Why Terminator: Genisys Could Be A Franchise-Killing Disaster

In the years since 1991, when James Cameron's T2: Judgement Day was released, the Terminator franchise hasn't exactly been booming. Neither 2003's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines nor 2009's Terminator Salvation were seen as living up to the classic first two movies in the series, and as a result the property laid dormant for a good number of years. It's finally set to come back next year in the form of Terminator Genisys, a reboot of sorts that is expected to launch a new trilogy, but if new reports are to be believed, then the franchise's future may not be that bright.

This new info comes to us from the folks at Schmoes Knows, who have gotten word from an inside source that Terminator: Genisys is so bad it could wind up killing the sci-fi franchise completely. Wanting to avoid spoilers and not ruin the film for people that may still be interested in seeing it, the show host really only spoke in vague terms and didn't provide any concrete details, but his tone was harsh enough. A number of flaws are pointed at, including a villain who comes from out of left field, incredibly confusing and convoluted time travel elements, and a wholly new kind of Terminator that takes one step beyond the hybrid that was played by Sam Worthington in Terminator Salvation. It's added that this new brand of Terminator is actually a big spoiler, and is described as a "reach."

Adding further details (and one that I actually think is kind of cool), the source also says that Terminator: Genisys will connect back to James Cameron's original movie in a very significant way. Apparently there is a sequence in the film that features the original T-800 in all his glory. In order to make this happen, it sounds like the production will be doing a bit of digital de-aging - akin to what was done with Jeff Bridges in Tron Legacy. How the character fits into Terminator: Genisys' plot is unclear, but it is interesting that a firm continuity link is being made between the newest sequel and the first film.

We still have a while to wait before we'll be able to see the Alan Taylor-directed feature for ourselves - as Paramount Pictures doesn't have the movie set for release until July 1st of next year- but it may not be too long before we get to see the first trailer for the film. Terminator Genisys, based on a script by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier, is currently in post-production, and features a really solid cast that includes Arnold Schwarzenegger (returning as the T-800), Emilia Clarke (as the new Sarah Connor), Jason Clarke (as humanity's savior John Connor), Jai Courtney(as Kyle Reese), Matt Smith, Byung-hun Lee, and J.K. Simmons. Here's hoping it can defy expectations.

Eric Eisenberg
Assistant Managing Editor

Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.