The Terminator is coming back to screens in 2016. No, not in a sequel to Terminator Genisys—that would be silly. Instead, for the 25th anniversary of its release, Terminator 2: Judgment Day will be returning to theaters worldwide next year with a 3D twist. Per THR, writer/director James Cameron is supervising and producing a conversion of the 1991 classic to 3D via a digital remastering. While the new iteration of the film will be worldwide, the main reason for the conversion has to do with China.
Indeed, Cameron is partnering with DMG Entertainment and Studiocanal to use the latest technology from StereoD to bring Terminator 2 into the third dimension, and the key market for this re-release is the lucrative China, where the updated cut will make its global premiere. In fact, while Terminator Genisys failed to hit even $100 million domestically, the rebootquel was a sizeable hit in China, grossing $112.8 million. There’s heavy interest there for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s time-traveling killing machine, so a 3D conversion of one of the best sequels ever made seems like a fine (and easy) way to make some dough.
Cameron himself pretty much singlehandedly ushered in the return of 3D with his 2009 smash hit Avatar, and he’s still very much on the 3D train:
“Next year marks the 25th anniversary of Terminator 2 and that seemed like the perfect time to bring it back but this time in an all-new 3D version. If you’ve never seen it, this’ll be the version you want to see and remember.”
I’m not sure about that, but I’ve learned never to doubt James Cameron so perhaps a 3D iteration of Terminator 2 will indeed be stunning. If you’ve been to Universal Studios Florida over the past 25 years you’ve already kinda seen T2 in 3D—the ride/show combo Terminator 2 3-D features footage that Cameron shot specifically for 3D back in the early 90s (click here for a fascinating behind-the-scenes of that footage). But over two decades of technology upgrades and Cameron’s experience on Avatar will no doubt result in a superior product here.
It’s unclear exactly when the re-release might hit theaters, but Terminator 2 opened on July 3, 1991, so the Independence Day holiday could be a solid showcase.
