Are you wondering how to watch the Terminator movies in order? The Terminator spawned some of the greatest moments and one-liners in cinema history. It also put Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map as a reliable action villain/hero. There are currently six movies and one television show in the Terminator franchise, and they don’t all follow the same timeline, making it difficult to know in what order to watch them. Here is everything you need to know about how to watch the Terminator movies to experience the fantastic universe from the Terminator franchise.
How to Watch the Terminator Movies in Order
We recommend that you watch the Terminator movies in Chronological order. We have also provided the release order for those who want to experience the movies as we did since the franchise’s inception in 1984.
How to Watch the Terminator Movies in Chronological Order
The Terminator universe and timeline have gotten pretty convoluted due to the many remakes, reboots, and reimagining of the story and characters. This is the best watch order if you want to experience the Terminator franchise in chronological order:
- Terminator: Genisys (2015)
- Genisys technically takes place in 1984 in an alternate reality of the original timeline. Unfortunately, this was never explored due to the movie bombing at the box office.
- The Terminator (1984)
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
- Dark Fate is the official sequel to Judgement Day and erases the events of every movie besides The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
- Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
- Bonus – TV Show: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009)
- Terminator: Salvation (2009)
How to Watch the Terminator Movies in Release Order
If you want to experience the Terminator movies without the convoluted timeline, then we recommend you watch them in release order:
- The Terminator (1984)
- Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
- Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
- Bonus – TV Show: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009)
- Terminator: Salvation (2009)
- Terminator: Genisys (2015)
- Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
You can stream all Terminator movies on Showtime through platforms like The Roku Channel and Paramount+. You can also rent the Terminator movies on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
