‘Nobody 2’ Director Aspires to Helm a ‘Terminator’ Film

Timo Tjahjanto is a prolific director with a solid catalog of work, which includes some memorably brutal horror and action films, such as the Netflix thriller The Shadow Strays, and Nobody 2, the sequel to the 2021 sleeper hit Nobody — but there is still one iconic sci-fi action franchise that he would love to leave his mark on. It should come as no surprise as he has previously expressed a strong affinity for the film series, often vocalizing his appreciation for its scenes, themes, and characters, making it a desirable project for him to take on.

That franchise is, of course, Terminator, launched in 1984 with a feature led by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The success of The Terminator led to several sequels, a television series, comic books, novels, and video games. The most recent film entry, Terminator: Dark Fate, released in 2019, served as a direct sequel to Terminator 2: Judgment Day. However, it fell flat at the box office despite good reviews. That hasn’t deterred Tjahjanto from wanting to get involved though, as he told DiscussingFilm he wouldn’t hesitate to make a Terminator film:

“I do have several original ideas in mind. However, right now, I’m happy to be the ‘sequel guy,’ to be honest. There’s something fun about asking, ‘Hey, what if I do this movie with my own take?’ One thing I will never say no to is a Terminator film, though… To this day, I think about how great that scene is of Arnold [Schwarzenegger] walking into the police station and shooting everybody up. There’s something really cool about bullets hitting flesh, then revealing parts of a machine. If an offer comes to do a Terminator film, and they say, ‘But Timo, you can only do it without getting paid!’ I would go, ‘You know what? Screw it.’ I’ll do a Terminator movie for free, no doubt.”

Tjahjanto referring to himself as the “sequel guy” is likely because he followed up Nobody 2 with the announcement that he would be directing the sequel to The Beekeeper. The filmmaker revealed in an exclusive chat with MovieWeb that the action thriller follow-up will be very “genre,” comparing Beekeeper 2 to something out of the pages of anime or manga, while also likening Jason Statham’s former assassin Adam Clay to “a Bushido character,” so it would be interesting to see what he would do if he ever got to work with the Terminator.

Is There Going to Be Another ‘Terminator’ Movie?

Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator in Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Tri-Star Pictures

Terminator: Dark Fate was intended to be the first in a new trilogy of films, but these plans were scrapped when the film underperformed at the box office. It grossed $261.1 million worldwide against a reported $185 million budget, which meant it failed to turn a profit when other expenses were factored in, and the idea of a new Terminator entry following the same timeline quickly faded away. However, Cameron, who had story and producing credits on the film, identified why it flopped and considered taking the franchise in a new direction.

Cameron confirmed that he was working on a script for a new installment in 2023. The film is expected to introduce new characters and storylines, rather than bringing back Schwarzenegger and his fellow franchise star Linda Hamilton. Serving as a reboot of sorts, it will reportedly explore contemporary issues, such as the rise of AI and its impact on humanity, but Cameron recently admitted that he is struggling to get the story down on paper, which means we’re probably a long way off seeing another Terminator film on the big screen.

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