'Terminator' Franchise Finally Has A Quality Producer!
Fri, May 13, 2011 
Well Terminator fans, after the past decade or so of being shit on by money hungry production companies (C2 Pictures, The Halcyon Company), the Terminator franchise is finally in the hands of a smart and quality-driven producer: Megan Ellison of Annapurna Films.
TOLDJA! reports from Cannes that Ellison has won the auction to the rights to make at least two more Terminator films with Justin Lin set to direct and Arnold Schwarzenegger attached to star.
The bidding war came down the Ellison's Annapurna Films and Lionsgate, who all but had the rights bagged until Ellison came in at the 11th hour and outbid the studio. While I think Lionsgate would have brought Terminator back to that low-budget, R-rated territory, I think it would have lacked the quality that Ellison can bring to the franchise. Translation: substance over style, and yes, free of studio control with the ability to make the film dark and R-rated.
Ellison has been making a name for herself recently as she's been funding terrific films such as last year's True Grit from The Cohen Bros., and next year's The Wettest County in the World being directed by John Hillcoat. She's also been linked with talented Hollywood names such as Kathryn Bigelow, Paul Thomas Anderon, and Spike Jonze.
Point being, this is exactly what the Terminator franchise ordered as they needed a production company that would put story and characterization first.
Terminator fans rejoice.
Reader Comments (1)
Congrats to ellison I wish them the best of luck. Can't wait to see what they do with the property.