Wed Nov 4, 2009 — by Glenn Hauman

Rights to 'Terminator' franchise up for auction, and Joss Whedon starts the bidding

Nikki Finke points to a piece by Financial Times' Matthew Garrahan which tells us the Terminator franchise is going to be auctioned off this month. All the big studios, with Sony leading the way, as well as Summit Entertainment and Media Rights Capital, are interested in bidding. The rights auction is for new Terminator films, TV programs, comics and any other spin-offs that build on the popularity of the franchise. The sale is being conducted by FTI Capital Advisors for Halcyon which bought the Terminator rights two years ago for $25 million from Mario Kassar. Halcyon recently filed for Chapter 11 after a dispute with Pacificor, a Santa Barbara-based hedge fund that lent Halcyon the sum to buy the Terminator rights.

And who's the opening bidder? Why, none other than Joss Whedon:

I have heard through the 'grapevine' that the Terminator franchise is for sale, and I am prepared to make a pre-emptive bid RIGHT NOW to wrap this dealio up. This is not a joke, this is not a scam, this is not available on TV. I will write a check TODAY for $10,000, and viola! Terminator off your hands.

No, you didn't miscount. That's four -- FOUR! -- zeroes after that one. That's to show you I mean business. And I mean show business. Nikki Finke says the Terminator concept is played. Well, here's what I have to say to Nikki Finke: you are a fine journalist and please don't ever notice me. The Terminator story is as formative and important in our culture -- and my pretend play -- as any I can think of. It's far from over. And before you Terminator-Owners (I have trouble remembering names) rush to cash that sweet cheque, let me give you a taste of what I could do with that franchise...

My theory: he wants to make sure The Sarah Connor Chronicles is well and truly dead and no threat to Dollhouse:

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