What if WB establishes the Matrix setting as the future of the Terminator setting?

That is actually such a wild concept to think about. Honestly, if you look at the lore, it kinda makes sense. Skynet already had the tech to create human-like infiltrators and a global network, so evolving into the machines that built the Matrix feels like a logical, albeit terrifying, next step. Like, maybe the machines realized that human batteries were way more efficient than just nuclear or solar power once the planet was completely scorched.

I feel like it would turn the whole Terminator franchise into a much darker, psychological horror. Instead of just fighting robots in the ruins of cities, you would have the survivors struggling with the realization that their entire existence is a simulated loop. It would totally change the stakes for John Connor or whoever the resistance leader would be—fighting for a reality that might not even be worth living in anymore.

Personally, I think it would be a cool way to bridge those universes, but it might get a bit too messy for casual fans. Still, imagining a timeline where the T-800s were just the early prototypes for the agents in the Matrix is pretty mind-blowing. It would definitely give a whole new meaning to the phrase "the future is not set."