By LOUIS B. HOBSON --

HOLLYWOOD -- Tom Cruise did not abandon the sinking ship. In fact, he was eager to board James Cameron's Titanic.

Cameron recalls that when he was casting Titanic last year, Cruise's agent said the actor was very interested in playing the struggling sketch artist who falls in love with a wealthy first-class passenger.

"I'd love to work with Tom Cruise someday, but he was wrong for Titanic. He's too old. I wanted my lovers to be teenagers," explains Cameron.

The director put his money on Leonardo DiCaprio, and then cast Kate Winslet as his love interest.

Titanic opens Dec. 19.

Cameron confirms that he has had requests for Terminator 3 and True Lies 2.

"I think we'll see another True Lies before we'll see another Terminator. Arnold is interested in both projects, but he's leaning more toward the comedy of True Lies. It helps that Tom Arnold and Jamie Lee Curtis are really eager to do another True Lies."


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