Film · in order
Terminator Movies in Order
All six Terminator films in order. After Terminator 2, the series splits into competing continuities, and 2019's Dark Fate ignores films 3-5 to continue directly from T2.
Terminator Movies in Order โ complete list
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Why this order?
Release order is the only order that makes sense for a Terminator newbie, and it is the order we recommend. The first two films, James Cameron's The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), are a tight, self-contained masterpiece pair that every later film treats as sacred ground. Watch them first, in that order, no matter what.
The trouble starts after T2. The franchise stopped being one story and became a set of competing reboots, each picking up the time-travel premise and running somewhere different. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Terminator Salvation (2009) form one continuity that pushes past Judgment Day into the future war. Terminator Genisys (2015) then ignores those and reboots the timeline yet again, rewriting the events of the original 1984 film from the inside. Finally, Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) wipes the slate a third time: it is a direct sequel to T2 that explicitly disregards everything in films three through five, treating T3, Salvation, and Genisys as if they never happened.
Because the in-universe timeline is a tangle of erased futures and branching presents, there is no clean chronological viewing order that satisfies everyone. The films were designed to be watched as they were released, and the retcons only land emotionally if you experience the earlier versions first. That is why release order doubles as our recommended watch order here.
If you only have time for the essentials, watch The Terminator and Terminator 2, then jump straight to Dark Fate, since that trio forms one coherent Sarah Connor and Skynet arc. Fans of branching-timeline sci-fi may also enjoy the rebooted continuity of Star Trek or the multiverse of Spider-Man for similar reasons.
Timeline 1984โ2019
Every entry plotted by release year โ see the gaps, clusters and revivals at a glance.
Where to play it today
Affiliate links (Bookshop.org for books, store links for games/films) slot in here.
Frequently asked questions
How many Terminator movies are there?
There are six theatrical Terminator films, released between 1984 and 2019: The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Terminator Salvation, Terminator Genisys, and Terminator: Dark Fate.
What order should I watch Terminator in?
Watch in release order: The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2 (1991), Terminator 3 (2003), Salvation (2009), Genisys (2015), and Dark Fate (2019). The films were built to be seen in this order, and the retcons only make sense that way.
Why is the Terminator timeline so confusing?
Each film after Terminator 2 reboots or branches the time-travel timeline. T3 and Salvation form one continuity, Genisys rewrites the original 1984 events, and Dark Fate erases films 3-5 to continue straight from T2.
Is Dark Fate a sequel to Terminator 2?
Yes. Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) is a direct sequel to Terminator 2: Judgment Day and treats Terminator 3, Salvation, and Genisys as if they never happened.
Which Terminator movies are considered the best?
The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), both directed by James Cameron, are widely regarded as the high points of the series and the foundation every later film builds on.
Can I just watch The Terminator, T2, and Dark Fate?
Yes. Those three films form one self-consistent storyline, since Dark Fate ignores the films in between. It's a solid shorter path if you don't want all six.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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