Arnold Needs Terminator: Genisys To Be A Hit

If we’re honest, for most of us old enough to remember the near box office omnipotence of the name SCHWARZENEGGER, the failure of The Last Stand to leave an impact, or even become a financial success, was probably a rude awakening.  Times changed since Arnold’s departure from Hollywood in his attempt to take over the USA (that’s what it was).  A generational apex had passed, his name no longer commanded the respect that it once did.  80’s action icons were out, Marvel and The Hunger Games in.

While his follow up, Escape Plan, was a better movie and a finacial success, his second solo return movie, Sabotage, was another bomb and served to confirm fears brought on by The Last Stand, that Schwarzenegger and his peers were becoming more irrelevant.  Stallone has been having the same problems with both men relying on combined firepower to stay head above water.

Schwarzenegger may be down, but he’s not out.  He has two big guns left in the arsenal, and a possible third (more on that towards the end).  The second is The Legend of Conan, a movie that could genuinely open old doors back open for him, because I believe if given the chance it will be a commercial and critical success. However this movie depends on the success of the first weapon,Terminator: Genisys.  Arnold has a lot riding on this movie.

If it’s a financial success, even if it’s not a good movie, then nervous investors will probably give the green light for Conan.  But Arnold is not the draw he once was, they quite frankly have younger and better bets to put their money behind.  So if Terminator: Genisys fails at the box office, or possibly even produces the same numbers of the previous movie, there will be no Legend of Conan.  And off the back of that, Schwarzenegger will fade into large DTVs.  The best case scenario here is that Terminator: Genisys is a good movie and performs well.  This gives way to Conan, opening the door to better opportunities.  The best case scenario also calls on Beverly Hills Cop IV doing equally good business, to keep the Triplets fire alive.  Murphy and Schwarzenegger defying the box office will make that movie a sure bet.

The pessimist however would say that Terminator: Genisys has the odds stacked against it.  The franchise is flying on fumes at the minute, even at the height of his Batman fame Christian Bale could not pull the nose up.  So I do not see it being a success, either financially nor critically.  The best bet would probably be similar numbers to the previous movie, but even that is generous optimism.  So, Schwarzenegger is on the ropes.  I can say this because it’s true and I am not a fanboy.  It’s not a surprise, nor a scandal nor a tragedy, it’s just what happens in life.  Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, take your pick, they all head down this road.

I think Schwarzenegger’s best hope right now is Jim Cameron.  At one point Arnold was rumoured for a villain role in one of the Avatar sequels.  The thing about that is, Cameron casts whoever he wants and it doesn’t matter if the actor is a box office outcast.  The second thing is that being an Avatar villain is precisely what Schwarzenegger needs right now.  Look at Stephen Lang and tell me his role wouldn’t have been perfect for Arnold in the first movie.  To me, it’s still a possibility, if a long shot.

I hope Schwarzenegger has one last run left in him.  But I don’t think Terminator: Genisys is going to be the start of it.