In terms of longevity, only a few film and television properties can compare to the Terminator franchise. The franchise consists of a number of science fiction action films, comic books, novels, and other media, all of which revolve around a total war between Skynet’s synthetic intelligence – a self-aware military machine network – and John Connor’s Resistance forces, which are made up of the survivors of the human race.
The Terminator franchise has been through a lot of turmoil since its creator, James Cameron, left the nest, culminating in some disastrous mistakes and more than one full reboot. It’s impossible to rank the Terminator films chronologically due to the complications of time travel in the movie. However, we have tried to put the series in chronological order with its release dates.
1. The Terminator (1984)
Director- James Cameron
The unstoppable cyborg-assassin known as the “Terminator” is sent back from a dismal 2029. Where the cold machines have controlled the whole world—to 1984 Los Angeles to begin his merciless mission to kill humanity’s most important woman. The unsuspecting Sarah Connor. However, a battle-scarred defender—Kyle Reese, a courageous member of the human Resistance Army—arrives from the same war-torn post-apocalyptic future, hell-bent on stopping the cybernetic murderer from murdering the world’s final chance. The Terminator, on the other hand, has no feelings, doesn’t sleep, and, most importantly, won’t stop until he completes his dreadful mission.
2. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
Director- James Cameron
After his mother, Sarah, is sent to a mental facility, a now ten-year-old John Connor finds himself in foster care in 1995. A long decade after the Terminator’s aborted assassination mission in The Terminator (1984). Skynet, the self-aware computer system, sends another cybernetic assassin. This time a seemingly indestructible, shape-shifting killer, to prevent John from changing the course of history. And becoming the leader of the human Resistance Army. In the face of impending nuclear Armageddon, two deadly cyborgs—the archaic but lethal T-800 and the far better liquid-metal T-1000—are pursuing the same defenceless prey.
3. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
Director- Jonathan Mostow
Living off the grid ten long and difficult years after his encounter with the liquid-metal killer in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), John Connor, a strong survivor and now-23-year-old wanderer, understands that these are dark and unpredictable times. For the third time, the self-aware computer network Skynet dispatches another cyborg assassins. This time, the gynoid-like T-X, its most efficient and technologically perfect model; but, the Resistance has dispatched a protector. The reprogrammed but long-obsolete T-101. The future is hanging on a thread once more, and it’s either us or the chilly robots this time.
4. Terminator Salvation (2009)
Director- McG
In a bleak 2018–following Skynet’s devastating Judgment Day in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), which claimed the lives of billions. The original leader of the Resistance, General Hugh Ashdown. And now-adult John Connor call for a united effort to save the remaining survivors and destroy the self-aware machine network in San Francisco. Protecting the sixteen-year-old version of Sergeant Kyle Reese is now more important than ever; however, things are complicated further by the presence of Marcus Wright, an enigmatic human with pale recollections of death row. As Skynet unleashes an army of ruthless machines to kill John and Kyle, the fate of humanity increasingly rests in the hands of a single rescue team.
5. Terminator Genisys (2015)
Director- Alan Taylor
On the verge of putting an end to the War Against the Machines. More than three decades after the nuclear Armageddon of Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). John Connor dispatches Lieutenant Kyle Reese to 1984 Los Angeles. Reese is tasked with protecting Sarah Connor, the most powerful woman on Earth. However, due to an unforeseen problem in 2029, he finds himself in a drastically different future. Sarah now has a reprogrammed T-800 Terminator at her side. Now she plans to travel forward in time to 2017 San Francisco to stop the self-aware computer network from going online. The first arch-enemy of humanity was Skynet. Genisys, Cyberdyne’s operating system, is the target this time.
6. Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
Director- Tim Miller
Twenty-five years after Skynet’s nuclear menace was eliminated in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), another seemingly insignificant human—this time, Dani Ramos, an unknowing car assembly worker—sets in action a homicidal plan designed by the dictatorial machines from the future. The self-aware computer system sends its most advanced android assassin back in time to exterminate young Dani in 2020 Mexico City—the nearly indestructible terminator constructed of advanced mimetic poly-alloy, Rev-9. However, a fierce guardian arrives from the distant year 2042: Grace, a bionically augmented Resistance warrior who unwillingly joins forces with an unexpected ally and a battle-tested defender from the past: the armed-to-the-teeth, Sarah Connor, to ensure Dani’s life. The world never had to deal with the consequences of Judgment Day because of Sarah’s sacrifice.
