Remembering William Wisher Jr.: The Man Behind Terminator 2 and a Lifelong Friend of James Cameron

William Wisher Jr. is gone. The 71‑year‑old screenwriter died on July 14, leaving behind a trail of cult‑classic scripts and, perhaps more importantly, a friendship with James Cameron that stretched back to their Brea, California, backyard days.

Born on May 23, 1955, in Brea, Wisher grew up alongside Cameron, the two trading comic books and dreaming up sci‑fi stories long before either imagined making movies. That bond would later translate into a professional partnership that helped shape some of the era’s most iconic action pictures.

His name first appeared in the credits of The Terminator (1984), where he polished dialogue and even ghost‑wrote the novelization. But it was the sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), that earned him a full “Written by” credit alongside Cameron—a badge of honor in an industry where many contributors stay behind the curtain.

Wisher didn’t stop there. He helped bring the gritty world of Judge Dredd to the big screen in 1995, penned the Viking‑flavored adventure The 13th Warrior, and later lent his touch to Live Free or Die Hard. Unofficially, he was also whispered to have done script doctoring on titles such as Die Hard with a Vengeance and Eraser, though those contributions remain uncredited.

Fans might even recognize him on screen: in the original Terminator as police officer 1L19, a brief cameo as a tourist in Terminator 2, and a reporter in The Abyss. Those fleeting appearances feel like little thank‑you notes to a man who gave so much behind the scenes.

When the news of his passing broke, his brother John confirmed the loss, echoing what many who knew him had long said—Wisher was generous, endlessly curious, and possessed a wicked sense of humor. A family statement thanked everyone who shared in his “imagination, kindness and boundless love of storytelling.”

While the headline may have misspelled his name, the sentiment is unmistakable: cinema has lost a true craftsman and a dear friend. As the credits roll on his life, the movies he helped shape will continue to remind us of his quiet, yet profound, impact.