Genre: Action/Science Fiction.
Studio:
Twentieth Century Fox.
Production Company:
Lightstorm Entertainment.
Project Phase: Movies Rumored.
Who's In It:
No one knows if the principals from any of the previous Terminator movies would return without Cameron.
Who's Making It:
James Cameron may be back on-board as Producer and Screenwriter. Rae Sanchini (Producer).
Premise: Unknown.
Release Date: Unknown.
Developments:
Mid-December, 1998... Variety's Dish column reports that James Cameron is back on-board developing a new Terminator film.
Late October, 1997... Andy Vajna aquires 50% of the rights to the Terminator franchise in a bankrupcy auction.
Early October, 1997... Variety reports that due to runaway costs both James Cameron and Twentieth Century Fox will no longer be involved in the next sequel.
Mid September, 1997... Carolco producer Andy Vajna has bid a minimum $7.5 million to purchase the Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day prequel/sequel and film/television rights.
Comments: Small pieces of interesting gossip are starting to form. See Scoop Feedback.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
June 17, 1996... ": Has been confirmed by Cameron and other Hollywood execs... Probably will not enter serious development until 98 or 99... Current word is NO Schwarzenegger, but this is unconfirmed. Word is that it might possibly have a new Terminator or reprise the role of T-1000000, which is seen in the T2 ride at Universal currently." Cameron has not confirmed his involvement with any T3, mearly hinted at his interest in such a project. [Scoop submitted anonymously.]
July 4, 1996... This scoop reporter hears a rumor that has People magazine mentioning a blurb about this project being considered for development. Cameron may be commencing development as soon as Titanic wraps. But the annoucement of Avatar, could this development turn out to dispell the T3 rumors after all? [Scoop provided by 'shape'.]
September 11, 1996... Another fellow has heard rumors about a T3 project shaping up after Titanic. [Scoop provided by 'Lumiere'.]
September 24, 1996... In a recent issue of Film Review magazine, Arnold Schwarzenneger was discussing the shooting of Terminator 2 3-D. As he spoke of it, he stated very clearly that he was looking forward to "the new installment" after finishing his role as Mr. Freeze in the new Batman and Robin movie. He said that, after Terminator 2, Jim Cameron and all said they'd never go back to it, but after completing the Universal Studios ride, they were very anxious to carve out another sequel, with all the same crew on board. [Scoop submitted anonymously; originally appeared in Film Review magazine.]
October 6, 1996... A rumor has been heard on small entertainment radio and televison programs, and repeated on some 'net locales, that Arnold Schwarzennegger has accepted a $45 million dollar paycheck for T3. Coming Attractions has received no information that confirms the rumor. Also, with Cameron busy in production on Titanic and Warner Brothers' paying Schwarzennegger $25 mil plus additional revenues for his Mr. Freeze roll, it's highly unlikely that any discussion has happened - yet. We predict that it'll be another 6 months before any gossip turns into solid leads. [Scoops provided by a number of sources and scoop informants.]
This scooper hears that the story may revolve around the damaged T-800 arm left behind in the gear machinery. [Scoop reported by Sean P. Gormally.]
October 4, 1996... This fellow hears the T3 rumor on a early Oct '96 Irish movie review show hosted by Dave Fannings - The Movie Show. [Scoop provided anonymously.]
February 2, 1997... We hung onto this rumor to see if it would be followed up on, either by other scoopers or by the media, but it never panned out. The story goes that an employee of Fox confirmed that Arnold Schwarzennegger signed a contract to star in T3 on December 20, 1996. Details were not given. If this did indeed occur, it's been ultra-secret - and why would Fox keep it so? [Scoop supplied by 'GWL'.]
March 4, 1997... Some chatter overheard from no specific sources have Fox hoping for a T3 film to be released in the summer of 1999. In a perfect world, of course. [Scoop replayed by Christian and other sources.]
September 21, 1997... Carolco producer Andy Vajna (producer of Die Hard With a Vengence and Total Recall) has bid a minimum $7.5 million to purchase 50% of the rights for Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day prequel/sequel and film/television future projects. The court-authorized auction is set to go sometime within the next six weeks. Terminator producer Gale Anne Hurd owns the other remaining 50% of the franchise. The sale would need to win approval in U.S. Bankruptcy Court after the auction is held that would allow anyone else interested in outbidding Vajna the right to make an offer. With Vajna's sizable bid on the franchise, it's a good sign to Terminator fans that someone somewhere is planning to do something. But as one anonymous scooper asks, "What I'm wondering is, does having a possible TV sequel/prequel disrupt any plans for the upcoming Terminator 3?" Or is Vajna simply wanting to get in on the better-than-average chance that a T3 is wanted by Fox in the wake of Cameron's Titanic epic? [With help from Christian, 'jkaminski', Jeff, Mike Smith, 'dumbdog' and anonymously.]
October 7, 1997... Trade magazine Variety reports that both Twentieth Century Fox and James Cameron will not pursue their interest in creating another Terminator film. The magazine reports that both parties hesitate to get involved because the costs alone for the project's start-up - before even one foot of film has been shot - would be astronomically huge. This leaves in doubt the next step of the project, since Andrew Vajna's minimum $7.5 million bid for 50% of the film rights is due to be paid for at the October 14 bankruptcy auction of Carolco's half-share. Will anyone else bid on the property?
This pre-auction announcement could be simply to see if Vajna gets cold feet when faced with a possible goose egg. Gale Anne Hurd, producer of the first Terminator film and owner of the remaining 50% of the film rights, reportedly discussed Cameron's decision over the past weekend, and he refused to change his mind. This does not leave out the possibility that a new studio will aquire the franchise and develop its own sequel, but the chances of securing most, if not all, of the stars of the series would be dubious at best. Although Rae Sanchini, the president of Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment, said that the director had given his blessing for the remaining others interested in the property to pursue developing it, word is Arnold Schwarzenegger would not do the film without the involvement of Cameron. [Information sent to us by 'Rizzo', Christian, 'John Conner', Ernie T., 'osumartin', 'Baca350lb', John K., 'Ruok', 'Duncan MacCleod', 'mhilton', 'usc0dave' and anonymously.]
One of our scoopers had this to say about the latest development:
"Seems to me that if they announce a Terminator sequel, people will think Titantic is bad and the production companies involved will take a huge hit. Instead, they'll go full steam ahead with Titanic and discuss Terminator 3 at some point after that. Do you really think they will not cash in on the prospect of a third film? The money is there around the world and people want to see it." [Submitted by John K.]
This move by Fox and Cameron to announce their intention before the auction would place Vajna in an awkward position. He's committed himself to a minimum bid of $7.5 mil with Cameron and Fox definately out, Schwarzenegger unlikely to return and Linda Hamilton...well, she's Jim's wife for Pete's sake! Vajna could find himself owning one-half of a dead franchise, with the other half owned by Jim's ex-wife. Suddenly the phrase 'caught between a rock and a hard place' leaps to mind...
Let's face it: no one wants to see a T3 without Sarah Connor, without our favorite T-800 or without James Cameron's blessing. Fox and Cameron may be simply playing hardball, or they may simply be telling the truth and don't want to get involved in what appears to be an already-escalating power play over who gets what and for how much. Many of the scoopers felt that this appeared to be a heavy blow to the likelihood of seeing a T3 anytime in the near future.
October 26, 1997... Former Carolco producer Andy Vajna has aquired 50% of the Terminator franchise rights. Last week the rights went up on auction, where Vajna had already placed a minimum $7.5 million bid on them beforehand. Only Miramax studio head Bob Weinstein outbid Vajna, forcing the latter to eventually up his bid to $8 million. Now, what happens next? [Reported by Patrick Sauriol.]
September 20, 1998... This anonymous scooper had to be carried off in an ambulance after a coronary, but he yelled this at us before he passed out: "Dear god! [O]n E! Gossip News, they reported that Shaq would play a Terminator in Terminator 3. Holy cheese curls Batman!" He then gave out a mighty sigh and collapsed to our front stoop. Get well soon, eh? [Scoop reported anonymously.]
September 22, 1998...Okay, okay, okay. We've gotten scoops out the whizwhah decrying the Shaq rumor, decrying our sanity for publishing it, and decrying our mothers for ever birthing us. First of all, a big thank you to all those who were certain we had swallowed the rumor hook, line and sinker. We weren't born yesterday, but thanks for thinking so. We just report this stuff, we don't necessarily subscribe to it. As 'KarnageGOD' reports, "E! reported Shaq's actual SIGNING to play said Terminator a mere month after T2 came out, so we can see 'E' really should stand for BS." While we would never think of stooping to such harsh words--point taken.
That having been said, a few of you kind people have traced back the beginnings of the Shaqinator rumor, but rest assured we're skeptical of them too. So don't panic. Anyway, it's been mentioned that Shaq did appear in the T2 3-D ride down at Universal Studios Florida, showing off the benefits of equipment by Skynet. He's also made no bones about stating more than once that his dream movie role is to be a Terminator. Once was on Jim Rome's sports radio show, where according to one scooper Shaq said essentially, "...Arnold had been beating up on a bunch of little wimps in the first two, and now it was time to take on a real man." He's also expressed this sentiment at the MTV Movie Awards.
All respondents were both in agreement that (a) the movie is still in limbo and (2) Shaq's "Sam Jackson" approach to getting on board the next chapter may not wash with Cameron and company.
[Thanks to 'KarnageGOD,' 'thud,' 'truckfu,' and anonymous for helping us weed out the source]
October 2, 1998... Sorry, Shaq. Because Cameron rumors were getting out of hand, Cinescape decided to call Lightstorm Entertainment directly and get the skinnee. There, they spoke with Lightstorm President, Rae Sanchini. On Terminator 3, they're not really officially sure who even owns the rights to the franchise. Cameron is neither involved nor interested at present, and he and Lightstorm have no clue that anything, repeat anything, is happening on this project. And the idea that either Jim or Arnie would attempt this film without the other being involved--Sanchini called it "patently absured." Regardless, Cameron is officially on vacation for about a year and does not want to be caught behind a camera. [Originally appeared in Cinescape Online; reported by Widgett.]
December 15, 1998... Over the last three-and-a-half years this site's been in operation we've seen it all. Outlandish scoops that can't be true. Official press releases we hoped to God were false but turned out not to be. And even more impossible, outlandish scoops that...were eventually confirmed to be fact.
Case in point: James Cameron is returning back to the franchise that launched his career. If you would have asked us just yesterday we would have given it million-to-one odds. Thankfully, no one bet us.
However, one scooper knew what was going down for nearly two weeks prior to the story breaking. We'll get to that part of the story in a moment: first, let's play catch up and fill you in on what went down today.
Today Variety 'Dish' columnist Michael Fleming broke the news that sources tell him James Cameron is planning to write and direct a third Terminator feature. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to return now that Cameron is playing with his cyborg assassins again. Lightstorm bigwig Rae Sanchini will also produce. Fleming reports that the rights that Andy Vajna picked up for $8 million (formerly owned by Carolco and auctioned off) were sold to Fox after Vajna and Mario Kassar (Vajna's supposedly former partner at Carolco) bought Gale Anne Hurd's 50% share of the franchise. As Fleming reports, when Kassar and Vajna had 100% of the rights they realized Schwarzenegger wasn't going to play ball unless Cameron was included, and Cameron didn't want to step anywhere near the picture if Fox didn't produce the film. So, somewhere along the line Kassar and Vajna sold their rights to Fox. The way was open for Cameron to come back to the project, and that means Arnold isn't far behind.
Excuse me? What the hell happened while we were looking the other way? Were we asleep Gale Anne Hurd sold her share of the Terminator franchise? When did Fox aquire the whole kit-and-kaboodle? And is Kassar working with Vajna again? Last we heard the duo split up after Carolco went under and Vajna formed 21st Century Films, which died shortly after its birth.
How the hell did this all happen quietly and unreported until now?!?
Now back to our scooper who we thought was crying wolf. As you can imagine we get quite a lot of scoops here at CA, hundreds every day. Faced with that volume you have to imagine that some people who claim to have inside knowledge of a project are merely pulling our leg, or passing on rumors that have no basis in truth, or outright lying to us. Our job is to try and seperate the truth (or what sounds like it could be true) from the lies.
Enter our mystery scooper stage right. This fellow told us that Cameron and Schwarzenegger were going to work on T3 eleven days ago. When we originally read their email (we'll call them The Skynet Spy for now, since they asked us to keep their pseudonym anonymous) we dismissed it as one of the many false-sounding scooper we receive daily. I mean, c'mon! Every fanboy knows there's so much blocking the way of T3 from happening that it would take a miracle for two of the key players to come back to develop it -- and we would have heard rumblings about that!
In hindsight we now look back and recall a day in the late winter of 1996. We were scooped that a television star was going to be cast as the new Dark Knight of Gotham City. We thought our leg was being yanked again; everyone was 'scooping' us that a certain actor was going to be cast as Batman. This scooper turned out to be correct when Warner Bros. revealed George Clooney was going to be the new Batman...two weeks ahead of the official WB announcement.
We learned this: no matter how unlikely, how crazy the scoop sounds...there remains the chance it could be accurate. And that makes this job much more difficult than you can imagine, friends. How do you tell who's yanking your chain and who's scooping you the real deal when you can't confirm their identity or credentials? Answer: you can't. The scooper either makes a decision to reveal who they are so we can confirm (or at least feel pretty good) they could have access to that information, or they don't. If they don't, sometimes we have to place their scoops in the room of conflicting casting rumors about a certain tentpole film coming soon. Such was the case with Skynet Spy...but now their story can be told. They knew well in advance of the Variety scoop.
Here's Skynet Spy's first email, dated 12/4:
Skynet Spy's second scoop arrived two days later. By this time they were asking why we weren't posting their first scoop:
December 21, 1998... Now that the impossible has happened your Terminator emails have begun piling up in CA's Inbox. Among the many topics that readers have been speculating about will be whether or not Linda Hamilton will return to the role that catapulted her to fame. It's already well-known that she's filed for divorce from James Cameron, and many a speculator now figure that this development practically ensures a Hamilton-less T3. But according to a well-situated contact we spoke to last week, Hamilton may have promised the studio that she will act as a true professional and indeed return to play Sarah Connor again...if the right price can be decided upon. [Anonymous Cyberdyne employee.]
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