Actually, the MGM library is pretty impressive, including such sci-fi classics as Forbidden Planet, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Soylent Green, Westworld and Logan's Run, as well as the original Clash of The Titans, Species and the upcoming Robocop remake (Also, Spaceballs... but that's not really a major selling point). If some interested - and rich - parties picked up the studio and the Terminator rights, they'd have an immediate in with the geek dollar, if they were so inclined (Who wouldn't want to see Robocop Vs. Terminator In Westworld?).

The sale of the studio isn't the only option for MGM's current, beleaguered owners; they're also said to be considering looking for a partner or restructuring debt repayments, but we can't help but think about potential buyers for the studio. What if Disney somehow managed to purchase it along with Marvel, for example? If we had a few billion lying around the offices, we'd be interested ourselves, but that's only because they also own the television rights to Lifeforce.

According to Variety:

MGM has a 30-day right of first refusal to finance and distribute the fifth "Terminator" film, a right earned through the settlement of a lawsuit between the studio and Halcyon partners Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson. According to sources, MGM has every intention of making a serious play for the franchise, potentially trumping Warner Bros...

Halcyon is obligated to give MGM the first run at the next Terminator movie (after seeing a first draft of the script) and while I can see how this would be a tempting idea for the studio I don't see how they'd have the funds to launch such a gigantic movie. The publicity alone is too much bank, they'd need to partner up with another studio. Sony is currently distributing Terminator overseas, but the WB is carrying the weight of domestic distribution.

The one thing the Terminator franchise needs is money, and a lots of it. Money for the writers, actors, FX, sets, puppets, the list goes on. Once you break the bank purchasing the next film how on Earth would MGM market it? I shudder to think of completely CG created robots and other cost cutting expenses that could potentially happen if they tightened the belt. Also I really have to tip the hat to the WB for learning how to become one heck of a genre-specific distributor. They seem to really understand their audience and market, and how to generate buzz among early adopters. Sure it's all hype but weren't you just a wee bit excited about the underground Dark Knight ARG? I kind of hope MGM passes, and reallocates that money to some other up-and-coming scifi projects.

[Variety]

Howard Webster, who originally came up with the idea for the show in 1996 before being rejected by studios and deciding to self-finance the project, has been working on the show in his back garden and local Starbucks for the last year... and he wouldn't have it any other way:

I think Jonas Moore is an online trailblazer... It’s allowed us to circumvent, with a franchisable IP, all the traditional routes that you’d have to go through. Apart from Doctor Who in this country, where do you take a sci-fi drama to? For the TV manadarins, sci-fi is a poor relation to drama proper - Jonas Moore would never have seen the light of day if I’d taken that in at the development stage. But now we can demonstrate it has a colossal fan base; it allowed people like me to have a platform.

That platform is one that Webster sees as entirely mobile:

I was looking at an iPod and thought the screen reminded me of a comic book cell. I thought the iPod was going to be the fastest selling device in the world; if you could do a comic book for free you would have something big... In the winter it will be a perfect thing for people on their iPods. It’s a perfect little bus ride thing.

And even though the series is going to be turned into a show for regular TV, it doesn't mean the iPod-friendly webisodes will stop:

I’m keeping the digital online rights separate from the TV series because I wanted to keep it indie and cool and keep the community going. I’ve been working on the TV piots and its going to be a real reboot with a big plot twist in it that isn’t in the graphic novel. The web graphic novel is going to be the original story, fans will get to see the back-story online, just like Dark Knight is informed by all the old Batman comics.

So, the TV show will be overlong, depressingly bleak and incredibly successful compared with the original web-series, then? I can't see too many people complaining about that...

Howard Webster Interview [Paid Content]

Bloody Disgusting uncovered the plot of our Robo hero's latest outing, it's set in “Present day Los Angeles — 20 years after the termination of the RoboCop program. The city decides to reinstate the program.” So will this movie be denying the existence of RoboCop 2 or any of the other robo sequels? What about Murphy? Is he going to come back as the old-timey robot that trains LA's new robo recruits?

And just to throw to add more exciting news to the future RoboCop movie, director Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain) is still being tossed around as a potential director for the film, and may be close to signing. Which means it could be an actual think piece... or ponderous and confusing, depending on which of Aronofsky's films it takes after.

[Bloody Disgusting]