Following its early release in the UK last week, Terminator: Dark Fate landed in the US to an underwhelming (and estimated) $29 million opening weekend. Deadpool director Tim Miller helms the direct sequel to franchise-high T2 bringing Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger back together and ignoring the events of parts 3-5. Even the involvement of series creator James Cameron hasn't had the desired result, at least in terms of the box office.

Four years ago, Terminator Genisys finished its domestic theatrical run with just $89 million, a new low for the franchise. However, a robust $350 million at the international box office managed to save some face, even if the movie killed the proposed new trilogy. Internationally, Dark Fate isn't doing much better with $94 million taken thus far. For a movie costing close to $200 million to make, the breakeven point is going to be somewhere around $450-500 million and that's a figure Dark Fate is going to struggle to reach. 

Dark Fate is easily the best sequel in the jumbled franchise since T2 that might not be a high bar of quality, be that as it may, Dark Fate remains as necessary as all the other ignored sequels. Getting the chance to see Linda Hamilton back as Sarah Connor is something I didn't think we'd ever get to see, and she dosesn't disappoint. From a box office perspective, the previous sequels have only damaged the franchise, and audiences aren't turning out for another round of time-travelling robots.

The poor performance of Dark Fate follows another expensive flop from Paramount with the Will Smith-led Gemini Man. Fingers crossed next year's A Quiet Place 2, a new SpongeBob Movie, Top Gun: Maverick, and the delayed Sonic The Hedgehog live up their box office expectations.