At least it doesn't star Margaret Cho.

[Shockeye]

'Terminator' retools
Fox TV series will breathe life back into Connor family
 
By JOSEF ADALIAN

Posted: Wed., Nov. 9, 2005, 10:00pm PT

The "Terminator" franchise is rising again, this time as a Fox TV series.

Andy Vajna and Mario KassarMario Kassar's C2 Pictures, which produced the most recent "Terminator" feature, has pacted with Warner Bros. TV and scribe Josh FriedmanJosh Friedman ("War of the Worlds") for the tentatively titled "The Sarah Connor Chronicles." SkeinSkein will focus on robo-warrior Sarah Connor and her savior son John Connor.

Fox has made a pilot commitment to the project, with a significant penalty attached. Net declined comment on the project, which attracted serious interest from several webs.

Friedman is aboard to pen the pilot and serve as exec producer-showrunner of the series, which will take place in the fictional time frame between the second and third "Terminator" features. Vajna and Kassar will serve as exec producers, with C2 senior veepveep of development James Middleton also producing.

In addition, Vajna confirmed that C2 is in "the final phases of development" of a fourth "Terminator" pic (Daily Variety, Sept. 24, 2004) and that the series will have a link to what's being envisioned as a new feature trilogy.

"There will be a connection," Middleton said. Linda HamiltonLinda Hamilton is not expected to be involved in "The Sarah Connor Chronicles." And because the series will be focused on the Connor family, it's not anticipated that Gov. Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Schwarzenegger would be a regular part of the skein either regardless of his political fortunes a year from now.

Vajna and Middleton had no comment on any potential guest role for Schwarzenegger.

Middleton said the series will explore what happened to Sarah Connor after the end of "T2," when the character went on the run. "She has the weight of the world on her shoulder and she also has to raise a 14-year-old son who may be the salvation of the world," he said.

Friedman said his "challenge is trying to figure out how to reinterpret (Connor) for television."

Because the "Terminator" franchise involves time travel and alternate futures, Friedman believe he'll be able to take a few plot liberties in the series -- emphasis on "few."

"The last thing I want to do is take a title and exploit it," Friedman said. "The show needs to stand on its own while still being respectful of the franchise."

Unlike the features, "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" will not be non-stop shoot-'em-up or chase scenes, in large part because of the reduced budgets of television.

"There's going to be a healthy dose of both (action and family drama)," Friedman said, noting that the "Terminator" mythology "has a lot of big ideas in it that don't cost you a dime to explore."

"T3: Rise of the Machines," produced by C2 and Intermedia, grossed $427 million worldwide; the franchise overall has grossed more than $1 billion.

Vajna said C2 has been weighing an entry into TV via the "Terminator" franchise for nearly two years and said the company hopes to develop other projects for the medium.

After deciding to take the plunge, ICM-repped C2 pitched the idea to several studios, with Warner Bros. ultimately making the most sense, Vajna said. Warners handled domestic distribution of "T3."

Friedman, repped by UTAUTA, wrote the script for Brian De PalmaBrian De Palma's upcoming "The Black Dahlia."

[Evangolis]

Because the "Terminator" franchise involves time travel and alternate futures, Friedman believe he'll be able to take a few plot liberties in the series -- emphasis on "few."

Ooooh, the drama and suspense of never knowing when the story arc you've been following all season will turn into a dream sequence.

Sounds like the shark will be jumping early in this one.

[HaemishM]

The shark got jumped the moment Terminator 3 rolled onto theater screens. That was an execreble piece of shit that should never have been made and I try to pretend doesn't exist.

[Samwise]

The shark got jumped the moment Terminator 3 rolled onto theater screens.

What are you talking about?  There were only two Terminator movies.

ONLY TWO.

[Shockeye]

I liked the ending of Terminator 3 if only to show that no matter what you do you can't escape what is meant to happen.

[Bunk]

Come on now, T3 wasn't great, but it doesn't deserve to be wiped from existance like some other movies.

Highlander. They were right when they said there can be only one.

[Kenrick]

That was an execreble piece of shit that should never have been made and I try to pretend doesn't exist.

You just perfectly summed up my exact opinion of the final two Maxtrixes.

[Paelos]

So wait, we get to see the O'Conners deal with TV drama? Let me guess, John's new girlfriend turns out to be a cyborg from the future. Then next week, John's math teacher is actually a cyborg from the future, with a very special guest appearance by Ashley Simpson.

[Jeff Kelly]

First to make something clear

- there is no Terminator 3
- there is only one highlander movie
- Matrix 2 and three only exist in your imagnination
- The Star Wars prequels have never been made

Anyone who says different is a liar and I do not want to hear anything about it. La, La, La, La, la *puts hands over ears*

Secondly the new terminator series will run on the fox network so it will most probably be launched in the worst timeslot that they can imagine, will be moved around to different timeslots on a random basis without notice and will be preempted for every sports event under the sun from football to highland games. At least if it is decent.

If it's crap it will run on primetime for years and there will be crossovers to other hip teen dramas like the o.c.

[Der Helm]

If it's crap it will run on primetime for years and there will be crossovers to other hip teen dramas like the o.c.

Don't get me started on the utter shitfest that is o.c. 

[ahoythematey]

I liked Terminator 3.  Just to really aggravate the haters, I'm going to let you in on a secret: I liked it far more than Lost in Translation.

[HaemishM]

will be preempted for every sports event under the sun from football to highland games.

For some reason, I read that as highland GNOMES. Which honestly, Fox would pre-empt their best stuff just to show two gnomes from the Scottish Highlands wrestling.

Also, Lost in Translation was pretty boring.

[AOFanboi]

I liked Terminator 3.

Me too, especially because it leads up to this happy ending that (contrary to Hollywoodisms) never comes. I love a good movie that doesn't end with a tacked-on deus-ex-machine happy ending. (I loved the happy ending in Wild at Heart for a related reason, because Lynch obviously played a joke on the syndrome by slapping on that totally unreal Love me Tender thingy.)

In many ways all three Terminator movies have non-happy endings.

Other "fatalist" movies are 12 Monkeys, Miller's Crossing and of course Thelma and Louise. Also Seven.

[Shockeye]

Other "fatalist" movies are 12 Monkeys, Miller's Crossing and of course Thelma and Louise. Also Seven.

How is Se7en a "fatalist" ending? Brad Pitt was freed of that nag Gwenneth.

[stray]

I'll remember T3 for the wideload trailer chase scene and only that. That's where all the budget went to anyhow.

I can't deny my love for watching things blow up, so I'll give it some credit at least.

[Merusk]

Bleh. I'm sure the conversation that sparked this idea started with something like, "Hey, Star Wars is doing a TV show. What franchises do we have that can compete?"

The problem with all American TV shows is they're looking for a sustainable, permanent idea.  The next Dallas or Simpsons or Falcon Crest that can run and run and run.  I'd rather see the British or Japaneese or B5, here's a story we're going to tell it and then it'll go away.  It provides a lot more enttertainment when you don't have to keep reinventing the show, or force a lack of character development and progression, IMO.

I didn't think T3 sucked as much as it didn't live-up to people's expectations.  I'm not saying it was of the same quality as the second one, but it was at least as good as the first.  I think the weakest part of the movie was it went back on the idea of the second movie and said the future is predetermined, and you can't change it.  Well, if that's the case Skynet's effort to kill JC is futile anyway, because it's destined to be destroyed.  Kinda screwey.

Other "fatalist" movies are 12 Monkeys, Miller's Crossing and of course Thelma and Louise. Also Seven.

Also add Brazil. Being a fan of the 'dark ending' movies myself, I know there's others, but I just can't come up with them right now. 

[lamaros]

fatalist != dark.

By some interpretations 12 Monkeys is neither fatalist or dark. I guess people choose to see it as they see it.

(oh, and Matrix one sucked too)

[Sky]

So wait, we get to see the O'Conners deal with TV drama? Let me guess, John's new girlfriend turns out to be a cyborg from the future. Then next week, John's math teacher is actually a cyborg from the future, with a very special guest appearance by Ashley Simpson.

Just to stick with my Heathenism, this is how I feel about Battlestar Galactica. Hey, look who's a cylon this week! It's Ashlee!

Ashlee debuted at #1 on the charts, folks.

[Ironwood]

I liked Terminator 3.  Just to really aggravate the haters, I'm going to let you in on a secret: I liked it far more than Lost in Translation.

Lost in Translation was God awful.  Some Art School project that went horribly wrong.

I just wanted them all to be chopped up by Katana Wielding Bikers.


Terminator 3 was ok.  But the problem with it was the 3rd Terminator was just downright silly.  The fact she was female was silly (for the reasons given), the abilites that she had were silly, the liquid metal stuff with hard metal underneath was silly.  Controlling cars with the power of nanites ?  Silly.

Hell, even the gratuitous arse shot at the start of the film was silly.

[ahoythematey]

Nice "Black Rain" reference.  God that was such a better movie than Lost in Translation.

[tazelbain]

LIT is great.
The fact it being even mentioned in along side T3 shows you people have mental health issues.

So what's the next topic Clerks vs. Matrix?

[stray]

Black Rain kicks ass.....I still like Lost in Translation though. Just because it's more portrait than plot doesn't mean it's art faggy.

Plus...Scarlet's ass. And Bill Murray. But mainly Scarlet's ass.

[ahoythematey]

I enjoyed Lost in Translation, but I think Bill Murray had a better dramatic turn in The Razor's Edge, and I also tend to start disliking average movies that are critically hailed as Robot Jesus.

[Ironwood]

I put it to you that if you took out Scarlett and Murray, you would have a film that got lost in its own mediocrity.

It had nothing to say and did so for an hour and a half.

Hey, Cultural differences !  Wow.  That's deep.  Look, Age differences.  WoW, Deeper.  OMG, Gender differences !!!! ZOMG THAT IS SO DEEP.

Seriously, wtf.


I now look forward to someone telling me that I just didn't understand it.  That's always a giggle.

[stray]

I now look forward to someone telling me that I just didn't understand it.

No, actually you did. You just didn't appreciate it, and that's fine too.

[ahoythematey]

So what's the next topic Clerks vs. Matrix?

Clerks is funnier than "The Matrix", "The Thirteenth Floor" was a better virtual world movie than the matrix.

[HaemishM]

So what's the next topic Clerks vs. Matrix?

Clerks is funnier than "The Matrix", "The Thirteenth Floor" was a better virtual world movie than the matrix.

Yes. The Matrix (first one) just had more style, which couldn't sustain it through movies 2 and 3.

Lost in Translation would not have been anything without Murray or Scarlett. It would have been even more boring. No one could make that movie more than a portrait piece, because really, it was a short film with lots and lots of uncomfortable silences.

[Furiously]

Ok - today's class topic. Discuss the parallels between Tron and The Matrix. Who makes a better Jesus? Flynn or Neo? Was the matrix just a stylish Tron?

[HaemishM]

Light cycles pwn flying motorcyles.

[ahoythematey]

Tron has David Warner.  End of discussion.

[Ironwood]

Batman Begins is Fucking Ace.

Thank you for listening.

[tazelbain]

Ya, but Gary Oldman as a good guy?  That's just wrong.

[Furiously]

Oh like you didn't mentally add "Mr. Anderson." to every line of Agent Smith's in Lord of The Rings?

[Ironwood]

Heh.

[stray]

Ya, but Gary Oldman as a good guy?  That's just wrong.

Actually, I always thought he'd make a good Jesus (heh, he has played Pilate though). He'd be even better at it than the other guy who gets more bad guy roles than not (Defoe, who has played Jesus).

Lost oppurtunity though...He's starting to look old.