Strange things are coming to a screen near you, thanks to Netflix's scifi selection. Choose your own double feature: The 12 best scifi movies on Netflix Strange things are coming to a screen near you, thanks to Netflix's scifi selection. By Ilana Gordon :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/ILANAGORDONHEADSHOT80577598f8ed442cacff5de184ceb9f5.jpg) Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles. EW's editorial guidelines and Randall Colburn :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/RandallColburnauthorphotoe7e8b48d9f8645588439077e721a5f48.

Strange things are coming to a screen near you, thanks to Netflix's sci-fi selection.

Choose your own double feature: The 12 best sci-fi movies on Netflix

Strange things are coming to a screen near you, thanks to Netflix's sci-fi selection.

By Ilana Gordon

Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

EW's editorial guidelines

and Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at **. His work has previously appeared on *The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer*, and many other publications.

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December 27, 2025 10:00 a.m. ET

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Eden Duncan-Smith as C.J. Walker in 'See You Yesterday'; Jake Gyllenhaal as Donnie Darko in 'Donnie Darko'; Godzilla in 'Godzilla Minus One'. Credit:

Linda Kaller; Dale Robinette/Newmarket Films; Toho Co., Ltd.

Things just got dark in here, and it's not because someone finally turned off the overhead light. The culprit is the bleak future of technology, the existential threat of climate change, and the monsters — real and fantastical — that potentially hunt us all. The sci-fi films on this list explore these themes and more in projects that are, by turns, thought-provoking, action-packed, funny, and disturbing.

Allow EW to introduce you to the 12 best sci-fi films streaming on Netflix.**

Bird Box (2018)

Sandra Bullock as Malorie Hayes in 'Bird Box'. Netflix

Sight becomes a barrier in *Bird Box*, a postapocalyptic thriller where the enemy must go unseen, or else. Sandra Bullock stars as Malorie Hayes, a woman responsible for transporting her two young children down a river while wearing blindfolds: a strategy intended to help the survivors avoid seeing the entities that attacked Earth five years earlier, and who cause those who look upon them to commit suicide. Jumping between their present journey and the past events that led Malorie and the children to this point, director Susanne Bier leans into the tension of the unknown and relies on her talented but eclectic cast to do the rest. *—Ilana Gordon*

Where to watch *Bird Box*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Susanne Bier

**Cast: **Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Danielle Macdonald, Sarah Paulson

Cities of Last Things (2018)

Louise Grinberg as Ara and Lee Hong-chi as Zhang Dong Ling in 'Cities of Last Things'.

Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

A Chinese film constructed in reverse chronological order, *Cities of Last Things* tells one man's story from end to beginning. Set in 2056 and littered with sci-fi goodies like rejuvenation fluids that make women look younger, and citizen ID tags, the film is set in the same city, and told over three separate nights, in three different phases of the man's life.

The movie is a revenge film, and as such the violence is overt — an early suicide scene deserves a trigger warning — but the acting is excellent, and the story is devastating and engaging, making *Cities of Last Things *worthy of your time and consideration. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Cities of Last Things*: Netflix

**Director: **Ho Wi Ding

**Cast:** Jack Kao, Lee Hong-chi, Hsieh Chang-Ying, Louise Grinberg

Donnie Darko (2001)

Jake Gyllenhaal as Donnie Darko in 'Donnie Darko'.

Mary Evans/Pandora Cinema/Flower Films/Adam Fields Productions/GA/Ronald Grant/Courtesy Everett Collection

Sleep disorders, hallucinations, and rabbit costume-clad figures prophesying humanity's imminent destruction are just a few of the treats provided in *Donnie Darko*, a trippy sci-fi thriller with a stacked cast. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Donnie Darko, a teenager struggling with his mental health, who begins sleepwalking and experiencing visions that take a toll on his everyday life.

Also starring Jake's real-life sibling Maggie Gyllenhaal as Donnie's sister, the flick was quickly adopted by college kids and film students as the movie to watch in the early aughts. The theatrical release was scheduled for shortly after the 9/11 attacks, and the movie — which features a plane crash — suffered accordingly. Regardless, the film quickly achieved cult classic status, and, according to Jake Gyllenhaal, remains one of his proudest career moments. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Donnie Darko*: Netflix

**Director:** Richard Kelly

**Cast: **Jake Gyllenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Seth Rogen, Jena Malone

Don't Look Up (2021)

Jonah Hill as Jason Orlean, Leonardo DiCaprio as Dr. Randall Mindy, Meryl Streep as President Orlean, and Jennifer Lawrence as Kate Dibiasky in 'Don't Look Up'.

Niko Tavernise/Netflix

As a comet sets its sights on Earth and prepares to wipe out human civilization, two astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) rush to warn the world of the impending collision — only to discover the world doesn't really care. "Based on events that haven't happened yet," as the film's trailer states, *Don't Look Up* is a sci-fi satire that skewers climate deniers and government inaction in the face of scientific evidence pointing to looming catastrophe.

Directed by Adam McKay (*The Big Short*), and featuring half of Hollywood, *Don't Look Up *offers great jokes and fun cameos, but be warned: it's not exactly light fare. Still, as far as sci-fi comedies go, this one is worth a watch — just don't think too deeply about the implications of the film's ending. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Don't Look Up*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **Adam McKay

**Cast: **Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, Meryl Streep, Timothée Chalamet

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Elysium (2013)

Matt Damon as Max Da Costa and Wagner Moura as Spider in 'Elysium'.

Kimberley French/Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Matt Damon is a man on a mission to save himself in the 2013 sci-fi thriller *Elysium*. Damon plays Max, a former car thief living in the dystopic remains of Los Angeles in the year 2154. After Max learns he has five days to live, he attempts to leave Earth and head to Elysium — the artificial world where the wealthy reside — which houses technology capable of curing any ailment. But when Max hijacks information belonging to Elysium's defense secretary (Jodie Foster), it seems unlikely he will ever reach Elysium alive.

Directed by Neill Blomkamp, EW's critic writes, "*Elysium* confirms the talent — for razory mayhem and shocking satire, for the crazed spectacle of future decay — that Blomkamp showcased in his amazing first feature, *District 9* (2009)." *—I.G. *

Where to watch *Elysium*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+

**Director: **Neill Blomkamp

**Cast: **Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Godzilla in 'Godzilla Minus One'.

Toho International

*Godzilla Minus One* won the 2024 Oscar for Best Visual Effects, but the film is so much more than a monster movie with incredible CGI. Set in Japan, a country ravaged by the after-effects of World War II, the film follows a failed kamikaze pilot as he is haunted both by his performance during the war and a gargantuan monster with a heat ray capable of razing Tokyo.

A love story disguised as a horror movie, *Godzilla Minus One* offers stunning performances, a fascinating historical perspective, and — of course — the kind of city-trampling mayhem one would expect when selecting a *Godzilla** *movie. You know they did a good job when the filmmaker has you sympathizing with both the monster and the citizens rallying to defeat it. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Godzilla Minus One*: Netflix

**Director: **Takashi Yamazaki

**Cast: **Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka

The Midnight Sky (2020)

Felicity Jones as Sully in 'The Midnight Sky'. Netflix

George Clooney directs, co-produces, and stars in this moody and often wordless adaptation of Lily Brooks-Dalton's 2016 novel *Good Morning, Midnight*. Clooney — face wrapped in a giant gray beard — plays Augustine, a scientist at an Arctic research station that's still standing after an unnamed global catastrophe leaves the Earth irradiated. Health declining, he makes two big discoveries: 1) There's a mysterious little girl (Caoilinn Springall) on the station with him, and 2) her only hope for survival is the Aether, a distant spaceship that's returning to Earth unaware of the fate that's befallen it. *The Midnight Sky* is familiar in its use of genre tropes, but Clooney's soulful performance brings a welcome warmth to this cold vision of Earth's future. *—Randall Colburn*

Where to watch *The Midnight Sky*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **George Clooney

**Cast: **George Clooney, Felicity Jones, Tiffany Boone, Kyle Chandler, Sophie Rundle

Oxygen (2021)

Mélanie Laurent as Elizabeth 'Liz' Hansen in 'Oxygen'. Netflix

A nightmare comes to life for claustrophobics everywhere, as *Oxygen *is a French-language sci-fi film that thinks outside the box in terms of action. At the genesis, an unidentified woman (Mélanie Laurent) awakens in an airtight medical unit, unsure of who or where she is. Interactions with the system's AI — dubbed M.I.L.O. (Medical Interface Liaison Officer) — provide some clarity as to her identity, but no matter what she tries, she cannot escape her prison.

As she seeks to understand who placed her in the box and why, truths about her personal life and the current state of the world come into focus. Laurent is excellent, and despite being forced to perform on her back, she manages to imbue the film with a strong sense of determination and humanity. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Oxygen*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Alexandre Aja

**Cast: **Mélanie Laurent, Mathieu Amalric, Malik Zidi

See You Yesterday (2019)

Eden Duncan-Smith as C.J. Walker and Danté Crichlow as Sebastian Thomas in 'See You Yesterday'. Linda Kallerüs/Netflix

The best way to live life with no regrets is to build a time machine — which is exactly what happens in Netflix's Spike Lee-produced sci-fi adventure film, *See You Yesterday. *After best friends and high school science prodigies, C.J. (Eden Duncan-Smith) and Sebastian (Danté Crichlow), unlock the secrets to time travel, they're forced to use their newfound invention in an attempt to save C.J.'s brother Calvin (Brian "Stro" Bradley) from a fatal encounter with the police. A modern take on *Back to the Future* — also featuring an appearance by the original time traveler, Michael J. Fox — the film grapples with highly relevant cultural issues like police brutality while still having fun with high school tropes and time loops. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *See You Yesterday*: Netflix

**Director: **Stefon Bristol

**Cast: **Eden Duncan-Smith, Danté Crichlow, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Brian "Stro" Bradley

The Terminator (1984)

Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator in 'The Terminator'.

Orion Pictures Corporation/Courtesy Everett Collection

One of the most action-packed sci-fi flicks of the 1980s is also one of the most enduring. The movie that launched the careers of director James Cameron and star Arnold Schwarzenegger tells the story of a cyborg assassin (Schwarzenegger) sent back in time to hunt and terminate one woman: Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). Sarah finds help in Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), a human soldier who was sent back in time to protect her from the Terminator.

Arnold wasn't joking when he said, "I'll be back". *The Terminator*'s success created a launch pad for five movie sequels, plus a TV show, two web series, and an anime series. In a review of *Terminator 2: Judgement Day*, EW's writer calls the first film in the franchise "one of the most original movies of the 1980s …likely to remain one of the best sci-fi films ever made." *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Terminator*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A

**Director:** James Cameron

**Cast:** Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

Jamie Foxx as Slick Charles, Teyonah Parris as Yo-Yo, and John Boyega as Fontaine in 'They Cloned Tyrone'. Parrish Lewis/Netflix

A single genre isn't enough to contain one of Netflix's 2023 releases, *They Cloned Tyrone**. *A sci-fi comedy that combines '70s Blaxploitation with mystery and social satire, the film has similar vibes to movies like *Get Out* (2017) or *Sorry to Bother You* (2018) while employing a far more absurd premise.

Fontaine (John Boyega) is a drug dealer living in an impoverished area called the Glen. While trying to collect funds owed to him by a local pimp named Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), Fontaine is shot and killed — but that doesn't stop him from showing up on Slick's doorstep the next day to collect his money. A satirical romp that has as much to say about class and racial injustices as it does about mystery movie tropes, *They Cloned Tyrone *is smart, silly, and uniformly well-acted. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *They Cloned Tyrone*: Netflix

**Director: **Juel Taylor

**Cast: **John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx

What Happened to Monday (2017)

Noomi Rapace as one of the Settman Siblings in 'What Happened to Monday'. Netflix

*Orphan Black *lovers will want to check out *What Happened to Monday*, a 2017 sci-fi action thriller directed by Tommy Wirkola. The film stars Noomi Rapace (*The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo)*, giving seven unique performances as septuplet sisters, each named after a different day of the week. The siblings live in a fascist America where overpopulation has necessitated the creation of a Child Allocation Bureau (run by Glenn Close), which imposes a single-child policy on all families.

The septuplets live secretly with their grandfather (Willem Dafoe), share the name Karen Settman (a relic from their dead mother), and are only allowed to leave the house on the day of the week that corresponds with their name. But after Monday goes out and never comes home, it's up to her sisters to save her. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *What Happened to Monday*: Netflix

**Director: **Tommy Wirkola

**Cast: **Noomi Rapace, Glenn Close, Willem Dafoe

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Clooney and costar Adam Sandler explain their reaction to filmmaker Noah Baumbach's big surprise. George Clooney was 'surprised' by Jay Kelly scene that director kept secret from him Clooney and costar Adam Sandler explain their reaction to filmmaker Noah Baumbach's big surprise. By Gerrad Hall :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/Gerrad413fcf02541834f43bb26c0de8fe66f66.jpg) Gerrad Hall is an editorial director at , overseeing movie, awards, and music coverage. He is also host of The Awardist podcast, and has cohosted EW's live Oscars, Emmys, SAG, and Grammys red carpet shows.

Clooney and costar Adam Sandler explain their reaction to filmmaker Noah Baumbach's big surprise.

George Clooney was 'surprised' by Jay Kelly scene that director kept secret from him

Clooney and costar Adam Sandler explain their reaction to filmmaker Noah Baumbach's big surprise.

By Gerrad Hall

Gerrad Hall is an editorial director at **, overseeing movie, awards, and music coverage. He is also host of *The Awardist* podcast, and has cohosted EW's live Oscars, Emmys, SAG, and Grammys red carpet shows. He has appeared on *Good Morning America*, *The Talk*, *Access Hollywood*, *Extra!*, and other talk shows, delivering the latest news on pop culture and entertainment.

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December 27, 2025 11:00 a.m. ET

When George Clooney took a seat in a theater to prepare for a scene in *Jay Kelly* where his character, the titular movie star, is about to receive a life achievement award, he wasn't prepared for what was about to happen.

As is tradition during such an honor, a video plays that includes clips from the honoree's various film projects. In this case, director Noah Baumbach had secretly assembled a reel featuring clips of Clooney's work — and when the director called action on the scene, the reel played for the crowd to capture Clooney's genuine reaction.

"Oh, it was a surprise all right. I was surprised," Clooney says, above, during **'s *Around the Table* video series, joined by Baumbach and costars Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, and Emily Mortimer (the latter of whom co-wrote the script with Baumbach).

"We were both surprised," adds Sandler, who was also kept in the dark about the clip reel. "We felt things that we didn't expect to feel."

Adam Sandler and George Clooney in 'Jay Kelly'.

"We held hands," says Clooney, and Baumbach used it in the film. "No, I didn't know he was going to use sort of clips from my own actual career, which was a surprise. And you get to look at a lot of bad haircuts over the… mullets. Don't you laugh," he says to Sandler. "You had a mullet."

"My mullet was fluffy," the *Saturday Night Live* veteran quips. "Mine wasn't as good as yours. Yours laid there nicely."

"I had a good mullet… Full party in the back," Clooney jokes. "Who would put it up on a screen that people could see now with a beautiful score?"

How Billy Crudup's pivotal scene leaves George Clooney's 'Jay Kelly' questioning his life choices

How casting George Clooney helped 'Jay Kelly' take shape

"So that's why you were so emotional," Dern says.

Clooney adds, "Well, Adam just kept saying, 'How do you still have a career?' That's what he kept saying to me, which was painful. It's painful."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

As for that clip reel, it features Clooney's movies *The American*, *Burn After Reading*, *Combat Academy*, *From Dusk Till Dawn*, *The Good German*, *Intolerable Cruelty*, *Leatherheads*, *Michael Clayton*, *Oceans 11*, *Out of Sight*, *The Peacemaker*, *Sunset Beat*, *Syriana*, *The Thin Red Line*, *Three Kings*, and *Up in the Air*, and as well as a bit of his breakout role on the TV series *ER*.

The scene comes at the conclusion of a whirlwind trip for Jay Kelly, who didn't originally want the award, but when his daughter leaves L.A. for a European vacation with friends, he tells his manager and publicist, played by Sandler and Dern, that he will, in fact, accept the award — all an excuse for him to also conveniently be in Italy at the same time as his daughter, who he just wants to spend some time with.**

Watch the full *Around the Table* with Baumbach, Clooney, Sandler, Dern, and Mortimer above. *Jay Kelly* is available to stream on Netflix.

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Published: January 01, 2026 at 09:38AM on Source: PRIME TIME

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Your definitive viewing guide to understanding the series' everchanging timeline. How to watch the Terminator movies in order (chronological and release date) Your definitive viewing guide to understanding the series' everchanging timeline. By Declan Gallagher January 1, 2026 9:00 a.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/THETERMINATORmovies120425776515afec0747e2aa61e1b37a69c954.jpg) Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Christian Bale in multiple generations of 'Terminator'. Credit: Orion/Everett; TriStar Pictures/Everett; Richard Foreman Jr./Warner Bros.

Your definitive viewing guide to understanding the series' ever-changing timeline.

How to watch the *Terminator *movies in order (chronological and release date)

Your definitive viewing guide to understanding the series' ever-changing timeline.

By Declan Gallagher

January 1, 2026 9:00 a.m. ET

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Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Christian Bale in multiple generations of 'Terminator'. Credit:

Orion/Everett; TriStar Pictures/Everett; Richard Foreman Jr./Warner Bros./Everett

With its explosive debut in 1984, *The Terminator* launched one of the biggest franchises of all time. Not bad for a low-budget, slasher-tinged sci-fi noir from a then-unknown director. (James Cameron, ever heard of him?)

Blending relentless action with thought-provoking ideas about technology, the series continues to captivate audiences more than 40 years after its debut. By this point, the franchise includes six films — plus TV shows and expanded media, not included here — that have the pesky habit of tinkering with the timeline. As such, getting a handle on the series' chronology can be tricky.

At its core, the saga revolves around a battle between mankind and Skynet, a self-aware artificial intelligence system bent on wiping out the human race. The humans, for their part, don't go without a fight, even after a nuclear apocalypse wipes out most of them. The machines' endgame strategy involves Terminators: cybernetic assassins they send back in time in order to stop the future Resistance from happening.

In the first film, the target is Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton); in the second, it's her son John, the future leader of the Resistance.

Arnold Schwarzenegger — Mr. Universe legend and erstwhile Conan the Barbarian — hit a new level of fame as the cold, mostly silent villain in the original film. When the sequel came around, he was reprogrammed as not just a protective hero, but a benevolent father figure to the humans' last great hope.

Watching the franchise in order helps contextualize the evolution of its labyrinthine mythology, which in recent years has been dramatically reworked twice, by ostensibly competing sequels, *Genisys* and *Dark Fate*. This guide will break down both the films' chronological and release order. You can decide which path into the future is right for you.

The Terminator (1984)

Arnold Schwarzenegger in 'The Terminator,' the role that made him a legend.

Orion Pictures Corporation/ Everett

In Cameron's seminal piece of franchise kindling, a human-disguised cybernetic android (or, Terminator) is sent back from 2029 to 1984 with a mission to kill Sarah Connor. Which one? Well, all of them in the Los Angeles area, just to be safe.

As it turns out, Sarah is, in essence, a fall gal. Her son is the real target. The only problem? She doesn't have a son (yet). As the handsome, trenchcoat-clad stranger Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) explains to Sarah — once he's rescued her from the T-800's laser-sighted bullets, for the first but not last time — she *will* have a son. His name will be John, and he will grow up to be the last possible savior of humanity, leading the fight against the machines in the wake of a nuclear war caused by Skynet.

Of course, this Terminator will not stop until it has completed its mission. It's up to Reese — sent back in time by John himself — to make sure that relentless killing machine fails, thereby ensuring humans have a fighting chance for survival, decades later.

Where to watch *The Terminator*: Netflix

'The Terminator' at 30: An oral history

James Cameron warns of 'Terminator'-style 'apocalypse' as AI and weapons systems converge

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Robert Patrick's T-1000 hunts down a young John Connor in 'Terminator 2'.

TriStar Pictures/ Everett

A lot has happened since we last left off. That innocent, soft-spoken Sarah Connor we knew before? She's long gone. Something changes in you when you discover humanity is about to be wiped out that your unborn child is the one destined to save it.

So what do you do? You become a soldier. A weapon. You sound the alarm. You warn everyone. And… to everyone else, you sound like a crazy person. Cameron's sequel finds Sarah incarcerated at Pescadero State Hospital, an institution for the criminally insane. Her son, John (Edward Furlong) — a devil-may-care pre-teen with a rap sheet, a dirt bike, and plenty of criminal know-how — lives with a foster family in the suburbs.

He soon learns that his mom's seemingly paranoid ramblings about the end of the world are all too true. This time, Skynet has sent an even more advanced machine — the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), made of nigh-indestructible liquid metal — to take him out once and for all. The Resistance again sends its own counterpart: a modified T-800 (Schwarzenegger, in a twisty face turn) to protect John.

*T2* helped set the template for modern blockbusters, upping the ante from the first movie's small-scale thriller mode into a full-on action extravaganza. It's roundly considered the best installment in the franchise, and one of Cameron's finest movies.

Where to watch *Terminator 2: Judgment Day*: Netflix

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Kristanna Loken vs. Arnold Schwarzenegger in terminator-on-terminator action in 'Rise of the Machines'.

Warner Brothers/ Everett

Twelve years after *T2*, Jonathan Mostow's sequel pulled an *Alien 3* and did away with most of the franchise's best elements. Gone is Sarah Connor, unceremoniously killed off-screen. Furlong is gone as well, replaced by Nick Stahl as a grown-up John Connor, who's gone into hiding from Skynet along with his fiancée, Kate (Claire Danes).

Schwarzenegger returns, once again in hero-protector-dad mode, but this time doing battle with the T-X (Kristanna Loken), a shape-shifting Terminator sent back from the future to kill John and put an end to the Resistance. Say what you will about the machines, but they don't give up.

*Terminator 3*'s big contribution to the franchise (aside from one great extended car chase) is that it clarifies the timeline set forth by the first two films. The cataclysmic event meant to take place in 1997 never occurred — largely due to the interventions of Sarah, John, and the T-800 in *T2*. Then again, there are still Terminators from the future running around, so there's *something* coming around the corner.

We won't spoil the final developments too explicitly, but it stands to reason that Judgment Day wasn't prevented, just simply postponed.

Where to watch *Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines*: Not currently available to stream

Terminator Salvation (2009)

Christian Bale and Sam Worthington in 'Terminator Salvation'.

Richard Foreman Jr./Warner Bros./Everett

Who remembers anything about *Terminator Salvation* other than Christian Bale's alleged on-set meltdown? Directed by McG, this was one of a string of attempts to revitalize the franchise. It's the only installment *not* to feature Schwarzenegger (he was Governor of California at the time), though he pops up in some dodgy CGI near the end.

It's also the only film in the franchise set primarily *during* the post-apocalyptic war between humans and machines. *Judgment Day* happened in 2004, killing billions. *Salvation *picks up in 2018, with John Connor (Bale) having grown into a gruff revolutionary. Then we have Skynet's secret plan: a former death-row inmate named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), merged with machine to become the world's first human-Terminator hybrid. Marcus has been commissioned (not entirely with his knowledge) to assassinate John and Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin).

None of it really sticks, and when all is said and done, it doesn't make such sense either.

Where to watch *Terminator Salvation*: Amazon Prime (to rent)

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

Yes, robots can grow old, too. Arnold Schwarzenegger is (wait for it) BACK in 'Dark Fate'.

Kerry Brown/Paramount/Everett

*Dark Fate* is probably the best *Terminator *sequel since *T2*, though that's admittedly thin praise. The big triumph is the return of Linda Hamilton in this late-era franchise installment, which functions as yet another timeline reinvention.

Taking a page from the 2018 *Halloween* playbook, *Dark Fate* retcons everything that happened after *T2* as a way of decluttering the narrative and returning key original characters (well, except John, who was gunned down as a teenager in this timeline).

An evil AI known as Legion sends a Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna) back from 2042 to 2020 to assassinate future Resistance figure Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes). That ever-helpful Resistance once again steps in, sending a human-robot hybrid, Grace (Mackenzie Davis), to fend off the Rev-9. In the process, they're offered assistance by Sarah, who enlists her old friend, Schwarzenegger's greybeard T-800, to take out the advanced AI threat.

Tim Miller's sequel marks the first time in 28 years that Hamilton and Schwarzenegger shared the screen. Thankfully, it's a well-gauged, emotionally honest chapter that does right by the franchise's ideals.

Where to watch *Terminator: Dark Fate*: Paramount+

Terminator Genisys (2015)

Emilia Clarke and Arnold Schwarzenegger try to make sense of the plot of 'Genisys'.

Melinda Sue Gordon/Paramount Pictures/Everett

Directed by prestige TV vet Alan Taylor (*The Sopranos, Game of Thrones*), this is a bummer attempt at a reboot — or retcon, or remix, or something. But at least we have Schwarzenegger back in the title role.

*Genisys* tries to make up for its lack of original ideas by resetting the entire timeline, sorta-kinda remaking the 1984 original before pivoting to a bombastic modern-day follow-through.

Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) is sent back from 2029 to 1984 to save Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) from Schwarzenegger's T-800. But the T-800 meets his match in Pops (also Schwarzenegger), a decidedly more benevolent model who sticks around to help Kyle and Sarah as they travel to San Francisco, circa 2017, to defeat Skynet. There, they meet Kyle's mentor, John Connor (Jason Clarke), who… well, the less said of this John Connor, the better.

True to its spelling, *Genisys *is confusing as hell. It's also loud, dumb, and rightly stands on its own within the franchise — for bad reasons.

Where to watch *Terminator Genisys*: Paramount+

How to watch the Terminator franchise in chronological order:**

- *The Terminator *(1984)

- *Terminator 2: Judgment Day *(1991)

- *Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines *(2003)

- *Terminator Salvation *(2009)

- *Terminator: Dark Fate *(2019)

- *Terminator Genisys *(2015)

How to watch the Terminator franchise in release order:**

- *The Terminator *(1984)

- *Terminator 2: Judgment Day *(1991)

- *Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines *(2003)

- *Terminator Salvation *(2009)

- *Terminator Genisys *(2015)

- *Terminator: Dark Fate *(2019)

- Movie Reviews & Recommendations

- Sci-Fi & Fantasy Movies

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Source: "EW Sci-Fi"

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How to watch the Terminator movies in order (chronological and release date)

Your definitive viewing guide to understanding the series' everchanging timeline. How to watch the Terminator movies in...

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Cynthia Erivo's new Wicked: For Good song almost had a 'St. Elmo's Fire' '80s rock sound, says co...

Stephen Schwartz details how he nearly wrote a completely different version of &34;No Place Like Home.&34; Cynthia Erivo's new Wicked: For Good song almost had a 'St. Elmo's Fire' '80s rock sound, says composer Stephen Schwartz details how he nearly wrote a completely different version of &34;No Place Like Home.&34; By Patrick Gomez :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/pgomezheadshot25b24b6c6d8948899ca9b24a6a9a6844.jpg) Patrick Gomez is an Executive Editor at . Formerly at People magazine and The A.V.

Stephen Schwartz details how he nearly wrote a completely different version of "No Place Like Home."

Cynthia Erivo's new Wicked: For Good song almost had a 'St. Elmo's Fire' '80s rock sound, says composer

Stephen Schwartz details how he nearly wrote a completely different version of "No Place Like Home."

By Patrick Gomez

Patrick Gomez is an Executive Editor at . Formerly at People magazine and The A.V. Club, the Critics Choice and Television Critics Association member has appeared on 'Today,' 'Extra!,' 'Access Hollywood,' 'E! News,' 'CNN,' and 'Nightline,' and can be seen frequently on 'Good Morning America.' Follow the Texas Native at @PatrickGomezLA wherever your media is social for all things 'For All Mankind' 'Top Chef,' and puppy related.

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January 1, 2026 9:30 a.m. ET

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Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba singing 'No Place Like Home' in 'Wicked For Good'. Credit:

There's no place like home, but "Home" was almost very different in *Wicked: For Good*.

After it was decided that the film version of *Wicked* would be told over two films instead of one, there were suddenly "certain storytelling and character development demands on us that don't exist in the show," lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz tells **.

That ultimately resulted in two new songs for the film's leads, Cynthia Erivo's Elphaba and Ariana Grande's Glinda.

The *Wicked: For Good* team has previously shared how they made many last-minute changes to Glinda's "Girl in the Bubble" — including stripping the intro music and playing with its preceding scene — but now Schwartz reveals the very *early* changes made to Elphaba's "No Place Like Home."

"The tone of the music went through a whole process," he says. "I did a couple of demos that [director Jon M. Chu] felt sounded too much like an '80s rock song. So we worked on how to develop it so that it had a drive to it, and a slightly anthemic quality, but didn't tip over into 'St. Elmo's Fire.'"

Cynthia Erivo explains 'sex cardigan' origin in 'Wicked: For Good': 'She felt safe and comfortable'

The surprising details behind creating Fiyero's blue horse(s) in 'Wicked: For Good'

"It was very cool," Schwartz adds. "I also think 'St. Elmo's Fire' is very cool. But it probably didn't belong at that spot in the movie."

That said, the creative team wasn't initially certain where to put "No Place Like Home" in the film.

Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in 'Wicked: For Good'.

Winnie Holzman, writer of the stage musical and co-writer of the film, "came up with the idea that animals would be trying to escape, and that Elphaba would come upon them and try to persuade them not to," Schwartz recently told EW of the origins of the song. The tune "did move around a bit" before they found where in *Wicked: For Good* it belonged.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

"There was more of the song written, as frequently happens, than wound up in the movie," Schwartz also divulged. "There was a whole intro that [Elphaba] did by herself, which is now one spoken line of dialogue in her cave. And there was a whole thing afterwards when she arrived back at her childhood home and responded to it. Those went away, and just the core of her in treating the animals remained."

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Movies"

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Cynthia Erivo's new Wicked: For Good song almost had a 'St. Elmo's Fire' '80s rock sound, says co...

Stephen Schwartz details how he nearly wrote a completely different version of &34;No Place Like Home.&34; Cynthia Er...

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Zach Bryan Confirms Marriage to Samantha Leonard on Instagram: ‘Tougher Than the Rest’

Zach Bryan Confirms Marriage to Samantha Leonard on Instagram: 'Tougher Than the Rest' Erin Carlson January 1, 2026 at 1:30 AM 0 Kayla Oaddams/WireImage ; Courtesy of Samantha Leonard/Instagram Zach Bryan has confirmed his marriage to Samantha Leonard. Bryan, 29, took to Instagram on Wednesday, December 31, and shared a blackandwhite photo of him carrying Leonard, 28, as she sported a strapless white bridal gown with a feathery hem. The happy couple smiled as Leonard held a wine glass.

- - Zach Bryan Confirms Marriage to Samantha Leonard on Instagram: 'Tougher Than the Rest'

Erin Carlson January 1, 2026 at 1:30 AM

0

Kayla Oaddams/WireImage ; Courtesy of Samantha Leonard/Instagram

Zach Bryan has confirmed his marriage to Samantha Leonard.

Bryan, 29, took to Instagram on Wednesday, December 31, and shared a black-and-white photo of him carrying Leonard, 28, as she sported a strapless white bridal gown with a feathery hem. The happy couple smiled as Leonard held a wine glass.

"Tougher than the rest," he captioned his post, which also included a video of him performing the Bruce Springsteen song with the same name at their wedding reception.

Earlier Wednesday, the country star was spotted holding Leonard in his arms after exchanging vows in Spain, multiple outlets reported. A video posted via Instagram showed the newlyweds laughing as they hopped into a convertible and drove off into the proverbial sunset.

Singer Zach Bryan's Dating History: From Ex-Wife to Barstool Fling

The day before the wedding, Bryan shared a photo of him with his guy friends, adding a caption that cited lyrics from the Black Eyes Peas' "I Gotta Feeling." On December 29, Bryan posted a clip of him crooning a heartfelt song on the guitar that seemingly referenced his upcoming nuptials.

"I made a woman fall in love and made our young hearts cry," he sang. "I'm on an aeroplane bound to Spain tonight."

View this post on Instagram

On Wednesday, Leonard posted a clip via her Instagram Stories in which she and Bryan touched down on an airplane.

The couple were first linked in August. That October, Bryan paid tribute to his new love via Instagram, writing, "From bull runs to all the bulls***, today is your birthday and I love you Samantha Marie. To the only woman who can hike six miles in Chanel flats, skydive over the alps and catch a bigger fish than me all in the same day. Hope your day was as graceful as you are."

Brianna Chickenfry Says Zach Bryan Picked Out an Engagement Ring for Her

Sparks flew between Bryan and Leonard one year after his not-so-amicable split with Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia, whom he dated from the summer of 2023 up to fall 2024.

"Brianna and me [sic] have broken up with each other and I respect and love her with every ounce of my heart. She has loved me unconditionally for a very long time and for that, I'll always thank her," Bryan said in a statement in October 2024. "I've had an incredibly hard year personally and struggled through some pretty severe things. I thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our different ways. I am not perfect and never will be."

LaPaglia, 26, has said that the breakup blindsided her and accused Bryan of being emotionally abusive. (Us Weekly reached out for comment at the time. Bryan hasn't responded to the allegations.)

LaPaglia's fans, meanwhile, have noted the physical resemblance between her and Leonard.

"Next question is [one] that I got a million times. 'What do you think about Zach's girlfriend looking exactly like you?'" LaPaglia said during an October episode of her "Plan Bri Uncut" podcast. "I think that is narcissism textbook 101, like, that's what narcissists do. They just go and find another version of you to date."

She continued, "People are like, 'Are you creeped out? Are you mad? Are you flattered?' I am flattered to be honest. I dyed my hair so that people [would] stop sending me every single picture that he posts of her, and I blocked him. I don't wanna see this [and] I don't want to indulge in anything that he does."

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Entertainment"

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Source: Entertainment

Published: January 01, 2026 at 08:45AM on Source: PRIME TIME

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Zach Bryan Confirms Marriage to Samantha Leonard on Instagram: ‘Tougher Than the Rest’

Zach Bryan Confirms Marriage to Samantha Leonard on Instagram: 'Tougher Than the Rest' Erin Carlson January 1, ...

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Guess Who This Kid In Overalls Turned Into!

Guess Who This Kid In Overalls Turned Into! TMZ StaffJanuary 1, 2026 at 2:01 AM 0 Guess Who These Cute Kids Turned Into Part 18 Click image to open gallery Before this brownhaired boy turned into a shining star, he was just growing up in Vancouver, Canada, and dreaming of Hollywood's big flashing lights! He's a selftaught musician who's a big punk and horror fan! ... Mike Wheeler in "Stranger Things." Can you guess who he is?

- - Guess Who This Kid In Overalls Turned Into!

TMZ StaffJanuary 1, 2026 at 2:01 AM

0

Guess Who These Cute Kids Turned Into -- Part 18 - Click image to open gallery

Before this brown-haired boy turned into a shining star, he was just growing up in Vancouver, Canada, and dreaming of Hollywood's big flashing lights!

He's a self-taught musician who's a big punk and horror fan! ... Mike Wheeler in "Stranger Things."

Can you guess who he is?

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Entertainment"

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Published: January 01, 2026 at 08:45AM on Source: PRIME TIME

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Guess Who This Kid In Overalls Turned Into!

Guess Who This Kid In Overalls Turned Into! TMZ StaffJanuary 1, 2026 at 2:01 AM 0 Guess Who These Cute Kids Turned Into ...

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Showrunner Dan Shotz said that Reddick's wife Stephanie told him that Tamara Smart &34;is very important to our family and there is something so magical about her.&34; How Lance Reddick inspired a key casting decision on Percy Jackson and the Olympians after his death Showrunner Dan Shotz said that Reddick's wife Stephanie told him that Tamara Smart &34;is very important to our family and there is something so magical about her.&34; By Wesley Stenzel :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/WesleyStenzelauthorphoto32b61793a2784639af623f2ae091477e.jpg) Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at .

Showrunner Dan Shotz said that Reddick's wife Stephanie told him that Tamara Smart "is very important to our family and there is something so magical about her."

How Lance Reddick inspired a key casting decision on Percy Jackson and the Olympians after his death

Showrunner Dan Shotz said that Reddick's wife Stephanie told him that Tamara Smart "is very important to our family and there is something so magical about her."

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

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December 27, 2025 1:05 p.m. ET

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Lance Reddick; Tamara Smart in Los Angeles on Dec. 3, 2025. Credit:

Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty; Savion Washington/Getty

- Tamara Smart portrays Thalia Grace, the demigod daughter of Lance Reddick's Zeus, on *Percy Jackson and the Olympians*.

- Showrunner Dan Shotz said that Reddick's wife Stephanie urged him to consider Smart for the role.

- Smart previously portrayed Reddick's on-screen daughter on Netflix's *Resident Evil*: "There is something so magical about her."

A year after his death, Lance Reddick inspired a key casting decision for *Percy Jackson and the Olympians*.

Dan Shotz, the showrunner for the fantasy-adventure series, explained in a recent Instagram post how the late *John Wick* actor guided the decision to cast Tamara Smart as Thalia Grace, the demigod daughter of Reddick's Zeus.

"After a worldwide search to find Thalia for @percyseries, in mid-July '24, I got a call from Stephanie Reddick, the wife of the late, great @thereallancereddick, saying there is this young actress you should take a look at for Thalia," Shotz wrote on Dec. 26 alongside a carousel of photos with Smart.

The showrunner recalled Stephanie saying, "She played Lance's daughter on another series, she is very important to our family and there is something so magical about her. No pressure, just take a look at her tape."

Tamara Smart in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians'.

Disney/David Bukach

Shotz wasn't confident that the recommendation would pan out. "All I could think about is how do I tell Stephanie Reddick that most likely this isnt going to be the person," he wrote. "Then her tape came in (woah), then I met her (oh my), then she read with @walker.scobell and his first words after the read were… 'we are casting her, right?' Magical is so the right word."

The showrunner went on to praise Smart's talents. "[She] is a force, a talent with a deep, profound soul and I know she is honoring Lance with every word that comes out of her mouth," Shotz wrote. "Thank you to Stephanie and Lance Reddick for finding us our Thalia."

'Percy Jackson' season 2 villain talks 5-hour prosthetics process, reveals his role in the first movie

'Percy Jackson' EPs explain Chris Rodriguez recasting, reveal original actor still appears

Smart previously portrayed Reddick's on-screen daughter in Netflix's *Resident Evil* series in 2022. The actress explained how the Reddicks introduced her to the Disney+ iteration of *Percy Jackson* in a conversation with **.

"I remember the first season of *Percy Jackson* coming out, and I knew Lance and so I watched it with his wife, Stephanie, and I just loved it," she said. "I remember the second season being announced and since I'd read the books, I knew Thalia was going to be around and I was like, 'I can't wait to see who they cast.' Because I thought I was way too old!"

Smart said that she discussed the project with Stephanie after securing an audition. "I remember immediately messaging Stephanie and being like, 'This is crazy. I am going to do my best for this. I'm giving it my everything,'" she said. "I was trying to stay very calm but this was a very big sentimental thing for me."

Tamara Smart and Lance Reddick in West Hollywood, Calif., on July 11, 2022.

Charley Gallay/Getty for Netflix

The actress said that Stephanie accompanied her to set on her first day of shooting on *Percy Jackson*. "It was such a supportive day. I had Stephanie with me, Lance's wife — she came out for my first day," she said. "It was really emotional but incredible. I felt like I was living this day for Lance and I felt like he was there with me and very proud, so I don't think I'll ever forget that day. It's such a weird twist of fate that I'm even on this show, and I'm also very grateful to the legacy that they've left for Lance and the way that they've been so respectful about it."

Reddick died at 60 on March 17, 2023, from a combination of coronary artery disease and atherosclerotic heart disease. Smart told EW that *Percy Jackson* helped her grieve her former on-screen dad.

"Watching [season 1] very much helped me heal on my grief journey with Lance," she recalled. "And as much as I was so excited and honored to be a part of the show, I found it quite difficult at times because shooting the show is a constant reminder of Lance in what now, I think, is the best way. But at the time, I found it very difficult to handle. I was a lot more emotional, and a lot of scenes just felt very charged for me because they were being related to a place that was so deep-rooted in my heart. That was something that I definitely struggled with."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Courtney B. Vance took over as Zeus in season 2 of the series, and Smart said that meeting the actor for the first time was a "beautiful" experience. "I remember him shooting last season and he did a minute of silence for Lance, which was just such a beautiful ode to him before he ever even played the character," she recalled. "I remember him snatching the mic out of our assistant director's hand and being like, 'Hey, we're not shooting yet. This is what we're doing.' He's incredible, and I can't wait for everyone to see how truly, truly incredible he is in this show."

*Percy Jackson *releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

- Sci-Fi & Fantasy Shows

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Sci-Fi"

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Source: Sci-Fi

Published: January 01, 2026 at 08:38AM on Source: PRIME TIME

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How Lance Reddick inspired a key casting decision on Percy Jackson and the Olympians after his death

Showrunner Dan Shotz said that Reddick 's wife Stephanie told him that Tamara Smart &34;is very important to our famil...

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