The Terminator Franchise Isn't Finished, But Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Done With It
There are a few ironclad certainties in the blockbuster business. Tom Cruise will keep taking absurd risks to constantly top the last major "Mission: Impossible" stunt or die in the attempt. The Rock will continue starring in jungle-themed movies wearing nothing but the exact same neutral-toned T-shirts and khakis until morale improves. And the "Terminator" franchise will simply never quit, despite years of sequels that were either commercial or critical flops — or both.
The trajectory of the Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring franchise defies all conventions, having undeniably peaked with its first two films under director James Cameron before giving way to a seemingly never-ending series of diminishing returns in the decades since. After 2015's "Genisys" marked what's commonly regarded as being the absolute nadir of the property, "Dark Fate" took a rather predictable, "The Force Awakens"-inspired route to help reinvigorate audience interest and trust in the name-brand IP. Unfortunately, most audiences didn't give it much of a chance as the film didn't exactly light the box office on fire at the time.
But, much like the time-traveling gimmick at the center of the series, it seems like nobody's going to let what's already happened dictate what they're going to do. Imagine a silly thing like facts and established history getting in the way of the potential for box office glory! In a new interview, franchise legend Schwarzenegger confirmed a double-whammy of good news and bad news, depending on how you look at it. It appears that, as the famous catchphrase foretold, "Terminator" will be back ... but without its most famous cyborg.
'The franchise is not done. I'm done.'
In a new The Hollywood Reporter profile, Arnold Schwarzenegger got reliably blunt about the future of the "Terminator" franchise and, specifically, his own role in it moving forward. For the 75-year-old movie star, it seems that even he knows when it's time to call it quits. When asked about his thoughts on the plans for more "Terminator" movies going forward, Schwarzenegger responded:
"The franchise is not done. I'm done. I got the message loud and clear that the world wants to move on with a different theme when it comes to 'The Terminator.' Someone has to come up with a great idea. 'The Terminator' was largely responsible for my success, so I always would look at it very fondly. 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."
Well, you can't accuse the guy of tiptoeing around the issue. The various sequels were infamously at the mercy of rights issues, production delays, and constant rewrites — all of which contributed to lackluster screenplays and a sense of futility that the franchise would ever recapture the heights of its first two movies. Broadly speaking, fans haven't typically pointed the blame at Schwarzenegger himself, even as certain movies bent over backwards to find a way to include the ol' T-800 in the action. But it's hard to argue with the actor that it's simply time to walk away.
Can the same be said for the studio and "Terminator" as a franchise? As we all know, the future is not set and fate is what we make for ourselves.