Terminator anime series in development for Netflix

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

There have been three attempts at relaunching the Terminator franchise, with Terminator: Salvation, Terminator: Genisys, and Terminator: Dark Fate all intended to kick off a brand-new trilogy, but each of those films unfortunately failed to get the ball rolling. It might seem to some that it would be a good idea to let the franchise rest a spell, but it you can't keep a killing machine down as Netflix has ordered an anime series based on the long-running franchise.

The project is still in the early stages, but the series will be developed by Mattson Tomlin (The Batman), who will also serve as showrunner and executive producer. "Anyone who knows my writing knows I believe in taking big swings and going for the heart," Tomlin said. "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 has partnered with Skydance for the Terminator anime series, which will be produced in partnership with Production I.G., who are known for Guilty Crown, Psycho-Pass, Eden of the East, and the Ghost in the Shell series. In a statement, Production I.G. president and CEO Mitsuhisa Ishikawa said:

I asked my long-time friend and colleague Mamoru Oshii what he thought about the idea of turning the ‘Terminator’ into an animated series. His response was ‘Ishikawa, are you out of your mind?’ At that instant, I was confident we should get onboard. As huge fans, our team at Production I.G is putting their heart and souls into creating this series. We hope fans will enjoy it!

Netflix's vice-president of Japan and anime John Derderian added, "'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." While I still believe that the Terminator franchise doesn't need to be brought back online quite so soon, I'd be cautiously optimistic if the animated series really will deliver a new type of story, perhaps one that moves away from the John and Sarah Connor arc.