Bale Takes on the Terminator

The rumors are true: after defeating the Joker in The Dark Knight (come on, that is so not a spoiler), Christian Bale will then go head to head with the Terminator.

Bale is reportedly this close to play an all-grown up John Connor in the next chapter of the Terminator saga, clumsily titled Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins. But don't expect a certain California governor to make a return appearance to the silver screen in his iconic role; the anatomically correct automaton (yet to be cast) who clashes with our hero this time will be an earlier model then Arnie's and ... get this ... his name is Marcus. Oooh, I'm scared.

Charlie's Angel helmer McG (get a real name, will ya?) is also circling the fourquel, which is actually not the only Terminator project in the air. A new TV series, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, will premiere on Fox next month. 300 babe Lena Headey takes over for Linda Hamilton in this series, which will take place between the second and third films (still with me?) and also feature yet another John Connor, Heroes' Thomas Dekker. Who knew that the cinematic coupling of Hamilton and Michael Biehn back in '84 would produce such a multi-faceted offspring that it takes four actors (and counting) to embody him?

UPDATE: According to the producers, Arnold Schwarzenegger may return for a cameo in the fourquel, the first in a planned second Terminator trilogy.

Links via MSN.com, HollywoodReporter.com, Fox.com and EW.com.