If the upcoming 3D re-release of Terminator 2 does well, James Cameron wants to re-release Aliens in 3D next. Long before Cameron was known for conquering the world with colossal hits like Titanic and Avatar, he was already regarded as one of the most reliably creative filmmakers in Hollywood. Whether big financial successes or not - and most of them were - Cameron's body of work pre-Titanic includes some of the most beloved films of the '80s and '90s, such as The Terminator, Terminator 2, The Abyss, and True Lies.

Another of Cameron's all-time most popular efforts is 1986's Aliens, a sequel to Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi/horror classic that somehow manages to both feel like a logical continuation of the original story and a reinvention of the property at the same time. Whereas Alien was built on claustrophobic terror caused by an often unseen enemy, Aliens pitted a team of badass space marines - along with heroic survivor Ripley - against a seemingly neverending barrage of xenomorphs.

Related: James Cameron Reflects on Aliens' Legacy

The aforementioned Terminator 2 is set to return to theaters in 3D on August 25, its first time ever converted to the third dimension. While it remains to be seen how profitable of a venture turning T2 into 3D will be, if it does well, Cameron said on Facebook live that more than any of his other films, he wants to give Aliens a 3D re-release next. Check out his full quote below, as transcribed by the fan site AVP Galaxy:

"We haven’t proven the business case yet so ask me again in a couple of weeks if T2 Judgement Day in 3D does well. I think the next title on my list, in terms of fan enthusiasm would probably have to be Aliens before I got to the other titles that you mentioned.

Aliens seems to really hold up in people’s minds and that would probably be my next one. But we’ve got to prove the business case here so people have to show up. So show up!"

To clarify, the "other titles" Cameron mentions that he thinks Aliens would be a bigger 3D draw than are The Terminator and True Lies, as his above response came when asked a question about a possible 3D re-release of those two films. While there are likely many Arnold fans who would dispute that assessment of Aliens' popularity, it's definitely a certified genre classic, and features arguably Sigourney Weaver's greatest performance ever. When one has starred in as many great films as she has, that's really saying something.

With 3D overall seemingly beginning to lose steam at the box office, perhaps this type of strategy is the wave of 3D's future, assuming T2 performs well. Instead of releasing each new blockbuster in 3D, studios can save the 3D for conversions of classic movies that are popular enough to virtually guarantee a return on investment. If that ends up being the case, Cameron will likely be at the forefront, as he is for most cinema trends.

More: 15 Reasons Why We Still Need A Proper Aliens Sequel

Source: James Cameron [via AVP Galaxy]