If you hear that Mel Gibson could have starred in Terminator, the first movie of the franchise, you most likely would think he was going to play Reese, the human from the future and father of John Connor, but he was eventually replaced by the charismatic Michael Biehn. But in reality, Gibson was up for the role of the Terminator. Surprised? Wait, there’s more, because initially Arnold Schwarzenegger was going to play Reese. What madness is this? Well, this is just the beginning of the crazy Terminator casting story, which included diverse characters such as Sting, O.J. Simpson, or Sylvester Stallone.
An improbable cast
In 1984, Mel Gibson was already a rising star thanks to his role as Max Rockatansky in the Mad Max franchise. However, when James Cameron and the producers of Terminator approached him to offer him the role of the cybernetic assassin, Gibson turned down the offer. Legend has it that Gibson couldn’t see himself fitting into the role of a killer robot, possibly because he had previously played almost mute characters in Mad Max, where he had very limited dialogues.
Another name that resonates as a curious anecdote in the Terminator casting is that of O.J. Simpson. The former American football player and actor, known for his charisma on screen in the 80s, was also considered for the role of the relentless T-800. Despite his popularity, James Cameron didn’t see him in the role, as the director didn’t believe the audience could see him as a convincing villain.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, from hero to villain
While it’s impossible today to separate Arnold Schwarzenegger’s image from the iconic role of the T-800, the truth is that he wasn’t originally meant to play it. In the early stages of the casting process, Schwarzenegger was considered to play Kyle Reese, the heroic human soldier and father of John Connor. In fact, Orion Pictures producers, the studio behind Terminator, were convinced that Arnold was the perfect choice for that role. But James Cameron, once again, didn’t see it that way. The director feared that Schwarzenegger’s powerful physical presence would dominate the screen too much, which didn’t align with the idea of Reese as a regular man in a desperate situation.
The director feared that Schwarzenegger’s powerful physical presence would dominate the screen too much
When Schwarzenegger and Cameron met, the actor began to show his fascination for the movie’s villain, the Terminator. Cameron, after seeing how the actor talked about the T-800, had an epiphany: Schwarzenegger’s robust and intimidating figure wasn’t suitable for playing Reese, but was perfect for the unstoppable villain. And so, almost accidentally, Arnold Schwarzenegger became the Terminator, a role that would define his career and catapult him to the top of Hollywood.
Sting, Kurt Russell, and other names that almost starred in Terminator
Another name that was considered for the role of Kyle Reese was the singer and actor Sting. In the 80s, Sting was starting to build a career in movies in addition to his success with the band The Police. However, the British singer couldn’t take on the role due to scheduling conflicts, as he was busy filming Dune with David Lynch, in the role of Feyd-Rautha. The idea of seeing Sting as Reese remains a curiosity, but he wasn’t the only eye-catching name that was close to being part of the Terminator universe.
Kurt Russell ultimately didn’t sign, allowing Michael Biehn to take on the role
Another actor who was on the verge of playing Kyle Reese was Kurt Russell. Already established as an action star for his work in movies like Escape from New York, by John Carpenter, Russell was also seriously considered for the role. However, for reasons that haven’t been entirely clear, Russell ultimately didn’t sign on for the project, which allowed Michael Biehn to take on the role. In addition to Sting and Russell, other names like Mickey Rourke were also rumored for playing Reese, but none ended up committing to the project.
Linda Hamilton: the stroke of luck
The casting process for the role of Sarah Connor also had its share of curiosities. Although Linda Hamilton ended up playing John Connor’s mother and became one of the most iconic heroines in science fiction cinema, the role wasn’t originally hers. In fact, actresses like Jennifer Jason Leigh and Rosanna Arquette were considered for the role. But perhaps the most interesting story is that of Lisa Langlois, who had read the script alongside Michael Biehn. Langlois would have played Sarah Connor if it hadn’t been for an unexpected ankle injury that led to Hamilton replacing her.
Today, it’s almost impossible to imagine a different cast for The Terminator, however, it’s interesting to think about how different the movie could have been with O.J. Simpson, Sting, or Stallone in the lead roles. Although the final cast turned out perfect, the history of the Terminator saga and its success could have been very different.
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