In a bold move that promises to reinvigorate the Terminator franchise, Netflix is set to launch “Terminator Zero,” an eight-episode anime series that harkens back to the terrifying roots of James Cameron’s 1984 classic. Showrunner Mattson Tomlin, speaking at the 2024 Anime Expo in Los Angeles, revealed that the series will embrace the “serial killer” robot horror that made the original film so groundbreaking.

Set to premiere on August 29, 2024 – exactly 40 years after the release of the first Terminator film – this new installment aims to capture the essence of what made the franchise initially captivating. “We’re tapping into the relentless, ruthless killing machine aspect,” Tomlin explained, distinguishing the series from the action-heavy spectacles that dominated later entries in the franchise.

The story takes place immediately following the events of “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” but with a fresh twist. In what Tomlin describes as a “gender-flipped reimagining” of the original concept, a...