The original Sarah Connor, Linda Hamilton, will return to the 'Terminator' franchise after 25 years
At an event celebrating the "Terminator" franchise, Cameron spoke about Hamilton's return: "As meaningful as she was to gender and action stars everywhere back then, it's going to make a huge statement to have that seasoned warrior that she's become return."
Cameron also spoke about the lack of older women in action films, compared to older men, as an incentive to include Hamilton in his latest "Terminator" film.
"There are 50-year-old, 60-year-old guys out there killing bad guys," Cameron said, "but there isn't an example of that for women."
Hamilton starred in the first "Terminator" film as Sarah Connor in 1984. Connor is a waitress hunted down by the Terminator (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) who comes from the future to assassinate her. In the future the world is overrun by robots and machines, and Connor is the woman who gives birth to the leader of the machine resistance - hence the Terminator's desire to destroy her. Connor is regarded as one of the strongest female action heroes of all time.
Hamilton reprised her role as Connor in the sequel "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," which premiered in 1991. While three additional "Terminator" films were made after "Judgment Day," Hamilton did not make another appearance in the franchise, unlike Schwarzenegger who appeared in all but one of the five "Terminator" films.
Schwarzenegger will also be in the next "Terminator" film along with Hamilton, although neither will be the main leads. But as Cameron puts it, they will help "anchor" the newest addition to the franchise.
"We're starting a search for an 18-something woman to be the new centerpiece of the new story," Cameron explained. "We still fold time. We will have characters from the future and the present. There will be mostly new characters, but we'll have Arnold and Linda's characters to anchor it."
Details regarding the film's story are being kept secret, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, the film will be a sequel to "Judgment Day."