Summary
Netflix will expand theTerminatoruniverse on August 19, 2025, with the release of a new anime,Terminator Zeroand the streaming giant has already confirmed that Timothy Olyphant will voice the titular threat. The eight-episode series will see Olyphant’skiller robot sent to the past to hunt a scientistwhose experimental AI poses a threat to the future of the robot overlord, SkyNet.
In a report byVarietycovering a handful of Netflix’s upcoming series, it was revealed thatOlyphant will play the anime’s incarnation of the Terminator. Olyphant’s Terminator will be chasing a man named Malcom Lee who is a scientist developing a potential rival to SkyNet. The anime is the latest addition to the Terminator franchise, which consists of six films, a television series, video games, comics, and novels.
Terminator Zerois the first anime in the franchise, as it’s a co-production betweenGhost in the Shellanime studio Production I.G. and Skydance Entertainment. The series is expected to be released on Netflix on August 29th, and with its novel premise, fans have good reason to be excited.
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Set in 1997 Japan,Terminator Zerointroduces Malcolm Lee, who is developing a competing artificial intelligence that threatens the existence of SkyNet. Suddenly, Lee is forced on the run when a Terminator is sent back in time to eliminate him before his work is complete and ensure the passing of Judgment Day. Lee’s only hope of surviving his cyborg stalker is a human soldier sent from the future to protect him.Terminator Zerohas a unique opportunity to course-correct on some franchise missteps, meaning anticipation for the series is already high.
Timothy Olyphant’s Career Spans Decades and Multiple Genres
Olyphant’s career began with small parts in movies like 1997’sScream 2before starring in HBO’s acclaimed Western,Deadwood.The exposure thatOlyphant received led to A-list actor status, and he earned starring roles in a film adaptation of the videogame,Hitman, FX’sJustified,and guest spots inCurb Your EnthusiasmandThe Grinder. In 2021, Olyphant was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for his portrayal of Cobb Vance inThe Mandalorian’s second season.
TerminatorZeromarks the second time Olyphant has partnered with Netflix. He starred in, and co-produced, the 2017 Netflix horror-comedy series,The Santa Clarita Diet.WhileOlyphant has lent his voice to animated roles before,such asRangoandAmerican Dad!,this is his first anime production. PerDeadline, the actor is currently filming the Noah Hawley-written and producedAlienprequel series of the same name, expected to debut in 2025. With the star power of Olyphant, it’s clear that Netflix has a tremendous amount of faith inTerminator Zero, meaning fans have all the more reason to be excited.
Source:Variety,Deadline
Terminator
The Terminator franchise, launched by James Cameron in 1984, explores a dystopian future where intelligent machines wage war against humanity. The relentless pursuit of key human figures by time-traveling cyborg assassins known as Terminators is central to the narrative. John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance, is the core target of the malicious machines.
