How “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” Changed the Blockbuster Game

True: This movie was a HUGE deal.

A bunch of us got together in the afternoon for a pre-party.

When we got down to the (now defunct) Uptown (I think?) at Yonge & Charles for the 7pm show, the line was already around the block. The only seats we could get were in the front row. Didn’t matter. In fact, it was pretty cool having that perspective.

Every buck of the unprecedented $100 million budget was on the screen.

And as this guy notes, Terminator 2 still looks good today…

When Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released, it was a blockbuster to end all other blockbusters—the most expensive movie of all time that actually lived up to its price tag. It was the kind of movie that, if it was made today, would have been the subject of thousands upon thousands of bullshit internet articles that could’ve totally changed how audiences perceived it.

But in 1991, years before the internet, hot takes, or trailer breakdowns, James Cameron’s highly-anticipated sequel used a mix of secrecy and surprise to slyly set the tone for blockbusters years down the road. It was a movie that could only be made in that time, but looked ahead to what would come as well. (…)

“There was a standing ovation that went on for about 12 minutes,” Austin said. “People were really experiencing this visceral, emotional thrill from watching this film. So we looked at each other and said, ‘Maybe there’s more to this.’ But I don’t think that really developed until we took a breath and looked back.”