Anyone who’s been reading these pages closely will know that a few months ago the company that owns the rights to the Terminator franchise and which made Terminator: Salvation, Halcyon subsidiary T Asset Aquisition, went bankrupt. They were involved in a massive dispute with the hedge fund that put up the money to let them buy the rights, which claimed they weren’t repaying their loan as agreeed. As Terminator: Salvation hadn’t made the immediate profits they’d hoped for, the company sought bankruptcy protection.
While initially Halcyon said it hoped to be able to reorganise the debt and emerge from its financial troubles with its right to Terminator intact (there’s still the planned Terminator 5 they want to make, after all), it’s looking unlikely that will happen. The Financial Times reports that the entire franchise will now be put up for auction later this month, with numerous companies expressing interest in the property, which is one of the few blocbuster franchises not owned by a major studio.
All the studios are said to be interested, with Sony a leading contender, as are some of the major independent production companies, such as Twilight producers Summit Entertainment. There are also a few interested parties who have little film industry experience, but can see the value of the rights. The auction doesn’t cover ownership of the Terminator movies themselves, but would give the owner the right to make further films, spin-off and merchandise.
So if you fancy owning the Terminator franchise, now’s the time to get those spares tens of millions out of your wallet.
It’s the latest in a long line of bankruptcies and troubles for the Terminator. If you’d like to know more about the franchises stunningly rocky history, CLICK HERE to read our article about whether the franchise is cursed.