Both theAlienandPredatorfranchises have been revived in recent years, only making it more important to do the same for another classic sci-fi series:Terminator. Wherereboots of iconic movie franchisesare concerned, the 2010s and 2020s have certainly been active. Be it reboots like 2015’sCreedor the endlessJames Bondmovies, many franchises have seen a resurgence in modern Hollywood due to complete remakes, reboots, orlegacy movie sequels. Interestingly, one of the most popular genres for this has been sci-fi.
Manysci-fi franchises have been revivedin the last few decades, allowing projects like the newPlanet of the Apes,the Oscar-winningDunemovies, or even the resurgence ofStar Warsto put franchises of old back on the cinematic map. Although there are still severaldead movie franchises we want more of, classic or otherwise, none can deny just how loaded the Hollywood landscape of the last 10+ years has been with movies that have revived long-dormant franchises.AlienandPredatorare two beneficiaries of this, making the desire for another classic sci-fi series to follow suit even greater.
The Alien And Predator Franchises Have Been Saved After Decades Of Missteps
Both Franchises Suffered For A Long Time
As anyone with any semblance of film knowledge will know, Ridley Scott’sAlienand John McTiernan’sPredatorare two of the most iconic andinfluential sci-fi moviesin cinema history. Both original movies were incredibly well-received, critically and commercially, thus kickstarting two huge franchises that are still alive decades later. However, this was not always the case. The success ofAlienandPredatormeant that Hollywood attempted to cash in, eventually resulting in several missteps that led many to believe both franchises would die off.
These missteps took place from the late 1980s, through the 1990s, then into the 2000s and 2010s…
The successor toAlien, Aliens,managed to postpone these missteps for a while, continuing the franchise’s hot streak. However,Alien 3andAlien: Resurrectionwere both critically panned movies that suffered their share of studio interference. Meanwhile,Predatorwas suffering its own lack of inspiration.Predator 2did not shareAliens' success, putting the franchise on hiatus until 2010’sPredators. This movie was also considered an unworthy successor to the original, as was 2018’sThe Predator.
PrometheusandAlien: Covenant,two prequels toAlienmade by Ridley Scott, were better received thanAlien 3andResurrection, but even they were not unanimously loved. Then there were the crossover movies of the two franchises,Alien vs. PredatorandAlien vs. Predator: Requiem,both of which failed critically and commercially. These missteps took place from the late 1980s, through the 1990s, then into the 2000s and 2010s.
All that being said, both franchises have undergone a resurgence in the 2020s. 2024 saw the release ofAlien: Romulus, thebest-rankedAlienmoviesince 1986’sAliens,and a box office success. ThePredatorfranchise’s revival came in the form ofPrey, a prequel to the original movie that went back to basics. LikeAlien: Romulus,Preywas praised by many, often being regarded as the outrightbest-rankedPredatormovie, even above the original. Thanks to these projects, a sequel toAlien: Romulusis in the works, whilePredator: Killer of KillersandPredator: Badlandswill both be released in 2025.
Just Like Alien & Predator Did
When talking aboutAlienandPredator, another 1980s franchise is often brought up in the same breath:Terminator. The fortunes of theTerminatorfranchise have been largely similar to the other two; the first movie, 1984’sThe Terminator, was beloved and is now regarded as one of the most iconic sci-fi movies in history. Like theAlienseries,Terminator’s first sequel,T2: Judgment Day,is considered just as good, if not better, than the original. Sadly, though,Terminator’s future beyond that suffered the same setbacks thatAlienandPredatordid.
Terminator 3: Rise of the MachinesandTerminator Salvationwere both released in the 2000s and failed to recapture the same magic of earlier installments, not to mention the box office receipts or critical acclaim.Terminator Genisyswas then released and widely criticized for similar reasons, officially stalling the franchise’s theatrical efforts.Terminator: Dark Fatewas a slightly better outing, but even that failed to reach the heights set by the best in its franchise, unlikePreyandAlien: Romulus. Despite these many missteps, theextensiveTerminatormovie timelinedeserves another chance.
Just likeAlienandPredator, theTerminatorfranchise has a lot of potential. The fact that movies were so persistently made in all three series' proves this, with filmmakers over the decades trying to tap into the exciting worlds filled with deep characters, big events, and compelling stories.Terminatoris no different, proving that it deserves another chance to shine.
Terminator’s Most Recent Release Showed The Franchise Can Still Be Exciting
Terminator Zero Was A Step In The Right Direction
Interestingly, 2024 may have provided the first hint thatTerminatoris back on the right track once more. This came in the form ofTerminator Zero, an anime set in the titular franchise. What madeTerminator Zerobecome the best-received project in the franchise sinceT2was the fact that it told its own story.
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Rather than rehash the stories of John and Sarah Connor,Terminator Zeroincluded new characters, a new setting, and a new story. This was all included while still adhering to the overall lore, rules, and timeline of the franchise. Combined with a beautiful art style, strong voice acting, and even a hint at alternate timelines/multiverse plots going forward,Terminator Zerowent part of the way to reinventing the franchise just asPreyandAlien: Romulusdid for their respective series', showing there may still be life in the franchise yet.
What Terminator 7 Can Learn From The Most Recent Alien And Predator Movies
And Terminator Zero
With all of this in mind, there is plenty that thein-developmentTerminator 7could learn fromPreyandAlien: Romulus. The most evident, and perhaps most important, thing for the nextTerminatormovie to learn is to find the right balance between nostalgia and new storytelling. BothPreyandAlien: Romulusnailed this balance, with the former keeping the iconography of the franchise’s titular alien but pitting it in a new setting and the latter nestling a new story between the most beloved franchise installments in the series' timeline.
Ironically, the most divisive part ofAlien: Romuluswas the inclusion of the droid Rook which used the likeness of the late Ian Holm from the first movie, proving that too much nostalgia can be a hindrance. This is something that theTerminatorseries has struggled with by repeating different stories involving John and Sarah Connor.Terminator Zeroproved how a new story and setting but with familiar aspects can work, so long as a good balance is found.PreyandAlien: Romulusmanaged this, reviving their respective franchises, which needs to happen withTerminatornow more than ever.
