And to make fans happy, it’s reported that Arnold Schwarzenegger is interested in voicing the lead character in the film. “I had the opportunity to talk about it with Arnold at the MidCOM Market, when they announced his proposed cartoon series (The Governator). So I was there and he remembered me from Hemdale and I told him, I am still trying to develop an animated thing (T3K), but that’s about when the bad news came out. But my feeling is, he is and will always be one of the biggest stars in the world. I think he’d do the voice of the T-800 in this proposed Terminator 3000. We’re excited about it, and we think it makes perfect sense and with all due respect to Arnold, I think this would be another great and quick way for him to get another movie out with just a short time in a recording studio,” Parkinson continued. This would be the perfect way for Schwarzenegger to continue his involvement in the franchise as he’s already shown in Rise of the Machines the he’s too old to play the character in a live-action film.

Well, Justin Lin, who recently dropped the project for The Fast and The Furious 6 (here), has revealed to LA Times he has found a way to make that a non-issue:

“There is a way to do that. I don’t want to give anything away but I have a very clear idea thematically and arc-wise where we can go. Again, it’s been just great to throw that around with James and Arnold. Is time our enemy? Well, there is a ticking clock but anytime anything goes into development — with the state of filmmaking and the way films get made — you’re always fighting for more time. The biggest enemy is rushing things. I don’t think it should be rushed. Creatively, it will come when it comes. Passion is always the currency and it’s the thing that will create momentum. If that’s not there you shouldn’t do it. Obviously, there’s a lot of money involved and with that money the clock is going to keep ticking.”

While he couldn’t give anything away, there’s already ways Anrold’s age can be worked around. If you don’t remember, there was a featurette for Terminator 3 disc that featured Arnold as General that will use his appearance for the Terminator model. That could be expanded upon in this film. But that’s only speculation. One thing we can take from this is that Lin is very passionate about the franchise despite him recently dropping the film. However, there’s still plently of time for him to do the next The Fast and The Furious films, and Terminator 5 before the rights revert back to James Cameron.

Deadline says the film “will see Schwarzenegger take on the role of an American real estate mogul who is kidnapped and held for ransom while living in Brazil. As the story goes, while Schwarzenegger looks for a way out of the armored-truck he calls “home,” a detective works to rescue him.”

Sounds cool, and now the film is looking for a potential director.

Thoughts?

Well, Deadline is reporting that both Schwarzenegger and Willis have closed a deal to return, and will have “substantial” roles in the film. There’s no word on how big each actor’s role will be at this time. The Expendables 2 begins filming next month, and Arnold is filming The Last Stand with Jee-Won Kim, but Willis will be available to shoot before he begins work on Die Hard 5. But with a roster of even more great action stars, one can only wonder how awesome the sequel will be next year.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who muscled his way into screen action lore as Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer, returns to the sword-and-sorcery realm as Kalidor in Red Sonja, based on stories by Conan creator Robert E. Howard. Brigitte Nielson is the flame-haired heroine Sonja, leading a glorious quest in a mystical land where fortress wall have faces, dinosaur bones form a bridge, a lethal mechanical serpent writhes, swarming minions follow a vile queen (Sandahl Bergman)…and where heroes lay claim to legend.

The Film:

The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, Conan. You must learn its discipline. For no one – no one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts. [points to sword] This you can trust. – Conan’s Father

Conan the Barbarian is bad-ass cinema. It has spawned many copycats and reinvigorated a dying sub-genre, but is far more ethereal than most think. While the thought of making a live-action Frank Frazetta painting seems impossible, director John Milius came pretty damn close, by Crom. Still, for it’s blockbuster status, it’s far more concerned with the nature of God and Man, and for those living in times that feel damned, sometimes the power of the self far outweighs the will of God. To Hell with you!

Perhaps what made Conan the Barbarian so irresistible is that it uses the plot structure of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, and while both films feature James Earl Jones as the villain, how about the use of religion mixes with the fantasy, or the large booming scores? For all of the bloodshed, witches, vampires, Snake Gods, the real driving force behind the film’s immortal status is Basil Poledouris’ score. It’s the tits. It’s just as memorable as John Williams iconic score for Star Wars, and it’s the soul of Conan, the character, the adventure.

Is there a villain more under-appreciated than Thulsa Doom? He never appears on Top Villains lists, and that’s a shame. It’s evil and Satanic, played to Shakespearean results by James Earl Jones. But it’s Arnold Schwarzenegger in his star-making role that makes his two Conan the Barbarian films classics. He’s a rare beast; tall, muscle-bound, and unstoppable, it’s almost as if Frank Frazetta was painting him.

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women. – Conan

It’s the Fight Club mentality. Audiences, no matter what generation, are in the middle point of history. We cannot be heroes, there’s no Great War, and we’re bored. Conan the Barbarian allows us to escape into a world of fantasy and warriors, where men were chiseled into something more than 9-to-5′ers making a buck to pay off debt. It’s the ultimate male fantasy.

That is strength, boy! That is power! What is steel compared to the hand that wields it? Look at the strength in your body, the desire in your heart, I gave you this! Such a waste. Contemplate this on the tree of woe. -Thulsa Doom

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: Universal Home Entertainment’s HD transfer will be a mixed bag for videophiles, but for Conan fans, they should be pretty pleased. Of course, this is the best the film has looked. During the day scenes, details are really high, colors as good as the soft focus allows, and yet, there’s edge enhancement, over-powering blacks, and DNR. It’s a mixed bag, but overall it looks fine – to most. Outside of the age, the DTS track is really good. The music is crisp and loud, but dialogue is never drowned out. Bass is fine too.

This disc features only director John Milius’ International Cut, which runs 129 minutes. All extras, outside of the two new Blu-ray exclusives, have been ported over from prior DVD editions.

Commentary: Director John Milius and star Arnold Schwarzenegger deliver a dry, sometimes pointless track. Sadly, because this is a cool opportunity to have them both discussing a fan favorite picture, and they often just refer to stuff happening on-screen. There’s some decent tidbits, but few and far between.

Conan Unchained: The Making of Conan: This hour-long look at the film, gives us all of the fun, interesting bits we wanted from the commentary. Featuring interviews with everyone involved, some have since passed, makes for a great look back. In SD.

Special Effects: A rather limp look at the VFX in the film.

The Conan Archives: A gallery of production art, stills, and promo.

Art of Steel: Sword Makers and Masters: In this all-new extra, we get background information on sword making and the art of using a sword in Conan’s time. Runs about 15-minutes.

Conan: From the Vault: This is an all-new featurette made up of rare, long thought lost on-set interviews from 1982 with John Milius, James Earl Jones, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is good stuff, especially since Arnold remarks on how he hopes the film makes him a break-out star (which it did), and Jones comparing the film to Star Wars (see, told you!). It barely runs ten minutes, but is pretty damn cool.

Deleted Scenes, Trailers, and BD-Live round out the extras.

The Film: Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Where do you think a Twins 2 would place? Cash-grab island? Unneeded sequel desert? Wtf? They made a sequel to that! valley? Danny DeVito has been keen on a Twins 2 for a while now, hopeful to reteam with Arnold Schwarzenegger and director Ivan Reitman – and he’s dead serious about it.

Of course, it all depends on the right script, if Arnie will come back, blah blah blah. You know the drill. In reality, a Twins 2 really depends on how The Last Stand fares, which is Arnold’s return to movies as well as action films in January 2013. But while It’s Always Sunny in Philadephia is a hilarious show, do you really want to see these 60-year olds in a Twins 2?

Source: MovieWeb

The Last Stand arrives in theaters January 18th, 2013.

A January date? Usually, those dates aren’t reserved for great movies, but maybe the studio feels it’s the safest bet since ji-Woon isn’t a name amongst the mainstream and the film has more of a curiosity factory to it.

Schwarzenegger will be starring as Sheriff Owens, a man who has resigned himself to a life of fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction after leaving his LAPD post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with failure and defeat after his partner was crippled. After a spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy, the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the hemisphere is hurtling toward the border at 200 mph in a specially outfitted car with a hostage and a fierce army of gang members. He is headed, it turns out, straight for Summerton Junction, where the whole of U.S. law enforcement will have their last opportunity to make a stand and intercept him before he slips across the border forever. At first reluctant to become involved, and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately accepts responsibility for one of the most daring face offs in cinema history.

Thoughts?

Check it out below, and get ready as the film is gearing up to start shooting in September.

Schwarzenegger will be starring as Sheriff Owens, a man who has resigned himself to a life of fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction after leaving his LAPD post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with failure and defeat after his partner was crippled.   After a spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy, the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the hemisphere is hurtling toward the border at 200 mph in a specially outfitted car with a hostage and a fierce army of gang members.  He is headed, it turns out, straight for Summerton Junction, where the whole of U.S. law enforcement will have their last opportunity to make a stand and intercept him before he slips across the border forever.  At first reluctant to become involved, and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately accepts responsibility for one of the most daring face offs in cinema history.

Joe Drake Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group’s President also commented on the project “Arnold Schwarzenegger will bring incredible magnetism to this complex but classic roll. When he came on the screen in THE EXPENDABLES, it always electrified the audience. In this film, the Sheriff Owens character grapples with some really tough stuff, but ultimately triumphs, and we knew he’d truly elevate this high octane ride.”

Source: /Film

Then we heard of nothing.

Well, Deadline is confirming that Arnold is 100% returning in I Saw the Devil director Kim Ji-woon’s The Last Stand. According to /Film when the screenwriter talked:

“My concept for The Last Stand is that it’s kind of a combination of Die Hard and High Noon where (the latter) was about protecting something very important that needs to be protected, while Die Hard is a very drawn-out, long process that almost kills someone in the process, so my film will be something that has to be very well protected and in the process, we almost die protecting it in a way. So if I Saw the Devil was about a person’s extreme remorse about having lost something that they couldn’t protect, The Last Stand would be where someone puts their lives on the line to protect something that’s very important and it will be a bit more optimistic film in that regard.”

No confirmation though, on those pesky Terminator 5 rumors.

Ayer also did the gritty Harsh Times with Christian Bale, which makes this an interesting marriage. Part of the fun of the 1985 Commando, was the Arnold-isms. The humor, the over-the-top action, and the one-liners. Can this be successfully re-created for today, and work? “Right now the script that is written is a hard R,” says Davis again. Well, that’s a start.

The Film:

As much fun and eye-catching spectacles the sequels would be for the Terminator franchise, lost in those was the tech-noir style that made James Cameron’s real directing debut such a memorable sci-fi film. It’s style is lost. No one creates moody, dark, cat-and-mouse sci-fi fables like this 1984 film, and probably due to how movies have evolved over the decades since, no one might ever really re-capture it. Mixing a little low-budget know-how from his Roger Corman days, the one thing people forget about The Terminator is its horror elements.

One of the key set pieces, is that scene where the cyborg, played by a career-making performance from Arnold Schwarzenegger, fixes his damaged left eye. While we’ve seen some odd things earlier on in the film, and some futuristic flashbacks, this scene opens up the story into terrifying new territories. It’s a bridge scene, where we’ve gone from a gritty action film into a horror/sci-fi fable. The cyborg diddles with a scalpel into his eye, taking out the damaged synthetic muscle. Blood oozes out, revealing a cold, red, menacing robotic eye.  Cinema gold, a career-making sequence for Stan Winston and James Cameron, yet the best was still to come.

For this reviewer, if you don’t mind me becoming a bit personal for a second, that scene opened up my little brain into a vibrant new world, something that has spurred me into this career and into my BFA. It was my first R-rated film, and it’s stuck with me more than I initially realized until this review. The Terminator is a striking low-budget film, filled with great performances from Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn. It’s energetic and raw, but it’s these horror film elements like the scene I mentioned or the ending where a legless Terminator crawls unrelentingly to Sarah Connor, that make The Terminator so special and so different from its blockbuster sequels.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: Despite the new cover art, we get the same HD print and audio from the 2006 Blu-ray. I want to believe there can be a striking HD print for this film, but it is a product of its age, and for the most part, it looks okay. Again, due to its age and limitations, the film looks a little soft, with little detail as we’re accustomed to in modern Blu-rays. It looked good back in ’06 on Blu, but now it looks average at best. A shame MGM didn’t redo the HD master of the print.

The audio is actually still pretty good, all things considered. It’s spread across the sound mix, with some depth, but you won’t be blown away by deep bass or depth in the sound elements.

Again, despite the new Digibook cover, the only new extra is the nice glossy booklet included in the packaging, which offers photos, trivia, and essays for the film.

These extras below are ported over from the 2006  Blu-ray release and are in SD. Some extras from the Special Edition DVD are not included, for your information.

The Making of The Terminator: A Retrospective: A fairly in-depth look at the film’s production through interviews with about everyone.

Creating The Terminator: Visual Effects and Music: A quick look at the most important element for the film, through interviews.

Terminated Scenes are here that are good enough to check-out and HD Trailers for other MGM Blu-ray releases.

So is this worth upgrading too? Not really, especially if you already have the 2006 edition, but if you don’t, then this release – while far from definitive – is a decent purchase.

The Film: Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Governor Schwarzenegger is focusing on personal matters and is not willing to commit to any production schedules or timelines. This includes Cry Macho, The Terminator franchise and other projects under consideration. We will resume discussions when Governor Schwarzenegger decides.

After his announcement to come back to film, this is just sad.

Slowly, but surely, Terminator 5 is getting closer and closer to happening.