Schwarzenegger looks to be returning to the franchise that made him a star.
Deadline reports that Arnold Schwarzenegger is attached to a rights package that will see the actor returning to the ‘Terminator’ franchise. The package, which is currently being shopped around to studios, also has ‘Fast Five’ director Justin Lin attached to direct. The director has been rumoured to be involved with a new movie in the franchise for a while now.
It is thought that the project would cost studios at least €17 million to pick up, but of course that price tag does not include paydays for the actor or director. Universal, Sony and Lionsgate are believed to be strongly considering the package.
While no screenwriter is officially attached to the package, it was reported back in February that Universal was looking to re-team Lin and his ‘Fast Five’ screenwriter Chris Morgan for a fifth ‘Terminator’ outing. It is currently unknown if the new movie is a reboot or sequel.
Much like the Superman franchise, ‘The Terminator’ has a ticking clock behind the rights. Hedge-fund company Pacificor picked up the rights to ‘The Terminator’ for €19 million dollars back in early 2010, but the original rights holder, Hemdale, kept the North American rights they originally licensed from James Cameron. There is a stipulation in copyright law that if you assign your rights, you get them back in 35 years. In this case, Hemdale’s North Amercian rights will revert back to Cameron in 2018, meaning any future Terminator projects after that will require Cameron’s approval.
Following his tenure as Governor of California, 63 year-old Schwarzenegger has been attached to a number of projects; he recently unveiled his superhero animation ‘The Governator,’ he was in talks to star in Kim Ji-Woon’s first English-language film ‘The Last Stand,’ and was rumoured to be taking a role in the Antoine Fuqua-directed ‘The Tomb.’