Terminator Franchise Distribution Future Uncertain

Published at 11:15 AM on May 18, 2009

By Muriel Vega

With Terminator Salvation quickly approaching this Memorial Day weekend and McG and Christian Bale on board for the sequel, talks about the next project have begun. However, there is a problem: MGM, who originally had the rights to Salvation but passed, has a 30-day rights refusal for the sequel, according to Variety, an issue that has some concerned.

Salvation is currently being distributed by Warner Bros, who paid nearly $50 million for the domestic rights. Now, with the predicted success of the Christian Bale-helmed film, MGM is ready to fight for the distribution rights of the sequel against Warner Bros. and Sony, who has international distribution rights.

MGM passed on the fourth installment of Terminator because of the slim chance of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger coming back to the franchise, but because they won the rights through a settlement with Halcyon Company, they get the first crack at the early script and Halcyon's financial demands.

With the rights currently owned by everyone and no one at the same time, the revival and future of the franchise is in danger. The rights, meanwhile, are up for grabs to the highest bidder.

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