While the Sarah Connor’s Terminator franchise fate has changed countless times thanks to the many timelines of the series, another character always finds a way to return to the series. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 was the villain of 1984’s The Terminator, but he became the hero of Terminator 2: Judgment Day thanks to some off-screen reprogramming. By Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, he had replaced Sarah as the franchise’s focus.

Every subsequent and Terminator: Dark Fate featured older versions of the T-800, one of whom raised an alternate Sarah Connor, the other one of whom assassinated John Connor as a teenager. The obvious logical issues with these comebacks were all ignored in favor of facilitating the star's return.

Alan Ritchson Would Be Nothing But Perfect As The Next Terminator

The Reacher Star Balances Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Intimidating Physique With Charisma

The reason this practice shocks me is that I’m not sure the Terminator series really needs Arnold Schwarzenegger’s original T-800 anymore. Ever since Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, the T-800 has been a predictable presence whose consistent comebacks scarcely surprise fans of the franchise. When Terminator Zero recast Schwarzenegger’s Terminator with Timothy Olyphant’s new model in 2024, the result was a scarier, more unpredictable Terminator than viewers had seen in years.

Every new Terminator project has introduced new Terminator models, but never a new T-800 that wasn’t played by Schwarzenegger.

As such, it seems obvious that Reacher star Alan Ritchson should play the Terminator in the franchise’s next reboot. Instead of bringing back Schwarzenegger once again, the series should finally recast the original T-800. Until now, every new Terminator project has introduced new Terminator models, but never a new T-800 that wasn’t played by Schwarzenegger. Ritchson has the same hulking physicality as the iconic star, and his performance in Reacher proves he can be just as intimidating as Schwarzenegger.

We’ve Seen Plenty Of New Terminators, But Never Replacing Schwarzenegger

The T-800 Has Never Been Recast Although Schwarzenegger’s Terminator Has Been Replaced

Whenever a T-800 or one of its many variants appears in a Terminator movie, the robot assassin has always been played by Schwarzenegger. Since Schwarzenegger is the biggest star associated with the series, this often inevitably outshines the otherwise interesting new Terminator villains. While imagining a new T-800 may seem as tough as picturing the Terminator franchise without John Connor, I’m convinced that Ritchson’s proven mainstream appeal makes replacing the character a plausible possibility for the first time in years.

Already, Ritchson has succeeded in bringing Lee Childs’ Reacher to life after A-list superstar Tom Cruise's movies in the role failed to leave an impression on viewers and critics. Ritchson’s build, his charisma, and the fact that viewers mostly know him for a heroic role all mean that he would be perfect as the villain of a Terminator reboot. A new T-800 was always going to be a hard sell, but the Terminator franchise always needed to replace Schwarzenegger eventually, and I believe they have the perfect chance to do so with Ritchson.

How Alan Ritchson's Terminator Would Be Different From Arnold Schwarzenegger's

Alan Ritchson Could Do Much More Than A Schwarzenegger Impression

You wouldn’t cast Alan Ritchson just to do an Arnold Schwarzenegger impression, even though the Reacher actor could most definitely pull off a more traditional Terminator inspired by the T-800. Given his physique and the nature of his most famous roles, it would be easy for a Terminator movie starring Alan Ritchson to simply have him play a one-note, tough-guy killing machine that would resemble what Schwarzenegger did with the T-800. However, Ritchson has shown that he can do more than that. Even his Jack Reacher performance has some very interesting nuances.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has played multiple Terminators in the Terminator franchise, with every movie featuring at least one new version of the T-800. He also played Sgt. William Candy, the human model for the original Terminators, in a bonus scene for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines whose canon status is open for debate.

How exactly a Terminator played by Alan Ritchson would differ from the ones played by Arnold Schwarzenegger depends on the story. For example, if Ritchson were to play a villain like Schwarzenegger did in the first Terminator, there would likely be less room for a more charismatic, human take on the character. If he were to play a redeemed or morally ambiguous Terminator, Ritchson could reuse some of the choices he made for Jack Reacher, a character that comes off as charismatic and compelling despite being a man of very few words.

The Next Terminator Movie Will Need An Exciting Hook After Multiple Disappointments

Terminator 7 Can’t Repeat The Previous Movies' Mistakes

Terminator 7, whenever it happens, needs to have some sort of exciting hook to convince audiences to revisit a franchise that has let them down multiple times. Bringing back iconic Terminator actors such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton simply will not work anymore after movies like Terminator: Genisys and Terminator: Dark Fate proved beyond doubt that nostalgia is not the way to save the franchise. In fact, Terminator 7's story needs to move away from the previous films as much as possible and do something new and exciting. Casting Alan Ritchson as the main Terminator would do just that.

Not only is Ritchson a virtually perfect choice to play a Terminator, but he has also shown that he is willing to take risks, including playing the second live-action incarnation of a character who was previously portrayed by no other than Tom Cruise. "Replacing” Arnold Schwarzenegger as the face of a franchise he helped build would be a massive challenge for any actor, but Ritchson is the absolutely right choice should there be a new Terminator character that is somewhat similar to the T-800.

Regardless of who will play the next Terminator – or Terminators, most likely – Terminator 7 needs to find the right balance between honoring the saga’s history and doing something new. Terminator Zero was the first Terminator project since The Sarah Connor Chronicles not to include Arnold Schwarzenegger, and that didn’t prevent it from being one of the best entries in the entire franchise. Casting the right actors for the Terminator roles is important, but so is reinventing this world after a series of missteps.