Ever since Terminator 6 has been announced, there has been a great deal of speculation among Terminator fans regarding what story path the sixth film to this classic franchise will follow. Will Terminator 6 take place in the new Genisys timeline? Will actors Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn and Edward Furlong return to make a sequel to T2? Well, if the journalist who broke this exciting story is correct, both of those theories are likey wrong.
To come to that assessment, you have to look closely at what the writer’s source precisely said. When Deadline writer Mike Fleming broke the news on Terminator 6, he indicated “I don’t know anything more than I’ve disclosed”, and this is what Mr. Fleming exactly disclosed:
“Sources said that Cameron, whose copyright reversion happens 35 years after the release of the 1984 classic, is in early talks with Deadpool director and VFX wiz Tim Miller to direct a reboot and conclusion of one of cinema’s great science fiction tales.”
So according to this source, the new Terminator film will reportedly be both “a reboot and conclusion”. What? One can find difficulty marrying those two words reboot and conclusion at first. How can a new Terminator movie be a reboot, AND a conclusion at the same time? It seems impossible right? But after some analysis, what Flemming’s source revealed inherently leaves clues to what fans might expect from T6.
Let’s first take a closer look at what reboot and conclusion means:
REBOOT: In serial fiction, the definition of reboot means: to discard all continuity in an established series in order to recreate its characters, timeline and backstory from the beginning.
CONCLUSION: In serial fiction, the definition of conclusion means: the ending part of a story, its final arc or result.
So if Terminator 6 is going be a “reboot”, it will likely mean that none of the original actors will be back. While James Cameron’s good friend Arnold Schwarzenegger (real or computer generated) as the T-800 Model 101 will always be a wildcard, expect actors Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Edward Furlong, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney and Jason Clarke all not to be back.
Also in a reboot, we can likely expect none of the previously established storylines to be directly followed. That means T6 will not be a direct sequel to “Terminator Genisys”, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” or any other Terminator movie for that matter.
But if Terminator 6 will not directly follow any movies that preceeded it, how can it be a conclusion?
When fans think “conclusion” to the Terminator story, they often think future war, post judgment day, humanity’s final conflict in the war against the machines.
Therefore, a movie surrounding the human resistance and how they crush Skynet’s defense grid and put an end to the machine’s tyrannical reign can be a satisfying conclusion, loosely fit in any timeline. And they can use new actors and characters too.
Actually, the John Connor character doesn’t need to even appear on screen. He can be only a lone commanding voice in the distance, as the film can focus on a few soldier’s stories (in the most important mission of their life.)
Now it is important to remember this is an analysis of what Deadline’s source revealed about “Terminator 6” and Deadline’s source only, and we have no way of confirming the reliability of this inside information. Also, as new ideas present itself, anything can change when you’re planning a new film.
But as long as the information this source revealed about T6 is correct and stays correct, Terminator fans can now make a reasonable assertion on what kind of Terminator film to expect.
We’ll be back.
Editorial Note: The writer Mike Fleming who broke the T6 news story said at the end of the article: “I don’t know anything more than I’ve disclosed here, including whether they reboot the whole thing or pick up from where Cameron left off after the second film. I’ve heard the hope is for Miller to direct whatever they come up with. Cameron is booked for four Avatar sequels, to shoot two at a time. No comment from any of the involved parties.”
It is important to caveat that our analysis is based only on what the writer’s source said, not the writer’s own conjecture at the end of the article.
Yah I like it! Being a sequel to nothing will be a smart move! Ooh Rah!
LikeLike
Though I do want Arnie back!
LikeLike
to revitalize terminator one must take a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT direction
empire strikes back is a much better film than judgement day…because empire strikes back pushes the franchise in new directions. the direction of terminator is a well worn out theme of MAN VS MACHINE without any real nuance or deviation. thus to make terminator great is to push it to a new direction
the singularity
Set after the future war
when man and machine combine for the greator good of both parties. the story could begin with jason conner the son of john conner deviating from john conners anti robot vision because he realizes that humanity has fallen into tribalism and continue to war against eachother. realizing the infinite possibilities of machine human hybrids and the transhuman possibility of human immortality through a merger of the machines
jason realizes this and decides to desert from his fathers people with several people as they decide to build a lab in the mountains to merge human and machine(using machines who are still around even after skynet defeat). this leads to a war between father and son
return to a R rating and make a emotional core about a father and son coming to conflict
LikeLike
Many of your ideas are intriguing and are in the same vein of that animated Extinction fan trailer. What is humanity really? The search for that answer and the struggle to rebuild a civilized society after the war may be more fascinating than the war itself. There are dark places a Terminator story like this can go. Will audiences be willing to go there is the question.
LikeLike
Thay is why I added the singularity element
To push this to its logical direction
What do you think about it?
LikeLike
With technological advances in robotic prosthetics, genetic alterations, nanotechnology, I think singularity is inevitable. It is frightening too and could replace the fear of nuclear holocaust that has greatly diminished with time. It is a good place to go with Terminator in my opinion. Terminator Genisys went there a little, but not nearly enough.
LikeLike
you also have 2 sides with valid viewpoints
death kills 200,000 people a day
they want to join with robots to extend human life indefinitely and expand it through the cosmos and to give humanity a fresh start with a new body. jason conner wants to get out of his fathers shadow because he always felt that he was a disappointment….he was declared physically unfit for service and was only useful because of his intellect. imagine a angry pale young adult who resents his father and disagrees with him about the machines
john conner is afraid of terminators that can think creatively and humans losing their values and humanity…he is also frightened of his sons complete disregard for his own humanity as he watches his son become more and more robotic(no T-3000 bullshit something grounded yet powerful and all inspiring….t3000 felt like a stupid superhero film)
this leads to a second war with father and son
this is a story of a father and son hating but growing to understand eachothers differences
thoughts?
LikeLike
Your premise is science fiction rich and a film I would want to see. The only pitfall is it may be too cerebral for public consumption. Most fans expect action within these films so it would be quite a balancing act to make the depth required to execute your ideas work. I would like to see them try.
LikeLike
I believe they can
We have to remember how dark knight launched the batman franchise to new heights
Cerebral storytelling can make this mythology better in the long run
Especially when you are dealing with robot human hybrids that are terrifying and a villian whom is a perfect antagonist and conflict on both sides
LikeLike
Cerebral storytelling is better in the long run
Especially with a conflict that has personal stakes like that of a father and son
Remember that the dark knight launched the franchise to new heights
LikeLike
The difference is the Dark Knight Trilogy had Christopher Nolan. He is a master at cerebral storytelling. Terminator needs its own Christopher Nolan. It had one with Cameron. Now we have to hope Tim Miller can fill those shoes better than the previous directors before him.
LikeLike
He is a pure director much like nolan…nolan screenwriting strength was always his brother Jonathan nolan
Jonathan nolan or someone should write it and let Tim miller worry about the dark tone and acting which he will once he sees a fresh story that Inspires him…
Also you have to get a monstrous set designer(to replace stan) to design the transhumanist jason
Awe inspiring yet scary cyborg who is worse than the terminators of old in combat but are still well intentioned in his beliefs
Center the story on personal stakes and you have a film
Thoughts
LikeLike
Petition to Bring Back Edward Furlong as John Connor in Terminator Movies
– https://www.change.org/p/james-cameron-bring-back-edward-furlong-as-john-connor-in-terminator-movies
LikeLike