About halfway throughGame of Thrones’run,Emilia Clarkestarred in a popular franchise that could’ve led to her being a major movie star. However, her experience making the movie was so awful that she was relieved when it bombed at the box office. Years before this, Clarke had a much better experience when she joined the aforementionedGame of Thronesfranchise. Back when HBO’s hit fantasy series premiered in 2011, it wasn’t a franchise at all. In fact, Clarke was one of the actors that helped turnGame of Thronesinto one of the biggest shows in the world.
Clarke played Daenerys Targaryen in alleight seasons ofGame of Thrones. Throughout the show’s run, herGame of Thronescharacterearned nicknames such as “Breaker of Chains” and “Mother of Dragons,” and became an iconic TV show character. Thesuccess ofGame of Thronesled Clarke to appear in other major franchises, such asStar Warsand the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She has also appeared in romance films such asMe Before YouandLast Christmas. In 2015,Clarke also starredTerminator Genisys, and it seems like shooting this film was the worst experience of her professional career.
Clarke Joined The Terminator Franchise While Game Of Thrones Was Still Running
Four years intoGame of Thrones’run, Clarke switched genres and starred inTerminator Genisys.Terminator Genisyswas the fifth movie in the long-running science fiction series, and was meant to reboot the franchise. Six years afterTerminator Salvationwas not received well by critics and audiences,Terminator Genisyswas meant to usher in a new era for the franchise. Therefore,joining the cast ofTerminator Genisysseemed like an exciting step for Clarke’s career, and gave her a chance to star in a franchise outside ofGame of Thrones.
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Initially, there were high hopes forTerminator Genisys, as it was bringing back Arnold Schwarzenegger as a different version of the T-100.Terminator Genysiswas set in a new timeline and had different actors portraying iconic characters such as Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese. In the film, Clarke played Sarah Connor, the main character of the first twoTerminatormovies. Since it was set in a new timeline,Terminator Genisysattempted to honor the franchise’s past while also setting up future films. Unfortunately,Terminator Genisyswas not well-received, and has a score of 26% on Rotten Tomatoes (viaRotten Tomatoes).
Why Terminator Genisys Failed & Why Emilia Clarke Was Relieved
Clarke Did Not Enjoy Making Terminator Genisys
Reviews forTerminator Genisyspoint out that the plot of the film, which was focused on time travel and alternate realities, is far too confusing. Additionally, the film did not spend enough time developing its characters. Even though characters like Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese appeared in previousTerminatormovies, they are played by new actors inTerminator Genisysand basically seem like new characters. However,Terminator Genisyshardly spends any time making sure audiences care about these characters, or any other characters in the movie.
9 Years Ago, The Terminator Franchise Wasted Its Best Chance At A Reboot
Nine years ago, Terminator tried to reinvent itself with a disappointing reboot starring Emilia Clarke and Jai Courtney alongside Schwarzenegger.
In addition to the many problems withTerminator Genisys’story, Clarke reportedly did not enjoy her time filming the movie. In a 2018 interview withVanity Fair, Clarke admitted that “no one had a good time” on the set ofTerminator Genisys. Reportedly, the crew of the critically-pannedFantastic Fourreboot, which was also filming at the same time, actually had jackets that read, “At Least We’re Not On Terminator.” This makes it clear thatfilmingTerminator Genisyswas a terrible time for all involved, which is why Clarke was relieved when the movie bombed at the box office.
Clarke Has Appeared In Star Wars & The MCU
Even though Clarke did not have a good experience filmingTerminator Genisys, it did not stop her from joining other major franchises. Just three years afterTerminator Genisys, Clarke starred in perhaps the most popular science fiction franchise of all time. In 2018,Clarke starred as Qi’ra inSolo: A Star Wars Story.Solowas the secondStar Warsspinoff film that was made after Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, and was centered on a young Han Solo.
Clarke’s experiences withTerminator,Star Wars, and the MCU prove that she doesn’t have the best luck when it comes to franchises.
Even though Han Solo is one of the bestStar Warscharacters, the film was not loved by a lot of fans and Clarke has not appeared in the franchise again. After betraying Han at theend ofSolo: A Star Wars Story,the film teased that Qi’ra would work with Darth Maul, which would have been an interesting direction for Clarke’s character. The film set up many possibilities for a potential sequel. However, seven years after its release, it seems unlikely that a sequel toSolowill ever be made.
Even thoughSolo 2has not been made, Clarke joined another major Disney franchise in 2023. Clarke played G’iah inSecret Invasion, an MCU Disney+ show.Secret Invasionfollows Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, who fights against a faction of Skrulls that are trying to take over Earth. By theend ofSecret Invasion,G’iah becomes arguably the most powerful character in the MCU. However, the show was not received well by fans, and Clarke’s character has not appeared in any other MCU projects.
What Is Emilia Clarke Doing Next?
Clarke Will Appear In An Upcoming Prime Video Show
Clarke’s experiences withTerminator,Star Wars, and the MCU prove that she doesn’t have the best luck when it comes to franchises. While it’s unlikely that she will ever reprise herStar Warsrole, it’s possible that she will return as G’iah. Given G’iah’s power level,it would actually make sense for her to appear in upcoming MCU movies likeAvengers: DommsdayandAvengers: Secret Wars. However, since fans didn’t react well to her character, this may be unlikely. Time will tell whether Clarke will reprise her MCU role. In the meantime, the actor has several other projects lined up.
Emilia Clarke’s 10 Best Movies And TV Shows
Largely known for his role in Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke has appeared in a number of great movies and TV shows throughout her career.
Clarke is set to star inCriminal, an upcoming Prime Video series that is based on a Marvel/Image comic book of the same name and follows multiple crime families. Clarke currently does not have many film roles lined up, but she does voice a character in the upcoming 2025 animated movieTwits. Therefore, even thoughEmilia Clarkehasn’t always had the best luck with some of her roles, it is clear that she is still an actor fans should be on the lookout for in future movies and shows.
