Netflix seems to be borrowing dialogue from one of its latest franchises in regards to an old IP: “come with me if you want to live.,” Following in the footsteps of countless other aging franchises, Netflix has announced an all-new Terminator anime series!
The currently untitled Terminator anime series is coming following the general decline of the film franchise over the years. Skydance, who owns the Terminator franchise rights, is collaborating with Netflix to produce the new show to bring something fresh to the franchise without the massive budget a blockbuster film requires. They are also partnering with Production I.G. on the project, which is the anime studio responsible for projects like the recent Ultraman (2019), Ghost In The Shell: SAC 2045 (2020), and Batman: Gotham Knight (2008).
Mattson Tomlin, who recently wrote Netflix’s Project Power (2020) and The Batman (2022) is on board to write the Terminator anime series and will serve as showrunner and executive producer on the project.
In a statement about the newly announced Terminator series, Tomlin expressed his lofty goals for the project, saying:
Anyone who knows my writing knows I believe in taking big swings and going for the heart. I’m honored that Netflix and Skydance have given me the opportunity to approach Terminator in a way that breaks conventions, subverts expectations and has real guts.
Netflix’ Vice President of Japan & Anime (yes, we are as shocked as you are to find out that is an actual job title and equally disappointed to find out someone already has the job) John Derderian seems absolutely thrilled about the project, saying:
Terminator is one of the most iconic sci-fi stories ever created – and has only grown more relevant to our world over time. The new animated series will explore this universe in a way that has never been done before. We can’t wait for fans to experience this amazing new chapter in the epic battle between machines and humans.
Netflix has recently had a renewed focus on new anime series based on established brands. They already have their well-received Godzilla anime film trilogy and the recently released Pacific Rim: The Black, with new shows based on both King Kong and Tomb Raider in the pipeline for the near future. Terminator looks to be in excellent company as it joins the Netflix stable.
We’ve had six Terminator films over the years, and this surprisingly isn’t even the first time we’ve seen the franchise adapted for episodic television! Previously, Terminator was adapted as The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which ran for a short-lived two seasons way back in 2008 with much acclaim from critics and fans alike. While that live-action television series was very well received and had a strong fanbase, ultimately, that fanbase just wasn’t big enough to keep the series on the air. Hopefully, that won’t be the case this time around and the show will keep going until it finishes its story.
There is currently no information on casting or a release date for this new Terminator anime series, but we will be sure to keep you posted as more info becomes available.
Do you plan on checking out Netflix’s new Terminator anime series? What are you hoping to see from a new story set in this world? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below and be sure to stick around Geek Anything for more Terminator updates!
