Although the upcoming reunion between the Terminator and T2: Judgment Day trio of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton and James Cameron had been tracking a possible franchise high with its North American release, Terminator: Dark Fate managed just $29 million domestically in its opening weekend, narrowly beating out the $28.7 million that Terminator Genisys bowed to in 2015.
The international numbers for Dark Fate are looking a little better, with the sequel adding $72.9 million to push its total global haul to $124 million (it opened a week earlier in a number of markets).
$28 million of that international haul came from China, although that is only marginally higher than the $26.9 million opening day of Genisys in the Middle Kingdom – the market which saved the 2015 film from being a complete box office bust. With that in mind, it’s looking unlikely that Dark Fate will have enough in the tank to match Genisys’ $440 million total and may even fall short of Terminator Salvation’s $371.4 million.
SEE ALSO: James Cameron discusses his “bloody creative battles” with Tim Miller on Terminator: Dark Fate
So, with three straight busts in a row, is this the end for the Terminator franchise? Let us know in the comments, or on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Terminator: Dark Fate is directed by Tim Miller (Deadpool), with James Cameron producing, and sees Arnold Schwarzenegger (T-800) and Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor) reprising their roles alongside new cast additions Mackenzie Davis (Blade Runner 2049), Natalia Reyes (Lady), Diego Boneta (Pretty Little Liars) and Gabriel Luna (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).