If 2024’s unexpectedly greatTerminator Zeroproved anything, it is that all theTerminatorsequels to date have made the same shared mistake thatTerminator 7must avoid.TheTerminatortimeline is a confusing mess, primarily because every new sequel in the series has attempted to reboot its story. AlthoughTerminator 3: Rise of the MachinesandTerminator: Salvationshare a relatively clear chronology, both 2015’sTerminator: Genisysand 2019’sTerminator: Dark Fateinvented entirely new timelines so they could tell different, semi-related stories without needing to untangle the existing lore of the series.
WhileTerminator 7’s big challenge seems to be replacing Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic T-800, this is actually the least of the franchise’s worries. The critical acclaim and fan adulation received by2008’s TV spinoffThe Sarah Connor Chroniclesprovided early evidence that the series could simply drop Schwarzenegger’s T-800 and, if the plot was sufficiently engaging and original, no one would notice. Instead, the biggest challenge forTerminator 7is finding an original angle to revisit the franchise, and 2024’sTerminator Zeroexposed the perfect approach.
Terminator 7 Should Be Animated, Not Live-Action
Terminator Zero’s Success Proves The Franchise Can Succeed In The Medium
The nextTerminatormovie must be animated instead of live-action, and the success of 2024’s Netflix anime rebootTerminator Zeroproves this. Since 1990’sTerminator 2: Judgment Day, the franchise has failed to produce a single great live-action movie sequel. Even before the timeline became interminably convoluted, bothTerminator 3: Rise of the MachinesandTerminator: Salvationwere desperately disappointing compared to director James Cameron’s first twoTerminatormovies. No one can seem to crack a good live-action sequel, so experimenting with animation makes perfect sense.
Terminator Zerofocused on Malcolm Lee, an engineer working on Skynet’s competitor, and his family.
The excitingupcomingPredatoranthology moviePredator: Killer of Killersproves that animation can reinvigorate a franchise that, like theTerminatormovies, has numerous failed live-action movie reboots. Moreover, the success ofTerminator Zeroproved that theTerminatorseries specifically can benefit from this approach. Rather than centering on Sarah and John Connor once again,Terminator Zerofocused on Malcolm Lee, an engineer working on Skynet’s competitor, and his family.
Terminator’s Best Project In Decades Is An Animated Show
Terminator Zero Comfortably Outdid The Live-Action Movie Sequels With Critics
As Lee attempted to escape Timothy Olyphant’s Terminator, a Skynet soldier arrived from the future and tried to save Lee and ensure Skynet was never launched. This plot wasn’t entirely unlike the stories of earlierTerminatormovies, but switching the medium to animation brought new life and vitality to a familiar setup. Whilereplacing Schwarzenegger withReacherstar Alan Ritchsonor a similarly big star might seem like enough to make another live-action movie appealing, the franchise’s repeated failures prove that a medium change is a better approach.
100%
89%
91%
95%
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
70%
46%
85%
86%
33%
54%
26%
52%
82%
79%
A quick look at theRotten Tomatoesscores of the franchise proves just how muchTerminator Zeroimproved its standing. WhereTerminator: Genisysearned a mere 26% andTerminator: Salvationearned only 33%,Terminator Zeromanaged a superb 86%. Admittedly,Terminator: Dark Fate did earn a surprisingly high 70%, but that reboot was also the franchise’s biggest financial failure to date. Thus, theTerminatorfranchise’s next reboot,Terminator 7, should be animated afterTerminator Zero’s success.
