Arnold Schwarzenegger has not only created epic blockbusters but also served as an inspiration in the entertainment industry. Appearing from the background of bodybuilding, and navigating into the ever-changing landscape of cinema, The Terminator actor has been quite adaptive to changes.
Not just him but also his 1994 action comedy True Lies paved the path and served as an inspiration for several movies. Surprisingly enough, his $378M movie which included practical effects, served as a savior to the dying James Bond film series in the early 90s.
James Bond Franchise Took Inspiration From True Lies
Following the release of Dr. No in the theatres in 1962, Ian Fleming’s James Bond character gathered a larger fanbase compared to its book audience. However, soon after creating an era with the phenomenal 007, the James Bond series started losing its touch and fans started requiring constant reminders of the British spy hero.
With James Bond’s fame almost fading away, the producers had to find a way to revive fans’ sentiments for the character. That’s when Martin Campbell took over with his 1995 film GoldenEye as a necessary balancing act for the franchise. However, having big shoes to fill, Campbell couldn’t take a risk and therefore took inspiration from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s movie True Lies.
“I remember that there was a lot of bad press because there’d been such a long gap since Dalton’s films. Plus, they had been considered a low in terms of the Bond franchise. Everyone was feeling that it might be over.” Martin Campbell shared.
Martin Campbell thereafter, introduced Pierce Brosnan as the mid-90s James Bond, with a flip smirk and confident masculinity. But nothing saved the franchise more than Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1994 action comedy. With special effects being an enormous concern for the James Bond team, Campbell mentioned implementing physical effects into GoldenEye, by taking inspiration from True Lies.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s True Lies Served As A Savior
James Cameron‘s True Lies (1994) featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger served as an exemplary movie for not just audiences but even for filmmakers. Coming up with legitimate special effects, nothing could match the level of action seen in Cameron’s $378M movie. Witnessing the massive success of Schwarzenegger’s movie, Martin Campbell decided to implement similar audacity in GoldenEye.
Considering fans’ appreciation for True Lies, Campbell felt only it could save the dying James Bond franchise. “We all felt that this could be the end of the Bond franchise if we didn’t get it right.” FX supervisor Chris Corbould shared. He further added, “I thought the stuff they did in True Lies was mind-blowing…Films like that really upped the ante for Bond”
“It was crucial to make this a fantastic Bond film, otherwise it was going to fade into oblivion.”
Being aware of how impressive Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s True Lies was, Martin Campbell viewed it as the bar everyone was going to have to clear. Thus, the filmmaker took the initiative to take inspiration from Cameron’s 1994 film and save the James Bond franchise. Luckily, Campbell found Peter Lamont who worked on True Lies, and thus hired him for the Bond films.
Watch True Lies on Disney+
The James Bond films are streaming on Amazon Video.
Source: Empire
