Linda Hamilton Isn’t the Only ‘Terminator’ Star Who Didn’t Return for ‘Rise of the Machines’
The Terminator film series is one of the most wildly successful science fiction franchises of all time. With groundbreaking technology, intense action sequences, and immersive storylines, the movies attracted legions of fans. They played a key role in the pop culture scene of the ’80s and ’90s. By the time the third film was released in 2003, major changes had taken place behind the scenes. And two of the franchise’s key players, Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong, were nowhere to be seen in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong played key roles in the early ‘Terminator’ films
Linda Hamilton played a key role in the first two Terminator films. As Sarah Connor, Hamilton was the protagonist of the first film. She’s a woman who transforms from a frightened character to someone who is the ultimate battle-hardened warrior. Connor never loses touch with her own humanity, in spite of the incredible acts of violence that take place around her. And for many fans, Hamilton was one of the best parts of The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
As for Furlong, he embarked on his film career in 1991, when Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released. He portrayed John Connor, the young son of Sarah Connor. The role earned him major critical and fan acclaim. According to IMDb, Furlong won several awards for his work in the show, including an MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Role and a Saturn Award for best young actor.
Why didn’t Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong return for ‘Terminator 3’?
By the time Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was in production, big changes were underway for the cast. According to BuzzFeed, not only did original director James Cameron decline to be involved with the third film, but Hamilton refused to reprise her role as Sarah Connor. As if these changes weren’t drastic enough, the studio decided to recast the role of John Connor. This was reportedly due to Furlong’s highly-publicized drug problem. Nick Stahl was brought on board to play the role instead.
Furlong later told MovieHole that “It just wasn’t the time. I was going through my own thing at the point in my life – whatever, it just wasn’t meant to be.” He also admitted that he had no interest in watching the finished film. “I didn’t see it, but I heard it wasn’t very good,” Furlong said.
One thing that Warner Bros. did have was the efforts of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was back in action as the Terminator himself. Reportedly, Schwarzenegger made a huge payday from the film, thanks in part to a “pay or play” contract, that guaranteed he would earn $29.25 million regardless of whether the movie was ever made, along with $1.6 million in “overage” for every week the movie went over its 19-week production schedule.
‘Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines’ did well at the box office
Some fans expressed that Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines felt like its own stand-alone film since it was so wildly different from the first two films. But it received generally positive reviews, and was a financial success, earning $433.4 million worldwide, according to IMDb. Many fans loved the action sequences and the increased involvement from Schwarzenegger. And the overall success of the movie proved that the franchise was far from dead.
Another sequel, Terminator Salvation, was released in 2009, and would eventually lead to a franchise reboot in 2015. Hamilton even returned for Terminator: Dark Fate.
