Ridley Scott Turned Down $20 Million to Direct TERMINATOR 3: “I Couldn't Do It. It's Not My Thing”

Legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott recently revealed that he passed on directing Terminator 3 despite being offered a massive payday.

During a Q&A with The Guardian, Scott explained that he was approached to take on the sci-fi sequel but ultimately couldn’t bring himself to do it.

"I'm proud about this. I turned down a $20m fee. See, I can't be bought, dude. Someone said: 'Ask what Arnie gets.' I thought: 'I'll try it out.' I said: 'I want what Arnie gets.' When they said yes, I thought: 'F*ck me.' But I couldn't do it. It's not my thing," he said.

Scott went on to compare the Terminator franchise to another massive series he never had interest in tackling.

"It's like doing a Bond movie. The essence of a Bond movie is fun and camp. Terminator is pure comic strip. I would try to make it real. That's why they've never asked me to do a Bond movie, because I could f*ck it up."

In the end, Jonathan Mostow stepped in to direct Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which hit theaters in 2003. Still, the idea of Scott tackling a Terminator movie is fascinating, especially considering the odd parallel it would have created with James Cameron, who directed Aliens, the sequel to Scott’s Alien.

Scott also confirmed that he’s actively working on a third Gladiator film, saying, "Gladiator is in process right now. Another Alien prequel – yeah, if I get an idea, for sure."

Last year, Gladiator 2 hit theaters with Paul Mescal leading the film as the son of Maximus. Returning cast included Derek Jacobi and Connie Nielsen, while newcomers Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Joseph Quinn joined the epic sequel.

It’s wild to imagine what Scott’s Terminator 3 might have looked like, but given his track record, the choice to stick with projects that truly inspire him has worked out pretty well.