Terminator Genisys is a 2015 American cyberpunk[4][5] action film[6] that is the fifth installment in the Terminator franchise. It is a reboot of the franchise, taking the premise of the original film in another direction and ignoring the events depicted in sequels and the TV series.[7] The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, who reprises his role as the Terminator. It is directed by Alan Taylor and written by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. Along with Schwarzenegger, the film’s cast features Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J. K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Matt Smith, Courtney B. Vance, Michael Gladis, Sandrine Holt, and Lee Byung-hun. The story follows Kyle Reese, a soldier in a post-apocalyptic war against Skynet, who is sent from 2029 to 1984 to prevent Sarah Connor‘s death. When Kyle arrives in the past, he discovers that the timeline has been altered by Skynet and that Sarah has been raised by a reprogrammed Terminator sent to protect her.
Sequels for Terminator Salvation were cancelled after The Halcyon Company faced legal issues and filed for bankruptcy. Megan Ellison and her production company, Annapurna Pictures, acquired the franchise rights in May 2011. Skydance Productions, owned by Ellison’s brother David, collaborated the following year on a production of another installment in the series. The Ellisons consulted Terminator creator James Cameron and drew inspiration from The Terminator (1984) and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). Principal photography took place primarily in New Orleans, but also in San Francisco. Six companies handled the film’s visual effects, with its prosthetic make-up and animatronics created by Legacy Effects.
The film premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on June 28, 2015, and was released in the United States on July 1. It was not well received by critics, who criticized the plot and acting, although Arnold Schwarzenegger’s return was praised. Terminator Genisys grossed $440.6 million worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing film of both the series and Schwarzenegger’s career, behind Terminator 2: Judgment Day.[8] However, its commercial performance was lower than anticipated, resulting in the cancellation of two planned sequels and a spin-off television series. A video game titled Terminator Genisys: Future War was released on May 18, 2017, and the film franchise moved forward with Terminator: Dark Fate, released in 2019 as a direct sequel to Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
