visiting her son John, now a politician in a future untouched by the machine war. Test audiences rejected this version, and after some resistance, Cameron repurposed unused footage of an empty road from Act Three and had Hamilton record the voiceover that now closes the film.

18. James Cameron finalized the edit of T2 mere hours before the final prints were made.

After wrapping production, the team rushed to complete the film. Cameron revealed he finished the final edit, including all visual effects and minor adjustments, just three hours before the prints were sent to theaters worldwide.

19. Terminator 2 nearly broke even before its official release.

Despite its record-breaking budget, Terminator 2 recovered most of its expenses before hitting theaters: Global rights were sold for $65 million, home video rights for $10 million, and TV rights for $7 million. At the time, it was the most expensive film ever made (without inflation adjustments).

20. Multiple versions of T2 exist, but James Cameron has a preferred cut.

Terminator 2 went on to earn $205 million domestically and $520 million globally, spawning a TV series and four sequels that expanded its lore in various ways. The film received six Oscar nominations, winning four for Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Sound, Best Makeup, and Best Visual Effects. While two extended versions were released on home video, Cameron favors the original theatrical cut.