Terminator (franchise)
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''Terminator'' is an American
media franchise A media franchise, also known as a multimedia franchise, is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or ...
created by
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
. The franchise encompasses a series of
science fiction action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...
s, comics, novels and additional media, concerning a total war between Skynet's
synthetic intelligence Synthetic intelligence (SI) is an alternative/opposite term for artificial intelligence emphasizing that the intelligence of machines need not be an imitation or in any way artificial; it can be a genuine form of intelligence. John Haugeland propo ...
– a
self-aware In philosophy of self, self-awareness is the experience of one's own personality or individuality. It is not to be confused with consciousness in the sense of qualia. While consciousness is being aware of one's environment and body and lifest ...
military machine network – and
John Connor John Connor is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise. Created by screenwriter, writer and film director, director James Cameron, the character is first referred to in the 1984 film ''The T ...
's Resistance forces comprising the survivors of the
human race Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
. Skynet's most famous products in its genocidal goals are the various terminator models, such as the
T-800 T8 or T-8 may refer to the following: Measurement * T8, a Torx screwhead size * T8, a 1 inch fluorescent lamp size * A tornado intensity rating on the TORRO scale Biology * The 8th thoracic vertebra * The T8 spinal nerve Transportation * Trikk ...
, who was portrayed by
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...
from the original ''Terminator'' film in 1984. By 2010, the franchise had generated $3 billion in revenue.


Setting

The central theme of the franchise is the battle for survival between the nearly-extinct human race and the world-spanning
synthetic intelligence Synthetic intelligence (SI) is an alternative/opposite term for artificial intelligence emphasizing that the intelligence of machines need not be an imitation or in any way artificial; it can be a genuine form of intelligence. John Haugeland propo ...
that is Skynet. Skynet is positioned in the first film, ''
The Terminator ''The Terminator'' is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whos ...
'' (1984), as a U.S. strategic "Global Digital Defense Network" computer system by
Cyberdyne Systems Cyberdyne may refer to: * Cyberdyne Inc., a Japanese company which sells a powered exoskeleton called HAL 5 (Hybrid Assistive Limb) *Cyberdyne (Cyber Dynamics Systems Corporation), a fictional corporation that created the Skynet system in the ''Ter ...
which becomes self-aware. Shortly after activation, Skynet perceives all humans as a threat to its existence and formulates a plan to systematically wipe out humanity itself. The system initiates a nuclear first strike against Russia, thereby ensuring a devastating second strike and a nuclear holocaust which wipes out much of humanity in the resulting nuclear war. In the post-apocalyptic aftermath, Skynet later builds up its own autonomous machine-based military capability which includes the Terminators used against individual human targets and therefore proceeds to wage a persistent total war against the surviving elements of humanity, some of whom have militarily organized themselves into a Resistance. At some point in this future, Skynet develops the capability of time travel and both it and the Resistance seek to use this technology in order to win the war; either by altering or accelerating past events or by preventing the apocalyptic timeline.


Judgment Day

In the franchise, Judgment Day (a reference to the biblical
Day of Judgment The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
) is the date on which Skynet becomes self-aware and its creators panic and attempt to deactivate the network. As a result, Skynet perceives humanity as a threat and chooses to exterminate them. Skynet launches an all-out nuclear attack on Russia in order to provoke a nuclear counter-strike against the United States, knowing this will eliminate its human enemies. Due to time travel and the consequent ability to change the future, several differing dates are given for Judgment Day. In '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' (1991), Sarah Connor states that Judgment Day will occur on August 29, 1997. However, this date is delayed following the attack on Cyberdyne Systems in the second film. Judgment Day has various different dates in different timelines of the subsequent films, as well as the television series, creating a multiverse of temporal phenomena. In '' Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'' (2003) and ''
Terminator Salvation ''Terminator Salvation'' is a 2009 American military science fiction action film directed by McG and written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris. It is the fourth installment of the ''Terminator'' franchise and serves as a sequel to '' Termin ...
'' (2009), Judgment Day was postponed to July 2003. In '' Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'' (2008–2009), the attack on Cyberdyne Systems in the second film delayed Judgment Day to April 21, 2011. In ''
Terminator Genisys ''Terminator Genisys'' is a 2015 American science fiction action film directed by Alan Taylor and written by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. Produced by Skydance Productions and distributed by Paramount Pictures, the film is a reboot o ...
'' (2015), the fifth film in the franchise, Judgment Day was postponed to an unspecified day in October 2017, attributed to altered events in both the future and the past. Sarah and
Kyle Reese Kyle Reese is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise, who serves as the protagonist of the first film with a supporting role in other works. The character is portrayed by Michael Biehn in ...
travel through time to the year 2017 and seemingly defeat Skynet, but the system core, contained inside a subterranean blast shelter, survives unknown to them, thus further delaying, rather than preventing, Judgment Day. In '' Terminator: Dark Fate'' (2019), the direct sequel to ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'', a date is not given for the new Judgment Day though it is named as such by Grace. As Grace is a ten–year old in 2020 and shown as a teenager in the post-Judgment Day world in flash-forwards throughout the movie, Judgment Day occurs sometime in the early 2020s in this timeline.


Franchise rights

Before the first film was created, director
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
sold the rights for $1 to
Gale Anne Hurd Gale Anne Hurd (born October 25, 1955) is an American film and television producer, the founder of Valhalla Entertainment (formerly Pacific Western Productions), and a former recording secretary for the Producers Guild of America. Early life Hu ...
, who produced the film.
Hemdale Film Corporation Hemdale Film Corporation, known as Hemdale Communications after 1992, was an independent American-British film production company and distributor. The company was founded in London in 1967 as the Hemdale Company by actor David Hemmings and John D ...
also became a 50-percent owner of the franchise rights, until its share was sold in 1990 to
Carolco Pictures Carolco Pictures, Inc. was an American independent film studio that existed from 1976 to 1995, founded by Mario Kassar and Andrew G. Vajna. Kassar and Vajna ran Carolco together until 1989, when Vajna left to form Cinergi Pictures. Carolco h ...
, a company founded by
Andrew G. Vajna Andrew G. Vajna (born András György Vajna; 1 August 1944 – 20 January 2019) was a Hungarian film producer whose films include the first three entries in the ''Rambo'' series, '' Total Recall'', '' Tombstone'', ''Die Hard with a Vengeance' ...
and
Mario Kassar Mario F. Kassar ( ar, ماريو قصار; born October 10, 1951) is a Lebanese film producer and industry executive who produced the first three films of the ''Rambo'' series, '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day'', '' Total Recall'', ''The Doors, Ange ...
. ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' was released a year later. Carolco filed for bankruptcy in 1995 and the rights to future ''Terminator'' films were ultimately put up for auction. By that time, Cameron had become interested in making a ''Terminator 3'' film. However, the rights were ultimately auctioned to Vajna in 1997, for $8 million. Vajna and Kassar spent another $8 million to purchase Hurd's half of the rights in 1998, becoming the full owners of the franchise. Hurd was initially opposed to the sale of the rights, while Cameron had lost interest in the franchise and a third film. After the 2003 release of ''Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'', the franchise rights were sold in 2007 for about $25 million to
The Halcyon Company The Halcyon Company was an American media development company headed by Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson. They were perhaps best known for acquiring the global rights to the ''Terminator'' franchise in 2007 and for producing ''Terminator Salvat ...
, which produced ''Terminator Salvation'' in 2009. Later that year, the company faced legal issues and filed for bankruptcy, putting the franchise rights up for sale. The rights were valued at about $70 million. In 2010, the rights were sold for $29.5 million to Pacificor, a
hedge fund A hedge fund is a pooled investment fund that trades in relatively liquid assets and is able to make extensive use of more complex trading, portfolio-construction, and risk management techniques in an attempt to improve performance, such as sho ...
that was Halcyon's largest
creditor A creditor or lender is a party (e.g., person, organization, company, or government) that has a claim on the services of a second party. It is a person or institution to whom money is owed. The first party, in general, has provided some property ...
. In 2012, the rights were sold to
Megan Ellison Margaret Elizabeth Ellison (born January 31, 1986) is an American film producer and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Annapurna Pictures, established in 2011. She produced the films ''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012), '' Her'' (2013), '' American Hu ...
for less than $20 million, a lower price than what was previously offered. The low price was due to the possibility of Cameron regaining the rights in 2019, as a result of new North American copyright laws.
David Ellison David Ellison (born January 9, 1983) is an American film producer and actor best known as the founder and CEO of Skydance Media. Early life and education David Ellison was born in Santa Clara County, California. He is the son of billionaire Ora ...
and
Skydance Productions Skydance Media, LLC (formerly known as Skydance Productions) is an American production company based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by David Ellison in 2006, the company entered a five-year partnership to co-produce and co-finance films with ...
produced ''Terminator Genisys'' in 2015. Cameron worked together with David Ellison to produce the 2019 film ''Terminator: Dark Fate''. As the film neared its release, Hurd filed to terminate a copyright grant made 35 years earlier. Under this move, Hurd would again become a 50-percent owner of the rights with Cameron and Skydance could lose the rights to make any additional ''Terminator'' films beginning in November 2020, unless a new deal is worked out. Skydance responded that it had a deal in place with Cameron and that it "controls the rights to the ''Terminator'' franchise for the foreseeable future".


Films


''The Terminator'' (1984)

''The Terminator'' is a 1984
science fiction action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...
released by Orion Pictures, co-written and directed by
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
and starring
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...
,
Linda Hamilton Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956) is an American actress. She played Sarah Connor in the '' Terminator'' film series and Catherine Chandler in the television series ''Beauty and the Beast'' (1987–1990), for which she was nomina ...
and
Michael Biehn Michael Connell Biehn ( ; born July 31, 1956) is an American actor, primarily known for his roles in science fiction films directed by James Cameron; as Sgt. Kyle Reese in ''The Terminator'' (1984), Cpl. Dwayne Hicks in ''Aliens'' (1986), and ...
. It is the first work in the ''Terminator'' franchise. In the film, robots take over the world in the near future, directed by the artificial intelligence Skynet. With its sole mission to completely annihilate humanity, it develops android assassins called Terminators that outwardly appear human. A man named
John Connor John Connor is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise. Created by screenwriter, writer and film director, director James Cameron, the character is first referred to in the 1984 film ''The T ...
starts the Tech-Com resistance to fight the machines, defeat Skynet and free humanity. With a human victory imminent, the machines' only choice is to send a Terminator back in time to kill John's mother, Sarah Connor and prevent the boy's birth, thereby handicapping the resistance from ever being founded in the first place. With the fate of humanity at stake, John sends soldier
Kyle Reese Kyle Reese is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise, who serves as the protagonist of the first film with a supporting role in other works. The character is portrayed by Michael Biehn in ...
back to protect Sarah Connor and thus ensure his own existence. It was released on October 26, 1984 and grossed $78.4 million worldwide.


''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' (1991)

''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' is the 1991 sequel to the original ''Terminator'' film and was released by
TriStar Pictures TriStar Pictures, Inc. (spelled as Tri-Star until 1991) is an American film studio and production company that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, part of the multinational conglomerate Sony. It is a corporate sibling of Sony ...
. It was co-written, directed and produced by James Cameron and stars
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...
,
Linda Hamilton Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956) is an American actress. She played Sarah Connor in the '' Terminator'' film series and Catherine Chandler in the television series ''Beauty and the Beast'' (1987–1990), for which she was nomina ...
,
Edward Furlong Edward Walter Furlong (born August 2, 1977) is an American actor. He won Saturn and MTV Movie Awards for his breakthrough performance at age 13 as John Connor in James Cameron's '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day''; which was followed by a mini-seque ...
,
Robert Patrick Robert Hammond Patrick (born November 5, 1958) is an American actor. Known for portraying villains and honorable authority figures, he is a Saturn Award winner with four other nominations. Patrick dropped out of college when drama class sparked ...
and
Joe Morton Joseph Thomas Morton Jr. (born October 18, 1947) is an American stage, television and film actor. He has worked with film director John Sayles in ''The Brother from Another Planet'' (1984), '' City of Hope'' (1991) and '' Lone Star'' (1996). Oth ...
. After robots fail to prevent John Connor from being born, they try again in 1995, this time attempting to terminate him as a child by using a more advanced Terminator, the
T-1000 The T-1000 is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise. A shapeshifter, shapeshifting Android (robot), android Terminator (character concept), Terminator Assassination, assassin, the T-1000 ...
. As before, John sends back a protector for his younger self, a reprogrammed Terminator, who is a doppelgänger to the one from 1984. After years of preparing for the future war, Sarah decides to use the same tactics the robots used on her: preventing Skynet from being invented by destroying Cyberdyne Systems before they create it. It was released on July 3, 1991, to critical acclaim and grossed $523.7 million worldwide. It also won several
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, one most notably for its then-cutting-edge computer animation. The film was remastered for 3D and re-released in August 2017.


''Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'' (2003)

''Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'', released by
Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of ...
in North America and Columbia TriStar Film Distributors internationally, is the 2003 sequel to ''Terminator 2'' and is written by John Brancato, Michael Ferris, directed by
Jonathan Mostow Jonathan Mostow (born November 28, 1961) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He has directed films such as ''Breakdown'', '' U-571'', '' Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'', and '' Surrogates''. Early life Mostow was born ...
and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Nick Stahl Nicolas Kent Stahl (born December 5, 1979) is an American actor. Starting out as a child actor, he gained recognition for his performance in the 1993 film '' The Man Without a Face'', co-starring Mel Gibson. He later transitioned into his adul ...
,
Claire Danes Claire Catherine Danes (born April 12, 1979) is an American actress. She is the recipient of three Primetime Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2012, ''Time'' named her one of the 100 most influenti ...
and Kristanna Loken. As a result of the destruction of Cyberdyne, the Skynet takeover has been postponed, not averted. In an attempt to ensure a victory by the robots, a new Terminator, the T-X, is sent back to terminate the lives of as many of John Connor's future lieutenants as is possible, including his future wife Kate Brewster and also John himself. Kate's father, General Robert Brewster ( David Andrews), who is supervising Skynet's development, is also targeted for termination by the T-X. After Connor's future self is terminated by a doppelgänger of his previous protector, Kate reprograms him and sends him back to save them both from the T-X. It was released on July 2, 2003 to generally favorable reviews and grossed $433.4 million worldwide.


''Terminator Salvation'' (2009)

''Terminator Salvation'' is the fourth installment of the ''Terminator'' film series and was made by
The Halcyon Company The Halcyon Company was an American media development company headed by Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson. They were perhaps best known for acquiring the global rights to the ''Terminator'' franchise in 2007 and for producing ''Terminator Salvat ...
and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
. It was released on May 21, 2009 to mixed reviews and grossed $371.4 million. It was written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris, directed by
McG The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hem ...
, and stars
Christian Bale Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. He has received various accolades, including ...
as John Connor and
Sam Worthington Samuel Henry John Worthington (born 2 August 1976) is an Australian actor. He is best known for playing Jake Sully in ''Avatar'' and its sequel, ''Avatar: The Way of Water''; Marcus Wright in ''Terminator Salvation'', and Perseus in '' Clash o ...
(who was personally recommended by James Cameron) as Marcus Wright. Following the events of ''Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'', after Skynet has destroyed much of humanity in a nuclear holocaust, John struggles to become the leader of humanity as he is destined, while Marcus Wright finds his place in an unfamiliar post-apocalyptic world. In this future, altered by the events of the second film, the
T-800 T8 or T-8 may refer to the following: Measurement * T8, a Torx screwhead size * T8, a 1 inch fluorescent lamp size * A tornado intensity rating on the TORRO scale Biology * The 8th thoracic vertebra * The T8 spinal nerve Transportation * Trikk ...
Terminators (
Roland Kickinger Roland Kickinger (born March 30, 1968) is an Austrian bodybuilder and actor from Vienna. Standing 6 ft 4 in tall (1.93 m) and weighing from 250-300 pounds (113 to 136 kg), he has appeared in numerous bodybuilding competitions, fit ...
with CG-rendered facial likeness of Arnold Schwarzenegger) are coming online sooner than expected. The film also stars
Anton Yelchin Anton Viktorovich Yelchin ( rus, Антон Викторович Ельчин, p=ɐnˈton ˈvʲiktərəvʲɪtɕ ˈjelʲtɕɪn; March 11, 1989 – June 19, 2016) was an American actor. Born in the Soviet Union to a Russian Jewish family, he emigr ...
as Kyle Reese,
Bryce Dallas Howard Bryce Dallas Howard (born March 2, 1981) is an American actress and director. Howard was born in Los Angeles and attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, initially leaving in 2002 to take roles on Broadway but officially graduati ...
,
Moon Bloodgood Korinna Moon Bloodgood (born September 20, 1975) is an American actress and model, known for her role as Lt. Blair Williams in the 2009 film ''Terminator Salvation'' and as Anne Glass in the TNT television series '' Falling Skies''. Early life ...
,
Common Common may refer to: Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts * Clapham Common, originally com ...
,
Michael Ironside Frederick Reginald Ironside (born February 12, 1950), known as Michael Ironside, is a Canadian actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. He is known for playing villains and "tough guy" heroes, and has also portrayed sympathetic characters. E ...
and
Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received various awards and nominations, including a British Academy Film Award a ...
.


''Terminator Genisys'' (2015)

''Terminator Genisys'' is the fifth installment of the franchise and also serves as a
reboot In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...
that features the main characters from the first two films created by
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
,
Gale Anne Hurd Gale Anne Hurd (born October 25, 1955) is an American film and television producer, the founder of Valhalla Entertainment (formerly Pacific Western Productions), and a former recording secretary for the Producers Guild of America. Early life Hu ...
and William Wisher, Jr., portrayed by a new cast, with the exception of Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising his role as the eponymous character. Additionally,
J. K. Simmons Jonathan Kimble Simmons (born January 9, 1955) is an American actor, considered one of the most prolific and well-established character actors of his generation. He has appeared in over 200 films and television roles since his debut in 1986. He i ...
joined the cast as Detective O'Brien, serving as an ally for the film's protagonists. The film was written by
Laeta Kalogridis Laeta Kalogridis ( ) is an American screenwriter and television and film producer of Greek descent. She has written scripts for ''Alexander'' (2004), ''Night Watch'' (2004), '' Pathfinder'' (2007) and '' Shutter Island'' (2010). She also serve ...
and
Patrick Lussier Patrick Lussier (born 1964) is a Canadian-American filmmaker and editor, known for his numerous collaborations with director Wes Craven and fellow screenwriters Laeta Kalogridis and Todd Farmer, as well as his work in the horror genre. Career ...
and directed by Alan Taylor. It was made by
Skydance Productions Skydance Media, LLC (formerly known as Skydance Productions) is an American production company based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by David Ellison in 2006, the company entered a five-year partnership to co-produce and co-finance films with ...
and distributed by
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
. The story takes place in an alternate reality resulting from a chain of events related to Skynet's (
Matt Smith Matthew Robert Smith (born 28 October 1982) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as the Eleventh Doctor, eleventh incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the BBC series ''Doctor Who'' (2010–2013), Daemon Targarye ...
) actions throughout a previous timeline. Prior to this alteration, on the verge of winning the war against Skynet, John Connor (
Jason Clarke Jason Clarke (born 17 July 1969) is an Australian actor. He has appeared in many TV series, and is known for playing Tommy Caffee on the television series ''Brotherhood''. He has also appeared in many films, often as an antagonist. His film ro ...
) sends his trusted right-hand officer Kyle Reese (
Jai Courtney Jai Courtney (; born 15 March 1986) is an Australian actor. He started his career with small roles in films and television series before being cast as Charlie in the action film '' Jack Reacher'' (2012). He has gone on to star in '' A Good Day t ...
) back through time to save his mother's life and ensure his own existence. However, Kyle arrives at an alternate timeline where Skynet had never launched its initial attack in 1997 and Sarah Connor (
Emilia Clarke Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke (born 23 October 1986) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal as Daenerys Targaryen in '' Game of Thrones''. She has received various accolades, including an Empire Award, a Saturn Award, ...
) was brought up by a reprogrammed Terminator (Schwarzenegger), sent by an unknown party to be her guardian ever since childhood. Now Sarah, Kyle and the Guardian need to escape the T-800 Model 101 (Brett Azar with CG-rendered likeness of Schwarzenegger from the first film), the T-1000 (
Lee Byung-hun Lee Byung-hun (; born July 12, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He has received critical acclaim for his work in a wide range of genres, most notably ''Joint Security Area'' (2000); ''A Bittersweet Life'' (2005); ''The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' ...
) and Skynet's
T-3000 The T-3000 is a fictional character and the central antagonist of ''Terminator Genisys'', the fifth installment in the ''Terminator'' series, portrayed by Jason Clarke. In the film, the T-3000 is an alternate timeline counterpart of Skynet's (po ...
, in an attempt to stop Judgment Day from ever happening; while trying to uncover the secrets behind Cyberdyne Systems' new
application software Application may refer to: Mathematics and computing * Application software, computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks ** Application layer, an abstraction layer that specifies protocols and interface methods used in a c ...
: ''Genisys''. Assisting the trio is Detective O'Brien (Simmons), whose investigation into time travelers (especially Terminators) leads him to learn about Skynet and helps the protagonists in their mission to avert Judgment Day. The film was released in the U.S. on July 1, 2015 and grossed $440.6 million worldwide. Its commercial performance was lower than anticipated, resulting in two planned sequels and a spin-off television series being cancelled in favor of ''Terminator: Dark Fate'' (2019).


''Terminator: Dark Fate'' (2019)

''Terminator: Dark Fate'' is the sixth installment of the franchise and a direct sequel to ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day''. It is directed by Tim Miller and was released in the U.S. on November 1, 2019. It stars Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger, reprising their roles as Sarah Connor and the Terminator, respectively. The film also stars
Mackenzie Davis Mackenzie Rio Davis (born April 1, 1987) is a Canadian actress, producer, and model. She made her feature film debut in '' Smashed'' (2012). In 2013, she appeared in ''Breathe In'' and '' The F Word'' (for which she was nominated for the Canadia ...
,
Natalia Reyes Natalia Reyes Gaitán (born 6 February 1987) is a Colombian actress known for her starring role in '' Terminator: Dark Fate'' (2019). Before that, she was known in Latin America for her role in '' Birds of Passage'' (2018); and for starring on ...
and
Gabriel Luna Gabriel Luna is an American actor and producer. He is known for his roles as Robbie Reyes / Ghost Rider on the ABC action superhero series '' Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'', set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tony Bravo on the El Rey Netwo ...
. Jude Collie and Brett Azar were also cast as a young John Connor and a younger T-800, respectively. The previous film, ''Terminator Genisys'', had been intended as the first in a new stand-alone film trilogy, but the planned sequels were canceled following the film's disappointing box-office performance. The producer of that film, David Ellison, recruited James Cameron to produce a new film with him, which would become ''Terminator: Dark Fate''. In the film, the machines send a Terminator,
Rev-9 The Rev-9 is a fictional character and the main antagonist of '' Terminator: Dark Fate'', the sixth installment in the ''Terminator'' series. In its human form, the Rev-9 is portrayed by Gabriel Luna. History The Rev-9 is a Terminator model ...
(Luna), back in time to eliminate Dani Ramos (Reyes), whose destiny is linked to the Human Resistance's war against them. The Resistance sends one of their soldiers Grace (Davis) back to protect her and a chain of events lead Grace and Dani to join forces with Sarah Connor and the T-800. The writers' room included
Josh Friedman Josh Friedman (born 14 February 1967) is an American screenwriter and television producer. He is best known for his work on the science-fiction action genre, including on the series '' Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'', the film adapta ...
, creator of the television series '' Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles''. Other writers included
David S. Goyer David Samuel Goyer (born December 22, 1965) is an American filmmaker, novelist and comic book writer. He is best known for writing the screenplays for several superhero films, including ''Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (film), Nick Fury: Agent ...
, Justin Rhodes and Billy Ray. The creative team stated that the new film would feature a young 18- to 21-year-old, who could potentially lead the franchise should the first film be successful. Miller made mention of creating a theme park attraction akin to '' T2 3-D: Battle Across Time'' should the film prove successful. Because the series deals with time-travel, the film ignores the premise of the last three films and the TV series and is not titled ''Terminator 6'', as it is also a direct sequel to ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day''. Filming began in
Isleta del Moro Isleta del Moro is a fishing town located near Los Escullos, in Cabo de Gata. It was frequented by Arabs The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciatio ...
,
Almería Almería (, , ) is a city and municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of the same name. It lies on southeastern Iberia on the Mediterranean Sea. Caliph Abd al-Rahman III founded the city in 955. The city gr ...
on June 4, 2018, shooting for a month there, before shooting the rest in the United States. This film was intended as the first in a new trilogy of ''Terminator'' films, but these plans were canceled due to mixed audience reactions and the film's underperforming box office record.


Television


''Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'' (2008–2009)

''Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'' follows Sarah (
Lena Headey Lena Kathren Headey ( ; born 3 October 1973) is a British actress. She gained international recognition and acclaim for her portrayal of Cersei Lannister on the HBO epic fantasy drama series '' Game of Thrones'' (2011–2019), for which she re ...
) and John Connor ( Thomas Dekker) as they try to "live under the radar" after destroying Cyberdyne in ''Terminator 2''. Summer Glau plays a Terminator named Cameron and
Brian Austin Green Brian Austin Green (born Brian Green; July 15, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, television personality and podcaster, best known for his portrayal of David Silver on the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1990–2000). Green was al ...
plays Derek Reese, the brother of
Kyle Reese Kyle Reese is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise, who serves as the protagonist of the first film with a supporting role in other works. The character is portrayed by Michael Biehn in ...
, both sent back in time to protect the Connors and prevent another Judgment Day.


Future

In February 2021,
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
announced plans to develop a ''Terminator''
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
series with
Skydance Skydance Media, LLC (formerly known as Skydance Productions) is an American production company based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by David Ellison in 2006, the company entered a five-year partnership to co-produce and co-finance films with ...
,
Mattson Tomlin Mattson Tomlin (born July 16, 1990) is a filmmaker and writer. Career In 2018, Tomlin wrote the script for the '' Project Power'' (2020) for Netflix, starring Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Dominique Fishback. He scripted and produce ...
and
Production I.G is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise, founded on December 15, 1987, by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo, Japan. The letters I and G derive from the names of the company founders: producer Mitsuhisa Ish ...
. In December 2022 James Cameron revealed there were discussions for another possible ''Terminator'' film.


Web series


''Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series'' (2009)

Set in 2016, years after Judgment Day, Blair Williams (voiced by
Moon Bloodgood Korinna Moon Bloodgood (born September 20, 1975) is an American actress and model, known for her role as Lt. Blair Williams in the 2009 film ''Terminator Salvation'' and as Anne Glass in the TNT television series '' Falling Skies''. Early life ...
) is fighting the war against the machines in downtown Los Angeles, while tracking down the computer hacker named Laz Howard (voiced by
Cam Clarke Cam Clarke is an American voice actor, known for his work in animation, video games and commercials. Among his notable roles are Leonardo and Rocksteady in the 1987 ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' animated series, Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 ...
) and trying to persuade him to join sides with the resistance.


''Terminator Genisys: The YouTube Chronicles'' (2015)

''Terminator Genisys: The YouTube Chronicles'' was released in three parts on June 22, 2015 to promote the fifth film, produced by Heresy. The web series was directed by Charles Paek and written by Jay Bushman. It features several popular YouTube stars appearing with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800, as they stand together against the T-360 (played by fellow YouTube personality,
Toby Turner Toby Joseph Turner (born March 3, 1985), also known by his stage name Tobuscus, is an American Internet personality and actor. Originally from Niceville, Florida, he is best known for his YouTube videos. As of November 5, 2021, Turner has a to ...
).


Cast and crew


Principal cast

* *


Additional crew


Reception


Box office performance


Critical and public response


Cultural impact

The ''Terminator'' franchise, most notably James Cameron's original films, ''The Terminator'' and ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'', has had a significant impact on popular culture. The film franchise placed #17 on the top 25 greatest film franchises by
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
and is also in the top 30 highest-grossing franchises. According to
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the ''Terminator'' franchise is the sixth highest rated franchise on the site behind the ''Toy Story'' franchise, the ''
Dollars Trilogy ''Dollars Trilogy'' ( it, link=no, Trilogia del dollaro), also known as the ''Man with No Name Trilogy'' ( it, link=no, Trilogia dell'Uomo senza nome) or the ''Blood Money Trilogy'', is an Italian film series consisting of three Spaghetti Weste ...
'', ''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy, the ''Mad Max'' franchise and the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, but in front of the ''Indiana Jones'' franchise. In 2008, ''The Terminator'' was selected for preservation in the
National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception i ...
by the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". The
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
(AFI) has also recognized both films on a number of occasions: the line "
I'll be back "I'll be back" is a catchphrase associated with Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was made famous in the 1984 science fiction film ''The Terminator''. On June 21, 2005, it was placed at No. 37 on the American Film Institute list AFI's 100 Years... 100 Mov ...
" from ''The Terminator'' placed as the 37th-best movie quote, while "
Hasta la vista, baby "Hasta la vista, baby" is a catchphrase associated with Arnold Schwarzenegger's title character from the 1991 science fiction action film '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day''. Origin and use The term "Hasta la vista", literally "Until the view", ...
" from ''Terminator 2'' ranked 76th on the same list. The Terminator character from ''The Terminator'' was voted the 22nd-greatest villain; meanwhile, the T-800 (of the same likeness) in ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' was voted the 48th-greatest hero; this is the only time the same character has appeared on the two opposing lists. In the 100 Years...100 series list, the ''Terminator'' franchise was voted the 42nd most thrilling. In addition, ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' ranked 8th on AFI's top 10 list in the science fiction genre. Both films are the source of numerous pop culture references, such as the use of "I'll be back" in countless other media, including different variations of the phrase by Arnold himself in many of his subsequent films and, in cameo appearances by Robert Patrick, as the T-1000, in ''
Last Action Hero ''Last Action Hero'' is a 1993 American fantasy action comedy film directed and produced by John McTiernan and co-written by Shane Black and David Arnott. It is a satire of the action genre and associated clichés, containing several parodies ...
'' and ''
Wayne's World "Wayne's World" was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series ''Saturday Night Live''. It evolved from a segment titled "Wayne's Power Minute" (1987) on the CBC Television series '' It's Only Rock & Roll'', as the main characte ...
''. ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'' have also spoofed both films and the T-1000, in particular, on a number of occasions. The references are also made when Schwarzenegger was elected as California governor during the recall election, which a newspaper headline said "Davis Terminated". Schwarzenegger was nicknamed "the governator", a portmanteau of governor and Terminator. ''Terminator 2'' is the only film in the series to garner attention at the Academy Awards, with six nominations and four wins and is rated highly among critics. In 2006 the readers of ''
Total Film ''Total Film'' is a British film magazine published 13 times a year (published monthly and a summer issue is added every year since issue 91, 2004, which is published between July and August issue) by Future Publishing. The magazine was launched i ...
'' rated ''The Terminator'' as cinema's 72nd best film and ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' the 33rd. The first five ''Terminator'' films have had very respectable box office gross, though after James Cameron left the series it saw diminishing returns in subsequent films. ''The Terminator'' made $78 million worldwide, far surpassing its $6 million budget and becoming a major
sleeper hit In the entertainment industry, a sleeper hit is a film, television series, music release, video game, or some other entertainment product that was initially unsuccessful on release but became a success later on. A sleeper hit may have little promo ...
. ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' grossed approximately $520 million globally, becoming a major blockbuster and the top-grossing film of 1991. ''Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'' earning $433 million, making it the seventh highest-grossing film of 2003. ''Terminator Salvation'' grossed an estimated $371 million worldwide, a figure below industry expectations. ''Terminator Genisys'' grossed $440 million. ''Terminator: Dark Fate'' raised approximately $261 million worldwide with an estimated loss of $130 million, becoming both the least successful film in the franchise and a
box office bomb A box-office bomb, or box-office disaster, is a film that is unprofitable or considered highly unsuccessful during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the production, marketing, and distribution costs combined exceed the revenue after ...
in its own right.


Music


Soundtracks


Other media


Video games

Various video games have been released since 1991.


Novels

A series of novels were released from 2001 to 2004, under the name ''T2''.


Comics


''The Terminator'' spin-off comics

In 1988,
NOW Comics NOW Comics was a comic book publisher founded in late 1985 by Tony C. Caputo as a sole-proprietorship. During the four years after its founding, NOW grew from a one-man operation to operating in 12 countries, and published almost 1,000 comic book ...
published an ongoing series with John Connor as the main character in 2031, after sending Kyle Reese back to 1984 to protect his mother. The Terminators in this canon had more human-like endoskeletons and some issues would deal with subordinates of Connor's in the ruins of certain geographic areas. The seventeen issue series was followed by two limited series.
Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
acquired the rights in 1990. In ''The Terminator'' (with ''Tempest'' added in
trade paperbacks A paperback (softcover, softback) book is one with a thick paper or paperboard cover, and often held together with adhesive, glue rather than stitch (textile arts), stitches or Staple (fastener), staples. In contrast, hardcover (hardback) book ...
to distinguish itself from other comics), a group of human soldiers and four Terminators come to the present, to stop Skynet in differing ways. In the sequel, ''Secondary Objectives'', the surviving Terminator is reprogrammed to destroy another Terminator sent to aid him and kill Sarah Connor. In its sequel, ''The Enemy Within'', a team of human assassins attempt to return to the past and kill a Skynet developer. The 1992 ''Endgame'' concludes this arc. Human colonel Mary Randall protects Sarah Connor as she goes into labor. Dark Horse published a 1992 one-shot written by
James Dale Robinson James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...
and drawn by
Matt Wagner Matt Wagner (born October 9, 1961) is an American comics artist and writer who is best known as the creator of the series ''Mage'' and ''Grendel (comics), Grendel''. Career Matt Wagner's first published comic book work was ''Comico Primer'' #2 ( ...
. Here, a female Terminator and a resistance fighter battle for the life of a woman named Sarah Connor, but not the correct one. The comic book had the unusual feature of a physical " pop-up" in one scene. A 1993 limited series ''Hunters and Killers'', set during the war, has special Terminators created to impersonate leaders in the Russian resistance. Another limited series, published in 1998, follows the misadventures of two malfunctioning Terminators in
Death Valley Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. During summer, it is the Highest temperature recorded on Earth, hottest place on Earth. Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the ...
. This set up the following year's comic ''The Dark Years'', set in 2030. In ''The Dark Years'', a Terminator is sent to eliminate John Connor and his mother in 1999. In 2013, Dark Horse released a sequel comic based on the 2009 film ''Terminator Salvation'', entitled ''Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle''.
Malibu Comics Malibu Comics Entertainment, Inc. (also known as Malibu Graphics) was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. Notable titles published by Malibu included '' ...
published twin series in 1995. One was a sequel to ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'', in which Sarah and John encounter two Terminators. The other was a prequel that explains the scenario. The conclusions to the series were published in one issue.
Beckett Comics Beckett is an English language, English surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Adam Beckett (born 1950), American animator, special effects artist and teacher, worked on ''Star Wars'' *Alex Beckett (born 1954), Scottish footballer *All ...
published three series to promote ''Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'', each consisting of two issues. ''Terminator 2: Infinity'' (later simply ''Terminator Infinity'' (2007) comic book series by
Dynamite Entertainment Dynamite Entertainment is an American comic book publisher founded by Nick Barrucci in 2004 at Mount Laurel, New Jersey. It is best known as the owners of '' The Boys'' franchise across several IP medias. Dynamite primarily publishes adaptation ...
, was set in 2033. It was, for two issues, tied into another one of Dynamite's publications, called ''
Painkiller Jane Painkiller Jane is a fictional superhero created by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada for Event Comics in 1995. Originally a five-issue mini-series, the character went on to star in numerous crossover titles with the likes of the Punisher, Vampirel ...
''. Dynamite's continuation, ''Terminator: Revolution'' and
IDW Publishing IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW), itself formed in 1999, and is regularly recog ...
's ''Salvation'' tie-in comic book were legally possible as the former was specifically based on the ''Terminator 2'' license.


Crossover comics

Terminators have crossed over with '' RoboCop'', ''
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
'' and ''
Alien vs. Predator ''Alien vs. Predator'' (also known as ''Aliens versus Predator'' and ''AVP'') is a science-fiction action horror media franchise created by comic book writers Randy Stradley and Chris Warner. The series is a crossover between, and part of, th ...
''. In ''
RoboCop versus The Terminator ''RoboCop'' is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Daniel O'Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, and Miguel Fer ...
'' (1992) and '' Superman vs. The Terminator: Death to the Future'' (2000), the heroes must prevent the war-ravaged future. In 2000's '' Alien versus Predator versus The Terminator'' from Dark Horse, where Skynet, has reactivated farther in the future and is creating an
Alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
-Terminator hybrid.
Ellen Ripley Ellen Louise Ripley, often referred to simply as Ripley, is a fictional character and protagonist of the ''Alien'' film series, played by American actress Sigourney Weaver. The character earned Weaver worldwide recognition, and the role remain ...
's clone (from ''
Alien Resurrection ''Alien Resurrection'' is a 1997 American science fiction horror film, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, written by Joss Whedon, and starring Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder. It is the fourth installment of the ''Alien'' franchise, and wa ...
'') and the
Predators Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill th ...
join forces to stop Skynet. In 2020, Dark Horse and
IDW Publishing IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW), itself formed in 1999, and is regularly recog ...
published ''
Transformers vs. The Terminator ''Transformers vs. The Terminator'' is an American comic book limited series published on 2020 by IDW Publishing and Dark Horse Comics. It is a crossover event between the ''Transformers'' franchise, owned by Hasbro, and the ''Terminator'' franc ...
'', in which the
Autobots The Autobots are the main protagonists in the fictional continuities of the Transformers multimedia franchise, and are depicted in a collection of various toys, cartoons, films, graphic novels, and paperback books first introduced in 1984. The ...
and the
Decepticons The Decepticons are the main antagonists in the fictional continuities of the ''Transformers'' multimedia franchise. They are depicted as a faction of sentient robotic lifeforms led by Megatron, identified by a purple face-like insignia. Capab ...
are antagonised by the T-800 as Skynet sends the Terminator back through time to destroy the Cybertronians and restore the future timeline.


Collectible card game

The Terminator Collectible Card Game was released in 2000 by Precedence.


Role-playing Game

First announced in 2020 by Nightfall Games, creators of
SLA Industries ''SLA Industries'' (pronounced "slay") is a role-playing game first published in 1993 by Nightfall Games in Glasgow, Scotland. The game is set in a dystopian far-flung future in which the majority of the known universe is either owned or indir ...
, The Terminator RPG was released in PDF form in Summer 2022, with a physical version following later in the year. The game is based on the first film and Dark Horse Comics line of graphic novels and comics.


Theme park attractions

'' T2-3D: Battle Across Time'', a film ride based on the franchise, opened at
Universal Studios Florida Universal Studios Florida (also known as Universal Studios or USF) is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Primarily themed to movies, television and other aspects of the entertainment industry, the park opened to the public on June 7, 1990 ...
in 1996. The ride is presented as an alternate sequel to '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' and features Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong and Robert Patrick reprising their roles as The Terminator, Sarah Connor, John Connor and The T-1000 respectively.
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
is one of three directors involved with the attraction and would be the final time he would have any strict involvement in anything with the Terminator name until ''Terminator: Dark Fate''. Terminator X: A Laser Battle for Salvation operated at various locations beginning in 2009. Terminator Salvation: The Ride operated at California's
Six Flags Magic Mountain Six Flags Magic Mountain, formerly known and colloquially referred to as simply Magic Mountain, is a amusement park located in Valencia, California, northwest of downtown Los Angeles. It opened on May 29, 1971, as a development of the Newh ...
from 2009 to 2010.


Canceled projects


''Terminator Salvation'' trilogy

In May 2007, the production rights to the ''Terminator'' series had passed from the feuding of
Andrew G. Vajna Andrew G. Vajna (born András György Vajna; 1 August 1944 – 20 January 2019) was a Hungarian film producer whose films include the first three entries in the ''Rambo'' series, '' Total Recall'', '' Tombstone'', ''Die Hard with a Vengeance' ...
and
Mario Kassar Mario F. Kassar ( ar, ماريو قصار; born October 10, 1951) is a Lebanese film producer and industry executive who produced the first three films of the ''Rambo'' series, '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day'', '' Total Recall'', ''The Doors, Ange ...
to
The Halcyon Company The Halcyon Company was an American media development company headed by Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson. They were perhaps best known for acquiring the global rights to the ''Terminator'' franchise in 2007 and for producing ''Terminator Salvat ...
. The producers of the company hoped to start a new trilogy based on the franchise. However, due to the box office failure of the fourth film and legal troubles, the ''Salvation'' trilogy was ultimately cancelled. William Wisher, who co-wrote the first two films, had written material for a potential ''Terminator 5'' and ''Terminator 6'' that would follow on from the events of ''Terminator Salvation''. The two-part story would involve an element of time travel that brings back the deceased character of Sarah Connor, allowing her to interact with
Kyle Reese Kyle Reese is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise, who serves as the protagonist of the first film with a supporting role in other works. The character is portrayed by Michael Biehn in ...
beyond their initial meeting in the first film. Schwarzenegger would also reprise his role for the sixth film. The films would also include new Terminator villains from Skynet. Wisher had written a 24-page
film treatment A film treatment (or simply treatment) is a piece of prose, typically the step between scene cards (index cards) and the first draft of a screenplay for a motion picture, television program, or radio play. It is generally longer and more detailed ...
for ''Terminator 5'' and a four-page concept outline for ''Terminator 6''.


''Terminator Genisys'' trilogy

By December 2013, there were plans for ''Terminator Genisys'' to be the start of a new trilogy of films. In September 2014, Paramount announced release dates for the two ''Genisys'' sequels: May 19, 2017 and June 29, 2018. ''Terminator Genisys'' producer David Ellison described the film and its intended trilogy as standalone projects based on Cameron's original ''Terminator'' films. Ellison said ''Terminator Genisys'' is neither a sequel or a prequel to the previous films, saying: "For us this is Terminator 1, this is not Terminator 5". The sequels to ''Genisys'' were tentatively known as ''Terminator 2'' and ''Terminator 3''. The two sequels were to be filmed back to back during nine months of continuous shooting. The storylines for the two sequels were devised by ''Genisys'' writers Kalogridis and Lussier. The trilogy was being planned out before ''Terminator Genisys'' began filming, as producers David Ellison and Dana Goldberg wanted the full storyline finished ahead of time rather than having to "figure it out as you go along", stating: "We spent a lot of time breaking that down, and we do know what the last line of the third movie is, should we be lucky enough to get to make it". Production on the sequels was contingent on whether ''Terminator Genisys'' would be successful; development of the trilogy stalled in 2015 after the film's disappointing box-office performance. The planned sequels were ultimately cancelled, with ''Terminator 2'' being removed from Paramount's release schedule in January 2016. The new trilogy would have explained who sent Pops back in time to protect Sarah Connor. In February 2015, Schwarzenegger said he would reprise his role as Pops for the second film in the trilogy, with filming set to begin in 2016.
Jai Courtney Jai Courtney (; born 15 March 1986) is an Australian actor. He started his career with small roles in films and television series before being cast as Charlie in the action film '' Jack Reacher'' (2012). He has gone on to star in '' A Good Day t ...
and
Matt Smith Matthew Robert Smith (born 28 October 1982) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as the Eleventh Doctor, eleventh incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the BBC series ''Doctor Who'' (2010–2013), Daemon Targarye ...
would also reprise their respective roles as Kyle Reese and Skynet. J. K. Simmons would have had further involvement in the new trilogy, and
Dayo Okeniyi Oladayo A. Okeniyi (; born June 14, 1988) is a Nigerian-American actor, popularly known for playing the role of Thresh in ''The Hunger Games'' and Danny Dyson in ''Terminator Genisys''. Life and career Dayo was born in Jos and grew up in Lagos, ...
would have a significant role reprising his character Danny Dyson in the second film, which would have focused on John Connor's life after becoming part machine. Jason Clarke said about the cancelled ''Genisys'' sequel:


''Terminator Genisys''–connected television series

By December 2013, Skydance Productions and
Annapurna Pictures Annapurna Pictures is an independent American media company founded by Megan Ellison in 2011, that specializes in film production, live theatre production, television through its Annapurna Television division, and video game publishing through i ...
were developing a new ''Terminator'' television series. Ashley Miller and
Zack Stentz Zackary Lowell Stentz is an American writer and producer of film and television, journalist, novelist, and teacher, best known for his work on Marvel properties with former writing partner Ashley Edward Miller. Career Stentz graduated from ...
, who had worked together previously on ''Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'', were named as writers and executive producers. The series was said to deviate from the franchise's history at a critical moment in 1984's ''The Terminator'' and would also integrate with the then-projected film series' direct sequels to ''Terminator Genisys''.


''Terminator: Dark Fate'' trilogy

Plans for a new ''Terminator'' film trilogy were announced in July 2017. While working on the story for ''Terminator: Dark Fate'' that year, Cameron and the writers envisioned the film as the first in the new trilogy. They also worked out the basic storylines for each planned film. In October 2019, Cameron said that sequels to ''Terminator: Dark Fate'' would further explore the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence, while stating that a resolution between the two feuding sides would be the ultimate outcome. That month, Schwarzenegger said that Cameron would write the ''Terminator: Dark Fate'' sequels and that Cameron would begin work on the next film in early 2020, for release in 2022. Although the events of ''Terminator: Dark Fate'' erase Schwarzenegger's T-800 character from existence, Cameron did not rule out the possibility of Schwarzenegger reprising the character: "Look, if we make a shit ton of money with this film 'Terminator: Dark Fate''and the cards say that they like Arnold, I think Arnold can come back. I'm a writer. I can think of scenarios. We don't have a plan for that right now, let me put it that way". Natalia Reyes was to reprise her role for a sequel. Hamilton said in October that she would probably reprise her role as well, although she joked that she would fake her own death to avoid appearing in it, saying that making ''Terminator: Dark Fate'' "really was hard" because of the physical training she had to undergo. Hamilton later said that she would be happy not to star in another ''Terminator'' film, but she kept the possibility open, with a potential exception being that a sequel be done on a smaller scale and budget. ''Dark Fate'' director Tim Miller said in November that he did not expect to return for a sequel. Production of a sequel was contingent on whether ''Dark Fate'' was a box-office success. Following the underwhelming performance of ''Dark Fate'' at the box-office (with an estimated loss of at least $120 million), sources close to
Skydance Skydance Media, LLC (formerly known as Skydance Productions) is an American production company based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by David Ellison in 2006, the company entered a five-year partnership to co-produce and co-finance films with ...
told ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' that there are no plans for further films, effectively cancelling the planned ''Dark Fate'' trilogy.


See also

*
Grandfather paradox A temporal paradox, time paradox, or time travel paradox is a paradox, an apparent contradiction, or logical contradiction associated with the idea of time and time travel. The notion of time travel to the future complies with current understanding ...
*
Time travel in fiction Time travel is a common theme in fiction, mainly since the late 19th century, and has been depicted in a variety of media, such as literature, television, film, and advertisements. The concept of time travel by mechanical means was popularized ...
* List of the highest-grossing media franchises


Notes


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Terminator (Franchise) Action film franchises American film series Apocalyptic fiction Post-apocalyptic fiction Artificial intelligence in fiction Malware in fiction Cyborgs in fiction Fiction about robots Biorobotics in fiction Genetic engineering in fiction Nanotechnology in fiction Fiction about assassinations Fiction about time travel Science fiction film franchises Sony Pictures franchises Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer franchises Lionsgate franchises Warner Bros. franchises Paramount Pictures franchises 20th Century Studios franchises Mass media franchises introduced in 1984 Temporal war fiction Film series introduced in 1984 Dystopian fiction Post-apocalyptic literature