James Harvey
12-11-2001, 01:11 AM
That's right. Warner Bros. now has the rights to the next Temrinator movie. They claim yet another franchise. Here's the 4-1-1.
Already home to such mega-franchises as "Harry Potter," "Batman" and "The Matrix," Warner Bros. has added another to its stable. The studio won the fierce bidding war for the domestic distribution and video rights to "Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines," production companies Intermedia and C-2 Pictures along with the WB announced Monday.
What's more, the companies revealed that this is only a new beginning for the "Terminator" series, that they hope to make more sequels in the future.
Principal photography on the third installment of the sci-fi action epic will commence in April with the highest green-lighted budget ever, reportedly between $165 million and $180 million. Arnold Schwarzenegger is commanding an unprecedented $30 million of that for his reprisal of the T-800 series of killing machines. The picture is targeting a summer 2003 release, most likely on Memorial Day weekend.
Intermedia had been asking for $50 million against 50 percent of gross receipts for the domestic theatrical, TV, VHS and DVD rights. It's unknown, though, what terms Intermedia and Warner Bros. agreed upon.
"We had a very difficult time making the final decision on the domestic distributor but in the end," said C-2 co-chairmen Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna. "Warners pulled out all of the stops and committed the full support and extensive resources we wanted from the entire AOL Time Warner organization."
"'The Terminator' and 'Terminator II: Judgment Day' were revolutionary motion pictures, both artistically and commercially," gushed Warner Bros. President and Chief Operating Officer Alan Horn and President of Worldwide Production Lorenzo di Bonaventura, "and we couldn't be happier to be involved with the highly anticipated third installment of this innovative franchise."
Earlier reports had DreamWorks and Paramount among the frontrunners to take home "T3." Deals for international distribution are expected to be reached by the end of the year.
Intermedia, an entertainment investment company based in Los Angeles, London and Munich, previously produced such pictures as "K-PAX," "The Wedding Planner," "Nurse Betty" and "Sliding Doors." Its upcoming releases include "K-19: The Widowmaker","The Quiet American," "Adaptation" and "National Security."
C-2 Pictures was formed Karrar and Vajna out of the ashes of Carolco Pictures. With that company, the two produced the "Rambo" movies, "Total Recall," "Basic Instinct" and, of course, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day."
Costing $100 million, 1991's "T2" was one of the most expensive pictures of its day. It went on to gross over $520 million worldwide. By comparison, the first "Terminator" from 1984 was made for less than $7 million, and became a sleeper hit, collecting most of its fan base on TV after its $38.4 million theatrical run.
Warner Bros. is also the studio behind Schwarzenegger's upcoming action picture "Collateral Damage," which was pushed back from its original Oct. 5 release date after the Sept. 11 attacks due to sensitivity over its terrorist plotline. It will strike theaters on Feb. 8.
--www.zap2it.com
The only good thing is that we may finally see a Terminator/Mary Kate & Ashely Olsen movie where Arnold just wastes those damn brats.
Already home to such mega-franchises as "Harry Potter," "Batman" and "The Matrix," Warner Bros. has added another to its stable. The studio won the fierce bidding war for the domestic distribution and video rights to "Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines," production companies Intermedia and C-2 Pictures along with the WB announced Monday.
What's more, the companies revealed that this is only a new beginning for the "Terminator" series, that they hope to make more sequels in the future.
Principal photography on the third installment of the sci-fi action epic will commence in April with the highest green-lighted budget ever, reportedly between $165 million and $180 million. Arnold Schwarzenegger is commanding an unprecedented $30 million of that for his reprisal of the T-800 series of killing machines. The picture is targeting a summer 2003 release, most likely on Memorial Day weekend.
Intermedia had been asking for $50 million against 50 percent of gross receipts for the domestic theatrical, TV, VHS and DVD rights. It's unknown, though, what terms Intermedia and Warner Bros. agreed upon.
"We had a very difficult time making the final decision on the domestic distributor but in the end," said C-2 co-chairmen Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna. "Warners pulled out all of the stops and committed the full support and extensive resources we wanted from the entire AOL Time Warner organization."
"'The Terminator' and 'Terminator II: Judgment Day' were revolutionary motion pictures, both artistically and commercially," gushed Warner Bros. President and Chief Operating Officer Alan Horn and President of Worldwide Production Lorenzo di Bonaventura, "and we couldn't be happier to be involved with the highly anticipated third installment of this innovative franchise."
Earlier reports had DreamWorks and Paramount among the frontrunners to take home "T3." Deals for international distribution are expected to be reached by the end of the year.
Intermedia, an entertainment investment company based in Los Angeles, London and Munich, previously produced such pictures as "K-PAX," "The Wedding Planner," "Nurse Betty" and "Sliding Doors." Its upcoming releases include "K-19: The Widowmaker","The Quiet American," "Adaptation" and "National Security."
C-2 Pictures was formed Karrar and Vajna out of the ashes of Carolco Pictures. With that company, the two produced the "Rambo" movies, "Total Recall," "Basic Instinct" and, of course, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day."
Costing $100 million, 1991's "T2" was one of the most expensive pictures of its day. It went on to gross over $520 million worldwide. By comparison, the first "Terminator" from 1984 was made for less than $7 million, and became a sleeper hit, collecting most of its fan base on TV after its $38.4 million theatrical run.
Warner Bros. is also the studio behind Schwarzenegger's upcoming action picture "Collateral Damage," which was pushed back from its original Oct. 5 release date after the Sept. 11 attacks due to sensitivity over its terrorist plotline. It will strike theaters on Feb. 8.
--www.zap2it.com
The only good thing is that we may finally see a Terminator/Mary Kate & Ashely Olsen movie where Arnold just wastes those damn brats.