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Terminator (franchise)

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This article is about the entire Terminator franchise. For the television series, see Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

The Terminator series is a franchise encompassing a series of science fiction films and ancillary media concerning battles between Skynet's artificially intelligent machine network, and John Connor's Tech-Com forces and the rest of the human race. Skynet's most well-known products in its xenocidal goals are the various terminator models, such as the original "Terminator" character, portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger in three films.

Films

The Terminator

Main article: The Terminator

The Terminator is a 1984 science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Michael Biehn. It is the first work in the Terminator franchise. In the film, machines take over the world in the near future, directed by the artificially intelligent computer Skynet. With its sole mission to completely annihilate humanity, it develops cyborg assassins called terminators that look exactly like humans. A man named John Connor starts the Tech-Com resistance to defeat them and free humanity. With a human victory imminent, the machines' only choice is to send a terminator back in time to kill John's mother, Sarah, before he is born, preventing the resistance from ever being founded. With the fate of humanity at stake, John sends Kyle Reese back to protect his mother and ensure his own existence.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Main article: Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the 1991 sequel to the original Terminator film, written, directed, and produced by James Cameron and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, and Robert Patrick. After the machines failed to prevent John Connor from being born, they try again, this time attempting to kill him as a child with a more advanced terminator, the T-1000. As before, John sends back a protector for his younger self, a reprogrammed Terminator, identical to the one from the previous film. After ten years of preparing for the future war, Sarah decides to use the same tactics the machines used on her: prevent Skynet from being invented by destroying Cyberdyne before they create it.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Main article: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is the 2003 sequel to the record breaking Terminator 2, directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes, and Kristanna Loken. As a result of the destruction of Cyberdyne at the end of T2, the Skynet takeover has been postponed, but not averted. In a last attempt to ensure a machine victory, a new terminator, the T-X, is sent back to kill as many high ranking resistance officers as possible, including John Connor and his future wife Kate. After the future Connor is terminated by an identical model to his previous protector, Kate reprograms it and sends it back to save them both from the T-X.

Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins

Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins is the upcoming 2009 fourth installment to the Terminator film series, written by David Campbell Wilson, John Brancato, and Michael Ferris, directed by McG,[1] and starring Christian Bale as John Connor.[2] Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, and Claire Danes will not be returning.[3][4] Shooting of the film is expected to start on April 15, 2008 in Budapest.[3]

On May 9, 2007, it was announced that rights to the Terminator series had passed hands from producers Andrew G. Vajna and Mario Kassar to the Halcyon Company, a privately funded company formed by entrepreneurs Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson. In the Variety article detailing the purchase, it states the fourth film is now earmarked for a summer 2009 release and will focus on a 30-year old John Connor in what the producers hope will be a new trilogy. Series creator James Cameron is currently not involved with the project.[5] Variety also mentioned that Warner Bros. has McG prepping the film.[6]

On July 19 2007, it was revealed that the Terminator 4 project is currently in legal limbo due to a lawsuit between MGM and Halcyon subsidiary T Asset. According to the article, MGM has an exclusive window of 30 days to negotiate for distribution of the Terminator films. When negotiating for Terminator 4, Halcyon rejected their initial proposal, and MGM suspended negotiations. After the 30 days were over, MGM claimed that the period during which negotiations were suspended did not count and their exclusive period is still open. Halcyon is now asking a court for an injunction allowing them to approach other distributors.[7]

The plot and storyline of the film takes place after the events of T3 around 2014 and focuses mainly on the war between man and Skynet. John Connor will continue to be the central character along with a new character named Marcus, who will have "equal presence."[8] However, other sources say that the film will instead focus on Marcus.[9]

It is unknown how the plot of the film will have any bearing on the Sarah Connor Chronicles, or vice versa, as the Chronicles have been reported to be occurring in a different timeline.

Television series

Main article: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

A television series titled Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is currently in production for the FOX network, with Lena Headey as Sarah Connor and Thomas Dekker as John Connor. The series, created by Josh Friedman, will center on Sarah and John after Terminator 2 as they try to "live under the radar" after the explosion at Cyberdyne. Based on the trailer, Summer Glau will play a female terminator protecting the Connors, with at least one more terminator villain. Executive producer James Middleton confirmed in Variety that the series will contain a link to Terminator 4.[10]

Cast and characters

Character Film
The Terminator T2: Judgment Day T3: Rise of the Machines TS: The Future Begins
Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger  
John Connor   Edward Furlong** Nick Stahl Christian Bale
Sarah Connor Linda Hamilton  
Kate Brewster   Claire Danes  
Kyle Reese Michael Biehn*  
Miles Dyson   Joe Morton  
T-1000   Robert Patrick  
T-X   Kristanna Loken  
Dr. Peter Silberman Earl Boen  

* A dreamt vision of Reese appears only in the extended cut of T2.

** Michael Edwards also plays an older John Connor in a brief, nonspeaking role.

Other media

There have been several book series and graphic novels associated with the Terminator series. The films have been novelized as well.

Books

Comics and graphic novels

Games

See also: List of Terminator computer and video games

The franchise has been expanded with many computer and video games, where many are concerned mainly with the future war, rather than the time travel.

Attraction

There is a theme park attraction, T2 3-D: Battle Across Time, at Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood, which was co-written by James Cameron.

References

  1. ^ Borys Kit. "Bale to segue from "Dark Knight" to "Terminator"". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  2. ^ Serpe, Gina (2007-12-02). "Bale Goes Batty For Terminator 4". Comcast.net Entertainment. Retrieved 2007-12-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b Alison Maloney (2007-12-28). "Arnie won't be back for T4". The Sun. Retrieved 2007-12-28. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Killermovies (2005-02-01). "Nick Stahl Confirms 'Terminator4' No-Show". Killermovies.com. Retrieved 2005-02-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ Fleming, Michael (2007-05-09). "More 'Terminator' on the way". Variety. Retrieved 2007-05-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Michael Fleming, Pamela McClintock (2007-10-30). "Studios prep backup plan". Variety. Retrieved 2007-10-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ Franklin, Garth (2007-07-19). ""Terminator 4" In Legal Limbo". Dark Horizons. Retrieved 2007-07-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Missy Schwartz (2007-12-14). "Terminator Secrets Revealed!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
  9. ^ Devin Faraci (2007-12-19). "THE FUTURE BEGINS HERE". CHUD. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  10. ^ Adalian, Josef (2005-11-09). "'Terminator' Re-tools". Variety. Retrieved 2007-05-17.
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