10 Films That Were Stuck In Development Hell For Years
9. Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003)
Considering the huge success of the first two Terminator movies, it was a long while before audiences got to see robotic Arnold Schwarzenegger back on the silver screen. James Cameron, who directed the first two films, had plenty of ideas for a third and spoke repeatedly about the project throughout the 90s.
Then, the production company responsible for T2, Carolco Pictures, went bankrupt. Carolco owned 50% of the rights to the Terminator franchise, with Gale Anne Hurd, producer of the first movie, owning the rest. Cameron negotiated unsuccessfully with Hurd to try and purchase the rights and eventually gave up on the idea.
Former Carolco executives decided to buy the rights instead and purchased Hurd's 50% as well. They made a brand new company and started hiring writers for the film, but they still had to convince Arnie to appear in it.
The former Mr. Universe wasn't keen on the idea of being in a Terminator film without Cameron's involvement, but the Titanic director wanted no part in the project. Cameron did, however, tell Schwarzenegger to go for it. The actor was thinking about a push to become Governor of California at the time but decided to go along with the film as well, with Terminator 3 finally coming out in 2003, twelve years after T2.