Terminator: Dark Fate director Tim Miller confirms the film will be rated R. The iconic sci-fi franchise returns to theaters this fall, with a new installment that serves as a direct sequel to the seminal Terminator 2: Judgment Day - ignoring the events of the previous three entries in the series. While Dark Fate features a full lineup of new characters that could potentially carry the franchise moving forward (should Dark Fate prove successful enough to warrant sequels), there's been much fanfare surrounding the reunion of series veterans Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who are reprising Sarah Connor and the Terminator, respectively.

As if that wasn't enough to intrigue longtime fans, Dark Fate also features James Cameron's (hopefully) triumphant return to the franchise he started way back in 1984. Cameron, of course, is busy directing his multiple Avatar sequels, but he is serving as a producer on Dark Fate. This has led viewers to dream about Dark Fate being something of a return to form for the Terminator brand, and we now know it's going back to its roots in one vital way.

Related: Edward Furlong Is Back As John Connor In Terminator: Dark Fate

During the Terminator: Dark Fate Hall H panel during San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Miller stated the film will be rated R. He said it would be "disingenuous" to do otherwise:

“It’s because the fans kinda demanded it, in a way, they felt … the DNA of Terminator is an R-rated fucking movie so to not do it R, it feels disingenuous to the source material.”

The first three Terminator films were all rated R, but the last two - Salvation and Genisys - went for the broader appeal of PG-13, which obviously didn't have the intended effect. Both of those were looking to kickstart their own series, but faltered after the first installment. Obviously, a PG-13 rating wasn't the sole reason why those movies came up well short of expectations, but it didn't help matters. The Terminator made a name for itself as a hard-hitting, R-rated piece of sci-fi cinema, so making it PG-13 watered some of that essence down. It's encouraging that Miller wanted to honor the franchise's beginnings, and he should be right in his wheelhouse. Deadpool, of course, took great pleasure in embracing the full extent of its R-rating. Obviously, the two movies are different in their tones, but Dark Fate should include plenty of R-rated action.

As exciting as this is, it doesn't necessarily guarantee Dark Fate will in fact be the return to form many Terminator fans hope it is when it opens in November. After all, Rise of the Machines was rated R and turned out to be largely underwhelming. Especially given how shaky Terminator has been in regards to quality lately, audiences need to see some concrete results before celebrating too much. But, taking Dark Fate back to the series' roots reads as a step in the right direction and demonstrates the creative team is serious about honoring the source material. Ideally, Terminator: Dark Fate will live up to its potential and be another exciting entry.

More: Terminator: Dark Fate Directly Deals With T2's Ending

Source: Tim Miller

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