Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. News

Terminator: Genisys seemingly channels T2: Judgment Day in its retooled origin story

By

killer robots
Image used with permission by copyright holder
There’s been quite a bit of mystery surrounding the plot of Terminator: Genisys, the upcoming reboot of the Terminator franchise, with few details escaping from the project other than the confirmation that Arnold Schwarzenegger will reprise his role as a T-800 android sent from the future. This week, that veil of secrecy was lifted a bit, and the plot details that emerged hint at a very different spin on the time-twisting Terminator mythology.

The upcoming issue of Entertainment Weekly features a pair of covers dedicated to Terminator: Genisys, with one putting stars Emilia Clarke (Game Of Thrones) and Jai Courtney (Spartacus: Blood & Sand) front and center, and the other featuring Matt Smith (Doctor Who) and Jason Clarke (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) standing in front of the metallic skeleton of one of the franchise’s iconic robot assassins. You can see the covers for yourself at EW’s site, but it’s the story details that are really generating some buzz online.

Recommended Videos

According to EW, Genisys will feature a very different origin story for the character of Sarah Connor, who was famously played by Linda Hamilton in the original films and will now be played by Clarke. (SPOILER WARNING: For those who want the plot of Terminator: Genisys to remain a mystery, you might want to stop reading now.)

Related: James Cameron explains how an aged Schwarzenegger appears in Terminator: Genisys

In the new film, Sarah Connor has been raised by a T-800 (played by Schwarzenegger) since she was nine years old. After her parents were killed by one of the android assassins, the girl destined to give birth to humanity’s savior in the war against the robots has been watched over by a cyborg she calls “Pops” that’s programmed to protect her instead of kill her. Naturally, her life with a robot dad has led her to become a bit antisocial, but develop some impressive survival skills along the way.

“Since she was 9 years old, she has been told everything that was supposed to happen,” said producer David Ellison of this significant twist in the franchise canon. “But Sarah fundamentally rejects that destiny. She says, ‘That’s not what I want to do.’ It’s her decision that drives the story in a very different direction.”

The outlet also reports that the early scenes of the film are set in the year 2029, with human resistance leader John Connor (Jason Clarke), Kyle Reese (Courtney), and an unnamed soldier played by Smith making the decision to send one of their own back to protect Sarah Connor from an android assassin. What Reese discovers when he gets to the year 1984, though, is a far cry from what he was prepared to deal with, according to the outlet.

Terminator: Genisys hits theaters July 1, 2015.

Topics
Rick Marshall
Rick Marshall
Former Digital Trends Contributor
A veteran journalist with more than two decades of experience covering local and national news, arts and entertainment, and…
7 best 2010s fantasy movies, ranked
Neville, Hermione, Ron, and Harry inside a dark tunnel in HP and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

For the fantasy genre, the 2010s were a time of both bittersweet endings and exciting beginnings. Dominated by epic franchises that would captivate fans across the globe, there were significant contributions to the genre and cinema as a whole from that era. Of course, there were also acclaimed standalone fantasy movies from talented directors who would use the best aspects of the genre while pushing its boundaries.

From the magical clash within Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to the captivating story of The Shape of Water, the best fantasy movies of the 2010s offer spectacular and otherworldly viewing experiences for audiences of all ages. Full of rich fantastical realms, well-written heroes and foes, and spell-binding stories, these films have cemented their place in cinematic history as must-see significant entries in the fantasy genre.
7. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Read more
What’s new on Amazon Prime Video in May 2024
Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway in The Idea of You.

Unlike some other streaming services in May, Amazon Prime Video is giving subscribers all of the movies that they can handle. Everything from classic Westerns like 3:10 To Yuma and comedies like Airplane! to dramas like Cold Mountain and more are arriving on May 1. Even the German thriller Run Lola Run is back on Prime Video. And if you haven't seen it yet, you should -- it's terrific.

Prime Video is also premiering new originals in May, including Anne Hathaway's new romantic drama The Idea of You, as well as Outer Range season 2, The GOAT, and Clarkson's Farm. George Clooney's period drama The Boys in The Boat is also arriving on Prime Video this month, but not until May 28.

Read more
If you have to watch one Hulu show this May, stream this one
A man in an office looks worried in Under the Banner of Heaven.

While it doesn't boast a subscriber count in the hundreds of millions like some of its competitors, Hulu remains one of the premier streaming services for quality television. The Handmaid's Tale became the first TV show from a streaming service to win the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. The Bear and Only Murders in the Building have also been critical darlings and audience favorites. While these three shows are excellent, you should add another show, Under the Banner of Heaven, to your watchlist in May.

Created by Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black, Under the Banner of Heaven stars Andrew Garfield as Jeb Pyre, a Utah detective tasked with investigating the murder of Brenda Wright Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her baby daughter. The mysterious circumstances surrounding the murders may involve prominent members of the Mormon Church. The series is based on Jon Krakauer's 2003 nonfiction book.

Read more