James Cameron gives major update on ‘Terminator 7’ without Arnold Schwarzenegger
- By Web Desk -
- Dec 18, 2025

James Cameron is signalling major shift in Terminator franchise ahead of 7th installment!
Speaking in a recent cover interview with The Hollywood Reporter while promoting Avatar: Fire and Ash, the acclaimed director shared an update on the seventh installment.
Cameron – who is currently promoting Avatar: Fire And Ash – revealed that development will move into full gear once his current commitments wrap up.
“There are a lot of narrative problems to solve. The biggest is how do I stay enough ahead of what’s really happening to make it science fiction?” he told the outlet.
The filmmaker also shed the light on plans to see Arnold Schwarznagger’s return as the iconic character.
“I can safely say he won’t be [in it],” Cameron added.
He went on to explain, It’s time for a new generation of characters. I insisted Arnold had to be involved in [2019’s] Terminator: Dark Fate, and it was a great finish to him playing the T-800. There needs to be a broader interpretation of Terminator and the idea of a time war and super intelligence. I want to do new stuff that people aren’t imagining.”
The decision means Terminator 7 will be the first film in the franchise to move forward without the actor who turned the T-800 into a pop culture icon.
The filmmaker, who ideated the sci-fi franchise with the 1984 installment, has been actively working on the seventh installment since 2022.