Deadline is reporting that CAA is currently shopping a “package” around to studios for a new Terminator franchise helmed by Justin Lin (Fast Five, some other Fasts) that will once again feature Arnold Schwarzenegger. There apparently is no script, just a pitch. The pitch probably sounds like this; “Hey, wanna make a Terminator movie? Heeeeeeeee’s back!”

I’ve got no beef with Justin Lin. I haven’t delved into the Fast and Furious franchise because it’s just not my cup of stupid, but the advance word of batshit craziness has me curious about Fast Five. He can’t be any less inspired of a choice than the Terminator’s last franchise helmer, McG. But still I must ask the question, “Why?!”

I wasn’t a fan of Terminator Salvation; I thought the obvious script re-jiggering sunk it. But it did one thing right — it took the series into the future, where it needed to be. I don’t know what Lin has in mind with this new take. I’m willing to bet he doesn’t know either. But the inclusion of Arnold would seem to indicate going back to the well with yet another T-800 stalking/protecting pre-apocalypse John Connor movie, which is a story no one ever needs to see again, ever.

I won’t even get into the obvious ‘Arnold is too damn old’ argument. If he wants to return to acting, there’s plenty of things I could see him doing. Like making King Conan, for instance. Or a Bucket List sequel. But the Terminator franchise hasn’t had any real life in it since 1991. Maybe Arnold and the lunkhead behind the Fast/Furious franchise have some brilliant new concept that will shatter all of our pre-conceived notions on what the Terminator series can be, who knows. But I kind of doubt it. This reeks of desperation.