‘Terminator Genisys’ Why Arnold Schwarzenegger Returned to the Franchise

Back in the middle of the summer 2014 movie season, Screen Rant got to join a select group of journalists at NASA’s New Orleans instillation, where the cast and crew of Terminator: Genisys were hard at work on a pivotal scene from the movie’s time-hopping plotline. Of the many people we had to speak with (cast, crew, producers), there was only one that towered above the rest when it came to sheer presence: Mr. “Governator” himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Of the many 1980s and ’90s movie roles that helped make him a mega-star, Schwarzenegger arguably has none to thank more than his role as the Terminator in James Cameron’s seminal 1984 film, and its game-changing 1991 sequel. Even after Cameron left the franchise, Schwarzenegger stayed loyal to the role, going so far as to put up his own money to bring Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines to theaters in 2003. However, when Rise of the Machines got a lukewarm reception, Schwarzenegger hung up his iconic sunglasses and leather coat and moved on to politics. He refused to involve himself with Terminator Salvation, causing the filmmakers to use CGI face-swapping to recreate Schwarzenegger’s 1984 Terminator character in a  cameo scene.

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