Dwayne Johnson Rumored For 1940s or 1950s Set 'Terminator 5'

It's been four years since the underwhelming Terminator Salvation, and before it's run was over talk had already begun about Terminator 5. The film is definitely happening, Megan Ellison and her AnnaPurna Pictures are seeing to that by hiring Patrick Lussier and Laeta Kalogridis to pen the script. Recently, Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed that he would be playing the Terminator when the film finally happens, which seemed implausible given his age. Certainly it would mean a drastic reduction in the physicality of the killer android, but also possibly some extreme make-up/special effects work. But now a rumor has emerged which would explain how it could make sense.

A "source" has informed WWE Examiner about a potential Terminator 5 storyline that would send the killer machines to the 1940s or '50s, with Schwarzenegger playing a human who protects the Connor clan....

T5 may be a prequel set in the days of Sarah Connor’s parents, marking the first time terminators have been sent back in time to kill a character that existed before both John and Sarah Connor.

Incredibly, Schwarzenegger may not play the role of a machine in the next film, but a potentially heroic human figure in or close to the Connor family. One theory is that Schwarzenegger’s remarkable ability to protect the Connor family in the 1940s or 1950s with antiquated weaponry by today’s standards ultimately inspired the machines to develop a terminator in his likeness that was eventually sent to 1984 when Sarah Connor was first targeted for termination.

As for the guy (the Kristanna Loken thing didn't really work, did it?) to play the actual Terminator, it would be none other than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who seems to be mentioned for just about every franchise....

We’re told the script is now being developed and with one fellow action movie star in mind for the role of T5′s most sinister machine. A source close to Annapurna Films exclusively tells WWE Examiner Friday morning that one version of the script is being produced specifically for The Rock himself.

It's unclear how legit any of this is, but it's definitely sketchy. First of all, it's doubtful that someone would leak a story like this to a guy who writes about professional wrestling, and on a site that doesn't require any sort of sourcing. Second, it doesn't seem credible that ideas are still being kicked around since writers have been working on this for months already. And third, it directly flies in the face of Schwarzenegger's recent comments.  He could have been playing semantics, because in a way he would be playing the Terminator. If that's the case then he's more clever than I ever gave him credit for. If this were twenty years ago it would be friggin' awesome to see Roadblock take on the Governator, but now? Meh.

Filming on Terminator 5 begins early next year, so we should be hearing something concrete soon.