Terminator Genisys

Terminator: Genisys
Directed by	Alan Taylor
Produced by	David Ellison
Written by	Laeta Kalogiridis
Musical Score	Lorne Balfe Brad Fiedel (themes)
Studio	Skydance Productions
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Running time	126 minutes
Country
Language	English
Rating
Budget	$155 million
Box office	$440,603,537

Terminator: Genisys is a 2015 American science fiction action film, directed by Alan Taylor and written by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. The fifth installment in the Terminator franchise, the film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, reprising his role as the eponymous character, along with Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, and Jai Courtney.

Megan Ellison and her production company Annapurna Pictures acquired the rights to the franchise in May 2011, and the following year the production of another installment in the series was set up in collaboration with Skydance Productions, owned by her brother David Ellison. The Ellisons made sure to ask for the input of Terminator creator James Cameron, hoping to create something that would get closer to the spirit of the original film and sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Principal photography occurred mostly in New Orleans, while also taking place in the on-screen setting of San Francisco. Six companies handled the film's visual effects, while the prosthetic make-up and animatronics were created by Legacy Effects, a studio founded by the alumni of Terminator veteran Stan Winston.

The film was released by Paramount Pictures on July 1, 2015, in standard digital format, RealD 3D, and IMAX 3D. Terminator Genisys was not well-received by critics, who found the story and performances unsatisfactory, though Schwarzenegger's return to the franchise was praised. It has grossed over $440 million worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing film of the franchise and Schwarzenegger's career after Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and is intended to be the first of a trilogy.

Plot

In 2029, Human Resistance leader John Connor launches a massive final offensive against Skynet, an artificial general intelligence system seeking to eliminate the human race. Before the Resistance wins the offensive, Skynet activates a time machine and sends back a T-800 Terminator to 1984 to kill John's mother, Sarah Connor. John's right-hand man, Kyle Reese, volunteers to travel back in time to protect her. As Kyle floats in the machine's magnetic field, he witnesses John being attacked by another Resistance soldier. He then has visions from his childhood about events in 2017.

Upon arrival in 1984, Skynet's T-800 is disabled by Sarah and the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a reprogrammed T-800 sent to protect her when she was nine years old. Kyle arrives a short time later and is immediately attacked by a T-1000. Sarah and the Guardian join Kyle and destroy the T-1000 using acid. Sarah and the Guardian reveal they have constructed a makeshift time machine similar to Skynet's, and that Sarah plans to travel to 1997 – the year Skynet becomes self-aware. Realizing the timeline has been altered, Kyle is convinced that the future has changed due to the warning he received in his childhood vision. He persuades Sarah to travel to 2017 instead to stop Skynet.

In 2017, Kyle and Sarah materialize in the middle of a busy San Francisco highway and are apprehended by city police. While being treated for injuries, Sarah and Kyle learn that Skynet is called "Genisys", a soon-to-be-unveiled global operating system that is being embraced by the public. John Connor appears and rescues Sarah and Kyle, but the Guardian appears and immediately shoots John, revealing that John is an advanced T-3000 Terminator. While Kyle was being sent back through time, a T-5000, the physical embodiment of Skynet disguised as a member of the Resistance, attacked John and transformed him into the T-3000. John was tasked with ensuring Cyberdyne Systems' survival and traveled back in time to assist them with the development of Genisys. When the trio refuse John's offer to join him, things go array and they managed to escape him.

Able to retreat to a hidden safe house, Sarah, Kyle, and the Guardian make final preparations to destroy Cyberdyne's Genisys mainframe. They head toward Cyberdyne's headquarters with the T-3000 in close pursuit. During an airborne chase, the Guardian divebombs into the T-3000's helicopter, causing it to crash. The T-3000 survives the crash and enters the Cyberdyne complex, where it advances the countdown from 13 hours to 15 minutes. Kyle, Sarah and the Guardian plant bombs at key points in the facility while holding off the T-3000.

In a final battle, the Guardian traps the T-3000 in the magnetic field of a prototype time machine. Both are destroyed, but just prior to the explosion, the T-3000 throws the remains of the Guardian into an experimental vat of mimetic polyalloy located nearby. Kyle and Sarah reach a bunker beneath the facility, and the explosion sets off the bombs, successfully preventing Genisys from coming online. The Guardian appears, upgraded with mimetic polyalloy components similar to that of a T-1000, and helps them find a way out of the debris.

The trio travels to Kyle's childhood home, where Kyle tells his younger self about Genisys and instructs him to repeat the warning in a mirror – critical insurance that the events lead to their arrival in 2017. Sarah, Kyle and the Guardian drive off into the country.

A mid-credits scene reveals that the system core of Genisys was located in a protected subterranean chamber and has survived the explosion.

Cast

• Arnold Schwarzenegger as T-800 / The Guardian a reprogrammed T-800 (Model 101) Terminator sent back in time from an unknown origin to protect Sarah as a little girl. He becomes a father figure for Sarah, who calls him "Pops".
• Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor
• Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese
• Jason Clarke as John Connor / T-3000
• Dayo Okeniyi as Danny Dyson
• J. K. Simmons as Detective O'Brien, a SFPD (formerly LAPD) police detective who investigates the time travel events he witnessed in 1984 and assists Sarah and Kyle when they arrive in 2017. Wayne Bastrup portrayed young O'Brien/
• Matt Smith as Skynet / T-5000
• Byung-hun Lee as T-1000
• Michael Gladis
• Sandrine Holt
• Aaron Williamson

McG's Plot

Terminator Salvation was to introduce a new trilogy, consisting of Salvation, Terminator 5, and Terminator 6.

In statements to FilmJournal, McG revealed his plans to have the movie set in 2011, pre-Judgment Day - similar to  Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles revelation that Judgment Day takes place on April 21, 2011 - and to bring back the chase feel of the original trilogy. The plot had Skynet discovering how to send non-Infiltrator Terminators such as Hunter-Killers and Harvesters through the Time Displacement Equipment. John Connor goes back through time to fight the machines using present day military tactics and technology while being pursued by a new model Terminator. While in the past, he meets a 60 year-old scientist played by Robert Patrick, who is researching cell replication and was to become the template of the T-1000. McG also planned to have Sarah Connor live until 2011, which would have retconned Terminator 3's plot of her dying of leukemia. Rumors circulated that the film would take place in modern day London, despite the fact that both Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator Salvation state that Judgment Day happened in 2004.

Lin's Plot

Justin Lin's plot included the survival of Sarah Connor, as well as a reboot to the series. However, he has since announced that he has left the project.

Hiatus and legal battles

2009

Production of a fifth film had been halted by legal trouble pertaining to the rights to the Terminator Franchise as well as production Company Halcyon filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. In late September 2009, it was announced that the rights for the franchise were up for sale as the Halcyon Company tried to pull itself out of bankruptcy. 

In late October, Halcyon announced it would auction off the rights to future Terminator material and was seeking $60–70 million, though the only offer was $10,000 by director Joss Whedon. 

In December, Halcyon issued a statement that they are looking at various options including sale and refinancing of the rights with an announcement on the outcome no later than February 1 of 2010. James Cameron expressed no interest in taking back the Terminator franchise.

2010

On February 8, 2010, an auction was held to determine the owner of the Terminator rights. After studios Sony and Lionsgate bid separately from 3 PM to 8 PM, Pacificor, the hedge fund who pushed Halycon into bankruptcy, made a deal for $29.5 million. William Wisher, Jr. has written a script for a fifth Terminator film and an outline for a sixth film.

On August 13, following the announcement of the animated movie Terminator 3000, Pacificor released a statement that they are continuing development of a live action Terminator 5 and they are seeking an injunction to block the animated spinoff film. It was reported that Pacifior was in talks with Sony and Lionsgate to handle future Terminator films.

2011

On April 26, it was announced that Pacificor, current rights holder to the Terminator franchise, is seeking distributors for a possible Terminator sequel with Arnold Schwarzenegger signed to star in the film and Fast and Furious Justin Lin directing.

On May 12, a battle over the rights to the Terminator franchise between Lionsgate and billionaire film backer Megan Ellison and her company, Annapurna Films, ensued. While Lionsgate managed to bring up half of the $29.5 million to buy the rights to the franchise, Ellison won the rights with an undisclosed amount of money the following day.

While Lin has been in talks with Schwarzenegger and Cameron on the plot of the fifth installment, he has ultimately dropped the film in favor for Fast 6, the tentative name of the sixth installment of the Fast & Furious series, leaving Annapurna Films to produce and release both Terminator 5 and Terminator 6 before 2018, where the rights will revert to Cameron.

2012

On January 27, Megan Ellison stated that the next Terminator movie will have an R-Rating.

On June 8, Arnold Schwarzenegger stated that after he has completed work on Unknown Soldier and Ten, filming for Terminator 5 would begin. The story will be a continuation of Terminator Salvation's, and it is unknown if Justin Lin is still directing.

On December 3, a year and half after negotiations were entered, the deal between PacificCorp and Annapurna was closed. Megan Ellison enlisted her brother David Ellison(Skydance productions) on the production process. She said they are "starting from scratch as they seek out a screenwriter to plot the end".

2013

On June 14, 2013, Arnold Schwarzenegger confirmed to thearnoldfans.com reporter Andrew Hedgman that he will be back for his 4th film as the Terminator/T-800 and he said the filming will start in January 2014. Paramount Pictures is in discussions to distribute the film with Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier writing the script. The film is currently looking for a director with Justin Lin, who was originally in discussions to direct, looking to be out of contention after deciding to direct Fast and Furious 6 instead.

On June 20, 2013, it was revealed that Dwayne Johnson is being considered for the film. Further, a possible plot synopsis was released for the film: "The next chunk they have on the film is on the setting for the story. According to Examiner sources, the setting for Terminator 5 will be set before the birth of Sarah Connor and focus on her parents in the 1940s and 50s. The Examiner also reports that Schwarzenegger might not play a Terminator however could play the human hero of the film who has close connections to the Connor family however he is well antiquated with weaponry by today's standards ultimately inspired the machines to develop a terminator in his likeness that was eventually sent to 1984 when Sarah Connor was first targeted for termination. These rumors however contradict Schwarzenegger's recent comments where he announced he would return as a Terminator in the next film.

The fifth installment, both a reboot and the start of a new trilogy unrelated to what has come before, is scheduled for release on July 1, 2015. On November 6, 2013, Schmoes Knows reports that actresses Emilia Clarke, Brie Larson, Margot Robbie and Tatiana Maslany are being looked at for the role of Sarah Connor & her son John is also being cast, with Boyd Holbrook and Garrett Hedlund being considered. On November 8, 2013, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Hedlund, Tom Hardy, Taylor Kitsch and Nicholas Hoult are being tested for Kyle Reese. On December 11, 2013, it was announced that Jason Clarke had entered talks to play John Connor. On December 13, Deadline confirmed that Emilia Clarke has been cast as Sarah Connor.

2014

On January 10, 2014, Variety reported that Boyd Holbrook, Tom Cocquerel, Wilson Bethel, Sam Reid and Jai Courtney were among the actors that would test for the role of Kyle Reese. On January 24, 2014, Variety also reported that Megan and her production company were no longer funding the film, leaving her brother’s production company, and Paramount would be the sole financiers, but would stay on board as exclutive producer for the film. On February 10, 2014, Deadline reported that both Courtney and Holbrook were the studio's top choices for Reese. Later that month, Variety announced that actor Courtney had been cast as Resse. On March 02, 2014, The Arnold Fans learn that Schwarzenegger told a fan that filming will start in the middle or in the end of April and it will be a four or four-and-a-half month long shoot in New Orleans with some of it in San Francisco and a little of it in LA but most of it will be done in New Orleans and Moviehole revealed that  Genesis will be taking a similar route to J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot by creating a new timeline through the use of time travel. As well as the future, the film will apparently revisit key moments from both 1984 (The Terminator) and 1991 (Terminator 2: Judgment Day), along with various other periods in the life of the Connor family and will involve recasting several memorable roles, including the punk played by Bill Paxton and the police detective played by Lance Henriksen in the original and John’s foster parents from the sequel. On March 13, 2014, The Hollywood Reporter has reported that J.K. Simmons is in talks for a role as  a weary and alcoholic detective who has followed a bizarre case involving Sarah Connor and robots for more than three decades (since 1984, which, not coincidentally, is the year the original movie. On March 25, 2014, MTV interviewed Schwarzenegger revealed that he will played an Aged Terminator. On March 25, 2014, Borys Kit tweeted that John Boyega is tested for Miles Dyson's son, Danny. On March 28, 2014, Variety has announced that Dayo Okeniyi is cast as Danny. On March 31, 2014, The Hollywood Reporter has report that Byung-hun Lee has been cast in a key role, also Michael Gladis and Sandrine Holt has joined the cast. On April 03, 2014, Schwarzenegger did an interview with Nerdist that the film's timeline is set in 1984, 2017 and 2027-2029. On April 21, 2014, Skydance post a photo on their Facebook page that filming began on the film. On April 22, 2014, bodybuilder Aaron Williamson told The Terminator Fans that he is cast in a role which may be the T-100.

Televison series tie-in

In December 2013, it was announced that a new Terminator television series is in development by Skydance Productions and Annapurna Pictures. Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, who had worked on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles together, will be the writers and executive producers. The series is said to take place at "a critical moment from the first Terminator film (1984) and where the film's story goes one way, the upcoming series will take the same moment in a completely different direction.", as well as tie into the new film trilogy, eventually affecting each other's continuity..

Media

Trailers

TERMINATOR GENISYS Sneak Peek

Terminator Genisys "Payoff" Trailer

Terminator Genisys "Help" TV Spot

Posters

Promo Stills

References