Although the Terminator franchise has endured for 40 years, not all the films and TV shows set in the iconic sci-fi universe are created equally. Created and co-written by director James Cameron and producer Gale Anne Hurd, Terminator is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s greatest action franchises ever, thanks in part to its story of humanity’s fight to survive against all odds. In its earliest iterations, the Terminator movies centered on a cybernetic ᴀssᴀssin, The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who is sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose unborn son, John, is destined to save humankind.

In the Terminator‘s timeline, John Connor stops his species from being eradicated by Skynet, a hostile artificial intelligence unit that deems humanity worthy of extinction. While Terminator 2: Judgment Day flips the script — Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic portrayal of the Terminator sees the actor protecting Sarah and John instead of hunting them — each film and TV show installment is a variation on the same general themes. While the Terminator films and TV series vary in quality, they all, on some level, deliver thrilling human vs. machine action. Based on its lasting appeal, it seems Terminator will be back time and again.

8

Terminator Salvation (2009)

The Fourth Installment In The Franchise Trades Arnold Schwarzenegger For Christian Bale

Salvation‘s most admirable virtue is that it broke the mold of the first three films and tried to tell a different kind of story. Depicting the future war of humans versus Skynet, Salvation is set in the post-apocalyptic 2018 and doesn’t involve sending Terminators or humans to the past via time travel. However, because Arnold Schwarzenegger was Governor of California in the mid-2000s, and thus couldn’t star in the film, the filmmakers shifted the focus to a new hero, Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), who discovers he’s a hybrid human/Terminator. Meanwhile, Christian Bale portrays an angry John Connor.

Directed by McG, Terminator Salvation is a gritty, action-packed disappointment, largely because Marcus Wright doesn’t hold a candle to Schwarzenegger’s cybernetic villain-turned-hero. Frustratingly, Salvation retcons Terminator lore by changing John Connor from the leader of the Resistance to the subordinate of a general who runs the resistance from a submarine. Although Anton Yelchin, who plays a young Kyle Reese, has some fun moments with Worthington, the duo’s banter isn’t enough to salvage the predictable, one-dimensional slog. Plus, Terminator Salvation’s ending adds insult to injury by plastering a digital version of Schwarzenegger’s face on a T-800.

7

Terminator Genisys (2015)

Emilia Clarke & Arnold Schwarzenegger Star In A Reboot Of The Terminator Series

Like Salvation before it, Terminator Genisys was meant to launch a new trilogy of films. By returning to the well of the original Terminator story, Genisys reboots the franchise, with John Connor (Jason Clarke) sending Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to save Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke). In a twist on the original premise, Reese learns that Skynet has changed the timeline by trying to kill Sarah when she was a young girl. At the time, she was saved by a T-800 (Schwarzenegger). The cybernetic ᴀssᴀssin, nicknamed “Pops,” proceeds to raise Genisys‘ Sarah Connor.

Meanwhile, in 2029, Skynet sends a T-5000 to murder John, rebuilds him into a T-3000 using nanobots, and sends him back in time to kill his parents. Sarah and Pops have a time machine of their own, so they jump to 2017 with Reese to stop Genisys, the operating system that will become Skynet in this incredibly convoluted, revised timeline. Genisys is a complete mess of a movie. Even though it runs the Terminator canon through a woodchipper, and even though Clarke and Reese have zero chemistry, the Terminator re-skin still delivers some solid Schwarzenegger action scenes.

6

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Skynet’s T-X Terminator Faces Off With Schwarzenegger’s T-800

Set several years after T2, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines poses a new, compelling hook that helps justify its own existence. In the third film, it becomes clear that Sarah and John Connor couldn’t stop Terminator‘s apocalyptic Judgment Day. Instead, the mother-son duo merely postponed the event, with Skynet’s creation being an inevitable conclusion. This time around, Skynet sends the T-X cybernetic ᴀssᴀssin (Kristanna Loken) to the past to kill future resistance leaders, including John’s (Nick Stahl) future wife, Kate Brewster (Claire Danes). Kate, however, sends a reprogrammed Terminator (Schwarzenegger) back to protect her past self.

Directed by Jonathan Mostow, Terminator 3 is a workman-like retread of the first two films. Even so, the film gets points for Danes and Stahl’s memorable turns as well as Loken’s T-X, which is probably the most underrated Terminator model in the franchise. Although the studio reportedly paid Schwarzenegger a whopping $30 million to return to the franchise, he’s shoehorned into some cruelly cringe-inducing (and allegedly comedic) scenes. Yet, Terminator 3‘s action set pieces like the T-101 fighting the T-X while carrying a casket full of guns, are good enough to boost its ranking.

5

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

Linda Hamilton & Arnold Schwarzenegger Reunite For A Direct Sequel To T2

Terminator: Dark Fate ignores the events of Terminator 3, Salvation, and Genisys, positioning itself as the true sequel to T2. Set in present-day Mexico City, a new Terminator, the Rev-9 (Diego Luna), is sent to kill Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes), who will threaten the (different) machine-ruled future of 2042. Luckily, a cybernetically augmented warrior named Grace (Mackenzie Davis) arrives to protect Dani. Soon enough, they’re joined by Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), who has continued hunting Terminators for the last 22 years, and another of Schwarzenegger’s T-800 warriors.

Produced by Cameron and directed by ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool‘s Tim Miller, Dark Fate is adept at staging the breakneck chase and action sequences that are hallmarks of the Terminator franchise. Although Dark Fate recycles the basic Terminator story, it does add some intriguing new twists and characters worth rooting for, all while restoring Sarah Connor as the franchise’s star. While Luna’s Rev-9 is a memorable villain who combines the relentless menace of the T-800 and T-1000, Schwarzenegger’s performance stands out because he plays a more hardened version of his character. Best of all, Dark Fate captures the franchise’s essence.

4

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–09)

A Short-Lived Sci-Fi Drama Series That Follows Lena Headey’s Sarah Connor

Even though The Sarah Connor Chronicles ends on a cliffhanger, it’s still well worth a watch — and easily better than most of the Terminator movies. Set shortly after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the two-season series stars Game of Thrones‘ Lena Headey as Sarah Connor and was penned by Dark Fate‘s Josh Friedman. The 31-episode spinoff show revolves around Sarah and her son, John Connor (Thomas Dekker), as they try to prevent the creation of Skynet — the hostile artificial intelligence system that, in the future, launches a devastating nuclear war on humans.

At the end of Terminator 2, Skynet’s Judgment Day is seemingly averted thanks to Sarah, John, and the time-hopping, protective T-800 played by Schwarzenegger. However, in The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which unfolds after T2‘s timeline, the mother-son duo learn that they only delayed Skynet’s creation. During the show’s first season, a T-888 is sent from the future to kill John, though another Terminator, Cameron (Summer Glau), is charged with protecting him. Despite solid reviews, which praised its searing action, impressive effects, gritty performances, and clever writing, Sarah Connor Chronicles was canceled before concluding its epic story.

3

Terminator Zero (2024–)

Netflix’s Japan-Set Anime That Unfolds In The Terminator Universe

Screen Rant‘s own critic dubbed Terminator Zero the best franchise installment in years — and for good reason. A sci-fi action anime, Terminator Zero introduces a new cast of characters as well as a fresh setting, and those factors are a big part of its success. In a meta twist, the Terminator franchise itself has been stuck in a sort of narrative loop, retreating John and Sarah’s stories time and again. Like Dark Fate, Zero uses familiar beats to tell its own story. That said, Netflix’s anime is the definitive example of how the Terminator franchise can move forward.

Set primarily in 1997, just hours before Judgment Day hits, Terminator Zero centers on scientist Malcolm Lee (André Holland), who’s fretting over whether to launch his AI system, KOKORO (Rosario Dawson). Plagued by visions of Skynet’s Judgment Day, Malcolm feels that KOKORO is humanity’s best sH๏τ at stopping Cyberdyne’s hostile AI. Meanwhile, a Timothy Olyphant-voiced Terminator is sent back from the future to track down Malcolm, three children, and their mysterious nanny Misaki (Sumalee Montano). In true Terminator fashion, a resistance soldier, Eiko (Sonoya Mizuno), also travels from the post-apocalyptic future to stop the cybernetic ᴀssᴀssin.

2

The Terminator (1984)

James Cameron & Gale Anne Hurd’s Sci-Fi Classic That Launched The Franchise

Not only did The Terminator start it all, but the 1984 sci-fi thriller still holds up today thanks to its powerful themes, exciting action sequences, and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s unforgettable presence. The story is a simple causality loop/grandfather paradox: Skynet sends a Terminator back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Hamilton) before she can give birth to the future leader of the human resistance. Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), a resistance soldier, is sent back to the analog world of 1980s Los Angeles to protect Sarah from Schwarzenegger’s relentless ᴀssᴀssin — though Kyle is also destined to become John’s father.

SH๏τ on a mere $6.5-million budget, The Terminator proves why Cameron is one of the greatest action movie directors of all time. In the role that would make him a superstar, Schwarzenegger is perfect as the Terminator — an unstoppable, remorseless cyborg. Most impressively, Stan Winston’s special effects generally hold up even four decades later. The story of the original Terminator film is beautifully simple, which is refreshing in the age of multiverse stories. Even though The Terminator doesn’t feature a happy ending, it is both a perfect standalone romp and a franchise-launching classic all in one.

1

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

The Rare Sequel That’s Better Than The Original

Terminator 2: Judgment Day took everything that made the original film work, but made it bigger and better. Although the sequel repeats the basic plot points of the first film, it weaves in powerful new themes, boasts far better visual effects, and introduces another unforgettable villain — the shape-shifting T-1000 (Robert Patrick). In a then-fresh twist, Schwarzenegger’s Terminator is sent back to protect the 12-year-old John Connor (Edward Furlong). After they rescue Sarah from a psychiatric facility, the trio track down the future creator of Skynet: Miles Bennett Dyson (Joe Morton), a Cyberdyne Systems scientist.

Although the gravity of the situation is deeply felt — the trio must stop Judgment Day while also destroying the T-1000 — T2’s seriousness is undercut by some cheesy dialogue and clunky scripted moments. Still, Cameron’s sequel delivers several now-classic action sequences, and the dynamic between John and the Terminator, who’s a kind of father figure, is a compelling spin on the story. Gatling gun shootouts aside, T2‘s true power lies in its hopeful theme that “if a Terminator can learn the value of human life, maybe we can too.” Even now, T2 is the Terminator gold standard.

What’s Next For The Terminator Franchise?

It’s no secret that the Terminator franchise has been trying to chase the monumental highs that James Cameron set for the series with the first two films. While many of the newer films have failed to match expectations, the franchise continues on, with the most recent entry being the 2024 anime, Terminator Zero. Though a second season hasn’t been announced yet, it is likely to come given the reception to season 1, and it could possibly explore more of John Connor’s story.

If the franchise does continue to move forward, it would have to be without Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, whose last appearance was in Terminator: Dark Fate in 2019. In an interview with Business Insider, she opened up about not returning to play the character again in any possible continuation or reboot, stating:

I’m done. I’m done. I have nothing more to say. The story’s been told, and it’s been done to death…Why anybody would relaunch it is a mystery to me. But I know our Hollywood world is built on relaunches right now.

James Cameron seems to be more optimistic about the Terminator franchise and any new movies than Linda Hamilton is, though. In a September 2024 interview with Empire, he talked about trying to move past iconic characters in the franchise, like Sarah Connor, John, and the T-800, stating:

This is the moment when you jettison everything that is specific to the last 40 years of Terminator, but you live by those principles…

You get too inside it, and then you lose a new audience because the new audience care much less about that stuff than you think they do…

You’ve got powerless main characters, essentially, fighting for their lives, who get no support from existing power structures, and have to circumvent them but somehow maintain a moral compᴀss. And then you throw AI into the mix. Those principles are sound principles for storytelling today, right? So I have no doubt that subsequent Terminator films will not only be possible, but they’ll kick ᴀss. But this is the moment where you jettison all the specific iconography.

There was also direct confirmation by Cameron that they were working on something for the Terminator franchise, with him stating:

That’s what we’re doing. That’s all I’ll say for right now.” It’s like the Terminator always said: ‘I’ll be back’

Terminator

The Terminator franchise, launched by James Cameron in 1984, explores a dystopian future where intelligent machines wage war against humanity. The relentless pursuit of key human figures by time-traveling cyborg ᴀssᴀssins known as Terminators is central to the narrative. John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance, is the core target of the malicious machines.

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

Latest TV Show

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Upcoming TV Shows

Terminator Zero (2024)

First Episode Air Date

January 13, 2008

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes, Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes

TV Show(s)

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008)

Character(s)

The Terminator, Sarah Connor, Kyle Reese, John Connor, T-1000, Kate Brewster, Marcus Wright, Grace (Terminator), Dani Ramos

Video Game(s)

The Terminator (1990), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), RoboCop versus The Terminator (1993), Terminator 3: War of the Machines (2003), Terminator Salvation (2009), Terminator: Resistance (2019)

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.

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