Terminator Genisys (2015)

Terminator Genisys is a 2015 American science fiction action film serving as a reboot and the fifth installment in the Terminator franchise. Directed by Alan Taylor from a screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier, the film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising his role as the Terminator, alongside Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J. K. Simmons, and Lee Byung-hun. Despite Schwarzenegger's involvement and the mirroring of certain events from the previous films, the film is a standalone entry with no canonical connection to the prior installments; it is described as a "reimagining" of The Terminator (1984).

The plot follows Kyle Reese (Courtney), a soldier from a post-apocalyptic 2029 where humanity wages war against Skynet. Sent back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), Reese discovers the timeline has been altered—Sarah was raised by a reprogrammed Terminator (Schwarzenegger) sent to guard her. The film explores the consequences of Skynet's interference with temporal events.

Development began after the Halcyon Company, then-owners of the franchise, filed for bankruptcy following the underperformance of Terminator Salvation (2009). Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures acquired the rights in 2011, partnering with her brother David's Skydance Productions. However, Annapurna dropped their involvement, although Megan still retained executive producer credit. The producers consulted original creator James Cameron and drew inspiration from the first two Terminator films. Principal photography occurred mainly in New Orleans and San Francisco, with visual effects handled by six companies and practical effects by Legacy Effects.

Premiering at the Dolby Theatre on June 28, 2015, and released widely on July 1 by Paramount Pictures, the film was largely panned by critics for its plot, though some praised the action sequences and Schwarzenegger's return. It grossed $440.6 million worldwide, making it the franchise's second-highest-grossing entry after Terminator 2: Judgment Day, yet it underperformed relative to expectations. Planned sequels and a TV spin-off were cancelled, though a video game, Terminator Genisys: Future War, was released in 2017. The franchise continued with Terminator: Dark Fate (2019), a direct sequel to Terminator 2.