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Top 10 Coolest Terminator Facts

Top 10 Coolest Terminator Facts
VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
Script Written by Sean Harris.

Hasta la vista, Mojoholics! Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the top 10 coolest Terminator facts! For this list, we've looked at the entire “Terminator “franchise, and collected the most interesting and impressive facts surrounding the series!

Special thanks to our users WordToTheWes for submitting the idea on our Suggestion Tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest

#10: Linda & Leslie Hamilton

Modern audiences might believe that the ‘seeing double’ scenes with Sarah Connor in “Judgment Day” are the product of early CGI or a complicatedly subtle hair and makeup process... However, the truth is that what we see is actually two different people! Leading cast member Linda Hamilton actually starred in certain scenes (including the playground dream sequence!) alongside her identical twin sister, Leslie! The Sarah Connor sisters are doing it for themselves!

#9: Man’s Best Friend – Cyborg-Style

The first “Terminator” film put James Cameron on the movie-making map, but it may not have done that had the director not been so adamantly against some production company suggestions! Perhaps the dumbest of these ideas was to incorporate a cyborg dog into the “Terminator” film... Somebody behind the scenes believed that Kyle Reese should arrive from the future, with a robotic pet pooch... Every dog may have his day, but happily, this one didn’t!

#8: “The Terminator” Was Nearly Taken to Court

OK, so android Arnie himself wasn’t personally sued, but “The Terminator” movie landed itself in a lot of legal hot water! Sci-fi speculative fiction writer Harlan Ellison felt as though the film borrowed way too heavily from his own work, specifically two episodes of the second season to his early ‘60s TV series, “The Outer Limits”! An argument settled out of court in the end, Cameron has subsequently referred to Ellison as ‘a parasite’, but the former got his name featured on the movie’s end credits anyway!

#7: James Cameron Almost Wasn’t Trusted to Direct

A film that ultimately proved the vital first step in James Cameron’s career, 1984’s “The Terminator” almost wasn’t entrusted to the Canadian filmmaker at all! Cameron wrote the screenplay, but the now-celebrated storyteller was only prepared to sell to a production company that would allow him to direct. Largely inexperienced in feature film, a deal proved exceptionally difficult to strike! Eventually, however, Cameron teamed up with Hemdale Pictures and Orion Pictures, was given an extremely modest budget of around $6.5 million, and was able to make sci-fi movie history!

#6: Edward Furlong’s Voice Problems

Making his acting debut for “Terminator 2”, Edward Furlong was just thirteen years old when cast in “Judgment Day”! Child film star or not, however, Furlong still had a lot of growing up to do, and that caused a lot of problems during production! Furlong’s voice broke while filming, meaning that the majority of his scenes had to be redubbed in the name of consistency! A process that delayed the movie’s completion further still, it was still a sequel well worth the wait!

#5: No One Wanted to Make “The Terminator”

The “Terminator” franchise may be one of the most ground-breaking series of films in motion picture history, but not everyone saw the potential from day one! Mel Gibson famously turned down the chance to play the title character, while one O.J. Simpson was in the running, but was – perhaps ironically – considered unbelievable as a killer! Behind the camera, there were considerable doubts as well... Studios repeatedly said no to the scripts, and even the director’s agent hated the idea! Way to prove ‘em wrong, James Cameron!

#4: The Catchphrase That Might Have Been

These films offer their fair share of catchphrases, but the one that stands out most famously might never have been mouthed at all! Arnie’s iconic ‘I’ll be back’ was originally mused as ‘I’ll come back’, and also as ‘I will be back’ on account of Schwarzenegger struggling to pronounce ‘I’ll’... Three phrases with very similar meanings, the slightest of changes can make all the difference! ‘I’ll come back’ might never have been constantly parodied in playgrounds and offices worldwide... ‘I’ll be back’ definitely was! And in fact, still is!

#3: The John Connor Curse

Essentially, the idea in our next entry is that everyone who plays John Connor is destined to suffer some form of bad luck post-filming! Edward Furlong took on the role for “T2” before battling drug abuse and alcoholism for years afterward... The same fate befell “T3”‘s Nick Stahl, who was often seen in and around L.A.’s Skid Row after “Rise of the Machines”... Even established Hollywood superstar Christian Bale couldn’t entirely avoid the curse - footage of him violently swearing at the film crew was leaked alongside “Terminator Salvation”…! Jason Clarke, good luck!

#2: Nothing is Too Dangerous for James Cameron

Every director has to be entirely dedicated to his or her movie, if it’s ever going to succeed... But with “T2,” James Cameron took a few more risks than most! During the climactic helicopter chase scene, Cameron’s film crew refused to shoot part of the sequence because of the incredible danger involved. Unperturbed, the director took up the reins himself, and personally pressed record! Had Cameron not had the courage, we would never have had the shot!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- “Terminator 2” Changed CGI Forever
- Arnie’s 3-Hour 6-Month-Long Daily Workout for “Rise of the Machines”
- The 1st 4 “Terminator” Films Each Had a Different Production Company
- Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Gifted $14 Million Jet for Accepting “T2” Role
- “T2”’s Biker Bar scene Was Filmed Across the Street From Rodney King Incident
- Arnold Schwarzenegger Took Home $21, 429 Per Scripted Word Spoken in “T2”

#1: “The Terminator” Is a Dream Come True!

As the popular saying goes, ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do’... When James Cameron visited the Italian capital, however, he did the exact opposite! Unless everyone else in the city was daydreaming about a futuristic, robotic Armageddon... which we highly doubt! The idea for “T1” came into the director’s mind quite suddenly while he was laid up with sickness in Europe... For most, images of destruction and unstoppable machines would only make you sicker... For Cameron, they signalled the start of something real special!

Do you agree with our list? Which “Terminator” fact do you find the coolest? For more futuristic top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.

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