Christian Bale's Terminator Targets a PG-13

• May 5, 2008 04:53 PM ET
• by movienews

Terminators may be deadly, nigh-unstoppable machines, but that doesn't mean they can't be toned down.

According to Variety, the fourth film in the Terminator franchise, currently titled Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins and set to begin production today, will be shooting for a PG-13 rating. Although the three previous Terminator films grossed more than $1.03 billion worldwide with an R rating, producers are hoping to replicate the recent box-office success of the PG-13 Live Free or Die Hard, which became the highest-grossing film in the previously R-rated Die Hard series.

Producers are hoping to appeal to the younger audiences (and their wallets) at the toy stores as well, saying the kid-friendly rating will increase deals for action figures as part of a merchandising program that "will be the largest to date for The Terminator." The Christian Bale-fronted flick is currently scheduled for release on May 22, 2009.

Do you think the movie will suffer because of the rating? - Adam Bryant