While Terminator Salvation was initially intended to begin a new trilogy,[citation needed] production of a fifth film was halted by legal trouble, as well as The Halcyon Company filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection, prompting industry analysts to predict its future was in jeopardy.
By late September 2009, the rights to the franchise were once again up for sale as The Halcyon Company tried to pull itself out of bankruptcy.[10] Late the following month, Halcyon announced it would auction off the rights to future Terminator material and was seeking $60–70 million, although the only offer was made by filmmaker Joss Whedon for $10,000. In December 2009, Halcyon issued a statement saying that it was looking at various options including sale and refinancing of the rights with an announcement on the outcome no later than February 1, 2010.[12] On February 8, 2010, an auction was held for the Terminator rights. After studios Sony Pictures and Lionsgate bid separately, Pacificor, the hedge fund that pushed Halcyon into bankruptcy, made a deal for $29.5 million.[13]In May 2010, Pacificor hired an agency to sell off the rights to the franchise.[14]
By August 2010, a new Terminator film was being developed. It was not to be a direct sequel to Salvation, but rather a 3D animated reboot of the series, titled Terminator 3000 and to be shot by Hannover House. However, Pacificor had not given any official license to Hannover House to develop a film.[15]
In February 2011, Universal Studios was considering a fifth Terminator film, with Arnold Schwarzenegger returning in the title role, Justin Lin directing, and Chris Morgan as screenwriter.[16] Within two months, a Terminator project with Schwarzenegger, Lin and producerRobert W. Cort attached, but no screenwriter, was circulating among studios including Universal, Sony, Lionsgate, and CBS Films.[17][18]
By May 2011, Megan Ellison and her production company Annapurna Pictures had won the rights at auction to make at least two moreTerminator films, including Terminator 5[19] On December 4, 2012, the deal was finally closed, with possible merchandise to include TV projects and video games. Ellison said she and her brother David Ellison were "starting from scratch as they seek out a screenwriter to plot the end".[20] By now titled Terminator: Genesis,[21] it was being produced by Megan Ellison, with David Ellison of Skydance Productions. The executive producers were Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake. Laeta Kalorgridis and Patrick Lussier were commissioned to write the screenplay.[22]
Paramount Pictures was negotiating to distribute the film with Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier writing the script. The film was left without a director as Justin Lin, who was originally in discussions to direct, choose to direct Fast & Furious 6 instead.[23] By June 27, 2013, Paramount had pushed the film's released from June 26, 2015 to July 1, 2015.[24][25]
By September, 2013, Alan Taylor was in talks to direct the films, after Rian Johnson and Denis Villeneuve had been considered and after a deal with Ang Lee could not be reached.[26] By January, 2014, Annapurna was no longer funding the film and Megan Ellison, instead, will serve as executive producer.
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