Everyone likes a happy ending to a film, right? At least that’s what studios think. But as many film fans know, a happy ending only suits a film if it is earned and fits the overall tone of the project. And one film that really doesn’t need a truly happy ending is James Cameron’s classic “The Terminator.” However, if the studio had its way, fans might have had a very different film.
‘Terminator’ producer and co-writer Gale Ann Hurd recently spoke at Screamfest (via Slash Film), where she talked about the notes the studio gave Hurd about Cameron’s epic film. And one of the things that the studio wanted to change was the ending.
READ MORE: Mackenzie Davis And Linda Hamilton Look Ready To Kill Cyborgs In ‘Terminator’ First Look
“We got notes to end [‘The Terminator’] before the end of the film,” Hurd said. “Not even have the Terminator rise out as the endoskeleton, but just end with Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor hugging.”
Obviously, everyone knows that is a horrible ending, but at the time Hurd, who is now a world-class producer, was working on her first feature film and didn’t have the power that she does now. That didn’t stop her from fighting the studio about the ending, pushing for the more dour end that fans know and love.
“I mean, your first movie and you’re telling people, ‘No, you’re wrong.’ It’s not an easy thing to do,” she continued.
Hurd goes on to explain the people that backed her and Cameron during the production and, ultimately, ensured the version of “The Terminator” that hit theaters is what they intended. “There are also more unsung heroes which is that one of our strongest supporters was the head of the completion bond company, Film Finances here in Los Angeles,” Hurd said. “The late Lindsley Parsons Sr. knew what The Terminator was going to be. Roger [Corman] knew what ‘The Terminator’ was going to be and not a lot of people did. You absolutely need people to believe in you. You also need people to tell you when you’re screwing up that you can listen to. Lindsley was all of that. Roger has always been all of that, but we could have bowed to the pressure. Or, we could have been wrong and not listened to the things that made the film better. Luckily we had each other’s backs.”
Of course, everyone knows what happened next. “The Terminator” went on to become one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time, spawning numerous sequels (we only acknowledge ‘T2’) and is still going today. But you can’t help but wonder what would have happened if the studio had its wish?