Despite the Terminator franchise helping to establish Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career, the actor knew some of the sequels failed to contribute much to the overall quality of the series. Schwarzenegger was still trying to prove himself in the movie business when he was cast in his most iconic role, playing the T-800 in James Cameron’s The Terminator in 1884.

The success of the movie not only launched Schwarzenegger’s career but also the long-running Terminator franchise. Terminator 2: Judgment Day further established Schwarzenegger as an action hero while also taking the franchise to exciting new heights. However, many fans felt that this also marked the last great Terminator movie.

Schwarzenegger played his iconic character in a total of five movies, but many of the sequels fell short of expectations. While fans were not impressed with some of the later movies, it turns out that Schwarzenegger himself had doubts about some of the Terminator sequels before they were even finished.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Knew Terminator: Genisys & Dark Fate Would Fail – And Why

Schwarzenegger Felt The Most Recent Sequels Lacked Solid Scripts

Arnold Schwarzenegger became the face of the Terminator franchise, remaining as the most consistent member of the team across five movies. However, when it comes to the overall franchise, Schwarzenegger admits that he only felt three of them actually worked. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he shared his views:

The first three movies were great. Number four [Salvation] I was not in because I was governor. Then five [Genisys] and six [Dark Fate] didn’t close the deal as far as I’m concerned. We knew that ahead of time because they were just not well written.

These rather blunt admissions about the most recent sequels come after Schwarzenegger admitted in the same interview that he was done with the Terminator franchise, regardless of what other sequels come in the future. Part of that decision could be the lackluster quality of the last two movies and the idea that their failure was a foregone conclusion.

While there are a number of issues critics and fans had with Terminator Genysis and Terminator: Dark Fate, the script was the major problem in both cases. While there were ideas of how to carry the franchise, they weren’t fully formed ideas. It is not hard to imagine that Schwarzenegger and others were not filled with confidence with these scripts.

Schwarzenegger’s ᴀssessment of these Terminator sequels reflects the recent comments James Gunn made about the problem with movies right now, insisting that it comes down to making movies that don’t have finished scripts. While these experiences left Schwarzenegger on a bad note with the franchise, he still expresses fondness for the Terminator universe.

Schwarzenegger Has An Alternate View On Another Unloved Terminator Movie

Terminator 3 Is Also Not Popular With Fans

While there are many fans who would agree with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comments about the writing issues on Terminator Genysis and Terminator: Dark Fate, they may be surprised by his mention of three good movies in the franchise. There’s a common perception that the first two Terminator movies are excellent, and the rest of the series is disappointing.

Even so, Schwarzenegger clearly holds the third movie, Terminator: Rise of the Machines, in a higher regard than most. In fact, Rise of the Machines is often seen as the moment the franchise began its downward trajectory, being the first movie without James Cameron as a director.

To be fair, Terminator 3 is often regarded as the best of the post-Terminator 2 movies, even including a twist ending that many fans still praise. However, it doesn’t take risks in pushing the franchise forward, like Terminator 2, nor does it have the same amazing action. It simply feels like a lesser version of what came before.

Though not a perfect Terminator movie, it is not hard to see why Terminator 3 is more fondly remembered by Schwarzenegger. He was still being used as the franchise’s main character, compared to the later movies that pushed him to a more supporting role. It also marked the end of an era, as Schwarzenegger moved into politics shortly after.