'Doctor Who' Matt Smith Takes Major Role in 'Terminator' Reboot

The time-traveling worlds of Doctor Who and Terminator are about to converge in a way nobody would have predicted. The film formerly titled Terminator: Genesis (it could be again, just not right now) has just added former Doctor Who Matt Smith to the cast in what is said to be a major role.

Smith will play a totally “a new character with a strong connection to John Connor." What that means exactly is anybody's guess but his part is said to grow throughout the trilogy. Jason Clarke is set for the role of future savior John Connor, with Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor and Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese. Arnold Schwarzenegger is back as a Terminator, with J.K. Simmons, Lee Byung-hun, and Dayo Okeniyi co-starring.

The Terminator reboot is directed by Alan Taylor and opens July 1st 2015. 

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'Terminator: Genesis' Adds Lee Byung-Hun and Sandrine Holt

With Dayo Okiniyi snagging the final lead role in Terminator: Genesis, joining Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, JK Simmons, and Jai Courtney, the smaller parts are now falling into place.

THR reports that Lee Byung-hun, who has played Storm Shadow in two G.I. Joe movies, Sandrine Holt (Resident Evil: Apocalypse), and Michael Gladis (Knights of Badassdom) have joined the cast in unspecified roles. Byung-hun's part is being kept especially secret with the site teasing it "is being kept locked in the deepest vaults of Cyberdyne, I mean Skydance, but it promises to be a doozy." Holt is a personal favorite actress of mine ever since she starred in a Canadian TV series based on John Woo's Once a Thief. She can currently be seen on House of Cards, which is reason enough for me to finally renew my Netflix subscription.

Directed by Alan Taylor, Terminator: Genesis opens July 1st 2015.

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Cinema Royale #56- Noah; Sabotage

The controversy surrounding Darren Aronofsky's Noah has led some to write off the Biblical epic, but on this week's Cinema Royale "The Cinema Siren" +Leslie Combemale joins in to look at whether the film can be enjoyed by all audiences. Noah stars Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Jennifer Connolly, and Anthony Hopkins.

Plus, Arnold Schwarzenegger gears up for Sabotage, the cop thriller from the director of End of Watch!

All this plus news on Terminator: Genesis, Chris Evans' future as Captain America, Indiana Jones, and more!

Cinema Royale is part of the Hashtag Studios Broadcast Network. Listen in and subscribe here to get the best in movie reviews, news, celebrity interviews, and more sent your way every single week!

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Dayo Okeniyi is Miles Dyson's Son in 'Terminator: Genesis'

Just a few days ago it looked like John Boyega (Attack the Block) was going to snag the final major role in Terminator: Genesis, that of Miles Dyson's son. But with Boyega also up for Star Wars: Episode VII, there was no way he could shoot both as they film around the same time. Now the decision has been made easier as Variety reports the role has been awarded to Dayo Okeniyi.

Okeniyi is based known for playing Thresh in The Hunger Games, and was Brie Larson's boyfriend in The Spectacular Now. Miles Dyson is an important figure in the Terminator movies as the man basically responsible for the creation of Skynet, the artificial intelligence system that causes so many problems in the future. Dyson was killed in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, but his son made a brief appearance and apparently remains alive. It's unclear how he fits into the story but it wouldn't be surprising if he took over dad's work.

The larger question is whether this confirms Boyega for Star Wars, or will he somehow end up in neither blockbuster?

Starring Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, Jai Courtney, and J.K. Simmons, Terminator: Genesis opens July 1st 2015. [Variety]

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John Boyega Could Be Miles Dyson's Son in 'Terminator: Genesis'

Not only is Attack the Block star John Boyega appearing in 24: Live Another Day and in the running for a role in Star Wars: Episode VII, but he's being eyed for another blockbuster franchise. THR's Borys Kit has revealed on Twitter that Boyega is also up for a role Terminator: Genesis.

Boyega would play the son of Miles Dyson, the Cyberdyne engineer played by Joe Morton in the earlier films. Dyson was a crucial component in the formation of Skynet, the artificial intelligence system that goes rogue and destroys humanity.

The thing is, Boyega won't be able to do both Terminator and Star Wars, so we'll just have to wait and see if he turns up in either.  Here's hoping he doesn't get too wrapped up in big studio films and makes more movies like the urban drama, Imperial Dreams. 

Terminator: Genesis opens July 1st 2015 and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger (as one of a few T-800s), Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, Jai Courtney, and J.K. Simmons.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals Multiple T-800s of Different Ages in 'Terminator: Genesis'

One of the major sticking points for Alan Taylor's Terminator: Genesis was how it planned to reintroduce Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800. We saw the way it was handled in Terminator Salvation, giving us some sketchy CGI to present the actor in his physical prime. With Arnold at 66 years of age, having him play the killer robot just didn't make much sense. Rumors surfaced he could play a human version of the killer cyborg, and at least according to Arnold, those rumors weren't totally off-base.

Speaking with MTV, he revealed they've found a unique way of getting past the whole aging problem...

Schwarzenegger: "The way that the character is written, it's a machine underneath. It's this metal skeleton. But above that is human flesh. And the Terminator's flesh ages, just like any other human being's flesh. Maybe not as fast. But it definitely ages."

The T-800 was always a metal skeleton surrounded by living tissue, but this is a slightly different spin on the idea. And with all of the time travel shenanigans that will be taking place, it allows for Terminators of different ages to co-exist. That's right, a younger Terminator will be running around causing trouble.

Schwarzenegger: "Terminator deals a lot with time travel, so there will be a younger T-800....and then what that model does later on when it gets reprogrammed, and who gets ahold of him. So it will be all kinds of interesting twists in the movie, but I feel so good."

One has to wonder if any of these different-aged Terminators will make their way onto the TV series. Starring Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, Jai Courtney, and J.K. Simmons, Terminator: Genesis opens July 1st 2015. 

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J.K. Simmons Joins 'Terminator: Genesis'

There are great character actors, and then there is JK Simmons who takes supporting roles to a new level. He's coming off perhaps one of his best yet in the Sundance hit, Whiplash, and now he's joining the already great cast of Terminator: Genesis.

Simmons will play "weary and alcoholic detective who has followed a bizarre case involving Sarah Connor and robots for more than three decades.", reportedly since 1984, the same year as James Cameron's original film. That's an interesting description and suggests his character will have something to do with the story's diverging timelines. With a parallel TV series also in the works it wouldn't be a surprise if his character was involved in that, too. He joins Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor, Jason Clarke as John Connor, Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese, and Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator.

Directed by Alan Taylor, Terminator: Genesis opens July 1st 2015. [THR]

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Jai Courtney is Kyle Reese in 'Terminator: Genesis'

With all of the principle cast already locked for Terminator: Genesis, the only major role left to be filled was that of Kyle Reese. After a lengthy search, the final two contenders were reportedly Jai Courtney (A Good Day to Die Hard) and Boyd Holbrook, with neither seeming to have a clear edge. But now it looks like it will be Courtney going back in time to save the future or something.

Variety reports that Courtney has won the role, joining Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor, Jason Clarke as her son John Connor, and the returning Arnold Schwarzenegger presumably as the killer robot from the future...although there have been rumors that say otherwise. Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World) is directing what is to be a brand new, standalone trilogy with a tie-in TV component.

Terminator: Genesis opens July 1st 2015.

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Jai Courtney and Boyd Holbrook Finalists for Kyle Reese in 'Terminator: Genesis'

Production on Terminator: Genesis should be kicking off soon, and with most of the principle cast in place the only role left to be filled is that of Kyle Reese, originally played by Michael Biehn in the 1984 original. According to Deadline and Borys Kit of THR, the final two contenders vying for the part are Jai Courtney and Boyd Holbrook.

A decision will have to be made soon because of the ambitious plan being put in place. Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World) is directing what's expected to be the first of a new trilogy that must be wrapped up by 2019 when the Terminator rights revert to James Cameron. There's also a TV series that will bridge the movies and tie-in to Cameron's universe, so this is a complex structure they're working with that includes a lot of moving parts. Whoever wins the role will join Emila Clarke as Sarah Connor, Jason Clarke as her son and future hero John Connor, and Arnold Schwarzenegger presumably back as the cyborg T-800. 

Of the two, Courtney is the more natural action star having appeared in Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Jack Reacher, and A Good Day to Die Hard. But it may be Holbrook who is the more believable romantic lead, and since Reese is the father of Connor's son that's what will matter most in the end.

Terminator: Genesis opens July 1st 2015.

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Jai Courtney Could Be Kyle Reese in 'Terminator: Genesis'

The Terminator rights revert back to James Cameron in 2019, so before then we're going to get hit with a reboot trilogy and a possible tie-in TV series. The only one guaranteed to return for Terminator: Genesis is Arnold Schwarzenegger as the iconic killer machine, while Emilia Clarke is set for a young Sarah Connor and Jason Clarke is an older version of her son, John Connor. But the Kyle Reese role is still open, and a handful of new contenders are now in the mix for it.

We'd heard the names Garrett Hedlund and Nicholas Hoult rumored to play Reese, but the high-profile actors didn't even want to read for it. So now producers have to turned actors most people wouldn't be able to pick out of a police line-up. Wilson Bethel (Generation Kill), Boyd Holbrook (The Host), Tom Cocquerel, and Sam Reid (Anonymous) are the least recognizable, but Jai Courtney (A Good Day to Die Hard, Jack Reacher) is quickly making a name for himself.  This would be a big jump in profile for any of them, taking on the part made famous by Michael Biehn in the 1984 original.

No plot details have been revealed but a look at the age gap between the two Clarkes tells us a time travel element has to factor in somewhere. Terminator: Genesis opens July 1st 2015. [Variety]

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Emilia Clarke Wins Sarah Connor Role in 'Terminator: Genesis'

For the better part of a week the final two contenders to play Sarah Connor in the Terminator reboot were Brie Larson and Emilia Clarke. Clarke was seen to be the frontrunner largely because of working with director Alan Taylor on Game of Thrones, and it looks like that relationship is indeed going to continue.

Clarke has won the role of Sarah Connor in the film, reportedly titled Terminator: Genesis, joining Arnold Schwarzenegger and the recently-cast Jason Clarke, who will play her son and future rebel leader, John Connor. She'll be attempting to take over for Linda Hamilton, who played Sarah in the first two movies, bulking up and giving the character a meaner edge in the second. Clarke has proven how tough she can be commanding dragons (and men) on Game of Thrones so this should be no problem for her.

Here's where things get a little interesting. Due to the 18-year age gap between both Clarkes, we can assume Jason will be playing an older version of John Connor, and Deadline says the story includes a trip to the future. But they also say Schwarzenegger will be reprising his role as the T-800 Terminator, which refutes earlier rumors that he'd be playing Sarah's human defender, a man the future robots would be modeled after. Should we expect a younger version of John Connor, as well, to accompany Sarah in the present? And the role of John's father, Kyle Reese, has yet to be cast.

And all this will apparently tie-in to a new TV series. In other words there will be lots of Terminator coming your way very soon, all the way until 2019 when James Cameron reclaims it. Enjoy it while it lasts. Terminator: Genesis opens July 2nd 2015.

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Jason Clarke to play John Connor in 'Terminator: Genesis'

Although the search continues for someone to play Sarah Connor in the fifth Terminator film, apparently titled Terminator: Genesis, an actor to play her son John Connor has been found. The model for the role had been Tom Hardy, and it's unclear whether or not that ever went beyond the wishlist stage, but it really doesn't matter anymore because his Lawless co-star Jason Clarke has landed the part.

Somewhere along the way the plan of casting Sarah Connor first was changed, perhaps to make sure they secured the ever-busy Clarke, who is coming off of strong performances in Zero Dark Thirty and The Great Gatsby. He'll also play the human lead in next year's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, so he's going to have more than his share of franchise cred by the time cameras roll. That leaves Brie Larson and Emilia Clarke as the frontrunners for Sarah Connor, and due to the vast age gap between them and Jason Clarke (this whole 'Clarke' thing could get confusing as a Terminator storyline) one has to expect some twisty time travel logic will be at play. The search is still on for the role of John Connor's father, Kyle Reese, with Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch, and Nicholas Hoult in the running.

Good news all around, I say, unless it inferferes with the numerous other projects Clarke has lined up. Look for Terminator: Genesis to hit theaters July 2nd 2015. [Deadline]

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Has the 'Terminator' Reboot Title Been Revealed?

The search for a young actress to play Sarah Connor in the Terminator reboot is ongoing, and a TV series may be in the works, but the film still needs an inspiring title. Unfortunately, it isn't getting one as Production Weekly says it will be titled Terminator: Genesis. As dull as that may be, it at least has some relation to the rumored plot, which is more than can be said for other subtitles such as 'Retaliation' and 'Reloaded'.

Early reports have suggested the film, the first part of a brand new trilogy, will be an origin story that shows us a young Sarah Connor and her first encounter with the killer robot of the future. Brie Larson and Emilia Clarke are the frontrunners for the role, with Alan Taylor looking like a sure thing as director. Sarah Connor's son John Connor will be cast later, and so will her protector from the future, Kyle Reese. Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning, as well, and there's the chance he'll be playing a human who comes to her aid and later forms the model for the T-800 Terminator.

If all that holds up then Terminator: Genesis makes a lot more sense. Whatever it's called, look for the film to begin shooting early next year and hit theaters July 2nd 2015.

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