11 Years Ago, The Worst Terminator Movie Robbed Sci-Fi Fans of the Best Idea Since The Originals

Terminator Genisys is often considered to be the worst entry in the Terminator franchise, yet it managed to include the best sci-fi idea since the original James Cameron film. However, the movie completely failed to deliver on this concept, underwhelming fans after immense amounts of hype. The Terminator franchise never managed to live up to this idea in later entries, either, failing to capture the brilliance of this concept.

Terminator Genisys is the fifth film in the Terminator franchise, with it following up on 2009’s Terminator Salvation by taking the series in a very different direction. Rather than focusing on John Connor as the previous movies had, Genisys focuses on original Terminator time traveler Kyle Reese as he goes back in time to protect Sarah Connor. Upon arrival, however, he realizes that the timeline has been altered in massive ways, jeopardizing his mission and the human resistance.

Matt Smith Plays A Personified Skynet In Terminator Genisys

In Terminator Genisys, Matt Smith appears as a character initially named Alex. Eventually, it is revealed that Alex is actually a T-5000 who has had Skynet uploaded into it, making him the physical manifestation of Skynet. He then uses this appearance and his strength to get close to resistance leader John Connor and brainwash him, with him then sending John back in time to ensure the creation of Genisys. It isn’t known what happened to this Skynet embodiment after the events of Genisys.

Having a personified Skynet is an incredibly interesting idea, and it’s wild that no Terminator film thought to do it until Genisys. This T-5000 finally puts a face to Skynet, making the threat that looms over the entire Terminator franchise a bit more palpable for viewers. Yes, Skynet is still a virtually all-powerful and all-seeing entity, but in the form of a T-5000, we are actually able to see what Skynet is capable of on screen.

Unfortunately, this concept wasn’t used very well. Matt Smith’s screentime in Terminator Genisys only lasts a few minutes, which is surprising due to how notable an actor he is. Instead, the Terminator version of John Connor is the main antagonist of the film’s final act, with Matt Smith’s character only pulling the strings. We never see a grand final battle between the heroes and this personified version of Skynet, and we never see what the character is fully capable of. This is a real shame, as the idea is brilliant.

A personified Skynet hasn’t returned in the Terminator franchise since, as Terminator: Dark Fate abandoned this idea in favor of a more traditional Terminator storyline. Skynet is still the overarching villain, but this novel concept that was introduced in Genisys hasn’t been used to represent it anymore. This makes the whole idea feel underwhelming, as it was far from used to its full potential in Terminator Genisys.

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Why Matt Smith’s Skynet Never Returned In A Terminator Sequel

Matt Smith’s minuscule screentime in Terminator Genisys would make sense if the film were simply setting him up for a sequel. However, this never happened. Although Genisys has mostly been relegated to a footnote in Terminator history, the franchise initially had much bigger plans for the Genisys storyline. This is because Genisys was supposed to be part of a trilogy.

Before the release of Genisys, it was reported that the film would be the start of a trilogy in an attempt to revive the Terminator franchise. A second film was slated for May 19, 2017, and a third film for June 29, 2018. These two sequels were meant to be shot back-to-back, allowing for this quick release turnaround. Unfortunately, they never happened.

Terminator Genisys was a box office disappointment, with it making $440.6 million against a budget of $158 million. While the film probably was profitable, it wasn’t profitable enough for Paramount to stake the production of two sequels on. So, Paramount removed the sequels from their release schedule in January 2016, putting an end to the planned trilogy.

Although this hasn’t been confirmed, it would have made sense for Matt Smith’s personified Skynet to be an overarching villain in the trilogy. After all, Skynet is the big bad of the franchise, and Genisys displayed a willingness to explore it like never before. Unfortunately, the cancellation of the trilogy spelled an end for this brilliant concept, with it never returning in the Terminator franchise.

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