James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day is heading back to U.S. theaters on August 28 in 4K and 3D, part of a 35th anniversary re-release from StudioCanal, Fathom Entertainment and Rialto Pictures. Cameron joked that after 35 years it’s safe to spoil the ending, the good guys beat the AI, adding “maybe that’s a message of hope we all could use this summer.”
James Cameron isn’t waiting for a marketing team to soften the news: he’s already given away the ending himself. On July 7, the director confirmed that Terminator 2: Judgment Day will storm back into US theaters on August 28, restored in 4K and dressed up in his own 3D cut for the occasion. StudioCanal, Fathom Entertainment and Rialto Pictures are behind the rollout, timed to the film’s 35th anniversary and rolling out across the globe through early September.
A summer message of hope from James Cameron
James Cameron is sending his most famous machine back to the big screen. Announced earlier this July, Terminator 2: Judgment Day will return to US theaters on August 28, 2026, marking the film’s 35th anniversary. Cameron leaned into the occasion with a wink: “I believe it’s safe to do spoilers after 35 years, so SPOILER ALERT: the good guys win against the AI superintelligence!” He added, “And maybe that’s something we could all use a bit of comfort from this summer.”
Remastered for the ultimate theater experience
The reissue is a joint effort between StudioCanal, Fathom Entertainment and Rialto Pictures, with screenings in 4K, RealD 3D and premium large formats. Cameron made his preference clear: “T2 was made for theatres, and our lovingly-prepared 3D version, coming back to the big screen, is the absolute best way to see the film,” he said. Anna Marsh, CEO of StudioCanal and Chief Content Officer of CANAL+, also voiced her pride in celebrating the milestone.
A box office giant still standing tall
The 1991 sequel remains the highest-grossing entry in the franchise, with more than $517 million earned worldwide. Following up on 1984’s The Terminator, the film reunited Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton as the T-800 and Sarah Connor, and won 4 Academy Awards, including Best Visual Effects, a category it redefined with its liquid-metal T-1000. The movie had already enjoyed a very limited theatrical run earlier in 2026, but this August event is a far wider release.
Mark your calendars for August 28
The rollout is staggered across the globe. Germany, Latin America and the Czech Republic get the film on August 27, one day before American, Italian and Polish audiences. The scheduling carries a nod for longtime fans: August 29 is the film’s fictional Judgment Day, the date Skynet becomes self-aware and launches its attack. US moviegoers will therefore be watching Sarah Connor fight to prevent the apocalypse just hours before it was supposed to happen.
For those planning ahead, the international wave continues into early September, with France on September 2, then Australia, New Zealand and several European markets on September 3, before the United Kingdom closes out the run on September 4, 2026.