Join Empire | Log In RSS  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  iPhone App
The Empire office TV is switched off. Empire Magazine
Search   
Empire Magazine
Join Empire
Get our free weekly newsletter

 
Oscars 2010 Microsite
Coverage of the 82nd Academy Awards
X-Files Season 1
Subscribe to Empire magazine today

Movie News

LATEST HEADLINES
TODAY
Is Saw VII The Last One?
Final piece of the jigsaw?
Penelope Cruz Suffers Melancholia
Is she Von Trier's next leading lady?
More Movie News

RELATED REVIEWS
EMPIRE ESSAY: The Terminator
Empire Star Rating

Cinema Releases
DVD Releases

02 November 2009
Want To Buy The Terminator?
Rights to franchise being auctioned off
Source: The Financial Times

Want To Buy The Terminator?

Pssst! Mister! Wanna buy an unstoppable killing machine from the future? Barely used, not a mark on 'im, got a certificate of authenticity somewhere in me van. 'Course, you don't get none of his screen outin's to date; it'd only be for future films, like. Ahem. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, The Terminator rights are up for auction, and it's anyone's guess who  John Connor and his robot enemies will end up with.

Halcyon, the company that made Terminator Salvation, is putting the rights on the block this month, with every major studio having expressed an interest as well as smaller outfits like Summit, Platinum Equity and Media Rights Capital.

Sony Pictures, who distributed the latest film around the world (Warners had it in the US), are said to be leading contenders for the franchise, but if we've learned anything from daytime TV it's that auctions could go any which way.

A bigger question will be how much they go for. The last film didn't quite deliver the huge box-office that the makers undoubtedly hoped for, and the TV series The Sarah Connor Chronicles struggled for ratings and was cancelled after only two seasons (one of those abbreviated by the writer's strike). While there's undoubtedly affection for the franchise and loads of name recognition, it may be worth a little less now than it might have been a few years ago.

Helen O'Hara

Have Your Say...
We want to know what you think? To have your say on this, and all of Empire's news stories, register here or login now.


Previous Story
This Is It Storms US Box Office
Paranormal Activity in second place
Next Story
Exclusive: Iain M Banks Talks Culture
His inner nerd is concerned.

Advertisement


Your Comments
RE: Wheedon's Terminator
L: Timon Apparantly Joss Wheedon wants it - news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8342203.stmote] I think it's pretty clear he's knocking the whole situation, rather than a real bid.  Mind you if it really were to be available for £6000.  We should freakin' buy it! ... Read More

Invader_Ace About me

20:21, 04 November 2009 | Report This Post
RE: Wheedon's Terminator
Is that all he's bidding? Frak, maybe I should use my award money and buy the Terminator rights. ... Read More

Tech_Noir About me

18:58, 04 November 2009 | Report This Post
RE: Wheedon's Terminator
L: Timon Apparantly Joss Wheedon wants it - news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8342203.stmote]   Then who will he blame when it all goes wrong a la Alien: Ressurection.   ... Read More

Rgirvan44 About me

16:45, 04 November 2009 | Report This Post
RE: Wheedon's Terminator
I enjoyed Salvation. I think it brought back my interest in the franchise (I never enjoyed the Sarah Connor Chronicles and thought it was overrated. Get over it). But I don't see why the rights are being sold again. McG and co should hold onto the. Salvation was proof McG was a victim of bad source material with Charlie's Angels and selling the rights to Terminator again just seems like overkill. Having said that, if someone buys it, I hope Joss Whedon never gets his grubby geekcore hands ... Read More

cenaris About me

15:43, 04 November 2009 | Report This Post
RE: Wheedon's Terminator
This idea worries me because I hated all those stupid vampire clips in Buffy. The computer imaging made them look like something from a silly horror movie and if they disappeared when she zapped them, exactly how dangerous were they. We want to keep T:SCC in it's original format without stupid computer graphics (apart from liquid metal of course). it could quite easily be turned in to a joke. ... Read More

KevinInScotland About me

15:00, 04 November 2009 | Report This Post
RE: Wheedon's Terminator
Apparantly Joss Wheedon wants it - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8342203.stm ... Read More

Timon About me

14:28, 04 November 2009 | Report This Post
RE: IT'LL BE BACK
So can we assume that anyone rumoured to have signed on for the next films (Bale, McG et al) are no longer officially involved?  That'd be a good thing in my opinion.    If I bought the franchise, I'd bring back the Sarah Connor Chronicles instead of making more films.  I think the film series has been ruined with parts 3 and 4 and I can't see a way that it can be revived successfully without a reboot - which I don't want either.  I'll discard Camero... Read More

LEEJGM About me

12:11, 03 November 2009 | Report This Post
IT'LL BE BACK
I dont think it will be to long before some one snaps up the rights, theres at least another couple of movies left in the franchise, hopefully they'll pick up where Salvation left off. Personally, i enjoyed McG's effort quite a bit, it wasn't spectacular but it was just a pretty decent "popcorn" action movie, one that i couldn't really find any major faults with. ... Read More

natman_begins About me

23:03, 02 November 2009 | Report This Post
The Bidding War wound not be fought in the future, it would be fought in the present...tonight
James Cameron should buy the rights and give us the kick-ass finale to the series that everyone wants, just like Ridley Scott is returning to the Alien franchise. McG was never the right director for Terminator. Come on JC, give us the future war prequel we've been dying to see since 1984! ... Read More

BenTramer About me

20:44, 02 November 2009 | Report This Post
RE: I'd but that for a dollar !
As long as it ain't gonna be fibbed off to some tunnel-visioned director like Emmerich or Boll I'm not that bothered.............maybe ... Read More

Sphinx About me

20:44, 02 November 2009 | Report This Post
Next Page

SUBSCRIBE TO EMPIRE
Subscribe To Empire Magazine
Subscribe And Get X-Files Season 1 DVD
Get the entire first season of the classic sci-fi series on DVD when you subscribe to Empire magazine!


CURRENT HIGHLIGHTS
Colin Firth on A Single Man
The Oscar nominee discusses his stunning latest role

Benicio del Toro on The Wolfman
The star talks delays, reshoots and getting furry...

10 Egregious Oscar Snubs
The worthy contenders that the Academy overlooked

Celebrity Stars In Their Eyes
The winners and losers when actors play real people

Movie Poster Mashups #56
Browse your iPod, iPad and Apple-related movie poster mashups


Back | Print This Page | Email This Page | Back To Top

EXCLUSIVE OFFERS
Free X-Files Season 1
Free when you subscribe to Empire
Subscribe Today »
Magazine Special Offers
Special offers on your favourite magazines
Latest Offers »
The Empire iPhone App
Every Empire film review at your fingertips
Click here »
 
Movie News  |  Empire Blog  |  Movie Reviews  |  Future Films  |  Features  |  Video Interviews  |  Image Gallery  |  Competitions  |  Forum  |  Magazine  |  Resources  |  Free Movies
 
Mojo4music  |  Q4Music  |  Kerrang!  |  Aloud.com  |  Kiss
 
© Bauer Consumer Media | Terms And Conditions | Our Data Promise To You | Contact Us | Empire FAQ
Bauer Consumer Media. Company number 1176085 (England). Registered Office: 21 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2DY