Netflix's Terminator Zero anime confirms worldwide August release date

Modified May 16, 2024 03:50 GMT

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 saw Netflix reveal that their upcoming Terminator Zero anime series, based on the Terminator film franchise, will premiere globally on the service on Thursday, August 29, 2024. Netflix also revealed a set of first look photos of the series, which are largely out of context and spoiler-free.

One of the most notable of these first look photos of the Terminator Zero anime series is one of what appears to be a battle-scarred Terminator unit of an unknown model.

The Terminator is seen wearing a suit and tie or traditional business attire, which suggests that at least a portion of the series may take place in the series’ pre-Judgment Day/apocalyptic world.

Other photos of the Terminator Zero anime series, however, feature very futuristic-esque technology which suggests that at least some focus is given to the post-Judgment Day world.

While time travel has always been at the core of the series’ narrative, this distinction between first look photos suggests it could play a much bigger active role than normal in this new series.

Terminator Zero anime to be produced by Skydance Animation and Production I.G

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The final notable appearance in these first look photos for the Terminator Zero anime show what seems (but isn’t confirmed) to be Sarah Connor firing a pistol, presumably at one of the titular mechanical menaces.

Sarah was the protagonist from James Cameron’s original 1984 film, where she was played by American actress Linda Hamilton, and is the mother of John Connor, who leads the post-Judgment Day rebellion against the Terminators.

Mattson Tomlin serves as the showrunner, executive producer, and writer for the Netflix series, while Skydance’s David Elison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger are executive producers. Masashi Kudo directs the anime series at Production I.G studios, known for the Haikyu!! anime series and the currently airing Kaiju No. 8.

The series will have eight episodes and was originally ordered by Netflix in 2021. A teaser trailer was released in November 2023, with no significant information being revealed by it other than the series “coming soon.”

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The Terminator Zero anime will be a part of the series’ canonical universe, but “centers around new characters.” As of this article’s writing, it’s unclear whether or not that means the series will feature previously introduced characters in supporting roles.

Netflix describes the series’ story as follows:

“2022: A future war has raged for decades between the few human survivors and an endless army of machines. 1997: The AI known as Skynet gained self-awareness and began its war against humanity.

Caught between the future and this past is a soldier sent back in time to change the fate of humanity. She arrives in 1997 to protect a scientist named Malcolm Lee who works to launch a new AI system designed to compete with Skynet's impending attack on humanity. 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.”