Both the Alien and Predator franchises have been revived in recent years, only making it more important to do the same for another classic sci-fi series: Terminator. Where reboots of iconic movie franchises are concerned, the 2010s and 2020s have certainly been active. Be it reboots like 2015’s Creed or the endless James Bond movies, many franchises have seen a resurgence in modern Hollywood due to complete remakes, reboots, or legacy movie sequels. Interestingly, one of the most popular genres for this has been sci-fi.
Many sci-fi franchises have been revived in the last few decades, allowing projects like the new Planet of the Apes, the Oscar-winning Dune movies, or even the resurgence of Star Wars to put franchises of old back on the cinematic map. Although there are still several ᴅᴇᴀᴅ movie franchises we want more of, classic or otherwise, none can deny just how loaded the Hollywood landscape of the last 10+ years has been with movies that have revived long-dormant franchises. Alien and Predator are two beneficiaries of this, making the desire for another classic sci-fi series to follow suit even greater.
The Alien And Predator Franchises Have Been Saved After Decades Of Missteps
Both Franchises Suffered For A Long Time
As anyone with any semblance of film knowledge will know, Ridley Scott’s Alien and John McTiernan’s Predator are two of the most iconic and influential sci-fi movies in cinema history. Both original movies were incredibly well-received, critically and commercially, thus kickstarting two huge franchises that are still alive decades later. However, this was not always the case. The success of Alien and Predator meant that Hollywood attempted to cash in, eventually resulting in several missteps that led many to believe both franchises would die off.
These missteps took place from the late 1980s, through the 1990s, then into the 2000s and 2010s…
The successor to Alien, Aliens, managed to postpone these missteps for a while, continuing the franchise’s H๏τ streak. However, Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection were both critically panned movies that suffered their share of studio interference. Meanwhile, Predator was suffering its own lack of inspiration. Predator 2 did not share Aliens‘ success, putting the franchise on hiatus until 2010’s Predators. This movie was also considered an unworthy successor to the original, as was 2018’s The Predator.
Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, two prequels to Alien made by Ridley Scott, were better received than Alien 3 and Resurrection, but even they were not unanimously loved. Then there were the crossover movies of the two franchises, Alien vs. Predator and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, both of which failed critically and commercially. These missteps took place from the late 1980s, through the 1990s, then into the 2000s and 2010s.
All that being said, both franchises have undergone a resurgence in the 2020s. 2024 saw the release of Alien: Romulus, the best-ranked Alien movie since 1986’s Aliens, and a box office success. The Predator franchise’s revival came in the form of Prey, a prequel to the original movie that went back to basics. Like Alien: Romulus, Prey was praised by many, often being regarded as the outright best-ranked Predator movie, even above the original. Thanks to these projects, a sequel to Alien: Romulus is in the works, while Predator: Killer of Killers and Predator: Badlands will both be released in 2025.
Terminator Has Been In A Bad Place For Years – But It Deserves Another Chance
Just Like Alien & Predator Did
When talking about Alien and Predator, another 1980s franchise is often brought up in the same breath: Terminator. The fortunes of the Terminator franchise have been largely similar to the other two; the first movie, 1984’s The Terminator, was beloved and is now regarded as one of the most iconic sci-fi movies in history. Like the Alien series, Terminator‘s first sequel, T2: Judgment Day, is considered just as good, if not better, than the original. Sadly, though, Terminator‘s future beyond that suffered the same setbacks that Alien and Predator did.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator Salvation were both released in the 2000s and failed to recapture the same magic of earlier installments, not to mention the box office receipts or critical acclaim. Terminator Genisys was then released and widely criticized for similar reasons, officially stalling the franchise’s theatrical efforts. Terminator: Dark Fate was a slightly better outing, but even that failed to reach the heights set by the best in its franchise, unlike Prey and Alien: Romulus. Despite these many missteps, the extensive Terminator movie timeline deserves another chance.
Just like Alien and Predator, the Terminator franchise has a lot of potential. The fact that movies were so persistently made in all three series’ proves this, with filmmakers over the decades trying to tap into the exciting worlds filled with deep characters, big events, and compelling stories. Terminator is no different, proving that it deserves another chance to shine.
Terminator’s Most Recent Release Showed The Franchise Can Still Be Exciting
Terminator Zero Was A Step In The Right Direction
Interestingly, 2024 may have provided the first hint that Terminator is back on the right track once more. This came in the form of Terminator Zero, an anime set in the тιтular franchise. What made Terminator Zero become the best-received project in the franchise since T2 was the fact that it told its own story.
|
тιтle |
Rotten Tomatoes Critical Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
IMDb Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Terminator Zero |
86% |
79% |
7/10 |
Rather than rehash the stories of John and Sarah Connor, Terminator Zero included new characters, a new setting, and a new story. This was all included while still adhering to the overall lore, rules, and timeline of the franchise. Combined with a beautiful art style, strong voice acting, and even a hint at alternate timelines/multiverse plots going forward, Terminator Zero went part of the way to reinventing the franchise just as Prey and Alien: Romulus did for their respective series’, showing there may still be life in the franchise yet.
What Terminator 7 Can Learn From The Most Recent Alien And Predator Movies
And Terminator Zero
With all of this in mind, there is plenty that the in-development Terminator 7 could learn from Prey and Alien: Romulus. The most evident, and perhaps most important, thing for the next Terminator movie to learn is to find the right balance between nostalgia and new storytelling. Both Prey and Alien: Romulus nailed this balance, with the former keeping the iconography of the franchise’s тιтular alien but pitting it in a new setting and the latter nestling a new story between the most beloved franchise installments in the series’ timeline.
Ironically, the most divisive part of Alien: Romulus was the inclusion of the droid Rook which used the likeness of the late Ian Holm from the first movie, proving that too much nostalgia can be a hindrance. This is something that the Terminator series has struggled with by repeating different stories involving John and Sarah Connor. Terminator Zero proved how a new story and setting but with familiar aspects can work, so long as a good balance is found. Prey and Alien: Romulus managed this, reviving their respective franchises, which needs to happen with Terminator now more than ever.
Terminator
- Movie(s)
-
The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Terminator Salvation (2009), Terminator Genisys (2015), Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
- Created by
-
James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd
- First Film
-
The Terminator
- Latest Film
-
Terminator: Dark Fate
- First TV Show
-
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Summary
The Terminator franchise is a landmark in science fiction, featuring a battle between humanity and artificially intelligent machines led by Skynet. The story primarily revolves around the Terminator robots, particularly the T-800 model, and the resistance led by John Connor. The series explores themes of fate, artificial intelligence, and the moral implications of technological advancement.
