Well that was quick, but James Cameron has opened up and revealed that there are no plans for a True Lies II whatsoever, and that he'd not be keen to do anything that followed the same approach as before because of the Islamic connection.

It confirms something I keep saying about actors dishing out rumours and reveals like this, more often than not they are pushing for the film or role themselves, by putting the idea out there and gaining public approval, they can make those who really have the decision making power sit up and notice.

They're marketing the idea in the hope that they'll get the job. It's something you would do in any area of business and is particularly effective in the world of films.

So when Tom Arnold talked about a True Lies II yet again, saying that it was all happening and everyone was signed, James Cameron was quick to come back through AICN and Cinema Blend:

I think Tom was joking. There are no plans for a True Lies 2. I don't know about the creative direction thing... I'm always down for a good action/comedy ( actually we always classified the film as a "domestic epic"). But since September 11, I've never felt comfortable generating laughs with nuke-toting Islamic fundamentalist terrorists. True Lies, even though it has a cautionary thread underneath the pratfalls, is in a strange way a product of a more innocent time.

But if we ever do another True Lies, I wouldn't dream of doing it without Tom. He's a good friend and a very funny guy.

Well that's that idea well and truly squashed, or is it? Cue maniacal laugh.

There are other ways to look at it, James Cameron is covering up, although I don't think he'd kill the idea this much, or Tom Arnold's plan is already working and the idea is racing around the internet and hitting people behind the film already, the director no less.

Of course Cameron seems to be pretty much against the idea of doing the same story again, although I totally disagree with his reasoning since we ought to be "generating laughs" from things that otherwise will have us not talking about them and bringing us fear, but no matter, that's not really an issue, because they could easily change the bad guy.

I mean True Lies did not hinge on the foreign bad guy, although Art Malik played him really well, it did not hinge on a particularly country, the threat of a nuclear attack within the US, it just needed a big enough bad guy and a big enough threat to get the team involved and pull them into very dangerous situations.

Surely they could use any threat or bad guy, even any country? If thrillers can be made of such subjects why can't comedies?

True Lies II could work if they put their minds to it. The danger now is that this publicity stunt for the film will end up getting a studio involved and no James Cameron, and then they head off and write something half hearted.

So no True Lies II I'm afraid…for now.