J.K. Simmons in Talks to Join ‘Terminator: Genesis’ (Exclusive)

J.K. Simmons is in negotiations to join the cast of Terminator: Genesis, the reboot of the sci-fi action franchise being made by Skydance and Paramount.

The remake will thread together multiple ideas from the previous movies as it relaunches the story of a cyborg from a future where computers gained intelligence and waged war against mankind.

Emilia Clarke is playing Sarah Connor, the woman first saved by Kyle Reese, a fighter from the future and inadvertent father of future resistance leader John Connor.

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Jason Clarke (no relation to Emilia Clarke) is playing John Connor, while Jai Courtney will be playing Reese. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be back as Terminator — whether he is good or bad remains to be seen.

According to sources, Simmons will play a weary and alcoholic detective who has followed a bizarre case involving Sarah Connor and robots for more than three decades (since 1984, which, not coincidentally, is the year the original movie, directed by James Cameron, was released).

Alan Taylor is directing the movie, which is due to start shooting this spring.

Simmons is currently on NBC’s midseason comedy Growing Up Fisher and is coming off the Sundance premiere of the buzzed-about drama Whiplash. The movie, in which Simmons stars opposite Miles Teller, won the festival’s grand jury prize and audience prize and was snapped up by Sony Pictures Classics.

Simmons is repped by Gersh.

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