Merrick thinks his trunk would create too much wind resistance...

Australian papers HERE and HERE are reporting that producer Andrew Vajna (yes, I know what that word looks like) may actually, finally, be ramping up for TERMINATOR 4.

Vajna’s extensive credits range from RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II, TOTAL RECALL, and JACOB’S LADDER…to special little films like I, SPY and BASIC INSTINCT 2.

The best news of all? T4 is being characterized as a “real” sci-fi picture. The film’s screenplay is written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris, who scripted CATWOMAN, FEMME FATALE, and THE NET – all of which makes the duo’s involvement with a “real sci-fi film” something of an oxymoron.

But, to be fair, they also wrote TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES – which Vajna produced as well. Personally, I thought T3 was far better than it could easily have been - although, it wasn’t great by any means. I respect the ending of the film, though; took a bit of courage to go that direction. While Judgment Day pretty much had to happen at some point in the TERMINATOR mythos, I was surprised The Powers That Be let a film go out on that note (as opposed to beginning a movie with it, for example).

No word yet on Arnold’s involvement, but they’re thinking about shooting in Australia – hence this news coming from Australia.

Let slip the Talkbackers!