Title treatment for 'Terminator 3000'

With rights to the ‘Terminator’ franchise to return to James Cameron in 2016, the production company that currently owns those rights, Annapurna Pictures, is frantically trying to get their sequel, ‘Terminator 5’ produced. But it looks like we may see an animated version of the metal cyborg too. You see, Hannover House has already moved forward and will be actively developing the CG animated sequel to the original movie ‘Terminator’ called ‘Terminator 3000.’

When Hannover House CEO, Eric Parkinson, first announced this project in 2010, he had stated that the PG-13 aimed film would center on Sarah Conner, Kyle Reese, and the Terminator from the original film. Soon after he was slapped with a cease and desist order and everyone thought the project had fizzled out. The rights then went to Annapurna Films and not much was heard after.

Now, thanks to The Arnold Fans site, who tracked down Parkinson, we have more news as to what has become of this project.

Parkinson has confirmed that the movie is still in the works and hopes to team up with Annapurna Films to get it released.  So far, ‘Terminator 3000’ is just a spec and needs the approval and license of Annapurna Pictures to proceed since they own the rights.

“We have a good outline. We have a great story, and we potentially don’t want to turn it into a script now, because there’s going to be some creative input and we don’t want to paint ourselves into a corner and say, no, we envision it a different way. But we’ve got a pretty good framework for what we think will work. Who knows if this concept fits their overall plan for the franchise? Personally, I think it’s kicks-ass and would be a boost to the Terminator brand by introducing a new generation of viewers.”

Although there has been speculation as to the use of the aging Arnold Schwarzenegger working on ‘Terminator 5,’ Parkinson has a way around how not to age the cyborg in his film.

“What we have in mind is something very similar to what Cameron utilized in Avatar in that we would use motion capture to create the base files of the bulk performers, including The Terminator. But yeah, it would be more of a 3D style motion capture proposed to live actors.”

The idea would be to create a computer image of Schwarzenegger “at his peak” and have him voice the role of the T-800. Parkinson actually broached the subject to Schwarzenegger  at a convention who was open to this project as long as Annapurna was on board. “We’re excited about it,” says Parkinson, “and we think it makes perfect sense and with all due respect to Arnold, I think this would be another great and quick way for him to get another movie out with just a short time in a recording studio.”

So where in the development process is Hannover House with bring ‘Terminator 3000’ to life?

“It’s in the time being in the hands of Megan Ellison and her Annapurna Productions, whether or not they want to proceed. We reached out to them, communicated with her council and expressed our outline with the basic story structure with the proposed principal creative team and how it can be financed and how Annapurna Productions can make a lot of money with upfront licensing. But there are issues at play that I am not privy to. I think that most people are aware of how long this ticking bomb that this Terminator licensing exists before it goes back to James Cameron.”

Producer Megan Ellison of Annapurna Pictures has not commented on this issue but just last month did tweet about the company’s sequel, ‘Terminator 5’ and what the movie would be rated:

So I guess the ball is in Annapurna’s court and we’ll just have to wait and see if ‘Terminator 3000’ will actually get made. I do hope the T-800 does revert back to being a baddie in this version as Schwarzenegger played an excellent bad guy.

So which version would you be willing to pay to see?