The Terminator movies in order
The Terminator Marathon

View The Terminator movies in order

Page Last Modified:

9 December 2025

Most Recent Release:

Terminator: Dark Fate - 2019

Total Runtime:

723 Minutes

Total Items:

6

Average User Score:

(6.7)

The Terminator movies in order

Picture this: you're standing in front of your movie collection or scrolling through your streaming options, eyes locked on the iconic franchise The Terminator. You're itching for a hardcore killer robot marathon, but uncertainty creeps in. Which film kicks off the saga? And how does the reboot fit in? Relax, we've got you covered. Whether you're meeting Skynet's nightmare for the first time or reciting T-800 quotes in your sleep, this viewing order is your ultimate guide. Grab some snacks, gather your friends, and dive into the dystopian chaos and Arnold's legendary "I'll be back."

723 Minutes 6 Movies
  1. Terminator Genisys Backdrop 1
    Terminator Genisys Movie 126 min. 2015
    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.
    USER SCORE 6
  2. The Terminator Backdrop 2
    The Terminator Movie 108 min. 1984
    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?
    USER SCORE 8
  3. Terminator 2: Judgment Day Backdrop 3
    Terminator 2: Judgment Day Movie 137 min. 1991
    Ten years after the events of the original, a reprogrammed T-800 is sent back in time to protect young John Connor from the shape-shifting T-1000. Together with his mother Sarah, he fights to stop Skynet from triggering a nuclear apocalypse.
    USER SCORE 8
  4. Terminator: Dark Fate Backdrop 4
    Terminator: Dark Fate Movie 128 min. 2019
    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.
    USER SCORE 6
  5. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Backdrop 5
    Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Movie 109 min. 2003
    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.
    USER SCORE 6
  6. Terminator Salvation Backdrop 6
    Terminator Salvation Movie 115 min. 2009
    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.
    USER SCORE 6

Terminator Genisys (2015)

Our marathon begins with a twist: Terminator Genisys. While it's the fifth film in release order, it starts the story chronologically. We're thrust into a future where resistance fighters battle killer robots at the height of their war. Expect HK aerials, endoskeletons, and a time machine that flips everything upside down. Genisys introduces an alternate timeline, revisiting familiar moments with a twist. Emilia Clarke steps into Sarah Connor's combat boots, and Jai Courtney takes on Kyle Reese. This film is your springboard into a whirlwind of time travel, paradoxes, and rewritten futures. It's chaotic but essential for understanding the full scope of the Terminator saga.

The Terminator (1984)

Next, we rewind to the original: The Terminator. James Cameron's low-budget sci-fi masterpiece debuted in 1984, setting the tone for the genre. Here, Arnold Schwarzenegger first appears as the iconic T-800 a relentless machine with sunglasses, a leather jacket, and a mission to terminate Sarah Connor. We land in gritty 1980s Los Angeles, where the seeds of the Judgment Day apocalypse are sown. This film is raw, gritty, and packed with practical effects that still impress. It builds tension like a horror movie and introduces Cyberdyne Systems, time travel, and the notion that the future isn't set. A must-watch, if only for the legendary line.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Time to refill your popcorn and crank up the volume. Terminator 2: Judgment Day isn't just a sequel it's cinematic history. With a bigger budget, spectacular effects, and a role reversal for Arnie's T-800 (now the good guy), T2 is an upgrade in every way. Edward Furlong plays a young John Connor, who, alongside his mother Sarah (Linda Hamilton at her most badass), tries to prevent Skynet's activation. Enter the shape-shifting liquid metal T-1000, played by Robert Patrick, one of the most terrifying villains ever. The freeway chase, the molten steel foundry battle, and the Cyberdyne HQ sequence? Iconic. This is the Terminator film even non-fans have seen, and it's the heart of the Connors' legacy.

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

Plot twist: instead of moving to part 3, we detour to Terminator: Dark Fate. Why? Because it directly follows T2 and ignores all other parts. James Cameron returns as a producer, with Tim Miller directing. Linda Hamilton reprises her role as a seasoned Sarah Connor, and Arnold is back as a surprisingly philosophical T-800. But new faces steal the show: Mackenzie Davis as Grace, an augmented supersoldier, and Natalia Reyes as Dani Ramos, humanity's new hope. The enemy? Gabriel Luna's Rev-9, a hybrid killer robot. Legion AI replaces Skynet, but the threat remains deadly. Dark Fate is intense, emotional, and a fresh reset within the Terminator narrative.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Now, we delve into the "forgotten" future: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Set years after T2, Nick Stahl plays John Connor, a man on the run from his fate. The film introduces the T-X, a.k.a. Terminatrix, a liquid metal cyborg with built-in weapons. Schwarzenegger returns as an older T-850, still delivering dry one-liners and brute force. The real shocker? The film's approach to the Judgment Day apocalypse: inevitable. Despite the Connors' efforts, the end of the world looms closer. The tone is darker, the action grander, and the ending sets the stage for what's next.

Terminator Salvation (2009)

We conclude with Terminator Salvation, the only film set entirely during the future war. No time travel here just the harsh reality of a machine-ruled world. Christian Bale plays John Connor, leading the resistance, while Sam Worthington shines as Marcus Wright, a man with a secret that changes everything. Directed by McG, this film feels like a post-apocalyptic war movie with a sci-fi twist. Think hunter killers, devastated cities, and explosions. It finally shows what the earlier films predicted: Skynet's world takeover. Salvation may not be everyone's favorite, but it's essential in the Terminator timeline.

Time to Binge

Whether you're diving into the time-travel chaos of the Terminator franchise for the first time or refreshing your knowledge with a tight watch order, this chronological sequence offers the right story beats and a unique perspective on how the saga unfolds and rewrites itself. From Cyberdyne Systems to Legion AI, from liquid metal Terminators to shape-shifting robots, this is high-tech sci-fi action at its best. Silence your phone, dim the lights, and let the sound of hydraulic endoskeletons fill your living room. Because, as a certain cyborg once said, you'll be back for more.