The Terminator franchise faces a potentially rocky future, according to a report published by Variety that predicts a bidding war for the rights to future installments.
Terminator Salvation – which hits our screens in the coming weeks – is distributed by Warner Bros. in the US and Sony for international territories. However production company Halcyon owns the rights themselves and, according to the trades, they have a deal in place with rival studio MGM that gives them a 30-day right to first refusal to finance and distribute a Salvation sequel.
MGM turned down the chance to bankroll T4 because Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t involved and Christian Bale was not yet onboard. However if Salvation turns a huge profit, and with director McG and Bale committed to future installments, they are expected to bid for the film.
Why should you care? Because there is the chance that production on Terminator 5 could be seriously delayed by a studio bidding war. If T4 makes serious money, every studio will want a piece of the action.
