Believe it or not, there was once a time when James Cameron used to release a brand new movie on a regular basis. Up until True Lies hit theaters, in fact, the filmmaker would deliver his latest project every two to three years, but since the blockbuster action comedy debuted in 1994, we’ve only seen a pair of further pics from the constant game-changer, with Avatar 2 still tentatively penciled in for next December.
In terms of sheer entertainment value, True Lies stands alone among Cameron’s filmography. There was no revolutionary technology used to bring it to life and any weighty existential themes about humanity, technology or the environment were left firmly at the door. It was simply a big, loud and incredibly fun spy thriller, backed by a succession of standout action sequences, not to mention what might be the single best performance of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career and a Golden Globe winning turn from Jamie Lee Curtis.
A sequel may have fallen by the wayside decades ago, but Terminator Salvation director McG has been trying to get a TV series off the ground for a couple of years now. It was originally set up at Fox, before moving over to Disney Plus following the takeover, but it would appear that the Mouse House weren’t won over by the pitch, as CBS have now ordered a pilot for the True Lies show.
McG will direct and James Cameron will executive produce through his Lightstorm Entertainment banner, and it sounds as though the episodic True Lies will be a complete reboot rather than a sequel series, with the plot following a suburban housewife shocked to discover her husband lives a double life as a spy. That probably rules out Schwarzenegger and Curtis cameos, but maybe they’ll find a way to work Eliza Dushku in there somehow to connect it to the movie.