Review: "Terminator: Genisys" is the Worst of the Terminator Films

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 11 (of 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

Terminator: Genisys (2015)
Running time:  126 minutes (2 hours, 6 minutes)
MPAA – PG - 13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and gun-play throughout, partial nudity and brief strong language
DIRECTOR:  Alan Taylor
WRITERS:  Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier (based upon characters created by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd)
PRODUCERS:  David Ellison and Dana Goldberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Kramer Morgenthau
EDITOR:  Roger Barton
COMPOSER:  Lorne Balfe

SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring:  Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke, J.K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Courtney B. Vance, Byung-hun Lee, and Bryant Prince

Terminator: Genisys is 2015 science fiction-action film from director Alan Taylor.  It is the fifth film in the Terminator franchise.  The film is essentially a remake, reboot, and re-imagining of the first film, The Terminator (1984).  In Genisys, a soldier travels back in time to 1984 to protect the mother of his commander, but finds that things are not the way he believed they were supposed to be.

Terminator: Genisys opens in 2019, where John Connor (Jason Clarke) leads the Human Resistance.  Conner is launching what he has told his soldiers is the final offensive against Skynet, an artificial intelligence system seeking to eliminate the human race.  After infiltrating a Skynet outpost, Connor discovers that Skynet has just activated a time machine that has sent a “Terminator” (a cyborg that hunts and kills humans), back in time to kill his mother before she gives birth to him.

Connor's right-hand man, Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney), volunteers to travel back in time to protect Connor's mother.  On his way through time, Reese witnesses events that shock him.  When he arrives in 1984, Reese finds that John Connor's mother, Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), is not the woman he expected to find.  And the Terminator that should be trying to kill Sarah is called the “Guardian” (Arnold Schwarzenegger), and he/it is also acting strangely.  Skynet still wants to kill Sarah Connor, but nothing is as Reese expected to find it.

The Terminator, the 1984 film co-written and directed by James Cameron, has aged well.  The film's pre-CGI effects still look good and are quite effective.  Other than Cameron's sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the other Terminator films are CGI-heavy, and CGI does not serve Terminator: Genisys very well.  It is as if the filmmakers have vomited their imaginations onto the screen, and there is a line of code to bring every chunk and fluid ounce of it to life.

I find that some film critics easily ignore and/or dismiss that at the heart of James Cameron's best and most famous films is a love story, and that was the heart of the first Terminator film.  Kyle Reese falls in love with Sarah Connor via the stories her son, John Connor, told him.  In the end, Reese risks everything to traverse the “oceans of time” to be with Sarah.  Whether you buy that love story or not, The Terminator 1984 was more than just a story about a two soldiers from the future shooting up Los Angeles circa 1984.

Terminator: Genisys, which is (let's be honest) a remake of the original film, tries and fails to recapture all the dynamism of the original Kyle Reese-Sarah Connor dynamic.  First Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese does not work for me because I keep thinking about the actor who first played Reese, Michael Beihn.  Emilia Clarke looks like a high school girl; she lacks the maturity and world-weary aura that Linda Hamilton had as the original Sarah Connor.  Schwarzenegger is tolerable, but Terminator: Genisys features his least charismatic version of the classic T-800 Terminator that first exploded on screen in 1984.

Terminator: Genisys is wall-to-wall action, and except for a few moments (mostly in the first half of the film), I found myself not very interested.  If you, dear readers, have seen the other Terminator films, see Terminator: Genisys for the sake of completion.

3 of 10
C-

Friday, January 15, 2016


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "Terminator Salvation" Remains a Fresh Take on the Franchise

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 3 (of 2009) by Leroy Douresseaux

Terminator Salvation (2009)
Running time: 130 minutes (2 hours, 10 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and language
DIRECTOR:  McG
WRITERS:  John D. Brancato & Michael Ferris
PRODUCERS:  Derek Anderson, Moritz Borman, Victor Kubicek, and Jeffrey Silver
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Shane Hurlbut (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Conrad Buff IV
COMPOSER:  Danny Elfman

SCI-FI/ACTION/WAR/THRILLER

Starring:  Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood, Helena Bonham Carter, Anton Yelchin, Jadagrace, Bryce Dallas Howard, Common, and Michael Ironside

Terminator Salvation is a 2009 post-apocalyptic science fiction film from director McG.  It is the fourth film in the Terminator film franchise.  The film is set in the year 2018, and focuses on a mysterious man who joins the resistance on the eve of an attack on Skynet, but whose side is he really on?

Seven years after the debut of The Terminator (1984), its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day arrived in 1991.  It was another 12 years before the third film, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) debuted, but only six years later, the fourth film, Terminator Salvation arrives.  This shorter gestation period likely isn’t why Terminator Salvation is good enough to be considered the second best film in The Terminator franchise.

Terminator Salvation finally takes us into the world only hinted at in the other Terminator films – the post-apocalyptic future that finds the remnants of the human race fighting the all-powerful artificial intelligence, Skynet, and its army of man-killing Terminators.  John Connor (Christian Bale) is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and the Terminators.  It was his mother that Skynet marked for termination before she could give birth to John, so they sent a Terminator back in time to kill her (as seen in The Terminator).  In Judgment Day, Skynet sent a Terminator back in time to kill a 12-year-old John Connor.

This new film opens in 2018, and John Connor is not in charge of the Resistance.  Connor continues, however, to study his past, through his memories and through the tape recordings his late mother left, as he tries to determine what Skynet’s next move might be.  Then, Connor learns that Skynet has made a human civilian named Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin), their top priority for termination.  Reese is a man who is of utmost importance to Connor’s existence, so Connor prepares to launch a rescue mission even if General Ashdown (Michael Ironside) and the Resistance leadership are against it.

Then, Connor meets Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row in 2003.  It seems that Wright’s appearance has altered what John knew the future to be.  Connor and Marcus embark on an odyssey into Skynet central operations in the ruins of Los Angeles, where they discover the truth of Skynet’s diabolical plans.

Any moviegoers that are familiar with the internal mythology of The Terminator films can follow all the twists and turns of this time-bending film franchise… for the most part.  Are there inconsistencies between Terminator Salvation and the original film (let alone the others)?  Yes, there are, but director McG (the Charlie’s Angels films) takes the script for this film (which apparently had at least six writers, if not more) and makes one of those great summer movies that keeps your eyes glued to the screen and just keeps you awestruck with the awesomeness of its action and special effects.  It’s fanboy eye candy.

It’s easy for critics and snobby fans to dismiss McG (whose name is Joseph McGinty Nichol), but in the case of Terminator Salvation, he makes the best use of his actors, getting superb performances out of Bale, Worthington, Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, and Jadagrace.  Plus, McG squeezes the best from the visual effects, special effects, and stunt crews.  When a director harnesses this effort to maximum effect, he can make that kind of action flick that is the Art of the summer movie.

There are times when McG and company stumble over themselves in an effort to both connect Terminator Salvation to the original films (especially the first two) and to be respectful of the originals, somewhat to the detriment of this film.  However, McG has led his cast and creative staff to the promised land of the great action film, one so stuffed with edge-of-the-seat thrills and breathtaking visuals that it won’t soon be forgotten.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, May 31, 2009

EDITED:  Thursday, November 5, 2015


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" Remains Entertaining

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 101 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Terminator 3:  Rise of the Machines (2003)
Running time:  109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sci-fi violence and action, and for language and brief nudity
DIRECTOR:  Jonathan Mostow
WRITERS:  John Brancato and Michael Ferris, from a story by Tedi Sarafian and John Brancato & Michael Ferris (based upon characters created by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd)
PRODUCERS:  Matthias Deyle, Mario F. Kassar, Hal Lieberman, Joel B. Michaels, Andrew G. Vajna, and Colin Wilson
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Don Burgess (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Nicolas de Toth and Neil Travis
COMPOSER:  Marco Beltrami

SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring:  Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes, Kristanna Loken, David Andrews, and Earl Boen

Terminator 3:  Rise of the Machines is a 2003 science fiction and action film from director Jonathan Mostow.  It is the third film in the Terminator film franchise.  In this film, Schwarzenegger's Terminator travels from a post-apocalyptic future to the present in order to protect 19-year-old John Connor and his future wife from a new and more lethal female Terminator.

So is it as good as T2?  Honestly, I wasn’t all that crazy about Terminator 2: Judgment Day.  Sure, the special effects were eye popping at the time; it was like watching actual, real magic on a movie screen.  There were many scenes that I liked, but overall, T2 seemed like some Gothic and ponderous beast, not at all like the lean and hungry fighting machine that was The Terminator, the original and still the best.  But rest assured, a good time is to be had in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

John Connor (Nick Stahl), the future savior of mankind in its war against the machines, is now 18.  In the nearly six years that have passed since the omnipresent Skynet sent a T-1000 to kill him and his mother, Connor has dropped out of society.  He’s off the grid:  no phone, no job, no credit card, and no home.  Judgment Day (originally set to occur in 1997), the day that the machines were supposed to launch nuclear war on humanity, has passed, and nothing happened.

John’s still afraid that something is going to happen.  He’s grown weary of his mantle when suddenly a T-X (Kristanna Loken), a female terminator, comes through time.  Vastly superior to previous terminators, the T-X is programmed not only to kill John but a future lieutenant, Kate Brewster (Clair Danes), as well.  Right behind her is the T-850 (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a replica of the terminator that saved his life as a boy, but this new model is holding dark and shocking secrets deep in its computer brain.

I have to give credit to director Jonathan Mostow (U-571) and the screenwriters for going for the jugular.  T3 is a wall to wall cartoon, occasionally it’s all balls out.  Not only is it so very cartoon like; it’s has the kind of outrageous and over the top stunts and action scenes that usually drawn by the best comic book artists.  Mostow lavishes mayhem and destruction with an attention to detail when it comes to delineating the rubble and fallout from destroyed buildings and cars.  I don’t think destruction has had such chaos and beauty since the Japanese animated film (anime) Akira.  In terms of shootouts, car chases, explosions, and bloody, gore-filled deaths, this is one of the fanciest, grandest B-movies ever made.  It so fun because you don’t have to think, but the movie is still good enough to hold your attention.  As insane as the pandemonium of T3 is, it’s not strained and forced like the disabled anarchy of Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.

T3 is certainly not as thoughtful as its predecessors, being relatively philosophy free.  This time Arnold’s terminator is grimmer, darker, and more determined to follow his programming regardless of the feelings of the humans he has to protect, even those of his charge John.  Ms. Loken makes a fearsome T-X, and she certainly has moments when she could scare Dracula.  However, I found that her beautiful face made her seem a little too much like candy, more tart than dangerous.  The T-X is so powerful that it’s hard to believe that it could not carry out its programmed task.  Nick Stahl is an excellent John Connor, beset by doubts and fearful of the future.  Ms. Danes has her moments, but it takes awhile for her to warm up to the part.

Still, even the rough spots can’t take the fun out of this crazed trip of non-stop violent action.  Sometimes hilarious, often breathtaking, and thrilling from end to end, T3 fits right in with the other Terminator films, and it’s a hoot to boot.

7 of 10
A-

Edited:  Thursday, November 5, 2015


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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"Terminator: Genisys" on Digital HD October 20th and Blu-ray November 10th

Arnold Schwarzenegger is Back in the Global Blockbuster: TERMINATOR GENISYS - Debuting on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack November 10, 2015 and on Digital HD October 20

“You are going to love this movie.” — James Cameron, Director of The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day

HOLLYWOOD--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Called “one of the best action movies of the year” (Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee), the thrilling new chapter in the iconic franchise TERMINATOR GENISYS explodes onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, DVD, and On Demand November 10, 2015 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. The film arrives three weeks early on Digital HD October 20.

    “the best Terminator since T2: Judgment Day”

“Arnold is back and better than ever” (Shawn Edwards, WDAP-TV, FOX) in the movie hailed as “the best Terminator since T2: Judgment Day” (Mark Hughes, Forbes). In the war of man against machine, Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney, The Divergent Series) is sent back to 1984 by resistance leader John Connor (Jason Clarke, Everest) to protect his young mother, Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke, “Game of Thrones”). However, this time unexpected events have altered the past and threaten the future for all mankind. Now Reese must join forces with Sarah and her “Guardian” (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to save the world and stop the next evolution of Terminators.

The TERMINATOR GENISYS Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Combo Packs with Digital HD include nearly an hour of bonus content, featuring behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast and filmmakers, including the director of the first two films, James Cameron. Plus, take an in-depth look at the stunning visual effects and jaw-dropping action sequences, the recreation of iconic scenes from the original film, and more.

The Blu-ray Combo Packs also feature a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack, which delivers captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead, to bring entertainment alive all around the audience.

TERMINATOR GENISYS Blu-ray Combo Pack
The TERMINATOR GENISYS Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English Dolby Atmos* (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible), French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The combo pack includes access to a Digital HD copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-ray
Feature film in high definition
Bonus Content:

• Family Dynamics – Casting Terminator Genisys and how the actors filled some of the most iconic roles in cinematic history
• Infiltration and Termination – Go behind-the-scenes to San Francisco and New Orleans in a first-hand look at filming locations
• Upgrades: VFX of Terminator Genisys – Delve into the revolutionary visual effects behind the movie’s incredible action sequences

DVD
Feature film in standard definition

TERMINATOR GENISYS Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack
The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack includes all of the above, as well as a Blu-ray 3D presented in 1080p high definition with English Dolby Atmos* (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible), French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack available for purchase include a Digital HD Version of the film that can be accessed through UltraViolet™, a way to collect, access and enjoy movies. With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them—reliably and securely—to a variety of devices.

TERMINATOR GENISYS Single-Disc DVD
The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the feature film in standard definition.

*To experience Dolby Atmos at home, Dolby Atmos enabled AV receivers and additional speakers are required; however, Dolby Atmos soundtracks are fully backward compatible with traditional audio configurations and legacy home entertainment equipment.

http://www.TerminatorGenisys.com/
Pre-order Now: gwi.io/BuyTerminatorGenisys
#TerminatorGenisys

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions present a Skydance Production “Terminator Genisys.” Executive producers Bill Carraro, Laeta Kalogridis, Patrick Lussier, Megan Ellison, and Robert Cort. Produced by David Ellison, p.g.a. and Dana Goldberg, p.g.a. Written by Laeta Kalogridis & Patrick Lussier. Directed by Alan Taylor.


About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), home to premier media brands that create television programs, motion pictures, consumer products, and digital content for audiences in more than 180 countries and territories. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment and transactional digital distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and applicable licensing and servicing of certain DreamWorks Animation titles. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and transactional distribution across worldwide digital distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.

TERMINATOR GENISYS
Street Date:
November 10, 2015 (Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand)
October 20, 2015 (Digital HD)

SRP: $52.99 U.S. (Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack)
$39.99 U.S. (Blu-ray Combo Pack)
$29.99 U.S. (DVD)

U.S. Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and gunplay throughout, partial nudity and brief strong language
Canadian Rating:14A for violence and gory scenes

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Big Sean and Jane Zhang Record Song for "Terminator: Genisys"

CHINESE POP STAR JANE ZHANG AND G.O.O.D. MUSIC / DEF JAM RECORDINGS ARTIST BIG SEAN RECORD ORIGINAL SONG FOR “TERMINATOR GENISYS”

HOLLYWOOD, CA – Chinese pop star Jane Zhang and American hip hop artist Big Sean (G.O.O.D. Music / Def Jam Recordings) are collaborating on the original song “Fighting Shadows” for Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions’ highly anticipated film “TERMINATOR GENISYS,” which opens in theaters in the United States on the 1st of July.

The partnership represents the first time that Zhang has recorded a song for an English-language film and marks Big Sean’s musical debut for a feature film.

“Fighting Shadows” will be released digitally in Asia by Sony and the rest of the world by Def Jam Recordings. It is available to download at iTunes beginning June 30th.

“Contributing to the ‘Terminator Genisys’ movie and inviting Big Sean to collaborate was a very special opportunity for me,” said Zhang. “I am really looking forward to the moment when people get to hear this song.”

Zhang will be featured on CCTV 6’s “Talking to Hollywood with Betty Zhou” this Friday, June 19th at approx. 5:30 p.m. and on future episodes. Fans can receive more information about Zhang and “TERMINATOR GENISYS” by following Betty Zhou’s official Weibo page http://weibo.com/bettyzhoulingan or @Betty周玲安.

“I have been a huge fan of Arnold and the ‘Terminator’ movies since I was a kid, so it’s especially exciting to be a part of the new film,” said Big Sean. “Working with Jane has been an amazing experience and I can’t wait for audiences around the world to hear her song.”

Zhang is a Chinese pop singer who came to prominence after her performance in the 2005 season of the Super Girl contest, a national all-female singing competition in China.

Zhang's debut album, “The One,” was produced by Craig Williams. Her next album, “Update,” broke away from the Chinese pop scene by combining elements of R&B and jazz. After its release, Zhang participated in a World Peace One concert with such artists as U2, Madonna, Pink Floyd and Green Day to increase awareness and activism for world peace and to raise funds for humanitarian relief. She made her American television debut on The Oprah Winfrey Show with the release of her third album, “Jane@Music.”

“Believe in Jane,” Zhang's fourth album, was released in 2010. Following its popularity, she performed at the first New York China Film Festival, where she was awarded most popular Chinese singer, and further represented China in the 7th Asia Song Festival held in Korea. She has recorded two songs for the Chinese film “EMPRESS OF CHINA” and was selected to record “Fighting Shadows” for “TERMINATOR GENISYS” due to her unique vocal range and talent.

American hip hop artist Big Sean has earned worldwide attention since the release of his debut album “Finally Famous” in 2011. As his first major label effort, the album made an impressive #3 Soundscan debut in the U.S., solidifying a joint venture by Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music with Island Def Jam Music Recordings.

With more than 10 million records sold to-date, Sean was the first rapper to ever perform at the White House and has released two successful shoe designs in partnerships with Adidas Originals. While his professional work as an artist keeps him extremely busy, Sean makes the time to use his resources to give back through his Detroit-based non-profit, the Sean Anderson Foundation.

He is currently on a worldwide tour promoting his third major label album, “Dark Sky Paradise,” which debuted at #1.

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions present “TERMINATOR GENISYS.” When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: to reset the future. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J. K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Matthew Smith, Courtney B. Vance and Byung-Hun Lee.

The film is produced by David Ellison and Dana Goldberg. Written by Laeta Kalogridis & Patrick Lussier. Directed by Alan Taylor.

“TERMINATOR GENISYS” opens in theaters on July 1st, 2015.

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New "Terminator Genisys" Trailer Now on iTunes

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/terminatorgenisys/

Terminator Genisys in theaters July 1, 2015

Directed by Alan Taylor

When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future…

Official Site:  http://www.TerminatorMovie.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerminatorGenisys

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Terminator

Instagram: http://instagram.com/TerminatorGenisys

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TerminatorGenisys

#Terminator

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Terminator Meets "Mission: Impossible" - Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Cruise

Arnold Schwarzenegger (left) shakes hands with Tom Cruise at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Nevada - courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

New "Terminator: Genisys" Trailer Makes April 13th Debut

Watch the new trailer for TERMINATOR GENISYS: http://youtu.be/rGSxss7gWak

Terminator Genisys in theaters July 1, 2015

When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future…

Directed by Alan Taylor

Official Site: http://terminatorgenisys.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerminatorGenisys
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Terminator
Instagram: http://instagram.com/TerminatorGenisys
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TerminatorGenisys

#Terminator

-----------------

Unlock "Terminator Genisys"

Unlock the new TERMINATOR GENISYS trailer with #TerminatorUnlock


Click the "Tweet to Unlock" link on the Terminator Genisys Twitter page to release the new trailer and more exclusive content. The first photo is already revealed!

Direct links:
https://twitter.com/Terminator
https://twitter.com/Terminator/status/587374640827240448
#TerminatorUnlock

"Terminator Genisys" in theaters July 1, 2015

When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future…

Directed by Alan Taylor

Official Site: http://terminatorgenisys.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerminatorGenisys
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Terminator
Instagram: http://instagram.com/TerminatorGenisys
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TerminatorGenisys

"Terminator Genisys" Super Bowl Commerical Debuts

NEW MISSION. NEW THREAT. NEW FATE.

WATCH THE TERMINATOR GENISYS "BIG GAME" TV SPOT

Watch: http://youtu.be/N4zhBQfqVCc

PARAMOUNT PICTURES and SKYDANCE PRODUCTIONS Present “TERMINATOR GENISYS”

Executive Producers: Bill Carraro, Laeta Kalogridis, Patrick Lussier, Megan Ellison, Robert Cort
Produced: David Ellison, p.g.a. Dana Goldberg, p.g.a.
Written: Laeta Kalogridis & Patrick Lussier
Directed: Alan Taylor

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J. K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Matthew Smith, Courtney B. Vance and Byung-Hun Lee

Synopsis: When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future…

Official Site:  http://www.terminatormovie.com/
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerminatorGenisys
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/terminator
Official Instagram: http://instagram.com/TerminatorGenisys

#TERMINATOR

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Schwarzenegger to Be Inducted into Celebrity Wing of WWE Hall of Fame

Arnold Schwarzenegger to Be Inducted Into WWE® Hall of Fame

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WWE announced today that pop-culture icon Arnold Schwarzenegger will be inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame at a ceremony to be held on Saturday, March 28, 2015 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA as part of WrestleMania® Week.

    “We are honored to induct Arnold Schwarzenegger into the WWE Hall of Fame”

Former Governor of California from 2003-2011 and the star of such blockbuster films as Predator, True Lies, Kindergarten Cop and the wildly successful Terminator franchise, Schwarzenegger is a longtime WWE fan dating back to the 1970s, appearing at many Monday Night Raw® and SmackDown® events through the years. A seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, he is the founder of the Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival, the world’s largest annual sports weekend, which hosts 200,000 attendees and more than 18,000 of the world's top athletes. He also appeared at the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony at Madison Square Garden, inducting his friend Bruno Sammartino. Most recently, Schwarzenegger guest starred on the March 24, 2014 episode of Monday Night Raw opposite WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan® and WWE Superstar The Miz®. Schwarzenegger's decades-long health and fitness crusade is a perfect fit with WWE.

“We are honored to induct Arnold Schwarzenegger into the WWE Hall of Fame,” said WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative, Paul “Triple H” Levesque. “His larger-than-life on- and off-screen presence translated perfectly into the world of WWE, resulting in many memorable moments.”

Tickets for the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at SAP Center are currently available through www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. All tickets are subject to service charges and facility fees.

WrestleMania 31 takes place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA Sunday, March 29, 2015 at 7pm ET live on WWE Network and pay-per-view.


About WWE
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide in 35 languages. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all 12 live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library, is currently available in more than 170 countries. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to entering into, maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television and pay-per-view programming and our new network distribution agreements; risks relating to the launch and maintenance of our new network; the need for continually developing creative and entertaining programming; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent McMahon; the conditions of the markets in which we compete and acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to regulatory matters; risks resulting from the highly competitive and fragmented nature of our markets; uncertainties associated with international markets; the importance of protecting our intellectual property and complying with the intellectual property rights of others; the risk of accidents or injuries during our physically demanding events; risks associated with producing and travelling to and from our large live events, both domestically and internationally; risks relating to our film business; risks relating to new businesses and strategic investments; risks relating to our computer systems and online operations; risks relating to general economic conditions and our exposure to bad debt risk; risks relating to litigation; risks relating to market expectations for our financial performance; risks relating to our revolving credit facility specifically and capital markets more generally; risks relating to the large number of shares of common stock controlled by members of the McMahon family and the possibility of the sale of their stock by the McMahons or the perception of the possibility of such sales; the relatively small public float of our stock; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends, general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant. 

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First Trailer and Poster for "Terminator: Genisys" Debut

  

Watch the first trailer for TERMINATOR GENISYS: http://youtu.be/62E4FJTwSuc

Terminator Genisys in theaters July 1, 2015
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke, Matt Smith, Byung-Hun Lee, JK Simmons
Directed by Alan Taylor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerminatorGenisys
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Terminator
Instagram: http://instagram.com/TerminatorGenisys
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TerminatorGenisys

#HeIsBack

"Terminator: Genisys" Preview Arriving Thursday, December 4th, 2014

Prepare for tomorrow's world premiere of the Terminator Genisys trailer at TerminatorMovie.com. #HeIsBack

Watch a sneak peek of tomorrow's trailer: http://youtu.be/t_77GeNEzFQ

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke, Matt Smith, Byung-Hun Lee, JK Simmons
Directed by: Alan Taylor

Terminator Genisys in theaters July 1, 2015

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerminatorGenisys
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Terminator
Instagram: http://instagram.com/TerminatorGenisys

#HeIsBack

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 26 to October 31, 2014 - Update #10

NEWS:

From Hitflix via YahooTV:  Terminator: Genisys makes "pop culture."

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From Variety:  American Gigolo the television series... from Jerry Bruckheimer.

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From Salon:  5 reasons everyone needs to see Dear White People.

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From Variety via YahooMovies:  Meet Chadwick Boseman the Black Panther.

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From YahooMovies:  Marvel Studios' movies from Avengers: Age of Ultron through May 2019:

May 1, 2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron

·        July 17, 2015: Ant-Man

·        May 6, 2016: Captain America: Civil War

·        Nov. 4, 2016: Doctor Strange

·        May 5, 2017: Guardians of the Galaxy 2

·        July 28, 2017: Thor: Ragnarok

·        Nov. 3, 2017: Black Panther

·        May 4, 2018: Avengers: Infinity Wars Part I

·        July 6, 2018: Captain Marvel

·        Nov. 2, 2018: Inhumans

·        May 3, 2019: Avengers: Infinity Wars Part II

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From YahooMovies:  Jake Gyllenhaal talks about his career highlights, including Brokeback Mountain.

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From YahooMovies:  What can be learned from Vulture's Hollywood MVP list.

---------------------
From BusinessInsider:  Marvel is holding a secret press event tomorrow (Tuesday, October 25, 2014), which doesn't seem so secret now.  This article contains speculation about the huge announcement that is supposed to be made at the event.

----------------------
From THR:  The new, micro-budgeted horror film, Ouija, won the October 24th to 26th, 2014 weekend box office with an estimated gross of $20 million.  In second place was John Wick, starring Keanu Reeves, with an estimated take of $14.2 million.


COMIC BOOKS - Movies and Books:

From YahooMovies:  Marvel "secret event" happened.  Chadwick Boseman (who has famous black people on screen, such as Jackie Robinson and James Brown) is the Black Panther.

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From Deadline:  Marvel wants Benedict Cumberbatch to play Doctor Strange.


STAR WARS:

From IBT:  Descriptions about the filming of a scene involving actor Boyega and reveals about his character in Star Wars 7.

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From YahooParenting:  Dad plays Princess Leia to his daughter's Han Solo.


REVIEWS:

Dear White People by TheVillageVoice.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for July 13 to July 19, 2014 - Update #14

MOVIE NEWS:

From Variety:  Paramount Pictures has picked F. Javier Gutierrez to direct "The Ring 3."  No word on the return of Naomi Watts, the star of the The Ring and The Ring Part 2.

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From EW's InsideMovies:  An oral history of The Terminator, 30 years after its release.  Gwynne Watkins at Yahoo takes a look at that oral history.

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From THR:  What the critics are saying about Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel's Sex Tape.

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From CSMonitor:  Hit-Girl a/k/a Chloe Grace Moretz will provide the voice in the English-language version of the Japanese animated film, "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya."  Due in October of this year, the film is a production of Studio Ghibli and is directed by the studio's co-founder, Isao Takahata.

-----------------
From YahooFinance:  Rupert Mudoch wants HBO so badly that he's willing to buy TimeWarner to get it.  And it's also a bid to destroy Netflix.

-----------------
From Variety:  More on the Travis McGee movie with James Mangold directing and maybe with Christian Bale.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  Once upon a time, maybe 20 years ago, I read on of late author, John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee novels.  I loved it.  So I am somewhat exited to hear that 20th Century Fox is looking to bring the character to the big screen.  I am not that crazy about Christian Bale as McGee, as the actor is in early talks to play the character.  James Mangold as director?  He could do something good with this.

----------------------
From TheHollywoodReporter:  ABC is extending its deal with Oscar-winning screenwriter, John Ridley (12 Years a Slave).

-----------------------
From TheWrap:  Legendary will be at Comic-Con International 2014 to tease Guillermo del Toro's 2015 film, "Crimson Peak" about that "breathes, bleeds...and remembers."

-------------------
From TheWrap:  Did not know that the 1995 film, 12 Monkeys, is being adapted/re-imagined into a TV series for the Syfy channel.  I'm semi-interested.

--------------------
From CNBC:  Disney could rake in the cash for Guardians of the Galaxy.  I think that if this movie is a big hit, the people who were the decision makers at Sony, rumored to be interested in buying Marvel before Disney did, should be beaten by the stockholders.

--------------------
From eonline:  Yeah, she probably is a bitch and her mama, too!

--------------------
From WebProNews:  This leaked photo of a muzzled raptor from "Jurassic World" is making the rounds.

--------------------
From TheHollywoodReporter:  Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (20th Century Fox) wins the July 11-13, 2014 box office with an estimated domestic box office take of $73 million.  That is nearly $20 million better than 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes (which I loved).  I'm surprised because I wondered if larger number of people would want more Planet of the Apes this soon, if at all.

Meanwhile, North American box office was down from the same weekend in 2013, and is down as a whole from last year.

-----------------
From the BBC:  Lindsay Lohan promises to show up for work on time at the West End in London.

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COMIC BOOKS and COMIC BOOK MOVIE NEWS:

From EW's InsideMovies:  Wentworth Miller of "Prison Break" is the villain "Captain Cold" in The CW's Fall series, "The Flash."

----------------
From EW Popwatch:  News on changes for the Avengers in Marvel Comics' "Avengers NOW" event.

----------------
From EW Popwatch:  Marvel Comics is killing Wolverine, beginning this September.

----------------
From Wall Street CheatSheet:  Six DC characters headed to the big screen.

----------------
From Variety:  Deborah Ann Woll of "True Blood" will play Karen Page on Marvel/Netflix's "Daredevil" series.

-----------------
From TheBeat:  Heidi on the secret history of girls reading comics.

-----------------
From TheWrap:  New writers to polish "Ant-Man" screenplay.

------------------
From TheHollywoodReporter:  I was watching "The View" this morning when Whoopi Goldberg broke the news that Marvel's Thor, a male character, will become a female character.  THR has more details.

------------------
From ComicBookMovie:  Kate Mara, who will play Sue Storm a/k/a Invisible Woman, says that Josh Trank's Fantastic Four reboot will not be based on any existing Fantastic Four comic book story.

------------------
From Hitfix:  Oh, and no "Hellboy 3."


TV NEWS:
Review of "The Strain" - TheHollywoodReporter (apparently the first few episodes).


OBITS:

From Variety:  Tony Award and Emmy Award-winning actress, Elaine Stritch, has died at the age of 89.


MISC:

From Yahoo:  The Hollywood Reporter magazine did a feature on the first former NFL star to come out as gay, David Kopay.  There are apparently plans to rerelease his best-selling memoir, The David Kopay Story (1977) .

From TheVillageVoice: an alternate history of rap and Hip-Hop.

Also from TheVillageVoice:  How Bob Marley became a "Legend."

-----------------
From TheHill:  President Obama stresses out the Secret Service

-------------------
From ThinkProgress via ReaderSupportedNews: How Deputy Erick Gelhaus got away with killing a child named Andy Lopez.  We knew this would happen, but Nick Flatow talks about how it happened.

-------------------
From TheHollywoodReporter:  Radiohead to begin work on 9th album in September.  Last album was "The King of Limbs" in 2011.

Terminator Reboot Gets Its Doctor... Who?

MATT SMITH SET TO STAR IN PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND SKYDANCE PRODUCTIONS’ “TERMINATOR” REBOOT

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions announced today that “Doctor Who” star Matt Smith will join the cast of the upcoming “TERMINATOR” reboot.

Smith will play a new character with a strong connection to John Connor, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J.K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi and Byung Hun Lee.

Alan Taylor is directing the film from a screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. David Ellison and Dana Goldberg of Skydance Productions are producing. Skydance’s Paul Schwake, Annapurna Pictures’ Megan Ellison, Kalogridis and Lussier are executive producing.

Smith is best known for playing The Doctor on the popular “Doctor Who” television series during the 2011-2103 seasons. His other television credits include “Christopher and His Kind,” “Moses Jones,” and “The Street.”  He can be seen next on the big screen in “LOST RIVER,” directed by Ryan Gosling, alongside Christina Hendricks, Saoirse Ronan and Eva Mendes.

He is represented by United Talent Agency and Michael Duff at Troika.

The “TERMINATOR” franchise launched in 1984 with Schwarzenegger as the title character and spanned three subsequent films, which have earned more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

Paramount will distribute the film worldwide on July 1, 2015.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Skydance Productions
Skydance Productions creates and produces elevated event-level commercial entertainment.   Skydance’s recent releases include JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT, from director Kenneth Branagh and starring Chris Pine, WORLD WAR Z, starring Brad Pitt and directed by Marc Forster; J.J. Abrams' STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, and G.I. JOE: RETALIATION, starring Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum and Dwayne Johnson.  Skydance projects currently in development include the reboot of the TERMINATOR franchise, to be released on July 1, 2015, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 5 with Christopher McQuarrie directing and a disaster film on a global scale titled GEOSTORM written by Dean Devlin and Paul Guyot with Devlin also directing.  Skydance’s previous projects include the award-winning Coen Brothers film TRUE GRIT, starring Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon; MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, starring Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner and Christopher McQuarrie’s JACK REACHER, starring Tom Cruise.  Skydance’s new television division recently started production on its first series, Manhattan, to WGN America.  From writer Sam Shaw and director Tommy Schlamme, this 13-episode drama is set against the backdrop of the clandestine mission to build the world’s first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico and follows the brilliant but flawed scientists and their families as they attempt to co-exist in a world where secrets and lies infiltrate every aspect of their lives.

"Terminator" Reboot Begins Principal Photography - Opens July 1, 2015

PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND SKYDANCE PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCE THE START OF PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE “TERMINATOR” REBOOT

HOLLYWOOD, CA (April 23, 2014) – Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions announced today that principal photography is officially underway on the “TERMINATOR” reboot, directed by Alan Taylor (“THOR: THE DARK WORLD,” “Game of Thrones”). The film is shooting in New Orleans.

The new film is written by Laeta Kalogridis (“AVATAR,” “SHUTTER ISLAND”) and Patrick Lussier (“DRIVE ANGRY”). David Ellison and Dana Goldberg (“WORLD WAR Z,” “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS”) of Skydance Productions are producing. Executive producers are Skydance’s Paul Schwake (“WORLD WAR Z,” “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS”), Annapurna Pictures’ Megan Ellison (“AMERICAN HUSTLE,” “HER”), Kalogridis and Lussier.

“TERMINATOR” stars Arnold Schwarzenegger (“THE EXPENDABLES 1 & 2,” “TERMINATOR 1, 2 & 3”), Jason Clarke (“THE GREAT GATSBY,” “ZERO DARK THIRTY”), Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”), Jai Courtney (“DIVERGENT,” “JACK REACHER”), J.K. Simmons (“MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN,” “UP IN THE AIR”), Dayo Okeniyi (“THE HUNGER GAMES,” “THE SPECTACULAR NOW”), and Byung Hun Lee (“RED 2,” “G.I. JOE: RETALIATION”).

The “TERMINATOR” franchise launched in 1984 with Schwarzenegger as the title character and spanned three subsequent films, which have earned more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

Paramount will distribute the film worldwide on July 1, 2015.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Skydance Productions
Skydance Productions creates and produces elevated event-level commercial entertainment.   Skydance’s recent releases include JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT, from director Kenneth Branagh and starring Chris Pine, WORLD WAR Z, starring Brad Pitt and directed by Marc Forster; J.J. Abrams' STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, and G.I. JOE: RETALIATION, starring Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum and Dwayne Johnson.  Skydance projects currently in development include the reboot of the TERMINATOR franchise, to be released on July 1, 2015, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 5 with Christopher McQuarrie directing and a disaster film on a global scale titled GEOSTORM written by Dean Devlin and Paul Guyot with Devlin also directing.  Skydance’s previous projects include the award-winning Coen Brothers film TRUE GRIT, starring Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon; MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, starring Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner and Christopher McQuarrie’s JACK REACHER, starring Tom Cruise.  Skydance’s new television division recently started production on its first series, Manhattan, to WGN America.  From writer Sam Shaw and director Tommy Schlamme, this 13-episode drama is set against the backdrop of the clandestine mission to build the world’s first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico and follows the brilliant but flawed scientists and their families as they attempt to co-exist in a world where secrets and lies infiltrate every aspect of their lives.

"Terminator" Reboot Set to Arrive June 2015

SKYDANCE, ANNAPURNA AND PARAMOUNT TO PARTNER ON REBOOTED “TERMINATOR”

PARAMOUNT TO DISTRIBUTE WORLDWIDE ON JUNE 26, 2015

Skydance Productions, Annapurna Pictures and Paramount Pictures have jointly announced they will partner on a rebooted “TERMINATOR” movie, to be released by Paramount Pictures on June 26, 2015.

The first in a stand-alone trilogy, “TERMINATOR” will be produced by Megan Ellison of Annapurna and David Ellison of Skydance. Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake of Skydance will serve as executive producers. Laeta Kalorgridis (“Avatar,” “Shutter Island”) and Patrick Lussier (“Drive Angry”) are attached to write the screenplay.

Launched in 1984 with star Arnold Schwarzenegger as the title character, “TERMINATOR” spanned 3 subsequent films, which have earned over $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

David Ellison most recently executive produced, along with his partners at Paramount, “World War Z,” “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” and “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”. A 5th installment of in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise is in active development, along with a 3rd film in the “G.I. Joe” franchise, among other films.

Megan Ellison most recently produced the Academy Award®-nominated “Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Master” and executive produced “Spring Breakers” via her Annapurna Pictures banner and has David O. Russell’s “American Hustle,” Spike Jonze’s “Her,” and Bennett Miller’s “Foxcatcher” set for release later this year.


About Skydance Productions
Skydance Productions creates and produces elevated event-level commercial entertainment. In its strategic partnership with Paramount Pictures, the David Ellison-led company co-finances and produces several films per year with the studio in addition to developing their own projects. Paul Schwake serves as chief operating officer and Dana Goldberg is president of production. Skydance recent releases include WORLD WAR Z, starring Brad Pitt, which has already made over $111 million worldwide, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, garnering over $430 million worldwide at the box office and G.I. JOE 2: RETALIATION, starring Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum and Dwayne Johnson and has made over $369 million worldwide at the box office. Skydance’s next film, JACK RYAN, from director Kenneth Brannagh and starring Chris Pine, is set for release on December 25, 2013. Skydance’s previous projects include the award-winning Coen Brothers film TRUE GRIT; MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL and JACK REACHER.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Annapurna Pictures
Annapurna Pictures is a film production and finance company founded with the goal of boldly creating sophisticated, high-quality and ambitious films that appeal to a variety of audiences. Annapurna’s recent releases include Kathryn Bigelow’s multiple Golden Globe and Academy Award nominated film ZERO DARK THIRTY; Paul Thomas Anderson’s multiple Golden Globe and Academy Award nominated masterpiece THE MASTER; John Hillcoat’s LAWLESS and Andrew Dominik’s KILLING THEM SOFTLY. Annapurna’s most recent project, the 2012 Venice and Toronto break-out hit SPRING BREAKERS, directed by Harmony Korine starring Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and James Franco. Additionally, Annapurna acquired US rights to Wong Kar Wai’s THE GRANDMASTER, the story of martial arts master and Bruce Lee trainer Ip Man will be released later this year. Current projects include the Spike Jonze’s new film HER starring Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Rooney Mara, and Bennett Miller’s FOXCATCHER which is currently in post-production as well as David O. Russell’s AMERICAN HUSTLE starring Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence, also currently in post-production, and set for a December release by Columbia Pictures. Further, the company has partnered with Nina Jacobson’s Color Force on the best-selling comedic novel Where'd You Go, Bernadette, written by Maria Semple and has partnered with Denver & Delilah and CJ Entertainment on the SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE remake written by William Monahan and starring Charlize Theron. Last spring, the company made a deal to back Panorama Media, which will serve as the international sales agent on select Annapurna projects.

Review: "The Terminator" is Still a Bad Ass (Happy B'day, Arnold Schwarzenegger)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 3 (of 2002) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Terminator (1984)
Running time: 107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
MPAA – R
DIRECTOR: James Cameron
WRITERS: Gale Ann Hurd and James Cameron, with William Wisher
PRODUCER: Gale Anne Hurd
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Adam Greenberg (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Mark Goldblatt
COMPOSER: Brad Fiedel

SCI-FI/FANTASY/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, and Bill Paxton

The subject of this movie review is The Terminator, a 1984 science fiction and action film from director James Cameron. Essentially an independent film, The Terminator was not expected to be a success. Not only was the film a commercial and critical hit, but it also spawned three sequels, a television series, and other spin-offs, including several comic book series. Of note, author Harlan Ellison received a screen credit on later releases of the film to acknowledge his work as a source for the film.

In the future, an artificial intelligence named Skynet, a kind of super computer, rules the planet and wages a total war on the small bands of human who survived Skynet’s initial genocidal campaign against mankind. When the human resistance reaches a point that it has defeated Skynet, it sends the Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back in time to kill the Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the woman who would one day give birth to John Connor, the leader of the successful human resistance. One of John Connor’s most trusted fighters, Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) volunteers to follow the Terminator into the past to save Sarah, the woman Reese has secretly loved since the day he first saw an aged photo of her.

Directed by James Cameron, The Terminator was one of the last low budget science fiction movies to have a measurable impact on filmmaking. Short on funds, Cameron relied on story and well executed action sequences to keep the viewer on the edge of his seat. It is a far cry from the bloated SFX extravagances that Cameron would go on to shoot.

Cameron reveals just enough of the bleak, burnt out future to simultaneously whet our appetites and to then leave us begging for more. He aims the camera close in to the actors and uses quick cut editing to heighten the sense of drama and tension. Layers of shots from several angles strengthen the dramatic impact of the story; you simply can’t ignore this film. It is a simple story – a man has to save the woman he loves from a relentless killer. However, Cameron uses his directorial prowess to up the ante when it comes to the chase; the pursuit is one long, unrelenting, bloody hunt.

In one scene in particular, the Terminator arises like a broken phoenix from its funeral pyre, still alive and still following its program. Before the magic of computer generated imagery (CGI), this scene had to be shot in stop motion glory. An evil leer made of silver metal teeth spread across its face, the machine marches on to terminate its target. These few moments of filmmaking reveal the savvy of mind that can create his vision despites restraints of budget or technology. Cameron was good a long time before CGI.

The Terminator was a career defining and career changing moment for Schwarzenegger. The machine he portrays isn’t simply a cold efficient killer. It’s part specter and part machine – magic and science. His portrayal combines the coldest sci-fi villain with the scariest horror movie monster – Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey meets Michael Myers from Halloween. As he storms through Los Angeles looking for his target, he examines his environment with the cool detachment of scientific device and stalks Kyle and Sarah with the hell born determination of masked slasher.

Biehn and Ms. Hamilton are very good in their parts. Reese is the consummate soldier, a sinewy runt, his body marked with gross scars. He has the single-minded determination to follow his commander’s orders and to successfully conclude his mission even at the cost of his life. Ms. Hamilton’s Sarah Connor is a dumped on young woman, whose comeliness hides behind a façade of homeliness and humility. The real woman in her waits the day when she can emerge fully formed and ready to throw off her waitress’s apron and kick butt.

Largely forgotten in the age of computer-enhanced movies, The Terminator remains as visceral, as funny, as exciting, and as poignant today as it was then. By no means perfect, it was more entertaining movie magic than thoughtful movie making. However, one cannot deny how effectively this movie delivers the thrills. Think of it as a B-movie made by an intelligent filmmaker steeped in the slums of maligned genres like horror, science fiction, fantasy, and comic books. This is the groundbreaking work of art that came from that ghetto.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2008 National Film Preservation Board, USA: “National Film Registry”

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"Terminator" Rights Sold; Franchise's Fate Still Uncertain

Pacificor, a hedge fund group, won the rights to the Terminator franchise with a $29.5 million bid.  Apparently, Pacificor forced Halcyon, which owned the rights, to sell them because Pacificor owned the majority of Halcyon's debt, according to Empire Online.  As usual, Deadline Hollywood has the breaking news, but Los Angeles Times blog, Company Town, has the best write up about this still-developing story.

Sony Pictures and Lionsgate, which both wanted the Terminator franchise, are apparently negogiating with Pacificor, which has never produced a movie, to secure the property.