James Cameron Defends 'The Terminator' on its 40th Anniversary

James Cameron celebrates the 40th anniversary of 'The Terminator' by addressing critics' concerns about its dialogue. He stands by his work despite some cringe-worthy parts, emphasizing the box office success of his films. Cameron also discusses the length of 'Avatar: The Way of Water' and upcoming 'Avatar' releases.

James Cameron, esteemed filmmaker, recently reflected on the 40th anniversary of his groundbreaking sci-fi action film 'The Terminator.' In an interview with Variety, Cameron responded to critics who have taken issue with the film's dialogue. Released in 1984, 'The Terminator,' directed by Cameron and co-written with Gale Anne Hurd, features Arnold Schwarzenegger in the titular role.

'I don't think of it as some Holy Grail, that's for sure. I look at it now and there are parts of it that are pretty cringe-worthy, and parts of it that are like, 'Yeah, we did pretty well for the resources we had available,' stated Cameron. Addressing dialogue criticism, he added, 'I don't cringe on any of the dialogue, but I have a lower cringe factor than, apparently, a lot of people do. Let me see your three-out-of-the-four-highest-grossing films, then we'll talk about dialogue effectiveness.'

Despite the criticism, Cameron emphasized that his films have achieved significant box office success and broken numerous records. Known for hits like 'Aliens,' 'The Abyss,' 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day,' 'True Lies,' 'Avatar,' and its sequels, Cameron is also renowned for 'Titanic.'

Addressing the three-hour runtime of 'Avatar: The Way of Water,' Cameron remarked, 'I don't want anybody whining about length when they sit and binge-watch for eight hours.' Reflecting on criticisms of his first 'Avatar' film, he noted, 'The trolls will have it that nobody gives a shit and they can't remember the characters' names or one damn thing that happened in the movie.'

Variety reported that Cameron's third 'Avatar' film, titled 'Avatar: Fire and Ash,' is slated for a December 19, 2025 release.

(With inputs from agencies.)