How does Terminator: Genesis connect to the original film? Possible spoilers

Last Updated on July 22, 2021

TERMINATOR: GENESIS is now filming and while we have very little details to go on about the film, we do know that it will directly connect to James Cameron's original film but will also serve as a sort of reboot to the franchise. We've already gotten our first looks at Arnold Schwarzenegger in his return to the franchise, having learned back in March how his aged appearance will work into the script. But now we've learned how his T-800 characters return connects to the original film.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS HEREIN

Drew McWeeny over at HitFix shared some insight based on a draft of the screenplay he has read that has the film connecting directly via a memorable scene from THE TERMINATOR. This is what he had to say:

There is a scene in the script where, literally, we see the scene from the first TERMINATOR film where Arnold steps out, the punks threaten him, he rips Bill Paxton's heart out and takes his clothes and wanders off. And as soon as that scene ends, another Arnold Schwarzenegger who is older and beared and a very different version of the Terminator walks in from the side and plays another scene right at the scene of that first incident.

Despite McWeeny incorrectly saying it was Paxton who had his heart ripped out (it was actually Brian Thompson in the role of the punk), this is a very intriguing way of connecting the films, allowing an alternate timeline to be created without erasing the continuity of the original films.

Directed by Alan Taylor, TERMINATOR: GENESIS stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, Dayo Okeniji, J.K. Simmons, Sandrine Holt, Byung-hun Lee, and Jai Courtney. It will open in theaters on July 1, 2015.