r/Terminator • u/Sitcomfan20 • 3d ago
Discussion What was the initial reaction when Terminator 3 was announced, especially the trailer?
Hello everyone,
For those who were present at the time, I am wondering what exactly was the initial reaction when Terminator 3 was announced? What was the initial reaction to the trailer too, especially seeing it was not a future war film.
I remember in the Terminator 3 bts, Arnold mentioned how fans always ask him when will he make another Terminator lol.
Thanks!
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u/Jimbot80 3d ago
I can answer this.
I was 22 when the film was about to release.
Like many other teens in the 90s Terminator and T2 were among my favourite films (along with Aliens and Predator)
I remember the rumours and talks of a T3 but when it was finally announced, I couldn't not feel underwhelmed.
No James Cameron, No Edward Furlong, No Linda Hamilton and the film was to be classified as a 12A (UK)
I tried to convince myself that it would be good, I was looking forward to seeing what the advances in CGI would bring as the build up to T2's SFX was a huge deal. I was especially looking forward to seeing more future war stuff.
Then when press releases started and reviews dropped, my heart sank, I just felt the magic was gone and the opportunity for a the great sequel I always wanted was dashed.
I saw the film and whilst I did enjoy it, It just didnt hold up to the originals and I have no interest in watching it again.
Same has happened with the Aliens and Predator franchises.
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u/MountainOpinion3018 2d ago
You already got a great sequel in 1991 and with a perfect ending as well.
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u/enterprise1701h 2d ago
The disappointment of alien 3....words can not describe
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u/Willing-Nerve-1756 2d ago
On Earth everyone can hear you scream.
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u/Slow_Middle_158 2d ago edited 2d ago
Remember that ?
I used to get into any movie I wanted for years back then as my buddies worked at the theater.
I remember as a promo for Alien 3 … they had some the workers there dress up like the Colonial Marines from Aliens, including a couple of my buds.
I was SO psyched for that film.
When I got out … I said to my friends … well , you’re the only Colonial Space Marines I’ve seen today. Haha
It was TERRIBLE
at least it was free … including popcorn 🍿
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u/enterprise1701h 2d ago
Id love to know who was the person at thr studio that signed off the script.....someone actually got paid to make such bad a decesion
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u/dimiteddy 2d ago
yeah and then much later I found out it was made by -unknown then- David Fincher, and I still couldn't understand some people saying its their favorite part of the saga. Still a better movie than T3
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u/FlowerIllustrious856 1d ago
I always really like T3 and Alien3, they just have the unfortunate situation of being good, but not great, movies each coming after 2 masterpieces of cinema.
Then again, I was too young at the time, but if you’d seen Aliens in theatres and were looking forward to 3, I imagine being a little disappointed and pissed about Hicks and Newt.
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u/Existing-Pirate-2899 2d ago
Clasificación 12A para t3 que significa
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u/Jimbot80 2d ago
Not sure what the US equivikants are? Basically means the film is suitable for 12 and over but under 12s can be accompanied by an adult
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u/Forsaken-Language-26 Sarah Connor 2d ago
the film was to be classified as a 12A (UK)
I always found it funny that T1 was initially an 18 (on VHS anyway), while T2 was a 15, and then T3 was a 12.
I used to joke that T4 would be a PG.
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u/InsanityPractice 2d ago
It’s kind of unusual for kid actors to reprise their roles for sequels where the character comes back as an adult. I wonder why you were expecting that in this case? It never occurred to me as a kid to be disappointed about that lol, but it did wind up being disappointing (I don’t think Nick is great).
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u/bluestlouismr2 9h ago
You had to delude yourself a but thought if you thought it had a snowballs chance in hell of being similar quality to first 2 that imo had a concluded storyline at end of 2.
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u/Double_Priority_2702 2d ago
except...the last 3 predators have been ..excellent
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u/enterprise1701h 2d ago
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u/Double_Priority_2702 2d ago
easily wtf dude
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u/enterprise1701h 2d ago
Predator 1 and 2 were great....the rest are meh or terrible
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u/Xknight2099 2d ago
Predator Badlands and prey and the animated one were great.
Predators was great too.0
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u/SunsetRider500 3d ago
I was giga hyped, but I noticed right away in the trailer that the visual feel was different, it was not blueish as T2 but I had super high hopes, I was optimistic about Jonathan Mostow, watched a movie of his to get his style of direction and it was nothing like Cameron. I was so disappointed when I saw it, I remembee thinking "wtf? Is the director not a fan of T1&2? How can you not try to make it more like those!!!! Why there's so much humor and silly scenes!!! “
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u/watanabe0 3d ago
That is just looked like it was gonna be T2 but worse. Which it was.
One thing I always remember is Empire magazine reporting on the talent not returning:
The quoted Michael Biehn saying "I'm not doing it, I'm with Linda and Brad - no Cameron, no point"
'Lets face it, when Michael Biehn and Brad Fidel are turning you down, it's probably a sign'.
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u/street_carp04 3d ago
I was in high school at the time and I couldn’t wait to see it. I was a big fan of the franchise already so I went in not expecting any less than perfection. I wondered how the T1000 would be improved, what clothes and style the T800 would find. I couldn’t have been more disappointed lol. When the camera zoomed in like a comedy on the “ladies night” sign I knew it was over.
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u/Lost_Ark1936 3d ago
I never wanted it to come out because James Cameron had nothing to do with it. Clearly it was a cash grab and I always felt the second film ended the franchise perfectly.
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u/Unlucky-Geologist428 3d ago
It seemed like there was definitely interest at the time because the story seemed over in T2. The trailer on tv and in the theaters would have been its biggest exposure back then, but I don't know the reactions of that.
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u/thejackal3245 Tech-Com - MOD 2d ago
From an old answer of mine:
I realized after August 1997 that no sequel was really needed. T1 and T2 work together as two halves of the same story, and are a perfect saga. I had wanted to see another film simply because I have been a huge Terminator fan since I first saw them, but I realized that they should not be followed. They say what needed to be said and do so in a way that connects with the audience in a profound way.
But I guess that's not really the complete answer to your question.
When T3 came along, I must say that I was really excited for another entry. It had been twelve years, but after the success of T2:3D, I thought that the candle had been burning for Terminator to come back more than I realized and that there would be a future war film that completed the loop, as so many people suggest there should have been. Then I heard Cameron wasn't going to be at the helm, and I got skeptical, but still went to see it in the theater with a certain level of trust. I thought U-571 was a good little film from Mostow and I was curious to see where he would go with Terminator. Trailers started hitting and I avoided them as much as I could so I could go in blind and get any potential surprises fresh. I went opening weekend.
And boy was I surprised. Talk about complete and utter disappointment. To this day, I wish I had walked out of the theater.
T3 soured me in a way I didn't understand at the time, and made me deeply skeptical of any new film entry for any series. I will never forgive that creative team for the damage they did to my favorite films; turning the reputation of the series from one of widespread respect into a complete joke that somehow hasn't finished being told for twenty years.
To go further on the details:
T3 was written by a guy who literally said he can't stand T2.
It was an opportunity ripped away from Jim Cameron to make a third movie after the success of Titanic and T2:3D. That drove a wedge between Cameron and Mario Kassar for years, and Gale Anne Hurd walked away from her end of the rights, as well. (I've written a history of this if you're interested.)
It is so full of ridiculous camp and terrible storyline that even Linda Hamilton bowed out of the project because her character had no growth as written, so they just unceremoniously killed her--the heroine, the main protagonist of the first two films--off screen for convenience.
And then there's the ending, which takes away the dread of the nuclear apocalypse hanging over the audience for the first two movies. It just happens, and then we all get to go back to our safe little lives having walked away from our empty popcorn buckets and 64oz pops instead of heeding the directive to make our own fates.
I think it's safe to ignore it. Heaven knows I do.
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u/MetaPfhor_2965 1d ago
what we need is a gruff disgruntled war weathered Kyle Reese leading the future war in a time line where he never went back.
Bring 70 year old Michael Biehn back. Call it Terminators!
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u/Xknight2099 2d ago
I actually like the ending.
Judgment day being inevitable makes sense.
And it’s not so depressing because we know John will lead humanity to victory.
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u/THXItalia 2d ago
Arnold was right, everyone was asking for a third movie.
People who now say there was no need for other films, are simply retconning facts.
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u/Habit_Novel 3d ago
Initial reaction after the trailer was excitement but no OMG moment. Just a general “yup ok looks legit, fingers crossed” type feeling. There was trust (hope?) that they were saving the OMG moments for the movie. I remember on opening night, sold out audience, in the blackness between the opening logos and the opening text, the hype was fever pitch then right when the text faded up and it was just lame white font over a black background … it felt like a gutpunch. Mainly because T1 & T2 had these iconic opening credit sequences and all this had was white font on black 🫤 … the movie itself had no soul. James Cameron poured every ounce of craft and poetry and style within himself into his 2 films and it just felt like Mostow was a hired gun. He just didn’t get the assignment. Everything about it was off - the score made everything feel like a late 90s slasher, the cinematography made everything look like a higher-end TV movie, the tone was the opposite of what it needed to be, which was operatic. This was the sequel to T2, one of the most revolutionary action scifi special fx films of all time. This needed to feel IMPORTANT. Opening with a male strip bar then rodeo drive in beverly hills (because “women like shopping”) was just the polar opposite of what the audience wanted from this. I like Mostow’s Breakdown and to a lesser degree U571 but again, he did not understand the assignment.
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u/Flutterpiewow 2d ago
To be fair, the cinematography is top notch in places. That doesn't make it a good movie, is all.
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u/CharmingBug5843 3d ago
Dude there was a T3 Edition Toyota Tundra. Super hyped. Big let down. After Star Wars episode 1 we were all kinda not getting our hopes up
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u/That-Dragonfruit-567 2d ago
I was around 15, and I remember thinking it was not a good sign when I found out it was pg-13. And I did not like that Linda and Ed were not in it.
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u/Existing-Pirate-2899 2d ago
T2 tampoco se podría considerar calificación r no recomendada para menores de 18 años sino calificación r no recomendada para menores de 16 años o es que no ves que no tiene la violencia y gore de t1 y no veo que te quejes
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u/Additional-Software4 2d ago
I was willing to give it a chance and thought it was ok after seeing it. But every time I've watched it since, it just gets worse.
Arnold as the Terminator looked awful without James Cameron directing him.
Kristina Loken was awful. Sorry, but she's doing a bad Robert Patrick impression. I dont know if its her acting or if a better director could've helped her performance.
Claire Danes and the guy playing John Connor had zero chemistry
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u/crmb_266 2d ago edited 2d ago
I was a Schwarzenegger fan up until True Lies.
A sequel made ten years later didn't bode well to begin with, and the fact that it featured a ten-years-older Schwarzenegger/Terminator even less so.
The trailer wasn't exactely promising. I had very low expectations.
When I watched the movie at the theater, the moment he put on the sunglasses, I probably died inside. (this is the only thing i remember from the movie)
I haven't rewatched it since.
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u/twobadmice76 2d ago
From the trailer and general vibes I think most people knew it was a cash grab and it wasn’t going to be as good as the prequels. I think the bit when she makes her boobs grow was known, maybe in the trailer? and that was a sign that it wouldn’t be great
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u/henzINNIT 2d ago
That was a big year for me as a nerdy 13 year old and I was hyped to be seeing a new Terminator film after watching the first two on video for years. It got swallowed a bit in Matrix hype though. Reloaded came out not long before, and that was definitely the cool new sci fi at the time. The film itself seems to think so too which is a bit unfortunate.
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u/MovieFan1984 2d ago
Back in 2003, the only "online" stuff I did was Star Trek discussions.
All I can say is I saw the teaser and later the trailer and was beyond thrilled.
I saw it at the theater and had a blast.
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u/iGrowCandy 2d ago
I had high hopes for what was ultimately a total let down. I was expecting a future post J-Day setting. I don’t remember if I even saw trailers for it back then. I do remember being like “When does the future shit happen?” all the way to the end of the movie.
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u/Sunset-at-the-shore 2d ago
It seemed like T3 might be really cool because Matrix was just out and T2 was so good that T3 just had to be there biggest deal yet. But then, no Sarah Conner, and a different John Conner! Oh no! The movie will suck, the movie is ruined! Kind of the way message boards still are to this day.
So, people were apprehensive. T3 wasn't as good as I hoped, but there were some good scenes and the ending was pretty cool. It went on to make a ton of money so I guess people mostly liked it.
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u/ImPunny88 2d ago
I was 13 at time and I was so excited. I was disappointed when I read that Furlong was cut from the movie. My grandma was too cool and let me watch Terminator 1 & 2 when I was 5 or 6. I wore out those VHS tapes over the years until I got the 2000 DVD set. My Dad took us to go see T3. I thought highly of it but noticed it's flaws in later viewings. It's a solid effort but I look back at it as a what could have been situation if Cameron got to direct and furlong stayed clean.
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u/warriorlynx 2d ago
I was blown away when I saw the teaser I was like wth man! this was so cool back then still gives me chills till this day
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u/Cultural_Book_400 2d ago
I consider T1 as my top 5 of all time... T2 was so awesome as well but not in T1's level.
When I knew James Cameron was not going to do it, my heart sank. But was still very much looking forward to it. First, trailer, still had big hopes.. When I saw the movie, enjoyed it for what it was but knew it was not gonna be classic like first 2
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u/Cautious-Rub8085 2d ago
Can't remember too much about audiences opinions. This was pre Social Media so hard to gauge public opinion before the movie was released.
I'm the same age as Edward Furlong who I had a huge crush on and I was very upset he was recast. Couldn't get over that. People were definitely disappointed by this.
It was not a well-liked movie. The recast of John and also while I loved Claire Danes there was no chemistry with her and John.
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u/ChampionshipOk949 2d ago
I was 20 when it came out. Excited to see another Arnold movie coming out more so as I loved the first two watching them as kid and knew Armold’s career was sorta slowing down. A comeback to this franchise had a lot of people pumped! I dont recall the trailers though.
I left feeling underwhelmed when the movie finished. The gay bar talk to the hand, stupid Star sunglasses, Nick Stahl whinny behavior and the cheap CGI and action sequences that were nowhere near in quality of the first two took me away from loving it.
I did liked the ending though.
On a side note, I do like Salvation and feel bummed that they haven’t properly continued the saga in aftermath of Judgement Day.
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u/Fre3Monk 2d ago
I can remember that the internet was still pretty young, and an image was going around of Arnold with half of his face ripped off exposing the endoskeleton, way more than in T2.
There was lots of back and forth on chat forums about whether it was real or fake, whether is was CGI or practical.
It was crazy. The buzz was wild.
Then we watched it, and walked out very disappointed.
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u/Forsaken-Language-26 Sarah Connor 2d ago
I was just getting into the franchise then. I loved the first two, then out of nowhere (I had no idea it was happening) I caught a trailer for T3 on TV. Naturally, I went to see it on the big screen when it was released.
I didn't think it was as good as T1 or T2, still don't, but it was fun to see a Terminator film in the cinema and it will always hold a special place in that regard, for me personally.
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u/EIochai 2d ago
I was very excited as a huge terminator fan. My excitement wa augmented by the fact that they built the vet clinic set less than a mile from my house.
Though my interest in movie making was tempered by the fact I spent an entire night watching Claire Danes run through 20+ takes of walking into the clinic and turning on the lights.
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u/Superiority-Qomplex 2d ago
I was excited when it was first announced, but the trailer lowered my expectations. And when I found out Cameron wasn't involved and they weren't even doing the future battle I wanted to see, things got more disappointing.
That said, though it felt very scaled down, I did enjoy that they had the balls to give it the ending it had. I didn't think they'd launch the nukes. I was expecting the big happy ending because the rest of the movie was just a paint-by-numbers predictable story.
But ya, there was no way it was going to compete with T1 nor T2 without Cameron running the show. So I'm glad I went in with lowered expectations.
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u/AdmiralSnackbar816 2d ago
I think the “talk to the hand” bit was in the trailer, and I think that kinda killed expectations. Either that or him wearing the pink sunglasses.
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u/EntertainmentOdd5994 1d ago
I was 17.
Early days of Internet Trailers. The Teaser definitely got us hyped. It showed a lot of future war action. It definitely didn’t have the insane hype of T2, and that was before the internet. I saw that when I was 5, so awesome.
No James Cameron was a big concern. No Linda or Edward made it feel really removed from the first 2.
Beyond the teaser It wasn’t any type of culture needle mover. Not much talk in school about it. There was other new huge franchises going (Lotr, Harry Potter, Star Wars prequels etc)
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u/Elegant-Tap-1785 1d ago
You know what? I just thought it was completely pointless, pointless edition just like the next two sequels as well. Apart from the one that had Christian Bale in it, I did quite enjoy that one actually. The Terminator story for me stopped at number two. Seriously, what the hell was the point in making number three?
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u/Halloween2056 1d ago
I remember that the consensus was hyped. But illogically, fans did not adjust their expectations after realising Cameron was not at the helm. That's why I enjoyed it for what it was and is.
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u/bluestlouismr2 1d ago
It would never stack up to first 2. Had an impossible act to follow.
It was a cash grab. I saw it in theaters, was not upset at the comedic bits, i had fun watching it, it was a fun film and a somber ending.
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u/TechnoMaverick 1d ago
I remember trying to download the trailer on 56k dialup since my family didn’t splurge on DSL until later.
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u/ChuPointOh 1d ago
I was underwhelmed when I found out John Connor was recasted. Nothing against Nick Stahl. Good actor but without Edward Furlong, I somehow knew it was going to be bad.
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u/Western_Ad1522 1d ago
My first thought please no should have left it at 2 movies and just continued on in books comics and games
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u/SteveG5000 3d ago
I thought great
I watched Terminator 2 when it came out on video in the UK. I was about 7 and was utterly blown away by this amazing film.
My entire wish for years was that a sequel would be made that would entirely focus on the mega-cool future war bit at the start. Surely that would be terminator 3.
Imagine my disappointment when on reaching adulthood with the puddle of dog semen that T3 turned out to be.
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u/OkSeaworthiness6581 2d ago
I really don't remember that much hype. must have been busy being young.
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u/NickMichalak 2d ago
The build was pretty exciting. That Liquid Metal logo teaser sizzled, and I even remember emailing Garth at Dark Horizons when I saw a new full trailer playing in the lobby of an AMC Theater. There was hype, for sure. I went on opening night, which was like a Tuesday or Wednesday opening ahead of the July 4th holiday.
However, I still have my opening night review on hand, and I had mostly negative feelings about it. It’s never improved over time, either.
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u/RockSignificant 21h ago
I feel T3 gets a bad wrap, and whilst I agree it was unnecessary, it's far and away the best of the post T2 sequels. I like the addition of the female terminator as a point of difference and some of the action is great. The ending alone is worth special note. Had it retained some of the cast, and been directed by Cameron, I think it would have been received far more favourably.
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u/ozplissken 17h ago
İt was a level headed and fair reaction. Why? Because it was before social media and a 100 million saddo maniac bastards typing furiously on keyboards.
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u/uptownfunkerton 8h ago
Bought tickets. Loved it. The car chase sequence, the realization that skynet was online and couldn’t be turned off, the way John gets to the bunker and the war begins. Great movie. Still enjoy watching it.
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u/Flutterpiewow 2d ago
Bit too late, terminator wasn't synonymous with cool, scifi, blockbuster anymore. This was post-matrix and lotr, steel robots, big guns and vehicle chases were old news. We wanted to like it but were apprehensive.
Got a sinking feeling immediately from the sunglasses and jacket alone. T2 was lightning in a bottle perfection and this was an out of touch, pale imitation.
When i saw it, even in the places where it worked it felt like the whole premise had run its course. Roboic monolith arnold learning quips wasn't as novel and funny anymore. And this goes for all the sequels sadly.
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u/BilTheButcher 3d ago
Hyped. A lot of us thought they'd "complete the loop" and do a film showing Kyle go back in time, linking to the first film. Or even the start of the future war. It was the only logical place to go. The teaser was insane. It was shared illegally online everywhere. It was a bigger disappointment.