The Terminator franchise hasn’t performed admirably in the box office since 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and that fact hasn’t changed with this weekend’s release of Dark Fate. The direct sequel to James Cameron’s T2 is shaping up to be a box office disaster, having only earned $29M thus far (and just $28M in China).
Its global finish is estimated to be no more than $330M, which is very bad news for Paramount/Skydance Media/Fox: some say Dark Fate cost $196M to make. Perhaps it’s time for Arnold and Hollywood to let the T-800 rest in peace, as nobody seems to care about Terminator anymore.
Could it make up for the domestic shortfall overseas? Maybe, but it’s also opening with just $28 million in China, which is over the $26.9 million opening day of Terminator: Genisys. It’ll be lucky to clear $55 million in that key territory, proving again that the $113.25 million earned by Genisys in China was more about curiosity (and the end of a local blackout period) than any enduring fandom.