There have been six Terminator movies over the past four decades, but which ones stood the test of time? And which ones changed the timeline for the worst?
The Terminator franchise is one of the most iconic in Hollywood history. Starting all the way back in 1984 when the titular cyborg literally walked out of James Cameron’s nightmares and onto our screens in The Terminator, the saga made stars out of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Cameron himself.
The success of the low-budget ’84 thriller changed the game for cinema and paved the way for multiple sequels. Yes, when the T-800 told us all that he’d be back, he meant it, as the Terminator franchise has (thus far) spawned five movie sequels and a TV series. And even though only one of them ever lived up to its predecessor’s hype, they have all entertained audiences around the world over the years.
James Cameron might be busy with Avatar right now, but he is also keeping an open mind about the future of the Terminator franchise. After the failure of Dark Fate in 2019, who even knows if another movie is still an option. Regardless, it gives us a chance to look back on the iconic franchise and rank each of its cinematic installments from worst to best.
Which of the Terminator movies have truly stood the test of time?