"Terminator" franchise plans videogame assault

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "The Terminator" will be back on video game consoles.

The Halcyon Co., which owns the rights to the "Terminator" movie franchise, is forming its own gaming subsidiary and making a game adaptation of the upcoming film "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins" its first release.

The game, which will be available on all formats, including next-generation consoles, PC and mobile, is expected to hit the marketplace at the same time as the film, which is slated for release in summer 2009. (Christian Bale is in talks to star in the film, playing freedom-fighter John Connor.)

Peter Levin, the acting CEO of Halcyon Games, said the privately financed parent company opted to form its own game division rather that outsource the "Terminator" license in order "to control our own destiny."

Like a lot of blockbuster film franchises, "Terminator" has had its share of licensed games, most of which have done well in the marketplace. In May, Halcyon announced its acquisition of the franchise rights to "Terminator" from movie producers Andrew Vajna and Mario Kassar.

Development of the "Terminator" game has been under way for several months.

"We don't want the game to be the stepchild to the film," said Halcyon co-CEO Derek Anderson. "They're of equal importance, and we want both to be of the same quality and be the same compelling experience."

"Terminator" will not be the only franchise in the Halcyon Games stable. Halcyon created a splash this year when it secured first-look rights to the works for famed science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. The Halcyon executives said they are looking at bringing out titles based on the Dick books beginning in 2010. Previous screen adaptations of Dick's work, including "Total Recall," "Minority Report," "A Scanner Darkly" and "Blade Runner," have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter