Although replacing Arnold Schwarzenegger seems like the toughest part of making Terminator 7, the Terminator series has much bigger fish to fry before the franchise can make a triumphant return. The Terminator timeline is infamously confusing, and there are numerous reasons for this. One is that many of the movies in the series rebooted their storyline, and another is that most of these conflicting timelines contradict each other. However, a big part of the problem is that almost all of them brought back the same handful of characters.

Not only does either John Connor or Sarah Connor play a major role in every Terminator sequel, but Arnold Schwarzenegger’s original T-800 appears in both 2015’s Genisys and 2019’s Dark Fate, even though this requires some serious logical gymnastics. The series came up with two different justifications for the change in Schwarzenegger’s real-life appearance, solely so the creators could bring back the famous actor, which makes it seem like replacing Schwarzenegger is the hardest problem for the series. In reality, Terminator 7’s story has a much bigger issue.

Terminator 7’s Biggest Challenge Is Coming Up With A Story The Other Sequels Haven’t Done (That People Actually Care About)

Replacing Arnold Schwarzenegger Is The Least of The Terminator Franchise’s Worries

Terminator 7’s biggest problem isn’t replacing Schwarzenegger’s T-800, but finding a storyline that will get viewers invested in the series again with or without the iconic original star of the series. Although The Sarah Connor Chronicles achieved this and became the franchise’s most underrated outing in the process, that TV show was canceled after only two seasons due to its big budget and low ratings. Since then, Terminator: Salvation, Terminator Genisys, and Terminator: Dark Fate have all attempted to reinvent the series with a new story centered on new versions of John and Sarah.

All of these attempts have failed as the movies were met with bad reviews, poor box office performance, rejection from fans, or all three. The Terminator series has no new story to tell, whether the franchise replaces Schwarzenegger’s T-800 or not, and it is this, rather than recasting the high-profile star, that is proving a problem for the franchise. The critical success of both The Sarah Connor Chronicles and 2024’s Netflix anime series Terminator: Zero both prove that the franchise could win over fans and reviewers, but this requires a totally new storyline and fresh original characters.

Finding An Arnold Schwarzenegger Replacement Is Actually The Easy Part For Terminator 7

Both Alan Ritchson And Timothy Olyphant Are Viable Alternatives To Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Terminator is Schwarzenegger’s most recognizable role, so it is fair for viewers to ᴀssume that the actor is irreplaceable in the part. However, this isn’t quite true. Alan Ritchson’s Terminator credentials are considerable, as the famously imposing star of Reacher has played intimidating, lethal characters in a string of recent hits.

Similarly, Timothy Olyphant’s role as the cold, calculated android villain of Terminator Zero proves the Justified star could easily replace Schwarzenegger if given the chance. While Ritchson’s take on the role would be similar to Schwarzenegger’s original musclebound T-800, Olyphant’s take on the Terminator could be a reinvention more akin to Robert Patrick’s lithe, terrifying T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Both actors would be perfect replacements for Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 7 if only the Terminator series had a compelling story to put them in.