The rights to the Terminator film franchise will be auctioned this month in a deal that will test Hollywood intellectual property valuations at a time when film industry profits are under pressure from falling DVD sales.
The sale, which comes weeks after the rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were sold for $60m, has sparked considerable interest because the Terminator is one of the only blockbuster film franchises not controlled by a big studio.
The interest in the Terminator rights underscores the value of intellectual property during a tough time for Hollywood. However, the value of intellectual property has held up, withWalt Disney recently agreeing a hefty premium in its $4bn deal to buy Marvel Entertainment.