Caffeinated Clint
The “Terminator” franchise looks to be indefinitely terminated from all upcoming release calendars following this weekend’s poorly figures on the latest instalment at the global box office.
Despite being the first installment in twenty years to carry creator James Cameron’s moniker, “Terminator : Dark Fate”made just $29 million domestically at the box office, according to figures released this morning by Paramount. Considering the hefty $185 million dollar budget on the film – a lot of which, one imagines, would’ve gone to returning star Arnold Schwarzenegger – the tickets sold will barely cover the money owed to Dwight Yoakam’s for use of “Guitars and Cadillacs” [again].
None of the other post-“Terminator” films following Cameron’s 1991 smash “Terminator 2 : Judgement Day” made much bank either, but considering this is the first one to feature the original terrific trio – Cameron, Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton, reprising her role as Sarah Connor – and simple fact that it’s a significantly better film than the previous sequels, the studio understandably expected more.
Reviews were generally favourable for the movie, with our Mandy Griffiths said the film embodies a “seriousness that reflects the original “Terminator” with Schwarzenegger’s character “surprisingly” cool.
It’s hard to say why audiences stayed away from “Terminator” but if I had to take a guess I’d say it’s because they’ve been let down one too many times by the franchise over the past decade. From the lackluster “Rise of the Machines” to the middling “Terminator Salvation” and the outright-wonky “Terminator : Genisys”, fans have been letdown a few times now. Most likely didn’t trust going back to the well again. It also depends help that most of the film’s crucial moments had been spoilt online very early after the first screenings, and for that matter, that many twits on social media trolled the film, hoping to sway people from it because of their stupid belief that it has a feminist agenda or doesn’t encompass the gritty toughness of the original films because it’s largely carried by women. Wankers, that’s all there is to say.
As to what happens with the “Terminator” series now? Likely, nothing – not for a long time anyway. There’s the possibility they may do another “Terminator” series, but as far as a sequel to “Dark Fate” goes? Don’t look like it has much of a future.
