Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is a science fiction action film that was released in 2003. It is the third installment in the Terminator film series and was directed by Jonathan Mostow.

The movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from the future to protect John Connor (played by Nick Stahl), the future leader of the human resistance against the machines. The story takes place years after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, with John Connor living off the grid to avoid detection by the machines.

The plot revolves around the emergence of a new, more advanced Terminator model, the T-X (played by Kristanna Loken), which is sent back in time to kill John Connor’s future lieutenants and ensure the success of Skynet’s plan to exterminate humanity. The T-800 Terminator is once again sent back to protect John, and the two of them team up with a veterinarian named Kate Brewster (played by Claire Danes) to stop the T-X and prevent Judgment Day.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines received mixed reviews from critics but was a commercial success, grossing over $433 million worldwide. It was followed by a fourth installment, Terminator Salvation, in 2009, and a fifth installment, Terminator Genisys, in 2015.