Even after multiple reboots, The Terminator franchise still hasn't managed to recapture the magic of James Cameron's original movies in theaters. Now, that could finally change when it returns to television later this year with Netflix's animated Terminator Zero.
The first trailer has been released today (via SFFGazette.com) and it showcases Sonoya Mizuno's Eiko, a resistance fighter sent back in time to stop Skynet's attack on humanity. This series will tie into previous stories but also looks set to be a relatively standalone new entry.
The show looks better than expected and might just be the return to form for Terminator we know many of you have been waiting for.
Here's the official synopsis for Terminator Zero:
"2022: A future war has raged for decades between the few human survivors and an endless army of machines. 1997: The AI known as Skynet gained self-awareness and began its war against humanity."
"Caught between the future and this past is a soldier sent back in time to change the fate of humanity. She arrives in 1997 to protect a scientist named Malcolm Lee who works to launch a new AI system designed to compete with Skynet’s impending attack on humanity. As Malcolm navigates the moral complexities of his creation, he is hunted by an unrelenting assassin from the future which forever alters the fate of his three children."
The eight-episode series is executive produced by Mattson Tomlin (The Batman II) who also serves as showrunner and writer. Iconic anime and manga director Masashi Kudo (Bleach) helms Terminator Zero, while Skydance's David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger also produce.
"I was looking at the franchise and the first two movies in particular," Tomlin previously said. "And why are we still talking about this franchise 40 years later? You strip away killer robots, you strip away Judgment Day, what do you have left? You have stories about families."
"Anyone who knows my writing knows I believe in taking big swings and going for the heart," he continued. "I’m honored that Netflix and Skydance have given me the opportunity to approach Terminator in a way that breaks conventions, subverts expectations, and has real guts."
The cast includes Timothy Olyphant (The Mandalorian) as The Terminator, Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka) as Kokoro, André Holland (Moonlight) as Malcolm Lee, Sonoya Mizuno (House of the Dragon) as Eiko, and Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale) as The Prophet.
Terminator Zero premieres on Netflix on August 29.