Mackenzie Davis to Star in the New ‘Terminator’

The ‘Blade Runner 2049’ actress will reportedly be one of two female leads in the reboot.

The Terminator reboot has already tried to convince us of its mettle, mostly by re-hiring old favorites in order to right the wrongs of the past. The way that the franchise spiraled downwards after Terminator 2: Judgment Day weighed on the series’ history so much that Arnold Schwarzenegger himself had to reassure everyone that we need a new Terminator movie in the first place. With James Cameron returning to “fix” the story issues of the franchise and Linda Hamilton reprising her iconic role as the most-loved iteration of Sarah Connor, there should be a big enough dose of nostalgia to prepare long-time fans for a new Terminator film.

Of course, there will be new blood in the reboot too. Deadpool director Tim Miller will be helming the project and reportedly worked closely with Cameron on the film’s overall concept. Without the “rules of the timeline,” as Schwarzenegger put it, Cameron and Miller now have free reign to start over but are thankfully still introducing some exciting fresh faces. The Hollywood Reporter finally announced the first of these new attachments: Mackenzie Davis (Blade Runner 2049, Halt and Catch Fire) is in negotiations to star in the Terminator reboot.

Davis’s character will reportedly be human, a soldier-assassin on a mission. That’s about all the description we’re getting at the moment. However, THR’s report highlights that Davis may not play the only lead in the reboot. The article notes that producers have been looking for a Latina actress to be the film’s protagonist, in a search that’s been deemed “intense and so far fruitless.” For whatever reason, these producers don’t seem to have heard of some very prominent Latina actresses like Zoe Saldana and Gina Rodriguez. Even if they want to go with someone less prominent so as not to show up any returning stars, there’s Becky G (she was the best actor in the Power Rangers reboot last year) or Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver and From Dusk till Dawn: The Series) to consider.

The news that the Terminator reboot is apparently courting more women in leading roles is definitely a promising development for the franchise. That’s an assured way to keep the series relevant and different enough from the original films as fans continue to speculate on post-Terminator 2 plot developments that could be included in the reboot.

Provided Cameron and Miller have really put together a story that resonates as much as the first two Terminator movies did for many, the reboot would be a great next step for Davis as an actress. She has memorably featured in both starring and supporting roles in film and television, particularly displaying solid acting chops in Black Mirror and Halt and Catch Fire. Both of these shows display the potential of her range, showing her deft ability to play either shy or volatile. Davis has also appeared as more measured characters like Mindy Park in The Martian, and recently starred in the smaller indie drama Tully, which has received glowing reviews and will be out this April.

Audiences weren’t dazzled by Emilia Clarke’s turn in Terminator Genisys, but to be fair, that version of Sarah Connor was one of her first big projects apart from Game of Thrones at the time. However, in comparison, Davis may also be relatively unknown but has demonstrated an impressive ability to command the screen no matter which role she takes up. We can continue to be slightly more optimistic about the Terminator reboot after all.

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