WhenArnold Schwarzeneggerfirst spoke the iconic words “I’ll be back” in 1984, we all assumed the Austrian Oak meant “in an anime, at some point.” The subtext was there. Well, it’s finally happening: Netflix announced todayThe Terminatorwill be adapted into an anime series byThe Batmanco-writerMattson Tomlin, noting that the story is “expanding” the world originally created byJames Cameron, not rebooting.
Said Tomlin in a statement: “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.”
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The Netflix series marks the first-ever animated adaptation in theTerminatorfranchise, a series that now stands at six movies and a TV show. The 1984 original introduced Schwarzenegger as the titular robotic killing machine, who returns from the year 2029 to eliminate a woman named Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). The Netflix adaptation is a co-production with Skydance and Production I.G. Here’s whatJohn Derderian, Vice President of Japan & Anime at Netflix, had to say:
“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.”
AddedMitsuhisa Ishikawa, President and CEO of Production I.G: “I asked my long-time friend and colleague Mamoru Oshii what he thought about the idea of turning 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!”
Tomlin’sTerminatoradds to Netflix’s growing anime line-up, which also includes adaptations ofPacific Rim,Kong: Skull Island, andTomb Raider.
