I’ll be back is a line of dialogue that needs no introduction. First uttered by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s towering android assassin in The Terminator all those years ago, the catchphrase has since been used in practically every film starring the Austrian Oak, including all four sequels to James Cameron’s sci-fi classic.
As it happens, it’s also an apt response for Schwarzenegger to call upon after one story suggested that he was essentially finished with the iconic franchise. Not so, it seems, after the actor told Fandango in no uncertain terms that, “I’m looking forward to doing another Terminator movie, yes.”
The outlet caught up with Arnie in anticipation of Aftermath, a gruelling depiction of loss and grief that evokes memories of his memorable turn in 2015’s Maggie. It was here that Fandango asked Schwarzenegger about the current state of the Terminator series, which has essentially been placed on ice ever since Paramount pulled the plug on its trilogy plans for Genisys. But just because one studio pumped the brakes doesn’t mean another can’t pick up the slack, and considering that Skynet Skydance is gearing up for a major announcement in 2017 – one which surely involves James Cameron and Tim Miller’s nascent project in some capacity – The Terminator is far from dead.
Per Fandango:
I don’t want to call it, like, fake news, like the president calls it, but I think people just write things – I have no idea why. Just because Paramount doesn’t want to pick up the Terminator franchise, you have 15 other studios willing to do it – that doesn’t mean the Terminator franchise is finished, right? It just means they are on their way to negotiate with another studio, but I can’t give you the details of that. They’ll announce that. But, yes, the Terminator franchise is never finished. And remember that after 2018, James Cameron is getting it back, and then it will continue on!
So, there you have it; The Terminator purportedly has a “very bright future” ahead of it, according to Skydance CEO David Ellison, and it’s one that will make room for Arnold Schwarzenegger despite reports to the contrary. But is this the direction in which you want the franchise to head? Do let us know.