Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (commonly abbreviated as T3) is a 2003 science fiction film directed by Jonathan Mostow, and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes and Kristanna Loken. It is the sequel to The Terminator, released in 1984, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, released in 1991. It was released in the United States on July 2, 2003.

This film was Arnold Schwarzenegger's final starring role before becoming Governor of California.

After the failure of Skynet to kill Sarah Connor before her son is born, and to kill John himself as a child, it sends back another Terminator in a last attempt before Judgment Day to wipe out as many resistance officers as possible, including John and his future wife.

A fourth film, Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, has been announced, and is slated for a summer 2009 release, written by T3 writers John Brancato and Michael Ferris. Arnold Schwarzenegger is not expected to reprise his starring role due to his gubernatorial duties in California.

More than 10 years after 'Terminator 2', John Connor now exists only as a drifter - living 'off the grid', so no more Terminators from the future can hunt him down. Unfortunately, SkyNet does send another one back - and this one is called the T-X, even more powerful & advanced than the dreaded T-1000. However, another CSM-101 Terminator is also sent back to protect John against the T-X. Now, Skynet is patiently assuming control of civilian computer systems, under the guise of a computer virus. John has also met his future wife, Kate Brewster, whose father - a U.S. Air Force General - is in charge of the military computer systems & is leery of up linking SkyNet. However, when the SkyNet virus infects the U.S military computers & leaves the country open to attack, the machines begin their horrific takeover. Soon a nuclear war will result - and the war against the machines will begin. Can the outdated CSM-101 Terminator eliminate the highly advanced T-X - or will a darker future await man following the nuclear attack? Written by Derek O'Cain

It is a dark time for the resistance and Skynet is on the verge of going online, the events of the last movie has changed nothing and John must now battle a new Terminator called the T-X. As before, the resistance was able to send another T-800 as a protector for John, and its still a question of which one will reach him first... Written by Scott

After his mother passed away, John Connor begun a life as a drifter, and deep down, knew what he, his mother, and the T-800, had done at Cyberdyne only delaying the completion of Skynet. A Terminatrix, T-X, sent back from 2032, to assassinate the future officers of TechCom, and the Resistance sent a T-850 to stop her. Written by Anonymous

On the verge of Judgement Day, the most advanced Terminator unit ever, the T-X, arrives from the future to ensure the rise of the machines. The only hope against it is a new upgraded T-800 unit, the T-850, that is sent back by the human resistance. Together with John Connor, it must stop the rise of the machines or all humanity will fall. Written by Paul McLaughlin

John Conner, now an adult, in fear of the events that took place at a young age, lives off the grid--no phone, no job, no credit cards. After failing twice, SkyNet sends their most advanced machine to date, the T-X or Terminatrix, to not only kill John, but his future wife as well. Once again, a Terminator is sent to protect John and his future wife, and has a small upgrade which allows it to mimick humans more. Not knowing how these terminators were sent, considering he thought he destroyed SkyNet, John will soon learn something that will change his life...forever. Written by Hayden