Ridley Scott Reveals Why He Rejected $20 Million to Direct Terminator 3

Legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott revealed that he once rejected a massive $20 million offer to direct Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines — and he has no regrets about it.

uptodateet — Ridley Scott and Arnold Schwarzenegger

In a new Q&A with The Guardian on Thursday, Aug. 28, the 87-year-old director confirmed long-standing rumors that he was approached to helm the 2003 sequel in the blockbuster sci-fi franchise.

“I’m proud about this. I turned down a $20 million fee. See, I can’t be bought, dude,” Scott said.

When asked about actor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s paycheck for reprising his role as the T-800, Scott recalled:

“I thought: ‘I’ll try it out.’ I said: ‘I want what Arnie gets.’ When they said yes, I thought: ‘F— me.’ ”

Even so, Scott decided against taking on the project.

“It’s not my thing,” he explained. “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— it up.”

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines marked the franchise’s first entry since James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991). With Cameron out, studios reportedly considered Scott, Roland Emmerich, and David Fincher before ultimately selecting Jonathan Mostow (Breakdown, U-571) to direct.

Instead of diving into Terminator 3, Scott focused on Black Hawk Down (2001), which went on to win two Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Sound.

While he passed on Terminator, Scott hasn’t avoided franchises altogether. He directed Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017), both expanding on his Alien universe. He also served as executive producer on Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 (2017) and recently directed Gladiator II (2024).

Scott revealed to The Guardian that a third Gladiator installment is “in process right now,” and he remains open to exploring more Alien prequels “if I get an idea, for sure.”

What’s Next for Ridley Scott?

Scott’s next project is The Dog Stars, based on Peter Heller’s post-apocalyptic novel. The film stars Jacob Elordi as a pilot and Josh Brolin as a former Marine who battle invaders after a deadly flu virus devastates humanity. The cast also includes Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong. The movie is set to release on March 27, 2026.