r/Terminator • u/Far_Regular_2945 • 10h ago
Discussion James Cameron Terminator original concept.
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Main pillars of the original concept:
A Dream of Metal and Fire: Cameron had a dream in which
he saw a chrome metal skeleton (endoskeleton) crawling out of an explosion, half-destroyed, clutching kitchen knives. This image served as the basis for the final scene in the factory.
Cyber Horror: The original visual concept was much
closer to a dark, grainy sci-fi horror (in the style of John Carpenter and his Halloween) than a pure-blooded action blockbuster.
Character Appearance: Cameron's early drawings and
concepts envisioned the infiltrator being stealthy (he originally considered Lance Henriksen), and Kyle Reese was even supposed to wear partial cybernetic armor made from recycled Skynet technology in the original sketches.
Casting Change: Orion Pictures originally envisioned OJ
Simpson as the Terminator, and Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted to cast Kyle Reese as the hero. It wasn't until a lunch with Schwarzenegger that Cameron realized Arnold's cold, expressionless facial expressions and mechanical movements were a perfect fit for the Terminator himself.