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A brief history of the Terminator films

The original Terminator film came out of no-where, it was the second film by the young fledgeling director James Cameron and it was fresh and exciting and had a story that was clever and captivated audiences.

The follow up came 6 years later and with the hype and incredible (for the time) special effects the film was going to be a hit, Arnold Schwarzenegger was at the height of his fame.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day was a massive box office hit, which had a good story, despite some plot holes, with over the top exciting action and it went on to gross over $500 Million globally which adjusted for inflation would be about $1.2 Billion today.

After that the rights to the franchise moved all over the place, then in 2003 we suddenly got Terminator 3: Rise Of THe Machine, and despite the film having fairly good reviews, starring Schwarzenegger and grossing over $400 Million globally it felt more like a stand alone movie than part of the series.

Then the big trouble started and we got Terminator Salvation in 2009, directed by McG and starring Christian Bale the film reportedly had a very troubled shoot and with Schwarzenegger on California Governor duties he didn't star just appearing as a computer generated Terminator towards the end for a brief second or 2.

Despite this negativity of both the film and the plot it still grossed nearly $400 Million, but the series was stagnating and each film was grossing less and less as each film went on.

The series needed a reboot and in 2015 Schwarzenegger came back and director Alan Taylor tried to get a feeling of the origin film in a reboot that mixed the story from The Terminator changing the time line and creating a new path for the series, but things were too confusing and the film flopped and talk of a followup ended.

So why did Terminator: Dark Fate fail?

It must have seemed like the ideal situation, bring back Schwarzenegger, bring back Linda Hamilton as the original Sarah Connor, and to top it off bring back the original creator James Cameron to write the story and produce the movie, he's too busy directing Avatar 2 so passed that duty off to Deadpool director Tim Miller.

What we have here then is series fatigue, after the 2015 reboot promise the paying public and fans have simply lost hope in trying to get a film which brings back the memory of the first 2 films, Dark Fate does not do this.

Then we have the talent, Arnold Schwarzenegger is no where near the star he was in 1991, arguably the biggest, and he is no longer the mean looking muscle machine he once was, then Linda Hamilton who rarely appears in films these days so do audiences know who she is or connect with her? Then James Cameron, after Avatar, which granted was the biggest film ever until this year, is hardly a household name anymore, these elements don't make for a must see movie.

The original 1984 story has now been told again and again in the Terminator movies, how many time can the story of a robot sent from the future to kill someone who is in turn protected by another person/machine sent from the same future, despite how much you mix things up, audiences are clearly bored of this rehashing in each reboot.

Special effects today have to have the WOW factor to sell a movie, Terminator 2 had it, but its harder to do in a day and age when almost anything is possible and sadly Dark Fate simply fails to have it.

The film reportedly had a troubled post production with director Miller and writer/producer Cameron disagreeing over the edit, and it shows, it leaves you feeling like you have just watched a disjointed movie when you leave the cinema.

Finally, and maybe this is a personal thing, the title, Dark Fate is a bit cheesy and doesn't come close to Judgment Day or even Salvation, Rise of the Machines was even a good sub title. A title shouldn't matter but it has got to sell the film, Genisys was not good and Dark Fate is even worse.

End of the franchise?

The movie will struggle to make $300 Million at the global box office, this in a day and age when tentpole movie are expected to take over a Billion is not good enough, the series future is looking bleak and it could be this is the last nail in the coffin.

There is one last hope that might bring the series back! If James Cameron can find a story somewhere within that is different but keeps within the Terminator universe, and if he decides to direct the movie himself we may just get a 7th movie, its a big ask with his involvement in the Avatar films, but this might mean we get a good few year before another movie, no bad thing.

Like many other long running series, Alien for example, the series won't just lie back and enjoy the success it's had, we most likely will see another movie in the series but it will be for another generation, and once we have forgotten the bad box office run of Terminator: Dark Fate.

Todd Phillips movie Joker has been the runaway hit of the Autumn and after a 2019 best 5 weeks at the top it has become the highest grossing 15 certificate movie in the UK.

The movie is also the highest rated R rating movie in the US beating out 2018's Deadpool 2.

The feat in the UK is a little more impressing as the previous highest grossing 15 certificate movie was The Full Monty from 1997, so the record was 22 years old.

Joker has so far made over £50 Million in the UK, and as the film is still at number 1, and looking at the new release schedule it could spend a 6th weekend at the top, the film total UK gross is set to grow even more.

After an impressive 5 consecutive weeks at the top of the box office, @wbpictures #Joker has become the highest grossing 15-rated release of all time in the UK & Ireland!

The film has now overtaken the previous number 1, The Full Monty (1997). pic.twitter.com/FFVQIBNcbA

— Comscore Movies UK & Ireland (@CsMoviesUK) November 7, 2019

Last week saw The Lion King at the top of the UK box office, can any of this weeks new releases do enough to top the chart this weekend?

Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood

First up at cinemas this week is Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood, a Comedy directed by Quentin Tarantino who also directed Kill Bill Volume 1 in 2003 which grossed £11.5 Million.

It stars Leonardo DiCaprio who last starred in Before The Flood (2016) and Brad Pitt who last appeared in Deadpool 2 (2018).

Dora And The Lost City Of Gold

Next on the new release schedule is Dora And The Lost City Of Gold, this new Family stars Isabela Moner and Eugenio Derbez.

The film is brought to us by 4 time director James Bobin.

Good Boys

Next up this week is Good Boys which is directed by Gene Stupnitsky and is a directorial debut.

It stars Jacob Tremblay and Keith L. Williams.

Uglydolls

Also this week there is Uglydolls from director Kelly Asbury who also directed Gnomeo And Juliet in 2011.

The film features Pitbull and Ice-T in starring roles.

Check back on Monday to see where these films end up on the Weekend Box Office Chart.

Come back next week when there are 3 new releases hitting cinemas.

• Crawl you can see from Friday, 23rd August
• Angel Has Fallen is out Friday, 23rd August
• Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark is in cinemas Friday, 23rd August

Last week saw The Lion King at the top of the UK box office, can any of this weeks new releases do enough to top the chart this weekend?

Fast & Furious Presents Hobbs And Shaw

First up at cinemas this week is Fast & Furious Presents Hobbs And Shaw, an Adventure directed by David Leitch who also directed Deadpool 2 in 2018 which grossed £32.5 Million.

It stars Dwayne Johnson who last starred in Fighting With My Family (2019) and Jason Statham who last appeared in The Meg (2018).

The Angry Birds Movie 2

Next on the new release schedule is The Angry Birds Movie 2, this new Comedy stars Awkwafina and Dove Cameron.

The film is brought to us by new director Thurop Van Orman.

Check back on Monday to see where these films end up on the Weekend Box Office Chart.

Come back next week when there are 3 new releases hitting cinemas.

• Playmobil: The Movie is out Friday, 9th August
• Blinded By The Light is released on Friday, 9th August
• The Sun Is Also A Star is released on Friday, 9th August

At the UK box office this week, Friday, 10th May 2019, there is 6 new releases looking to take your attention at the local multiplex and break into the box office chart next week.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu

First up at cinemas this week is new movie Pokémon: Detective Pikachu directed by Rob Letterman who also directed Goosebumps in 2016 which grossed £8,575,763.

It stars Ryan Reynolds who last starred in Deadpool 2 and Justice Smith who last appeared in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

High Life

Next on the new release schedule is High Life, this new movie stars Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche who starred in Cosmopolis together.

The film is brought to us by Claire Denis who's last film was Let The Sunshine In.

Destination Wedding

Also out this week is Destination Wedding which is directed by Victor Levin which is a directorial debut.

It stars Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder who were last seen together in The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee which grossed £44,511.

Amazing Grace

The long list of new releases continues with Amazing Grace which is directed by Alan Elliott and Sydney Pollack directing together.

It stars Aretha Franklin and Reverand James Cleveland.

The Hustle

Finally there is The Hustle from director Chris Addison making their directorial debut, the film stars Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson.

Check back on Monday to see where these films end up on the weekends box office chart.

Come back next week when there are 2 new releases.

• John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is out Friday, 17th May
• Breakthrough get released on Friday, 17th May