Linda Hamilton—the original robot-smashing, pervert-bashing, scientist sniping waitress-turned-badass Sarah Conner—is returning to the Terminator franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, James Cameron made the announcement at a private event tonight, stating that his former star (and ex-wife) would be coming back to the franchise for its next installment, which he’s acting as a “godfather” to.
Echoing statements he made last month—in which he held Hamilton’s Conner up as a “real” female action role model, in contrast to Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman—Cameron said, “As meaningful as she was to gender and action stars everywhere back then, it’s going to make a huge statement to have that seasoned warrior that she’s become return. There are 50-year-old, 60-year-old guys out there killing bad guys. But there isn’t an example of that for women.”
Like Cameron, Hamilton has been out of the Terminator game for more than two decades, sitting out The Rise Of The Machines, Salvation, Genisys, and The Sarah Conner Chronicles. (Game Of Thrones stars Emilia Clarke and Lena Headey played the part in the latter two entries, respectively.) (Maybe they should offer Hamilton a part on Thrones in return.)
Deadpool’s Tim Miller is set to direct the film, which has yet to reverse engineer a suitably goofy subtitle for itself. Arnold Schwarzenegger has already signed on as well.