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SYFY WIRE Terminator: Dark Fate

Schwarzenegger got heads up on Terminator: Dark Fate thanks to a joyride with James Cameron

By Tara Bennett & Josh Weiss
Arnold Schwarzenegger

It pays to be motorcycle buddies with James Cameron. You'll be out for a nice little ride and all of the sudden, he'll give you the lowdown on the next Terminator movie that he's executive producing. That's how it was for Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will be reprising his role as the good-natured T-800 in Terminator: Dark Fate, which hits theaters this Friday, Nov. 1.

"I was told the story of Dark Fate first, probably, before anyone else because I happen to ride motorcycles with Jim Cameron all the time," Schwarzenegger told SYFY WIRE at the film's press junket in Los Angeles. "And so, one time after the ride, he says, 'I have another idea for a Terminator. Listen to this one.' We were sitting there for another hour at breakfast and I was listening and I said to him, 'You want to bring Linda Hamilton back? Because it sounds like she's part of the story.' And he says, 'Yeah, absolutely. I'm gonna call her, I just want to see what your reaction is to the whole thing.' I said, 'I think it's brilliant, it's brilliant, it's fantastic.' I didn't think [they'd] be able to come up with another story and bring me back to life."

Like Cameron, Hamilton is coming back to the sci-fi franchise after nearly 30 years away. Sarah Connor may be a little longer in the tooth, but she can still kick Skynet's ass to hell and back. Cameron, who is attached as an executive producer on the film, helped come up with the central story that morphed into the screenplay by David S. Goyer, Justin Rhodes, and Billy Ray.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

"After that, he called Linda ... She was definitely in, I was definitely in, and that's when the whole thing began," added Schwarzenegger, who has appeared in every single Terminator movie in one way, shape, or form.

Based on the trailers, clips, and other marketing materials released thus far, it looks like Sarah's view on machines (even the good ones) hasn't softened much since 1991. She hates them so much, in fact, that she refuses to call the T-800 by his new name, "Carl." Who could ever be afraid of a Carl?!

Directed by Tim Miller (Deadpool), Dark Fate also features new characters that are played by Gabriel Luna, Natalie Reyes, Mackenzie Davis, and Diego Boneta. Find out what the critics are saying about the film right here.