The Terminator - Watch Order: Release Order
The Terminator franchise spans over three decades, chronicling humanity's struggle against Skynet, an artificial intelligence that achieves sentience and wages war against its creators.
This release order watch list includes all six theatrical films, but be aware that the franchise features multiple timelines and continuity breaks due to various sequels serving as soft reboots. The later films often ignore or rewrite events from previous installments, creating a complex web of alternate futures and timelines.
The Terminator
In the post-apocalyptic future, reigning tyrannical supercomputers teleport a cyborg assassin known as the "Terminator" back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to lead insurgents against 21st century mechanical hegemony. Meanwhile, the human-resistance movement dispatches a lone warrior to safeguard Sarah. Can he stop the virtually indestructible killing machine?
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Set ten years after the events of the original, James Cameron’s classic sci-fi action flick tells the story of a second attempt to get rid of rebellion leader John Connor, this time targeting the boy himself. However, the rebellion has sent a reprogrammed terminator to protect Connor.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
It's been 10 years since John Connor saved Earth from Judgment Day, and he's now living under the radar, steering clear of using anything Skynet can trace. That is, until he encounters T-X, a robotic assassin ordered to finish what T-1000 started. Good thing Connor's former nemesis, the Terminator, is back to aid the now-adult Connor … just like he promised.
Terminator Salvation
All grown up in post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor must lead the resistance of humans against the increasingly dominating militaristic robots. But when Marcus Wright appears, his existence confuses the mission as Connor tries to determine whether Wright has come from the future or the past -- and whether he's friend or foe.
Terminator Genisys
The year is 2029. John Connor, leader of the resistance continues the war against the machines. At the Los Angeles offensive, John's fears of the unknown future begin to emerge when TECOM spies reveal a new plot by SkyNet that will attack him from both fronts; past and future, and will ultimately change warfare forever.
Terminator: Dark Fate
Decades after Sarah Connor prevented Judgment Day, a lethal new Terminator is sent to eliminate the future leader of the resistance. In a fight to save mankind, battle-hardened Sarah Connor teams up with an unexpected ally and an enhanced super soldier to stop the deadliest Terminator yet.
Other Film Series
Divergent
A dystopian trilogy following Tris Prior as she discovers her Divergent nature and leads a rebellion against the faction system controlling post-apocalyptic Chicago.
Jurassic Park / Jurassic World
The complete dinosaur franchise from Spielberg's original thriller through the modern blockbuster era.
Mad Max
A post-apocalyptic action franchise following the lone warrior Max Rockatansky as he navigates a dangerous wasteland filled with marauders and survivors.
Maze Runner
A dystopian sci-fi trilogy following Thomas and the Gladers as they escape the maze and uncover the truth about their post-apocalyptic world.
Predator
Elite alien hunters stalk Earth throughout history, seeking the most dangerous prey in brutal combat.
The Matrix
A groundbreaking sci-fi action series exploring the nature of reality through the story of Neo, a hacker who discovers the world is a computer simulation.