Terminator 3000

[JackFetch]

Hannover House, the entertainment distribution division of Target Development Group, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: TDGI) (www.HannoverHouse.com), has entered into a feature film development venture with Vancouver-based Red Bear Entertainment, for "Terminator 3000," envisioned as a $70-million dollar budgeted, 3-D animated feature film based on the characters and situations introduced in the original "Terminator" feature. Hannover House C.E.O. Eric Parkinson previously served as C.E.O. of Hemdale Home Video, Inc. and Hemdale Communications, Inc., and handled the distribution of the original "Terminator" feature.

Story details for "Terminator 3000" are being kept under close wraps, but the writers and production team have a stated goal of minimizing violence in order to obtain a PG-13 level of material.

Hemdale produced and distributed director James Cameron's original "Terminator" feature, but released the sequel rights in 1990 to Carolco, which later transferred the rights to ultimately end up under the control of Halcyon Media. Santa Barbara based Pacificor, LLC prevailed in the most recent auction and transfer of rights to the franchise in January, and retains approval and licensing authority over the proposed "Terminator 3000" project.

Hannover House and Red Bear Entertainment will release details of the production timing, financing and principal production personnel later this year, in advance of a proposed January, 2011 start.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Sections 27A & 21E of the amended Securities and Exchange Acts of 1933-34, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Although the company believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these statements included in this press release will prove accurate.

PG13 is not a good idea.

[Stavros]

Terminator should be 18 rated, not downgraded for maximum audiance penetration by heartless industry cynics. They can even get away with a smaller budget if they want because to be honest, Terminator effects don't cost much these days. It just pisses me off to see franchises neutered to appeal to a big audience, like Alien was. Show some balls, stick to your guns and make a god-damn scary action movie like the first two. That way you get a franchise with some legs rather than an ever decreasing series of flops.

[Aaron Robinson]

God, they're making three thousand of these movies now?

Just let it rest.

[ShaunKL]

Hopefully 3000 is code for "The Sarah Connor Chronicles Movie".

[KnightWing]

"Terminator 3000," envisioned as a $70-million dollar budgeted, 3-D animated feature film...

WHAT.

PG-13 is no problem for me. I can deal without the neverending string of F-bombs and the extra 10% of violence you'd get from the R-rating. But animated? Ugh.

[Guest]

God, they're making three thousand of these movies now?

Just let it rest.

Seriously. How many times can the world end?

[SuaveStar]

God, they're making three thousand of these movies now?

Just let it rest.

Seriously. How many times can the world end?

I gave up giving a shit after 3. Seriously, they had a fantastic go home happy ending after two, and then they give the middle finger with three, and start shouting "We want your money" after the shitfest that was four.

I gave the TV show one episode, and that was that awful pilot. I hear it gets better, but I am just sick of the whole franchise.

If I want to watch a good Terminator movie, I'll watch the first two.

[KnightWing]

I tolerated T3. I liked Salvation, even if it was bland as hell. The show was actually a really great "sequel" to T2, but didn't get quite enough time to really do a lot of great stuff.

I think the problem is that people are judging the potential for future Terminator films by T3 and T4, when neither of those are great examples of filmmaking.

[Garfield]

IF they could develope a coherent continuity in their universe, I'd be a lot more for it. But really, how many temporal contradictions can they put in this?

[KnightWing]

The TV series introduced the idea of alternate timelines, which cleaned things up a bit. T3 actually made a little more sense than T2 as far as the timeline went anyway (if Skynet was destroyed, how did Arnold get sent back in time to destroy it?). T4 was... well, it was just whatever.

[Garfield]

The TV series introduced the idea of alternate timelines, which cleaned things up a bit. T3 actually made a little more sense than T2 as far as the timeline went anyway (if Skynet was destroyed, how did Arnold get sent back in time to destroy it?). T4 was... well, it was just whatever.

The problem is, they created this problem, and they didn't have to. You can't tell me that it wouldn't be compelling if they just did a movie or even television saga based on it, rather than constantly changing the timeline. This makes it far more confusing and difficult to follow than need be.

[KnightWing]

Well, the problem is that the TV series wanted to not have to deal with the events set forth by T3 (in which John and Sarah basically did nothing until Judgment Day). It was probably the right move.

The rest actually don't have any timeline confusion.

[ShaunKL]

Oh wait, I didn't see the word animated there before, crap.

[JackFetch]

A battle is brewing over Terminator 3000, a proposed 3D animated feature film that was announced by Hannover House, a division of Target Development Group that distributes specialty films and DVDs. Pacificor, the company that owns the rights to the Terminator franchise, has sent a cease and desist letter in response to a press release issued by Hannover House detailing plans to develop Terminator 3000, a $70 million animated film in conjunction with Vancouver-based Red Bear Entertainment. Hannover House CEO Eric Parkinson told me earlier today that he issued the announcement only because one of the potential production partners spoke publicly about it. He said he was awaiting reply from WME, the agency repping the Terminator film rights.

Parkinson, who once headed the home video division of Hemdale (maker of the original Terminator) said he has certain proprietary rights allowing him to make the film. "The animation rights were excluded when Hemdale sold Terminator to Carolco and when I left Hemdale, part of my settlement was that I got those rights," Hannover told me. "However, the way the rest of the contractual rights are written, it would be dangerous for us to do this without Pacificor's approval. They have certain intellectual rights. The best way to put it is, they can't make an animated film without me, and we might not be able to make it without them. We are in discussions with WME, and hope we can deal with this expeditiously."

A Pacificor spokesman shared the cease and desist letter with me, one that indicates the company isn't looking for another project beyond what's envisioned as two or more live action feature films that continue the apocalyptic adventures hatched by James Cameron.

UPDATE: Hannover House's Eric Parkinson said that he just got his cease and desist letter, and then told Pacificor's attorneys of his proprietary rights position, and the fact that he's got backers in place to make a movie and deliver a big rights fee to Pacificor. "We've arranged a meeting, we'll show them our money and if the rational brain prevails, they'll take the deal. If not, I can't do it without them. You'll have a followup next week that we are either holding hands, or not doing the film. At least we now have our meeting. I hope they will can think outside the box, because if we can make a movie that delivers a $20 million to $30 million rights payment, that is an income source they didn't realize was possible. If not, it was a good idea anyway."

http://www.deadline.com/2010/08/terminator-rights-holder-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-kill-proposed-3d-animated-feature/

This is going to be fun.

[Molly]

I really hope this doesn't get made.