Ever since the release of the first movie in 1984, The Terminator has been a science-fiction staple: a franchise that explored time travel, artificial intelligence and the battle between human beings and technology—themes that still haunt us to this day, perhaps more than ever. Created by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd, it’s simply a must-watch for all action and science fiction movie fans.
James Cameron directed the first two Terminator movies, which are still renowned for their groundbreaking action sequences and special effects. The follow-up Terminator movies, directed by Jonathan Mostow, McG, Alan Taylor and Tim Miller, were less well received, but with news that a seventh movie is currently being written by Cameron (however unlikely it still seems), what better time to get back up to speed on the Terminator franchise.
The Terminator universe also includes a number of episodic shows, both live action and anime. This streaming guide includes details about them all, as well as information on where to watch them in the UK on services like AppleTV, Netflix, Prime Video and elsewhere.
How To Watch The Terminator Movies and TV Shows In Order
The Terminator (1984)
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in all but one movie as The Terminator, starting with the 1984 original. This was basically James Cameron’s big screen debut and it announced the director as one of the art-form's most ruthless storytellers and one of its most creative innovators. As action movies go, few come leaner and meaner than The Terminator, and if you like thrill rides that also give you some ideas to chew on—think RoboCop, The Matrix—this will be right up your alley.
The story famously follows a cyborg assassin who travels back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the future mother of John Connor, who is the leader of the human resistance in the future—are you following?
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
As promised, Schwarzenegger will be back! Returning for Judgment Day, Cameron made the choice to reprogram the character into an antihero—a trope we see everywhere these days (even movies like Maleficent and Cruella) but in 1991 it was a kind of genius idea. It also helped make Terminator 2 the highest grossing movie of that year and, at the time, the second highest ever.
The story sees a new model T-800 Terminator (Schwarzenegger, of course) sent back by the resistance to protect John and Sarah from the T-1000: a ruthless antagonist (played by Robert Patrick) whose frightening ability to move like mercury was also a huge landmark in visual effects.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
12 years later, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines built upon the storyline from Judgment Day but took a different direction with Jonathan Mostow (director of U-571) at the helm. The movie was released the same year as Matrix Reloaded, so be prepared for some similarly CGI-heavy action scenes.
The plot confirms that “Judgment Day” was only delayed to 2004. John Connor and his future wife Kate Brewster (both now in their mid-20s) are pursued by an advanced Terminator called the T-X., a model similar to the T-1000, but with some extra toys built in. Nick Stahl and Claire Danes star alongside Schwarzenegger as an only slightly older looking T-850 model.
Terminator Salvation (2009)
Six years later, Christian Bale took the lead as John Connor in Terminator Salvation, a kind of prequel-sequel movie set in a post-apocalyptic future. Based in a world not dissimilar to Mad Max and featuring action sequences that recall the Transformers movies (the first of which was released two years before), director McG decided to go for a much darker tone to the previous Terminator movies and received mixed reviews from both critics and fans.
Set a few years after the events of “Judgement Day”, the plot focuses on the battle between the human resistance and Skynet. It’s the only Terminator movie where Schwarzenegger doesn’t appear.
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
Now, here’s where the timelines get a little freaky. Terminator: Dark Fate is actually a direct sequel to Terminator 2, yet I’d recommend watching Rise of the Machines and Salvation, but not Genisys (more on that in a second), before it. The movie suggests what might have happened if one of Skynet’s plans had worked—so it’s more of an “alternative timeline” than an entire rewrite.
The movie saw Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton both return, with James Cameron as a producer, in an attempt to reclaim the franchise. I can’t argue that they were entirely successful, but if you’re a fan of all things JC (True Lies, Avatar) you might want to support the scene here. The movie reunited audiences with a hardened Sarah Connor as she leads a team in the resistance to stop the deadliest Terminator yet, the Rev-9.
Terminator Genisys (2015)
It’s fair to say, Terminator Genisys is the least popular movie in the franchise—and not just because of that awful spelling. Genisys revisits the events of the first movie, but in an alternate reality: in this timeline, Kyle Reese is sent back only to discover a different Sarah Connor who has been raised by a T-800 who she calls “Pops”. The movie messed with the canon so much that it basically inspired Cameron to return with Dark Fate—but hey, if you’re a completist, no shame in watching!
Emilia Clarke stars as Sarah Connor, with Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese and Arnold Schwarzenegger as an aging Terminator. Jason Clarke (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game) and Matt Smith (House of the Dragon) all appear as various antagonists.
How To Watch The Terminator TV Shows & Web Series In Order
The Terminator franchise also includes a number of episodic shows. So, if you’d like to include them in your watchthrough, here is the most accurate-ish chronological order.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008)
Again, if we’re including Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, we need to get a bit creative with the timeline. Released in 2008, the show takes place after the events of Terminator 2 but ignores the storyline of Terminator 3, which was released beforehand. So, if you’re looking to watch them in strict chronological order, the show should be seen after T2: Judgement Day.
The Sarah Connor Chronicles explores all the reliable Terminator themes (AI, time travel, destiny etc.) in episodic fashion, so if you appreciate shows like Fringe and Continuum, it might be up your street.
Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series (2009)
Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series is an animated companion prequel to Terminator Salvation, set two years before the events of the movie and covering the early days of the resistance.
The show’s seven episodes were animated using a video game engine, so if you like the style of stuff like Advent Children or Halo: Legends, you might be into it.
Terminator Genisys: The YouTube Chronicles (2015)
Terminator Genisys: The YouTube Chronicles isn’t considered canon in any way—but if you got a kick out of the movie, you might want to check it out. The 3-part comedic web series was made to promote the movie and features Arnie, in character, interacting with some famous YouTubers from that time.
Terminator Zero (2024)
Released in 2024, Netflix’s Terminator Zero is the first anime show in the Terminator universe, and if you’re a big Terminator fan who also dig stuff like The Animatrix, you might want to check this one out.
The story begins in 2022 and concerns the rise of a different AI company to Skynet. The story then shifts back to 1997, following a soldier’s attempts to protect the company’s founder.
