Netflix announces new anime series 'Terminator Zero'

Netflix has unveiled "Terminator Zero," a new anime series based on James Cameron's iconic sci-fi film franchise. It is expected to launch on 29 August.

The show will include eight episodes in total. The series will also be released on the same date as The Rings of Power season 2, providing viewers with a varied range of options.

Mattson Tomlin developed and executive produced Terminator Zero that is situated in the setting of James Cameron's franchise. However, rather than following old faces, the series has introduced new individuals to the franchise.

Production IG Studios and Skydance Animation are in charge of the animation. Tomlin has stated that all eight episodes will be released globally on the service on that date, with the hope of further seasons.

Photo: Netflix

The first look images are seen to be drawing inspiration from the original terminator movies and Production IG's past work on Ghost in the Shell and Haikyu!

What can be expected of the series?
It is set in two time periods, 1997, when the AI known as Skynet developed self-awareness, and 2022, when a decades-long battle is raging between human survivors and robots. A soldier is transported back in time to try to change humanity's fate, where she meets Malcolm Lee, a scientist who has developed a new AI to compete with Skynet.

"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 synopsis stated. The film is directed by Masashi Kudo, best known for his work on Bleach.

Tomlin told EW that the show accepts all previous films as canon, stating, "We're not going to pretend that the third movie didn't happen. We're not going to pretend that the sixth movie didn't happen."

He has also indicated a shift away from the "muscular sci-fi action" of the latter films and towards the horror elements of the Cameron flicks.