Upon its initial release in 1984, Terminator was one of the most popular science fiction movies ever made. On a budget of just over 6 million dollars, it made 76 million dollars at the box office and launched a franchise that has come to define the genre. It made stars out of its leads (Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger), who have continued to come back at various times in five sequels.
The franchise has continued to diminishing returns, and fans have often wondered if it would be better if it was rebooted. By remaking Terminator with a different cast, it could possibly go in a different narrative direction, recapturing the magic for a new generation. Here's who we can envision in the major roles if it was made today.
8 Sarah Connor: Margot Robbie
While the original Terminator script called for Sarah Connor to be just 19 years old, James Cameron adjusted the age of the character to suit Linda Hamilton, who was 27 at the time she filmed the movie and 28 when it premiered. It also made the romance between her and Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn, who was also 27 at the time of production) more appropriate.
With her recent starring roles in movies like Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey, Margot Robbie has proven herself to be a charismatic action heroine, who can be equal parts tough and coy, just like Sarah Connor was in the original Terminator before she became the cold killing machine she was in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
7 Kyle Reese: Sebastian Stan
The character of Kyle Reese remains one of Michael Biehn's best, thanks to Biehn's ability to believably transition from frantic mania to serious intensity. The movie hinges on Biehn's performance because he must convince the audience -and Sarah Connor- that Terminators, time-traveling, and self-aware AI are real.
With his breakout performance as Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger and its sequel Captain America: Winter Soldier, Sebastian Stan was able to communicate a variety of emotions, often with very little dialogue. His transition from a plucky American soldier into a Soviet killing machine suffering from PTSD echoes Reese's own life in the future as a hunted survivalist, with the guts to do whatever is necessary to protect those he loves.
6 T-800: Idris Elba
Casting a character as iconic as the T-800 shouldn't simply come down to the dimensional proportions of the actor, but the more nuanced aspects of such a physical role. Despite only having 17 lines of dialogue in the movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger was able to communicate a great deal with his body language and micro-expressions.
An actor known for both his size and his intensity, Idris Elba brings the right gravitas to a role that could, in the wrong hands, be mishandled or underestimated. Elba has held his own against some of the biggest names in the action genre, including The Rock and Jason Statham, proving he knows how to make an audience fear him.
5 Dr. Silberman: Raúl Esparza
An arrogant and derisive criminal psychologist, Dr. Silberman made Kyle Reese's warning of Earth's dystopian future seem like the ravings of a lunatic, and though he pledged to do no harm, most likely was responsible for the deaths of countless innocent people due to his negligence in dismissing Reese's claims.
Best known in recent years for playing Assistant District Attorney Rafael Barba on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Raúl Esparza impressed audiences in the series Hannibal by playing the conniving Dr. Chilton, who might as well have been a peer of Silberman's, because his underestimation of Hannibal Lecter cost many victims' their lives.
4 Detective Hal Vukovich: Daniel Dae-Kim
Wary of the media circus that visited many of the sensational cases in Los Angeles County, Detective Hal Vukovich was an officer who took an interest in the Phone Book Killer. He was always dismissive of "the weird" cases, but after the murders became sequential he had no choice but to investigate. The role was made memorable by veteran character actor Lance Henriksen, who has often been cast as "weird" characters himself.
Who better to pick up Vukovich's badge than Daniel Dae-Kim, who recently gained notoriety on the remake of Hawaii 5-0, and the remake of Hellboy. His sardonic wit and penchant for unpredictability would make for amusing repartee with Lieutenant Traxler.
3 Lieutenant Ed Traxler: Chiwetel Ejiofor
An honest cop through and through, Ed Traxler was hard-working and diligent. When he was assigned to the Phone Book Killer case he vowed to see it through until the end. He was portrayed by Academy Award nominee Paul Winfield, who conveyed a sense of integrity and even empathy, as he slowly began to believe the wild stories of Kyle Reese.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, who gained great acclaim in 12 Years A Slave, has the bearing, dignity, and sense of authority to play an important figure of importance like Lieutenant Traxler. The role isn't large, but its arc is significant, as Traxler ends up giving his life to ensure Kyle and Sarah escape.
2 Matt Buchanan: Zac Efron
Matt Buchanan was Ginger's vapid boyfriend who seemed more interested in Sarah than his own girlfriend. Outgoing and a bit of a troublemaker, Matt routinely called the apartment and mistook Sarah for Ginger, before promptly engaging in long seductive speeches.
The role would be perfect for someone like Zac Efron who, after making movies like Neighbors and Baywatch, would have no problem making light of himself and the type of character Matt is.
1 Ginger Ventura: Rebel Wilson
Ginger was Sarah's friendly, upbeat roommate and close friend who was killed (along with her boyfriend Matt) when the T-800 came to their apartment looking for Sarah Connor. Because Ginger was often listening to her headphones and dancing, she didn't hear the Terminator's arrival before it was too late.
In the novelization for the original movie, Ginger was an aerobics instructor, making the role a perfect part for someone as spunky and body positive as Rebel Wilson. No doubt she'd have fun with the character and make it more memorable than in the original movie.
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