1984 sci-fi masterpiece that warned us about autonomous AI is coming to Prime Video
When you think of classic sci-fi movies from the 1980s, the likes of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Blade Runner will immediately spring to mind. This particular journalist has a soft spot for James Cameron's Aliens, but of course, that's not the famed director's only hit from the decade.
Now, Amazon's Prime Video has landed another behemoth, with this Cameron classic coming to the popular streaming service.
With that iconic catchphrase of "I'll be back" ringing in our ears, The Terminator is stomping onto Prime Video on October 1.
Starting his illustrious career by directing a short film called Xenogenesis in 1978, Cameron's big break came when he wrote and directed The Terminator in 1984. More than just putting Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map for his portrayal of the unstoppable killing machine known as the T-800, The Terminator feels like it's oddly relevant in 2026.
The Terminator's place in 2026
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While we'll keep spoilers light, The Terminator touches on an apocalyptic future where a computer network known as Skynet gains control of itself and launches a nuclear war against humans. With the likes of Anthropic's Dario Amodei and xAI's Elon Musk warning that we need to keep a close eye on AI before it overthrows the human race, could Cameron have an alarming knack for predicting the future? Well, as long as the events of the rest of his Terminator movies and Aliens don't come true, we should be okay...for now.
Ironically, Cameron himself has spoken out about The Terminator potentially predicting our own harrowing future. In 2023, the director told CTV News that he shared concerns with many of the 'godfathers' of AI and added: "I warned you guys in 1984, and you didn't listen."
Joining the board of directors for Stability AI, Cameron and others hope to "transform visual media for the next century.”
As for AI's ever-advancing role in society, Cameron continued to discuss whether companies are developing AI for profit (something he called 'teaching greed') or for defense ('teaching greed'): "I think the weaponization of AI is the biggest danger. I think that we will get into the equivalent of a nuclear arms race with AI, and if we don't build it, the other guys are for sure going to build it, and so then it'll escalate.
"You could imagine an AI in a combat theatre, the whole thing just being fought by the computers at a speed humans can no longer intercede, and you have no ability to deescalate."
In 2026, it's definitely worth revisiting The Terminator with a fresh set of eyes.
You can watch it on Prime Video HERE.
What other sci-fi greats are available on Prime Video?
The Terminator is in good company on Prime Video, with a whole cosmos of other sci-fi greats ready and waiting for us to reach for the stars or despair over our potential downfall.
Despite the fact that it was only released in March 2026, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's Project Hail Mary is there for you to enjoy. Based on Andy Weir's book of the same name, Project Hail Mary has been praised for its scientific accuracy. That should come as no surprise given that the adaptation was written by The Martian's Drew Goddard. The Martian was similarly adapted from one of Weir's books. It's a shame that The Martian is no longer available on there.
Going even further back, a real golden oldie from the depths of science fiction is being brought back to life in the form of James Whale's Frankenstein. Mary Shelley's 1818 novel is considered by many as the first sci-fi book ever published, while Boris Karloff's portrayal of The Monster is remembered as one of the greatest creature feature performances of all time.
An unexpected sci-fi movie comes along a slew of James Bond movies making the leap to Prime Video, as 007 rockets into space with 1979's Moonraker. Similarly, 1987's Spaceballs is a new addition that puts a comedy spin on Star Wars ahead of the long-awaited release of Spaceballs: The New One in 2027.
Finally, it's a double whammy of Blade Runner outings, as the Ryan Gosling-led Blade Runner 2049 finds a home alongside Blade Runner: The Final Cut. The definitive version of Ridley Scott's 1982 masterpiece sounds like the perfect accompaniment to The Terminator when it comes to grim predictions of the future.
Consider that sci-fi itch by Amazon in October 2026.