he Terminator was considered a significant success, enhancing Schwarzenegger’s and Cameron’s careers, but work on a sequel stalled because of animosity between the pair and Hemdale Film Corporation, which partially owned the film’s rights. In 1990, Schwarzenegger and Cameron persuaded Carolco Pictures to purchase the rights from The Terminator producer Gale Anne Hurd and Hemdale, which was financially struggling. A release date was set for the following year, leaving Cameron and Wisher seven weeks to write the script. Principal photography began from October 1990 to March 1991, taking place in and around Los Angeles on an estimated $94–102 million budget, making it the most expensive film made at the time. The advanced visual effects by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), which include the first use of a computer-generated main character in a blockbuster film, resulted in a schedule overrun. Theatrical prints were not delivered to theaters until the night before its release on July 3, 1991.

Terminator 2 earned $519–520.9 million, making it the highest-grossing film of 1991 worldwide, and the third-highest-grossing film of its time. Critics praised the visual effects, action sequences and cast, especially Patrick’s performance as the T-1000 as a great cinematic villain, while criticism was directed towards the film’s violence. Terminator 2 won several accolades, including Saturn, BAFTA, and Academy awards. Terminator 2 merchandise includes video games, comic books, novels, and T2-3D: Battle Across Time, a live-action attraction.

Terminator 2 is considered one of the best science fiction, action, and sequel films ever made, as well as equal to or better than The Terminator. It is also seen as a major influence on visual effects in films, helping usher in the transition from practical effects to reliance on computer-generated imagery. Although Cameron intended for Terminator 2 to be the end of the franchise, it was followed by a series of sequels, including Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), Terminator Salvation (2009), Terminator Genisys (2015), and Terminator: Dark Fate (2019), as well as a 2008 television series.