TheTerminatorfranchise will change significantly forTerminator 7, asDark Fatewas confirmed to be Arnold Schwarzenegger’s last outing as the iconic T-800. While Schwarzenegger’s career break came throughConan the Barbarian, the enduring success oftheTerminatormoviesmade him a household name. The T-800 is still one ofArnold Schwarzenegger’s best movie roles, as it plays to his physical strength as well as his more comedic side, especially inJudgment Day. Though the movies introduce more updated, powerful, and genuinely scary Terminator models than the T-800, Schwarzenegger made his character last the test of time.
Schwarzenegger toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat “the franchise is not done. I’m done,” when it came to theTerminatormovies. The T-800 (a.k.a. Carl) was a main character inDark Fate, and it appears that Schwarzenegger will keep his character’s promise that this time, he “won’t be back.” When it was revealed thatJames Cameron had a secretTerminatorproject, it was confirmed not to feature Schwarzenegger. It is almost certain that this top-secret project will beTerminator 7, but few details have emerged so far. This leaves a major change ahead of the franchise.
Terminator 7 Needs A Replacement For Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800
The Sequels' Terminator Models Are Often More Powerful Than The T-800
The enormously successful sci-fi franchise has been going since the originalTerminatorin 1984, and there are now six movies in theTerminatorseries, withDark Fatefitting in the timelineafterTerminator 2: Judgment Day.Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character has been one of the most enduring faces in theTerminatorfranchise’s marketingand movie storylines for 40 years, butTerminator 7must now replace him. While killer robots, AI, and time travel are all popular and versatile themes, there is only one Arnold Schwarzenegger. Replacing his character is likely the biggest decision that will be made while creatingTerminator 7.
The shapeshifting T-1000 provided some genuinely terrifying moments inTerminator 2: Judgment Day.
TheTerminatormovies have used ambitious ways to bring the T-800 back, but it is time to create an equally formidable character. This has been done before, and the shapeshifting T-1000 provided some genuinely terrifying moments inTerminator 2: Judgment Day. Ofall the Terminator models, there are several that are more powerful than the T-800, with the T-1000 being the most memorable. That said,Dark Fateused the best features of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 and the T-1000 to create the strongest Terminator model yet. The Rev-9 could split into two beings, providing some excellent fight scenes.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Has Appeared In Every Terminator Movie So Far
Schwarzenegger Did Not Return For Terminator Salvation, But He Still Appeared In The Movie
Certainthings happen in everyTerminatormovie, and for the past 40 years, Arnold Schwarzenegger making an appearance has been one of these things. While his character has not always had the main role or even been the most powerful Terminator model in the movie,Schwarzenegger’s presence has been central to the franchise. His character has evolved over time, with the sequels fromJudgment Dayonward introducing a more comedic element to the T-800 idea. That said, most of the subsequent sequels brought too much comedy to the character, withDark Fatedialing things back again.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was unable to return forTerminator Salvation, as he had been elected Governor of California, and his schedule would not allow it.
Even thoughArnold Schwarzenegger did not return to filmTerminator Salvation, he still made an appearance.The T-800 role was recast with another Austrian bodybuilder, Roland Kickinger,taking on the part. He played a prototype of the T-800, with Schwarzenegger’s CGI-created face being applied digitally over his own. Schwarzenegger agreed to allow the movie to use his likeness, so Kickinger essentially played his body double forTerminator Salvation. This would be the second time that he had essentially played Schwarzenegger, as Kickinger played the younger version of him in his biography,See Arnold Run.
Letting Go Of Schwarzenegger’s Character Is Key For Terminator To Evolve
Dark Fate Was A Fitting Farewell To The T-800
James Cameron had planned to reinvent theTerminatorfranchise withDark Fate, but the movie was not an immediate critical hit. That said, Rotten Tomatoes gave it the highest rating of anyTerminatormovie sinceJudgment Day.Dark Fateis now becoming a sleeper hit, but Cameron toldEmpirethat “it was a non-starter. There was nothing in the movie for a new audience.” The movie had prioritized fan service over new ideas, buttheTerminatorfranchise needs to move on from past characters. IfTerminator 7is to succeed, this includes the T-800.
8 Lessons Terminator 7 Can Learn From Netflix’s Terminator Zero Anime
The next Terminator movie has big shoes to fill after Netflix’s Terminator Zero anime, the franchise’s highest-rating project since Terminator 2.
Dark Fatemight not have attracted the high volume of new viewers that had been hoped for, but it was a fitting way to say goodbye to Schwarzenegger as the T-800.Judgment Dayshows the beginning of the T-800 learning to sympathize with the human population, andDark Fateshows the result of this character development, with the T-800 becoming a protagonistwith a human name. That said, there were plenty of callbacks to otherTerminatormovies, with Schwarzenegger picking up his old sunglasses once more, and changing hismost memorableTerminatorquote, “I’ll be back.”
Replacing Arnold Schwarzenegger In Terminator Is A Very Difficult Task
Terminator 7 Should Look At Past Terminator Movies For Casting Inspiration
TheTerminatorfranchise has already proven that it can create a new Terminator model that is more dangerous than the T-800. The T-1000 and Rev-9 Terminator models have several nightmare fuel scenes and can easily beat a T-800 in a one-to-one fight. However, the problem is not in replacing the T-800, but in replacing the actor. As an actor,Arnold Schwarzenegger’s name is synonymous with theTerminatorfranchise, and anyone cast in a similar role to his will naturally be compared to his career-defining performance. Still, Cameron could take inspiration from pastTerminatormovies when writing the character.
ReleasedTerminatormovies And Their Main Terminator Models
1984
100%
89%
1991
91%
95%
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
2003
70%
46%
2009
33%
53%
2015
26%
52%
2019
82%
Part of the success ofJudgment Day’s T-1000 is that it differs from the T-800 in both appearance and behavior. Whencasting an actor to replace Schwarzenegger, someone like The Rock or David Bautista might seem logical. However, to avoid viewers comparing them, the next face of theTerminatorfranchise should be very different from Schwarzenegger. Rather than a bodybuilder, a martial arts star like Donnie Yen could bring something new to the franchise. TheTerminatoractor must have a distinctive physical presence, so the sports, stunts, and martial arts worlds may be key to casting the nextTerminatormovie.
Source:The Hollywood Reporter,Empire
Terminator
The Terminator franchise, launched by James Cameron in 1984, explores a dystopian future where intelligent machines wage war against humanity. The relentless pursuit of key human figures by time-traveling cyborg assassins known as Terminators is central to the narrative. John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance, is the core target of the malicious machines.
