The Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800, a character who would go on to appear, in one form or another, in all five of that film's sequels. After the underperformance of Terminator: Dark Fate (2019), it's been unclear what will come next for the franchise, with Cameron revealing last May that he is working on a script for a new film.

In a recent interview with Empire, Cameron shares more about his vision for the future of the Terminator franchise, revealing that what comes next will move beyond the franchise's existing iconography and characters established over the last four decades. The reasoning for this, the filmmaker explains, is to make the franchise appeal to new audiences:

“This is the moment when you jettison everything that is specific to the last 40 years of Terminator, but you live by those principles. You get too inside it, and then you lose a new audience because the new audience care much less about that stuff than you think they do. That’s the danger, obviously, with Avatar as well, but I think we’ve proven that we have something for new audiences.”

As for what's left after stripping away characters like the T-800 and Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), Cameron has a clear idea regarding what elements are at the core of a good Terminator film, and how these elements could be used in a new story revolving around AI:

“You’ve got powerless main characters, essentially, fighting for their lives, who get no from existing power structures, and have to circumvent them but somehow maintain a moral com. And then you throw AI into the mix. Those principles are sound principles for storytelling today, right? So I have no doubt that subsequent Terminator films will not only be possible, but they’ll kick ass. But this is the moment where you jettison all the specific iconography.”

While Cameron doesn't reveal specific development timelines or when a new Terminator movie will come out, he does suggest that the future of the franchise is now becoming more defined and more set in stone:

“It’s more than a plan. That’s what we’re doing. That’s all I’ll say for right now.”

What Cameron's Update Means For The Terminator Franchise's Future

The John Connor Saga Is Over

Cameron's latest update confirms what stars like Schwarzenegger and Hamilton have already revealed, which is that they've retired as the T-800 and Connor, respectively. The director's comment goes a step further, however, suggesting that audiences won't be seeing younger versions of either of these characters played by younger actors. The story of the T-800 and Connor, then, has seemingly concluded with the end of Terminator: Dark Fate, and whatever comes next will involve an entirely new story and set of characters.

Cameron's comment also seemingly confirms that the broader John Connor saga is over, suggesting that the next movie could potentially wipe the slate clean and take place in an entirely separate timeline. This would allow Cameron to tell a story without having to worry about tripping over existing timelines and character backstories, which have now become somewhat complex across the six films in the franchise.

Our Take On Cameron's Vision For The Terminator Franchise

It's Time For A Fresh Take

The first Terminator movie was released 40 years ago, and while it remains a seminal entry in the sci-fi genre, there comes a time when franchises have to either die or reinvent themselves. Reviews for Terminator Salvation (2009) and Terminator: Genisys (2015) were generally negative, and Terminator: Dark Fate was a box office disappointment. The franchise's last 15 years, then, have not been particularly successful, and one could arguably include Terminator: Rise of the Machines (2003) in this camp as well.

Cameron's latest update is the best course of action for the Terminator franchise, as the IP is desperately in need of a fresh start, free from the last four decades' worth of storytelling baggage. While Connor's story with the T-800 will always be special and how the franchise got its start, untethering from this tale and embarking in a bold new direction could well result in a thrilling new story.

Source: Empire