‘Terminator Genisys’ Not Dead Yet, Even If You Want It To Be
Terminator Genisysmight never get a big-screen sequel, but Skydance isn’t ready to give up on the sci-fi action franchise. Instead, a new clan-based massively multiplayer online strategy game is being planned based on theTerminator Genisysfranchise.
Game developer Plarium hasacquired the rightsto develop a Terminator Genisys video game for iOS and Android that “will pull from the themes, experiences and character likenesses fromTerminator Genisysfranchise.” The new game will follow “the struggles of the Resistance, whose soldiers are in a state of civil war over the few resources and weapons that remain.”
Players start the game as the machines begin to wake up — but this time, without central command to dictate their actions. Players will have the option to lead a Resistance Commander or Skynet Command Node as the war between machine and man continues. The game will be free to play, with optional in-app purchases.
Funny, they couldn’t get people to buy tickets but they expect people to get sucked into in-app purchases. Skydance COO Jesse Sisgold says the game will “expand the universe of characters and experiences we have created for a movie and provide audiences and fans with a brand new perspective on our content.”
Game developer Plarium has previously releasedVikings: War of Clans, Stormfall: Rise of BalurandTotal Domination: Reborn. They seem to have found that there is easier money in brand name properties, last fall signing a deal with 20th Century Fox to license characters fromAlien vs. Predatorto integrate them into itsSoldiers Inc.multiplayer game.
I likedTerminator Genisysmore than most people, it seems. To me, it’s thebestTerminatorfilm since James Cameron’sT2: Judgement Day. But asmany point out, its not a high bar to beat outRise of the MachinesandTerminator Salvation. Originally planned as the first film in a trilogy,Genisysmight have not done well atthe domestic box officebut it performed surprisingly well atthe international box office, sparkingsequel talk.
But that speculation was short lived. We soon heardthe franchise was on hold indefinitely, and then that theywere “readjusting,“and then that it wasdead. Even thoughmost of the stars were signed for potential sequels, starEmilia Clarkesaid she wouldn’t return forTerminator 6after all, even asArnold Schwarzeneggerkept insisting anothersequel was still planned.
I don’t know if the world needs aTerminator Genisyssequel, or a video game that continues the story of the world presented in the movie. I think Skydance wants a return on their investment, as they spent a lot of money on not only this movie but on planning out a trilogy of stories that would continue this world. I assume those stories will be used as the basis for this new game.
At this point I think the franchise needs a complete overhaul, a reboot without Schwarzenegger. We had heard thatJames Cameron will get theTerminatorrights back in 2019, and while the filmmaker will be extremely busy working onall thoseAvatarsequels, it will be interesting to see what he decides to do (or not do) with the franchise.
