Arnold Schwarzenegger in for 'Terminator 5'

Just months after declaring“I won’t be back” to his political life,Arnold Schwarzeneggeris attached to star in Terminator 5. The package, which also includes director Justin Lin (Fast Five), is being shopped around to any interested Hollywood studios this week, but Universal, Sony, Lionsgate, and CBS Films are seriously considering the franchise revival. Warner Bros, which distributed 2009’sTerminator Salvationin the U.S., is notably absent.

Schwarzenegger, 63, has been extremely vocal about his acting comeback since officially finishing his term as the governor of California in January. The former action hero bragged that he had around 15 offers since giving the go-ahead to his talent agency, CAA, including thisfifth Terminator, a WWII drama titledWith Wings as Eagleshe’s been wanting to make as far back as 1997, probablyThe Expendables 2with his friends and former business partners Sly Stallone and Bruce Willis, and a last-man-standing thriller calledThe Last Standabout a small town sheriff’s resolve to stop an escaped felon from reaching the border. Of course, Schwarzengger recently rolled out the laughable TV cartoon“The Governator” with the threat of an eventual feature version.

The package, according toDeadline, is worth $25 million up front for an eventual $36 million pricetag, not including salaries for Lin and Schwarzenegger. Arnold made $30 million in salary alone forTerminator 3, though I highly doubt he’s worth that kind of payday now, especially since that was his last starring role in 2003. Lin is coming off a record-setting opening forFast& Furiousand this weekend’s fifth installment,Fast Five, is poised for a similar smash. There is no writer or script yet for Terminator: Again? (working title).

But the question everyone, from execs to fans, will be asking is: do people want to see a 63-year-old Terminator? Can cyborg assassins age? 63 isn’t old in the real world, by any means, but it’s ancient in Action Hero Land (where I want to live someday). Just look at the flack Stallone (64) faced when he returned to Rambo, Rocky, and other smash-mouth flicks.

Plus how many more ways can the humans thwart Skynet? I know the focus is on Arnold’s comeback but I’m just as intrigued by their willingness to churn out a fifth movie where, somehow, resistance fighters and robots clash yet again. (By the way, Skynet was implemented on April 19, 2011 and attacked humanity on April 21, so hopefully we’re safe.)

Pacificor, a Santa Barbara-based hedge fund, bought the Terminator rights for $29.5 million inFebruary 2010after a bidding war during the bankruptcy of 2007-2010 owner Halcyon Company. Sony and Lionsgate were embroiled in the battle and subsequent negotiations, but ultimately walked away disgusted with Pacificor’s terms. Universal likely came along due the involvement of F&F golden boy Lin and the interest of screenwriter Chris Morgan, who wasinitially attachedto the package and has his a first-look deal with the studio.

The rights to The Terminator will ultimately revert back to creator James Cameron in 2018, but after potentially six movies and a failed TV series will it be worth anything to him?

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