Terminator Franchise to be Auctioned Off

The Financial Times is reporting that the rights to the "Terminator" franchise will be auctioned this month. The sale has reportedly sparked considerable interest because "Terminator" is a rare example of a blockbuster franchise not controlled by a big studio.

FT says several financial buyers have expressed interest in Terminator, including Platinum Equity, the Beverly Hills firm that owns Delphi, the auto parts maker.

All the big film studios have also registered interest in the rights, with Sony Pictures a leading contender.

Summit Entertainment, the company behind the "Twilight" series, is tracking the sale, as is Media Rights Capital, which produced Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno.

The rights are being sold by Halcyon, the production company behind Terminator Salvation. The auction does not cover earlier Terminator films. The rights will give the buyer to make new films, TV series and other spin-offs.