James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) is on the brink of its 35th anniversary, and to celebrate, StudioCanal is bringing back the film with a special theatrical rerelease. The movie stands as a testament to Cameron’s vision, reimagining the original Terminator as a heroic protector to John Connor. Sarah Connor’s physical transformation, thanks to rigorous training, cemented her as a powerhouse action heroine. Despite initial skepticism, the film became a critical and financial success, grossing $520 million. Its blend of action, emotion, and humor has yet to be matched by any sequel in the franchise. The iconic line ‘I’ll be back’ is now a part of pop culture, and the film’s impact on sci-fi remains undeniable. Nobody really expected 1984's The Terminator to be a hit, but it racked up an impressive $78 million at the box office against its modest $6.4 million budget. Star Arnold Schwarzenegger was eager for a sequel, but Cameron was busy with other projects, including Aliens in 1986. Legal complications over the film rights held up the project, until Schwarzenegger convinced Carolco Pictures, the studio behind Total Recall, to buy everyone out and hire Cameron. Cameron wrote the script in just six weeks, diverging from the stripped-down feel of its predecessor. Instead, he made the original Terminator a reprogrammed hero, serving as a mechanical father figure to a young John Connor. Sarah Connor was played by Linda Hamilton, who worked out tirelessly for the role, resulting in her lean-yet-ripped physique. The film’s emotional core was the ‘found family’ triad of Connor, Hamilton, and Schwarzenegger, which became the film’s centerpiece. The film was released over the July 4th holiday weekend in 1991 and was a critical and financial smash hit, despite initial predictions that it would bomb and lose its estimated $70 million production budget.