Terminator

Aw man, we’re never gonna find out who sent the Arnold Terminator back through time in Terminator Genisys, are we?

With James Cameron caught in an endless loop of Avatar rumors and delays, it’s become fashionable for some fans to treat the director like a Hollywood has-been. I don’t get it. Even if you think the original Avatar is a hollow mess of special effects, it’s still a fun entry in Cameron’s ‘Soldiers vs. Monsters’ filmography. Are we so awash in incredible action directors that we can afford to dismiss Cameron’s eye for spectacle and clean action scenes? I think not.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s return to the movies after his stint as governor of California has been filled with ups and downs, good films and bad. But one thing has remained consistent – the living legend has started showcasing a savvy online presence and a self-aware sense of humor that has re-endeared him to the digital world. Now, he’s combined all of that into a YouTube video that, while it exists solely to promote a charity, is more entertaining than any of the Terminator Genisys trailers so far.

The last Terminator Genisys trailer was so convoluted and confusing that ScreenCrush editor Mike Sampson and I spent an entire piece trying to figure out the plot of the film. (We were not successful, either.) At the very least, the new Genisys spot makes things a bit clearer. Right off the bat they also reveal one significant plot twist: John Connor (Jason Clarke) has been mechanized by Skynet and the evil computers of the future, and sent back in time to kill his mother Sarah (Emilia Clarke). Also, I just realized that Sarah and John Connor are played in this film by two actors with the same last name. Which, whoa. And, of course, there’s also Arnold Schwarzenegger back as the T-800, but this time he’s an older model who’s Sarah Connor’s protector. How and why remains to be seen, but hey, that’s why you’ve got to buy a ticket. To figure out how a robot can age and learn to a be a good guy who smiles awkwardly. (Very awkwardly.)

‘Terminator 2’, James Cameron’s sequel to his cult hit from 1984, had a budget of $94 million. That may not sound like much these days when Michael Bay movies routinely cost over $200 million, but in 1991, when ‘Terminator 2’ first opened in theaters, it was the most expensive movie ever made (this was even more impressive considering that the original ‘Terminator’ cost only $6 million to make). A good chunk of that money went to star Arnold Schwarzenegger who was paid a then-record $15 million, plus they bought him a private jet! Want to know more? No problemo, just watch the latest installment of You Think You Know Movies!

Even as a nearly lifelong ‘Terminator’ and Arnold Schwarzenegger fan, it is tough to figure out what to expect from ‘Terminator Genisys.’ Those ultra-agro cast photos looked like a cosplay party gone wrong, the title looks like an autocorrect disaster, and the plot synopsis as we understand it right now (with Sarah Connor, played by Emilia Clarke, raised from childhood by a Terminator, played by Schwarzenegger, she calls “Pops”) sounds ... weird. Like, really weird.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is 67 years old, which makes the idea of him playing an ageless, robotic killing machine in the upcoming 'Terminator: Genisys' seem oh-so-very silly [Ed. note: as silly as that title?]. However, it turns out that there's some fairly level-headed science fiction going on the explains Arnie's senior citizen appearance in the new film and it came courtesy of the franchise's original creator, James Cameron.

Despite that horrific subtitle for its reboot (yes, we're still not over that title), Paramount Pictures announced release dates for the next two 'Terminator' movies in the new trilogy to hit theaters in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

With production on the new 'Terminator' reboot set to begin this April and original Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger set to make his return, we've been anxious to hear more details -- and while we still don't know any specifics, we know this: Schwarzenegger himself has seen the script for the film, and he definitely approves.