[UPDATE: Schwarzenegger has announced that he's putting all of his upcoming film projects on hold.]
I’m going to restrain myself from making the obvious “I’ll be back…” joke, but suffice it to say – it looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger is indeed returning to the Terminator franchise.
The development of a fifth theatrical outing gained considerable momentum after Schwarzenegger announced his intentions to return to acting back in February.
The hedge fund company Pacificor acquired the rights to the Terminator series last year and it was made clear that they were under no obligation to continue on with the trilogy that Terminator Salvation was intended to start. At this point, it’s still unclear which direction future installments might take or how they’re going to navigate through the increasingly convoluted continuity.
Schwarzenegger was immediately inundated with offers after leaving office and Terminator 5 was one of the first projects he was rumored to be eyeing. Evidently, his desire to step back in front of the camera convinced Universal that this was the right time to relaunch the iconic franchise. They quickly tossed Fast Five director Justin Lin into the mix – and Lin later confirmed that he spoke with Schwarzenegger about appearing in the film.
Pacificor is now looking to finalize a deal for the financing and distribution of Terminator 5 and they’ve been shopping the project around to several studios. Lin is still attached to direct, but according to Deadline the real selling point is that Schwarzenegger is now officially on board as well.
Fast Five scribe Chris Morgan was reportedly involved with Terminator 5 at one point, but it looks like the film is currently without a writer. Robert Cort (Runaway Bride, Save the Last Dance) will produce and Deadline claims that Universal, Sony, and Lionsgate are already giving serious consideration to Pacificor’s package.
Schwarzenegger has been linked to several other films including Ji-Woon Kim’s The Last Stand and Antoine Fuqua’s The Tomb. There’s also the upcoming Governator animated series, comic book, and 3D feature film. The Terminator remains his most iconic character, however, and Terminator 5 would arguably put him back in the spotlight in a much more dramatic fashion.
Of course, the notion of Schwarzenegger returning to the series has left many of us wondering whether or not that would even work. I suppose a lot of it depends on how they decide to utilize him. Would he play a supporting (and non-cyborg) role while a younger actor (possibly Vin Diesel) does all of the heavy lifting? Or will Schwarzenegger slip on the leather jacket and sunglasses once again while the filmmakers offer a preposterous excuse for why The Terminator now looks like he’s sixty-three?
Honestly, if it’s the latter approach – count me out. I love the first two Terminator movies and I understand how iconic Schwarzenegger’s performance is – but isn’t it about time that someone makes a real effort to carry this franchise on without him? At this point, I’ve pretty much had my fill of John Connor stories and slight variations on the same basic plot template. Salvation definitely dropped the ball with its execution, but I think a story set during the Future War is still brimming with potential.
I know that Schwarzenegger’s involvement is a business decision first and foremost, but I really hope they find a way to use this opportunity to play with audience expectations and do something surprising with him.
If nothing else, I guess we should probably just be thankful that they’re not remaking the original Terminator.
Source: Deadline.
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after t3 i have not or ever will spend a single dime on watching a terminator movie they ruined the franchise with the last two movies, i will only watch a terminator movie if james cameron and arnold are involved with making the movies
they severely ruined my favorite franchise of all time…
I think they sould be leave alone the saga!!!…I mean T4 was good…but that’s it!!!,,,T3 was the same…you cant do this movie without CAMERON…simple like that!!,,,he’s the heart of the franchise….
I loved terminator salvation. was finally good to see the trashed waste lands of earth being shown.
lets not do another running threw the city being chased by terminators movie that’s been done 3 times and the 3rd defiantly was poo
i would like to see more terminators blood and guts not this m15+ stuff come on lets make it awesome
The film series would be ruined by Vin Diesels involvement. I also think that Terminator Salvation was an excellent extension of the film series, and an improvement over the unexpectedly solid T3.
Salvation has already set the T5 storyline in place for me. Get Kyle Reese to safety send him back through time. Simple plot. Arnie could be the captured model human that Cyberdyne used to the cyborg version of him. Arnie escapes to aid Connor in getting Kyle back in time. Add in huge action scenes and voila, you have a solid T5. By the way…Arnie (the human one) should die via the cyborg one.
More or less I agree. Have Arnold be his human counter part and center the story around him,John and Kyle Reese working out the plan to send Kyle back to protect Sarah. Still plenty of action opportunity and character building. Borrow a little from TV series as well as movies to further story line.
The fact that Arnold is on board means little if the story is as awful as the last two. There was no character development in either of McDbag’s films except for sam worthington’s character, who freaking died anyway (and thus shouldn’t be in another film).
The basic storyline I would like to see is 1) Connor is disgraced after his costly move at the end of T4 and the resistance goes on without him or with him being demoted and removed from a leadership role. IMPORTANT: Connor, Reese and the state of the resistance should be the only characters that need development. Boosting a Sam Worthington at the expense of JC is wrong…it’s wrong!
2) the resistance begins getting their bums handed to them by Skynet (real Empire Strikes Back-type hopelessness and decline)and somehow Connor makes some big moves and begins to be respected again. Any such improvement in the resistance’s likely fate should be minimal and appear tenuous (or why do you need another movie).
3) The only role I could see for Arnie is that of an early model Hunter Killer like the one that is rampaging in the flashback scene of the first movie.
4) Reese would also have to begin distinguishing himself as it would make sense to send one of your best (though this should be saved for a third film).
5) MOST IMPORTANTLY: It would help if Christian Bale sounded like a person and not someone who needs an iron lung. Speech therapy is not just for those with brain damage.
*it is total BS to have the leader of the American resistance played by a Welsh actor!
It would be good to see Arnold in the terminator movie again. Who did they base the look of terminator from was it from a human if so may be they have him playing a important leader that gives the terminator the hardest fight it ever face
i am looking for T5 in 2012 and not in 2014.(arnold will be 67 and we cannot imagine him as terminator).so pls make it soon.
i am looking for T5 in 2012 and not in 2014.(arnold will be 67 and we cannot imagine him as terminator ).so pls make it soon.
I want Vin diesel to play in the next Terminateer 5 movie.
I want Arnold in terminator5 that’s all.Without Arnold it will be a b******* movie.No one can take Arnold’s place in terminator series.He is the real terminator.Salvation was BS.
Arnolds to old cuzzy. Unless the get him a terminator wheel chair thing to get around
Terminator 4 kicked arse
terminator 1 and 2 were the best. arnold played a good hero and villian in 1 and 2. terminator 3 was ok. but it had a crummy ending. i hated terminator 4 without arnold.