EXCLUSIVE: He’s baaack! Arnold Schwarzenegger is attached to star in a rights package that CAA is shopping today that will revive The Terminator, one of Hollywood’s most iconic scifi franchises. The agency is dropping the package on studios this afternoon. I’m told that already, Universal, Sony and Lionsgate, and CBS Films are looking hard at the package. There is no screenwriter attached at this point, and Robert Cort is producing. This is the first real activity on The Terminator project since February 2010, when the property emerged from a bankruptcy auction and into the possession of Pacificor. The Santa Barbara-based hedge fund posted a bid of $29.5 million, with the promise that additional multimillion-dollar payments for each film would go to Halcyon, the company that made the 2009 McG-directed Terminator Salvation. That film starred Sam Worthington as the cyborg and Christian Bale as John Connor, and the storyline launched the battle between Skynet and the human survivors of the apocalypse, the war foreshadowed in James Cameron’s visionary 1984 original film. Halcyon wanted to make several films but ran out of money. At the time of the auction, Pacificor beat out a combined bid by Lionsgate and Sony planning to make back-to-back sequels to bring the franchise to a natural creative conclusion.
While many felt at the time that Pacificor overpaid and that Lionsgate and Sony would have been better matches for the material, CAA has chosen an optimum time to seek a new deal. I wrote back in February that Universal quietly was trying to arrange for Lin to be helmer of the project. At the time, some turned up their noses. Given the strong international grosses being racked up by Fast Five and the expectations for a strong domestic opening this Friday, Lin has a lot of heat. And Schwarzenegger is looking to recapture past marquee glory ending his run as California State Governor. Schwarzenegger has circled several projects including Last Stand for Lionsgate, but here, he’s the star, returning to the signature role that once established him as the world’s biggest movie star.
Much like the Superman property, The Terminator has a ticking clock on the rights. There is a stipulation in copyright law that if you assign your rights, you get them back in 35 years. In this case, Cameron assigned his rights to Hemdale, and the North American rights will revert back to him in 2018. Now, Cameron has more or less washed his hands of the Terminator franchise, but I’m told a new deal would have to be made with him if the plan was to keep making Terminator installments beyond that period. There is plenty of time to make at least two Terminator films before that happens, and that might be sufficient to end the saga that so far has spanned four films. Any financier that makes those films owns them free and clear. Rumor is the project price tag is at least $25 million upfront, against a purchase price near $36 million, not including paydays for Schwarzenegger or Lin. It would stand to reason because of the amount Pacificor paid in 2010 and the interest it has carried since. I’m told there is no set price, but this will likely be a whopping sale by the time the dust has settled and the bidding is complete.
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This is disheartening for two reasons:
1-Last time I saw Arnold on television, he was in absolutely no shape to be an action star.
2-No James Cameron involved, and no one has come close to matching T2.
agree with you
I don’t know what to say about this, except that any project which includes the rapidly aging Arnold will be horrible. And no, this is not only about his age; for me personally, this would suck largely because we’ve seen enough damn 101-model Terminators. Does Skynet have some kind of fetish towards Austrian bodybuilders? Or does John Connor…?
If they’re intending on “wrapping things up”, as some folks have hypothesized, then this is another definite nail in the coffin for the franchise; as it pretty much means another piss-poor sequel bolted onto the hilariously bad T3/4 continuity.
Just let the thing die, please.
New molds must be expensive.
That’s really thoughtful and well reasoned, actually.
Did you not see TRON with Jeff Bridges. It’s Arnolds voice that makes the character, the way he portrays the cyborg. What is on screen can be made to look like anything
Yes. Those brilliant robots. Create human looking cyborgs to covertly infiltrate the human ranks. Only problem — they’re all identical.
They don’t even need dogs anymore. Western style wanted posters would work.
Oh shut up!! LOL. This is nothing but GREAT news! I am so beyond excited. I’ve been waiting for this news for well over a year!! Bring on T5 NOW!!!!
This is terrible news, buddy. The franchise ended with T2 and since they they have been beating a dead horse. Stop feeding them money, and stop gobbling up whatever crap they put on your place. Two bad movies that got worse as they went on, and a terrible TV show, and you ask for more? Let it go!
Then don’t go and see it. Why ruin it for the rest of us. Unless thats how you get your kicks.
Seriously people don’t waste your time! I love Cameron’s Terminator films but I just as equally loved T4 and realllllly want T5 to happen asap!!! The 1st two hold a very special place in so many hearts but I thinks its more than obvious than millions want more after all these decades and there still being interest. Bring it on Arnold!!!
I agree man. There are so many sad people who spend too much time online acting so childish and pathetic. They probably don’t even feel this way they just get a kick outta getting fans upset lol. I for one am so happy we are getting another Terminator film!
‘Cause he’s da potty-poopa!
I get my kicks through proper use of punctuation marks.
Also, putting Arnold in another Terminator film will be laughably horrible.
Because it ruins a good thing. Whenever you make a sequel, it reflects on the image and on the prestige of the original. There’s a reason plenty of successful franchises are ended at a certain point: because the creators wisely decide that enough is enough. Wish that someone had that kind of foresight with the Terminator franchise. It’s a shame to see T2 dragged through the mud by these awful sequels.
The show was AMAZING!!!! Lets be honest there are certain people posting here (as with any blog) that know what the want to say and will never say otherwise- it seems many a times that they can only be negative. So people who are so excited like myself and all my friends, don’t listen to these biased opinion that are stuck in the 90’s. The Terminator films are some of the few that NEED sequels!!! I liked T3, thought T4 was much better and honestly believe that T5 could be the best yet!!!
Oh its good news and you know it!! You couldn’t say one positive thing about this bit of news if you had too (unless it would be as a joke). I am so happy they are making a T5!!
The TV show was horrible, but I watched it because it was Terminator. T3 and 4 I really enjoyed. T5 can improve where they fell short. The franchise is definitly not dead.
Isn’t he going to be 70 years-old soon..?
Arnold’s dope and it’d be great to see him in movies again. But damn…
He is to old for the part for me.
the shite that Maria puts up…..
Although yes, I agree that Arnold is not physically in action movie star shape….let’s also remember that he is in his 60’s. T2 came out twenty years ago and he was a forty-three year old man then. No excuses, but please show some reasonable respect. That having been said, it would be nice to see some Terminator project get made with Cameron and/or Arnold that goes back to the roots of the first two pictures. Anything after has been fun (sort of…not really…I guess so…whatever). There is a lot of material here that could be explored if they stopped worrying about only CGI effects and concentrated on the story line and characters.
I can’t wait for another Terminator film! And to top all the good news off, Arnold’s back!!
I agree, this appears like pure greed, with nothing of value to add to the Terminator story!
So it appears you have read the script and had a sit down with the writers, producers, and directors. Please tell us what you know about the story.
Pure greed? Let’s see, how many supporting actors, extras, stunt personnel, artists, crew, do you think projects like this will support? Not to mention writers, ADs, line producers, second unit crew, et al. Several hundred people will directly profit, not to mention their families, and the businesses they patronize; then there are the many back office secretaries, assistants, support types whose firms will receive profits. These projects (I assume two are in the works) will create millions of dollars, most of that going for salaries to crew and support personnel and their respective companies. If Arnold makes 20-30 million as part of his fee, God Bless – he has created probably several 100 million in income for the rest.
PS: I have no interest in these prospective films, and in fact never saw T3 or T4, and didn’t even know there WERE additional films beyond T2.
That’s the stupidest rationale for greenlighting a movie that I’ve ever heard: because it will create jobs. Every movie creates jobs. I hope that if you next time you dislike a movie, everyone around just says, “yeah, but it created a ton of jobs!”
If this movie weren’t made, some other — possibly better — movie would be made in its place, which would also create jobs. Instead, the once-storied Terminator franchise is being denigrated with another horrible sequel.
I don’t agree one bit! This is great news!!!
He may be out of shape but he’s still a douchebag.
They should make a movie about how Arnold terminated the California economy
Nooo. Commie, leftest, socialist, marxist and illegal creatures that live in the state are the real problem… but hey you voted for the lowest of the low. Your problem not the other 49.
Full of hate much? Even despite California’s atrocious economy, we can still buy your state 50 times over.
terminator will be something like “you, come here (read with arnold’s accent). yes you boy, come here, wait, wait dont run, dammit, come here, stop, shit I dropped my gun must pick it up (arnold falls while getting gun) help ! i’ve fallen and I cant get up !”
This is going to suck big time!!! It won’t “revive” the franchise, it will kill it once and for all. It almost needs to happen so the film can bomb and we won’t have to endure an more them.
john cena should play the new terminator
Or Stone Cold Steve Austin. He did very well in two episodes of Nash Bridges.
Congratulations to Lin, Fast 5 is incredible.
Dud.
Fast and Furious has a LOT of great things going for it…Justin Lin isn’t one of them.
are you fucking kidding me? he turned the franchise around from the dead with shitty scripts and made it into the only reliable franchise for Universal. that’s a fact. FF is lucky to have him and he has a huge future ahead of him.
Lin directed Tokyo Drift. Just sayin’.
Re: “are you fucking kidding me? he turned the franchise around from the dead with shitty scripts and made it into the only reliable franchise for Universal. that’s a fact”
Actually, Justin Lin almost killed the franchise. If you’ll recall, the first installment made $207M worldwide and 2 Fast 2 Furious actually improved to $236M worldwide. The Lin’s first directing effort in the franchise, Tokyo Drift, sank all the way down to $158M.
Don’t get me wrong: he was stuck with a crappy cast instead of the originals, and he certainly improved both creatively and financially with F&F4. But to say that he turned the franchise around from the dead…well, that’s just plain wrong.
Actually, Justin Lin almost killed the franchise. If you’ll recall, the first installment made $207M worldwide and 2 Fast 2 Furious actually improved to $236M worldwide. The Lin’s first directing effort in the franchise, Tokyo Drift, sank all the way down to $158M.
I really don’t like these movies. But I won’t get into that. I just think it is interesting how you avoided to post the numbers of the 4th movie. But of course you did this, because this number would destroy your point. This movie made $360M worldwide, so a lot more than any other. And I have rarely seen a franchise where something like that happened.
of course he did. with an unknown cast he made the film global and they made a ton of cash. remember, the above the line on tokyo drift must have been minimal. he is the reason the franchise is thriving.
agree with dd. you don’t know what lin means to the franchise unless you’ve read the scripts that they go to production with. someone should publish those and compare them to the final film.
What planet are you from? Justin Lin has helped resurrect the FnF franchise. What other franchise would still be getting raves and feature other actors wanting to jump onboard at the 5th installment, instead of going straight to video?
Gotta join the ‘Justin Lin Love-in’. I’ve heard from insiders that he works miracles on these scripts. The guy also has made bank for the studios, so he deserves a shot at this, even if it is Ahnooold and the Terminator franchise. And he can’t do worse than the last underwhelming Terminator film…..
In addition, I’m glad to see a minority director such as Lin making hits that aren’t relegated to minority-theme flicks. Way to go, Justin. Count me as fan. But, as always, haters gonna hate. Just do your thing, my man! Your Fast Five will do more than $30 million in opening this weekend, easy!
What kind of human actually pays to watch Arnold do ANYTHING?
An ignorant, childish, 15 yr old boy? Perhaps.
But if you are an adult, 18+, what conceivable excuse can you have to pay to watch Arnold?
Arnold is a stupid buffoon. “Terminator” is a violent cartoon.
Do grownups really pay to watch Arnold crap out his accented lines?
Hi, grownup here. I enjoy Arnold films. I have converted many skeptics to the house of Arnold. Watch “Commando”, it’s an excellent place to start.
Why does an alleged “grownup” need to pay to watch movies about shoot-’em-up commandos and their violent idiocy?
Have you not, as an “adult”, seen perhaps hundreds of action films, where grunting, low-IQ “heroes” (Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Vin Deisel, The Rock, Clint Eastwood, etc)and their sidekicks dispatch villains with neanderthal-like gusto?
What is it about YOUR life, Mr/Ms “Grownup”, that requires you to watch make-believe commandos led by idiot Arnold kill people?
What, exactly, is it about a commando blowing up a bad guy that YOU find so entertaining? Do you fantasize of doing this yourself, being a commando, and killing people heroically?
Your “House of Arnold” that you dutifully proselytize for is nothing other that a “House of Mindless Violence” for stupid children and maladaptive “adults”.
Did you see Terminator 2? Arnold’s Terminator was not allowed to kill anyone. I suspect you haven’t even seen the film. I won’t give any more spoilers, other than to say that I saw it in a theater when it was released, and there were many people crying at the end. It was rather emotional.
You may want to hold off judgement until you see it.
…Commando was released in 1985. That’s NINETEEN EIGHTY FIVE.
Hi, another grownup here. I really enjoy Arnold films. I’m also female. I’ll pay to see this.
Adult females who find Arnold attractive get a pass.
Lust is dumb, and love is blind.
So, female Arnold fan, if you pay to get your jollies from watching this ignoramus, you’re excused because when you step up to the ticket booth or buy his DVD’s, you’re not in your right mind.
But to everyone else who doesn’t lust for Arnold-especially you proud male Arnold fans-what, really is YOUR excuse?
You guys like watching an aging bodybuilder shoot big guns?
Stretch out. Bring a blanket. You’ll be in a fairly empty theater.
Adult here and I will watch him even when he is the terminator on wheel (Walker).
Grown man here. Go watch “Pumping Iron” and see what Arnold is really about.
Hey “grown man”…
Let me guess, “Pumping Iron” is about Arnold pumping iron until he looks like a cartoon action figure and talks as dumb.
I don’t need to watch this piece of shit to know “what Arnold is really about”.
And neither do YOU…unless watching men pump iron is your thing.
If so, like females who lust after Arnold, more power to you.
No thinking, rational, socially conscious person, would EVER want to know what Arnold is really about.
He is a modern American Frankenstein, created in part by pumping iron, steroids, and those who enjoy watching bodybuilders act like robots and mass murder people with abandon, Terminator-like.
At his best, Arnold made some damn good action movies. Terminator, T2, Total Recall, Predator, Conan, all of which I’d watch again and again.
“Arnold made some damn good action movies…all of which I’d watch again and again.”
Do you have OCD, short attention span, an inexhaustible lust for watching Arnold kill people on screen?
Does your 15th viewing of Arnold’s robot savagely murdering some thug reveal finer details that you missed on the 14th viewing?
Watching violent, mindless films “again and again”: Not something a well-adjusted adult would do, much less brag about.
You keep going on about what no “well-adjusted adult” would do. Either you’re the world’s greatest psychologist (able to make blanket statements about all of humanity from your computer), or you’re an overly sensitive action movie hater who doesn’t understand why everyone isn’t like you. Some of us enjoy watching action movies because it’s a stress reliever. I watch T2 whenever I’ve had a particularly bad day at work and pretend I’m the T1000. You can call that maladjusted if you like, but I say it’s a damn sight better than taking a gun to work and going to town.
PS: I’m an adult, a woman, and a socialist. I do not have OCD, a short attention span, any sort of attraction to Arnold (guy’s kinda ugly), or any antisocial personality disorders. So don’t try to bring any of those down on me in what will undoubtedly be a reflexive, non-reasoned reply. Thank you.
You are another typical blogger,this man came to America,became a star,made millions,became govenor of California.While your still living with mama,playing with yourself,and whining about anyone successful.
Arnold indisputably achieved noteworthy success living the American Dream. That his last success saw him as a two-term Governor of Cal. simply reflects the dramatic decline of our democracy.
He represents… violence & stupidity in movies, the social mores of an alley cat, the worldview of a 15th century German peasant, the glib shallowness of a Wall Street huckster, and the unbridled class bias that only a low-rent, suddenly wealthy bourgeoisie, fervently supports.
You nailed it!
LMAO! That’s what I call hitting the nail on the head, bro!
Once again another adult here. I like Arnold and I love the Terminator films!! I would see a T5 without Arnold but the fact that he is in it makes it so much better!! All these sad bloggers who spend their time spreading negativity are so annoying go be productive.
FringeFan, in my original comment, I asked “What kind of human actually pays to watch Arnold do ANYTHING?”
Apparently, YOU are that kind of human.
As a self-proclaimed “adult, you “love the Terminator films!!”
Which of Arnold’s Terminator killing scenes do you “love”?
Do you identify with Arnold’s robot hit-man/robot character?
Do you cheer when the Terminator shoots villains with his HUGE machine gun?
What a sad, yet all to common adulthood, you must have.
As to your point about my “spreading negativity” and not being “productive”…
I oppose violence in all forms, especially hero worship of violent movie characters. Terminator and its ilk spread social negativity.
I’m simply calling Hollywood out on this travesty.
And for me, this is far more productive than remaining silent.
ur a idiot dude. go back to the 60’s and be with ur hippie brotheren. if not, then DEAL WITH IT! life is violent. everything we do, everything that happens around us is violent. chemical reactions that make up your food? violent. space and time? violent. washing your balls that have not dropped yet. violent. the universe is violent. movies are violent. DEAL WITH IT YOU HIPPIE ASSHOLE!
Nature’s awash in violence-disasters, diseases, “red in tooth and claw” survival of the fittest…obviously.
However, not “everything we do” is violence. 7 billion people alive today are living testaments that not everything we do is violent.
“Accentuate the positive (non-violent)” makes for happier living.
Why make movies about violence and accentuate the negative?
Why glorify and make $ off the worst part of nature?
As natural creatures, part of us embraces violence-this is why Hollywood shits out “action” movies with borderline sociopathic “hero” characters, like Terminator, Dirty Harry, Die Hard, etc.
However, each of us (even YOU, “losinator”) also embraces the opposite of violence.
Call it what you will-love, Higher Power, Universe, compassion-this “opposite of violence” engenders feelings of peace, good energy, relaxation, and a deep zest for life that makes EVERYTHING better, from sex to career.
“Terminator” is a symptom of a social disease: The marketing and glorification of violent media.
As individuals, Americans, and movie makers, we can do better!
Watch “Predator” (the first in the line), case closed!
Predators kill prey.
I have no idea what you mean by “case closed”.
But why would I-or any other rational person-need to watch a fictional movie about alien predators and prey?
Isn’t there enough killing in nature and in America?
I don’t find predators killing prey entertaining.
If YOU do, that’s a disturbingly sad fact that you might want to keep to yourself.
Another adult who enjoys watching Arnold. Check out TOTAL RECALL as well – solid stuff.
Hey Yo, I wouldn’t check out “Total Recall” if YOU paid me!
Though, when I hear Arnold’s “Total Recall” recommended, I regret that the citizens of Cal. didn’t create their own “Total Recall” of Arnold as Governator.
Now THAT’s a “Total Recall” I’d check out!
I do and will continue to watch Arnold. I am a 37 year old male. Married (happily) successful career with a 6 figure income in my 4000sq ft home that I will be able to retire at 61 in.
What did your Mom bring you for dinner last night in her basement? I bet your a Van Damme fan aren’t ya.
“…successful career with a 6 figure income in my 4000sq ft home”
And this relates to your Arnold hero worship… how?
Congratulations buddy, you’re living the American Dream, as is your screen idol.
May you retire at 61 in an even larger sq.ft home!
Will the Terminator’s new weapon be a zimmer frame that fires laser beams? I can’t believe Ahnuld thinks he can recapture his glory days by returning to his signature role this late in the day.
Make it NC-17 !
Terminator 5: Rise of the Colonoscopy
LMAO but then you never know.
He’ll be returning as an older and flabier Terminator.
I hope they have him as the human that Skynet models the terminators skin after!!
It’s a sad, horrible and self-loathing thing, but I’m one of those childish buffoons that would pay to see anything Terminator related.
I saw the original when I was young, and it blew me away (the ideas and creativity there within are probably why I work in technology). The first film had such an impact, that I coughed up the 10 bucks to see the films after, each of which obviously fell short of the original. I also enjoyed the TV show, which was pretty good.
So yeah, this Ahnuld problem upon us is completely on me, and people like me – so I apologize. If it makes it up for it, I recycle, respect my elders and treat animals with the dignity they deserve. :-)
If they make this movie, they should have laser cats be the weapon of choice.
I second that motion.
Quality of articles/general reporting on here has gone through the roof the last week or so. Great job – keep it up.
I can’t wait for the future where robots age like humans.
Wouldn’t watch another movie with him in it if they paid me.
This is the Terminator film where the cyborg has very loose skin and chases people with the assistance of a walker
The age jokes are dumb and not needed. Take your agism elsewhere.
It’s the MOVIES, friends. Arnold will be made to look like a mix of Vin Diesel and Brock Lesner’s older, meaner brother. Reality doesn’t count for anything here. If the film has enough close-ups of Ahhhhnold’s mug mouthing some catchphrase and enough stuff being blown up or tossed several blocks… and maybe a good-looking blond babe or two tossed into the “plot” the picture will be gold. As was famously once intoned: “Nobody every grew poor underestimating the taste of the American People”. Hey, I’d buy a ticket to see some pure whambam escapism!
And that what fun movies should be not all this reality crap and who care if it is “Factual” Its suppose to be fantasy. In today’s world we need that.
First that Governator cartoon crap, now this. I wish Arnold had taken the classy way out, stayed in politics, joined a think-tank, gave speeches, worked in the 2nd Obama Administration on some level. He still could have gotten paid, think the Cheney/Halliburton people, they made BANK off politics. All this show biz stuff smacks of desperation. Arnold’s too old to go back to the glory days. I’ll buy him in the next Expendables (the whole idea being old, tough guys from the 80s; makes sense), but that’s it.
Have some dignity, Schwartz.
2nd Obama Administration? LOL, good one. Roll on snare drum.
top 2 jobs for Arnold in Obama admin
ambassador to Germany
secretary of working out (Obama’s trainer)
Hey there, Arnold came here from Austria, not Germany. Your already weak attempt at humor was a complete fail after that.
LMAO!
*administration
LOL – can’t wait.
CAA’s package or Arnold and Lin vs. WME’s package of Bale and McG. CAA wins again.
Only reason CAA package wins is because McG is trash. No need to be hating on Bale.
McG isn’t trash. I mean, sure, the terminators in his movie grabbed people and threw them around as opposed to, say, terminating them but if you get past that fact he’s a genius. Terminators who don’t terminate, genius I say.
In this one, The Terminator bankrupts the state of California.
Too late – that one has already been done. Oh, wait….
It’s okay with me as long as they pay Harlan Ellison more restitution.
So what was the point of making a movie with 2 great actors if they are going to re-invent it and let some shmeglemeisters ruin it?
I used to be excited about the Terminator films. Then I saw Terminator 3. But wait, they were rebooting it as a sci-fi war movie with Christian Bale. Then I saw that. Now I, like everyone else, just do not care.
I have a BA, a BS, and and MA, and I love to veg on terminator-type movies. No apologies. Can A act? No. But the concepts of time travel, robots, AI, and end-of-civilization scenarios are fascinating; the question of nuclear war is still relevant; the plot is sufficiently engaging–if ultimately predictable from an Aristotelian perspective; special effects are impressive w/o dominating; and the basic need for a cathartic experience in a Good vs Evil story is always satisfying. It’s the b*mb!
I didn’t think they could get any worse than McG.
Batter up!