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How to watch the Terminator franchise in release and chronological order

Terminator: How to watch the epic saga in release and chronological order

Guides by Joshua Lapin-Bertone, Contributing writer

Published on Sun Aug 25 2024

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Come with us if you want to live.

Or if you want to watch the Terminator series. Whatever works for you.

Terminator is an epic film franchise about a war between man and machines. From the creative mind of James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd, Terminator is known for its use of time travel, killer robots, and of course, making a star out of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

If you’re interested in watching the Terminator franchise but don’t know where to start, fear not, because Popverse has you covered! This guide will tell you everything you need to know about the Terminator franchise, and how to watch it in release and chronological order.

How to watch Terminator in release order

Terminator skeleton Image — Image credit: Orion Pictures

It’s time to take on Skynet. If you’re looking to watch the epic battle between man and machine, here is how to do it in release order.

How to watch Terminator in chronological order

Terminator 2 screenshot — Image credit: Tri-Star Pictures

If you want to watch Terminator in chronological order, that’s a different story. The Terminator franchise involves time travel, which means that some films and television shows might not take place in the same timeline. Don’t worry, this section of the guide will break down the branching timelines into a simple watch order. If you know how time travel works in franchises like Back to the Future, things should be easy.

In most cases, you’ll notice that the branch occurs after Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Main Cinematic Timeline

This timeline is home to the original film series. 2009’s Terminator: Salvation served as a finale to this version of the saga, with later films going in a new direction.

1984: The Terminator (1984 theatrical film)
1995: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991 theatrical film)
2004: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003 theatrical film)
2016: Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series (6-episode web series, 2009)
2018: Terminator: Salvation (2009 theatrical film)

Genisys Timeline

Terminator Genisys has its own place in the Terminator timeline. The film’s use of time travel erases the events of every film and television project, creating a new timeline.

1984: Terminator Genisys (2015 theatrical film) (Time travel scenes)
2029: Terminator Genisys (2015 theatrical film) (Future scenes)

Dark Fate Timeline

In 2019 James Cameron returned to the Terminator franchise with Terminator: Dark Fate. The film ignored every movie except for the first two, branching the timeline into a new direction.

1984: The Terminator (1984 theatrical film)
1995: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991 theatrical film)
2022: Terminator: Dark Fate (2019 theatrical film)

The Theme Park Timeline

T2-3D: Battles Across Time was a theme park experience that served as a mini-sequel to Judgment Day. For more on the experience, and its place in canon, please see the T2-3D section of this guide.

1984: The Terminator (1984 theatrical film)
1995: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991 theatrical film)
Post 1995: T2-3D: Battle Across Time (theme park experience)

The Sarah Connor Chronicles Timeline

The Sarah Connor Chronicles was a live-action television series which served as a sequel to Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The series ignored the events of Rise of the Machines. Likewise, subsequent Terminator films ignored the events of the series.

1984: The Terminator (1984 theatrical film)
1995: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991 theatrical film)
2007: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles season 1 and 2
2008: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles season 2
2009: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles season 2

Terminator Zero Timeline

This timeline is home to Terminator Zero, a new anime streaming on Netflix. The anime establishes a new timeline, branching off from the original film series.

1984: The Terminator (1984 theatrical film)
1995: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991 theatrical film)
1997: Terminator Zero (ongoing anime series, 2024-present) (90s scenes)
2022: Terminator Zero (ongoing anime series, 2024-present) (21st century scenes)
2032: Terminator Zero (ongoing anime series, 2024-present) (21st century scenes)

What about Terminator Genisys: The YouTube Chronicles?

Terminator Genisys: The YouTube Chronicles is a series of short videos where a Terminator is sent to 2015 to hunt down YouTube stars. The Terminator hopes to eliminate these YouTubers before they become important resistance figures after Judgment Day. The cast featured a variety of YouTube stars, including Toby Turner and Lilly Singh. The videos had some star power, thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger playing the T-800.

We’ve left Terminator: Genisys: The YouTube Chronicles off our watch order because it’s less of a series, and more of a viral marketing campaign. The short video series was meant to promote Terminator: Genisys, and doesn’t really have a place in the larger franchise narrative. Think of it like a fun ad campaign.

If you’re curious about the series and want to watch it, the episodes are currently available on YouTube.

Does Terminator: Dark Fate ignore Rise of the Machines?

Linda Hamilton in Terminator Dark Fate — Image credit: Paramount Pictures

Terminator: Dark Fate is the sixth film in the Terminator series, but in some ways it could be considered the third. James Cameron wrote the story for the film, returning to the franchise for the first time since T2-3D: Battle Across Time. Cameron considered Dark Fate to be the third film in his series, picking up where Terminator 2: Judgment Day left off.

As such, Dark Fate ignores every film after Judgment Day, including Rise of the Machines. Thanks to the franchise’s extensive use of time travel, this could easily be explained as a branching timeline.

Is the Universal Studios T2-3D experience canon?

In 1996 Universal Studios Orlando opened T2-3D: Battle Across Time, a theme park experience that combined filmed footage with a live show. The filmed segments were directed by James Cameron, and featured new footage with Judgment Day actors Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, and Robert Patrick. The film cast reprised their roles for the video segment, while theme park actors performed as the characters during the live segment.

After opening in Orlando, other versions of the experience opened in Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Japan. As of today, all versions of the experience have been closed and replaced. If you never had a chance to experience T2-3D, don’t worry, because it isn’t canon. James Cameron initially said that he considered the experience canon. However, when Cameron returned to the franchise for Terminator: Dark Fate, he ignored the events of T2-3D.

However, thanks to the franchise’s branching timeline, the experience can still technically be considered canon….it just takes place on another branch of the timeline.

If you want to see the full T2-3D experience, it’s available to watch on YouTube.

Where does Terminator Zero fit into the timeline?

Terminator Zero promotional image — Image credit: Netflix

Terminator Zero is an anime series streaming on Netflix. The series is telling its own story in the franchise, unconnected from the films that came before it. While elements from the Terminator films are present in the anime, Terminator Zero is set in its own continuity. Once again, this can be explained by the use of time travel creating branching timelines.

Where can I watch Terminator?

Terminator Genysis screenshot — Image credit: Paramount Pictures

You don’t need a time displacement device to watch the Terminator franchise, but you will need a few streaming services. The original Terminator film is currently available on AMC+. Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator Zero are streaming on Netflix. Terminator Salvation can be watched on Max. Terminator Genisys is streaming on MGM+. The Sarah Chronicles is available on Hulu.

As of this writing, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator: Dark Fate aren’t available on any streaming services. However, the films can be purchased or rented digitally from a variety of video-on-demand platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, and more.

Please note, some of these films may wind up on different streaming services once streaming licenses expire.

Now you have everything you need to begin joining the Terminator franchise! Sit back, relax, and be weary of any Cyberdyne products.

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Joshua Lapin-Bertone: Joshua is a pop culture writer specializing in comic book media. His work has appeared on the official DC Comics website, the DC Universe subscription service, HBO Max promotional videos, the Batman Universe fansite, and more. In between traveling around the country to cover various comic conventions, Joshua resides in Florida where he binges superhero television and reads obscure comics from yesteryear.