How to Terminate a Movie Franchise

Released last week was the first glimpse of the fifth film in the Terminator franchise, Terminator Genisys. Due out next summer, it attempts right the wrongs of 2009’s Terminator Salvation and restore faith to a failing franchise.

You can see it below, but how did the teaser trailer fare?

Not well. Not well at all.

Firstly, the marketing campaign is ruined. The first footage of the film is out and it’s a 2 minute and 30 second trailer. Where’s the teaser campaign? It’s a full blown theatrical trailer with action scenes, memorable quotes, run-through of the premise, who’s good and who’s bad, plus a glimpse at the money shots. What the hell is going on? Are teaser campaigns no longer in fashion? It pains me to watch studios fail to understand the concept of marketing as miserably as Paramount has with this latest Terminator film.

You only get one shot at the ‘first footage’ angle, and they ruined it by releasing a full trailer. Where’s the slow build up to create momentum? Releasing little by little, building the anticipation in the 6 months leasing to its release. But not only that, the trailer was riddled with trashy and old one-liners (stop living in the past!), bad acting from “stars” that shouldn't be anywhere near this franchise (I’m looking at you, Jai), and most of all the idea that going back to 1984 is somehow what the fans wanted – and in the meantime it will render Terminator 2: Judgement Day, the biggest and best film in franchise, completely obsolete. They’re effectively remaking the first film. Now, it doesn’t matter if come next summer that’s not the case (sometimes trailers can be deceptive). All that matters is what people THINK the film will be about and what it aims to accomplish, and currently that is that the makers do not respect the original movies, and that has half a year to manifest itself in the minds of Terminator fans. What will that convert into…increased admissions? Heightened anticipation? Nope.

Paramount will be lucky if it opens as well as T2: Judgement Day (even with 24 years of inflation on its side). The PG-13 style of the trailer also doesn’t sit well with a franchise that stems from hard R-rated science-fiction thrillers. It’s effectively a teen franchise, and any comparisons to Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles are wholly justified and reasonable. The only differences being a slightly higher acting pedigree and the use of more expensive visual effects, but the tone and lack of grandeur is largely the same.

Let’s not even get started on relegating Arnold to a supporting role while Emilia Clarke (who I must admit does resemble a young Linda Hamilton) takes the reins of the franchise. And what’s up with casting Jai “Chin” Courtney in everything all of a sudden? Entertainment Weekly said it perfectly:

Jai Courtney knows something. I don’t know what he knows. But if you’re someone in charge of running a studio, you’re worried about what he knows, and you will cast him in anything. Die Hard and Terminator, Divergent and Jack Reacher.

I suppose you can’t blame Paramount for adopting this strategy. Successful film franchises over the last few years that have also adopted it include G.I. Joe, Fast & Furious, Clash of the Titans etc. They all did well enough to earn sequels and many comparisons can be drawn between Genisys and these franchises (mostly the selling out and appealing to teenagers).

Will this be the final nail in the coffin of the Terminator franchise?

I hope not. I seriously do. But it doesn’t look good. I mean, take a look at the first poster released:

The Terminator is smiling, GODAMNIT! He's smiling!! This is supposed to be the most feared robot in cinematic history. It doesn’t feel pain. It doesn’t feel remorse, and it absolutely will not stop until you are dead. But…it will have a lovely smile while it stops and takes a photo with you. This is turning into a joke of a franchise already. One can only wonder how it will be perceived come opening day.

The marketing team has a tall order to turn this around. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe people actually like tacky, soulless blockbusters with jokes and clichéd set pieces, and perhaps this will out-gross Jurassic World. After all, that formula worked for Fast Five and Six. So I guess we'll see.

What are your thoughts on the trailer? Is it a must-see for you? or are you also turned off by it?