Ridley Scott turned down the offer to direct Terminator 3 (and a $20 million pay cheque)

We could have seen a very different Terminator 3 with Scott at the helm.
Text: Petter Hegevall
Published 2025-08-29

Ridley Scott has (despite some clearly weaker productions such as The Last Duel, House of Gucci, Gladiator 2, Napoleon, Alien Covenant) as we all know directed a bunch of the most remarkable films of all-time. Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, Black Rain, and Thelma & Louise is of course not a bad track record, and despite having turned 87 (!) he has no plans to retire. During his many years as one of the film world's greatest, he has turned down a bunch of projects and one of them was apparently Terminator 3. One of the most reviled sequels of all-time. In a recent interview with The Guardian He has said that he cannot be bought for money because he turned down $20 million to direct T3.

"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: Fuck me."

Do you think Scott could have saved Terminator 3?

I need your pants, your boots and your motorcy... RIDLEY FREAKIN SCOTT!

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