Terminator 5 could find a home over at Paramount Pictures, according to recent reports.
The project has been kicked around for quite some time now. Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures and David Ellison’s Skydance Productions are reportedly producing the long-awaited sequel, though the film has had a tough time getting off the ground. Should it happen, Paramount might distribute the film into theaters.
The Wrap reports that Megan Ellison spent around $20 million to secure the rights to the Terminator franchise back in 2011. However, there could be a serious problem for Ellison if she’s unable to get a sequel going in the next few years.
Under a new North American copyright law, the rights to the Terminator series could revert back to director James Cameron 35 years after the release of the original film. If the follow-up fails to happen, then Cameron will acquire the rights in 2019.
IGN reports Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier are responsible for penning the latest version of the script. Director Justin Lin was reportedly on-board for Terminator 5 at one point, though he later dropped out to work on Fast and Furious 6 .
While Lin was forced to drop out due to his obligations to the Fast and the Furious franchise, he is said to have left the door open for a possible return should Terminator 5 get delayed. However, nothing about his involvement with the project has been announced as of this writing.
Towards the beginning of the year, action star Arnold Schwarzenegger said he was on-board for the next installment of the Terminator series. This is certainly good news for fans of the franchise, as he was sorely missed from Terminator: Salvation .
Director McG’s contribution to the series wasn’t well-received when it arrived back in 2009. The $200 million sequel only managed to generate around $125 million in receipts during its theatrical run in North America. Foreign audiences were a bit more receptive; the film made approximately $246 million overseas.
Are you looking forward to Terminator 5 ? What do you think about Paramount Pictures possibly distributing the sequel?