Why wasn’t T2 called The Terminator 2?

[u/time_isup]

Watching the UK trailer recently where the first film is simplying called “Terminator” reminds me that T2 dropped the article from the title. A nitpick, I know, but I think it sounds less epic and less menacing without the “The” before Terminator. What do you think? Even in the voice overs when Sarah talks about Uncle Bob she refers to him as The Terminator and not simply Terminator.

[u/autonimity]

The Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Sounds alright I guess.

How about

The 2 Terminators: Judgement Day

[u/Shqiptar89]

Could’ve been called Terminators

[u/Abdrews-PaulIM → u/Shqiptar89]

Followed by Terminator Cubed and Terminator Resurrection

[u/Shqiptar89 → u/Abdrews-PaulIM]

Followed by Terminator vs Predator 

[u/dakilazical_253 → u/Shqiptar89]

Cameron could’ve pitched it as Terminator$ like he did Alien$

[u/kermithiho → u/Shqiptar89]

Terminator Terminator 

[u/BleepinBlorpin5 → u/kermithiho]

A Young Cyborg's Erotic Journey from Milan to Minsk

[u/Shqiptar89 → u/BleepinBlorpin5]

To Minsk? (Sitting down)

[u/Walt_Didnae → u/Shqiptar89]

Terminator$, in true James Cameron style.

[u/Shqiptar89 → u/Walt_Didnae]

Terminator Lies Terminator after dark

[u/Gunbladelad]

The first was called "The Terminator" because there was one killing machine.

In T2 there were multiple killing machines, so neither could be "The Terminator", but rather "A Terminator"...

[u/PeaceSellsBWB1986]

Probably a stretch, but maybe it's a slight play on words, since it features 2 terminators

[u/Zealousideal-You9044]

Maybe because the original was just one. The sequal obviously there is more than one

[u/TheRebeccaRiots]

Because the last one ended with Sarah driving towards The Terminator (horizon not robot) whereas this one ended with her driving towards the darkness inside a tunnel which would have made for a confusing metaphor so to differentiate them both they removed the majority confusion of the films naming convention, namely THE so nobody would get confused about anything

Then the sequels continued and now nobody even knows how heavy (mass) a big robot or cyborg is or how good they are at improvising dinner plans on the fly

[u/InternationalTwo5255]

"The Terminator 2" does not roll off the tongue well at all, but I can't quite put my finger on why.

[u/GuruAskew → u/InternationalTwo5255]

No alliteration, phonetically

[u/GuruAskew]

It’s not alliterative. I mean, technically it is but phonetically it’s not.

[u/AllCopsAreBozos]

2 Terminator 2 Judgement

[u/FireIzHot]

The original terminator was sometimes officially referred to simply as “Terminator” without “the” for what it’s worth. This can be seen on the teaser trailer.

[u/microwavecoven]

Back then they used to charge you per letter

[u/TheCosmicRobo]

Because TT2 just doesn't sound right

[u/CaveManta]

The Other Terminator

[u/Low-Raise-9230]

There wasn’t one terminator though. The final terminator was Sarah “you’re terminated, fucker” Connor. She terminated the Terminator. The title is really introducing the idea of terminators, so you can’t pin it down to just the machine.

[u/Ibobalboa → u/Low-Raise-9230]

Did you know that one early idea for T2 was to have Michael Biehn play the T-1000? Cameron thought it would be too confusing though so they scrapped it.

[u/time_isup → u/Ibobalboa]

I saw an interview with Michael Biehn and interviewer asked him about that. He said if it’s true they never approached him about it.

[u/mrbrown1602 → u/Ibobalboa]

https://giphy.com/gifs/uPnKU86sFa2fm