Rosario Dawson Joins the Voice Cast for ‘Terminator Zero’

Ann Dowd, André Holland and Sonoya Mizuno are the latest announcements for the new animated series based on James Cameron’s legendary movie franchise.

(Left) Rosario Dawson. Photo: Jamie McCarthy. (Right) 'Terminator Zero'. Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

Preview:

Rosario Dawson, Ann Dowd and André Holland are joining ‘Terminator Zero’.
Timothy Olyphant is starring in the series.
The new show was created by ‘The Batman’ co-writer Mattson Tomlin.

Since James Cameron launched ‘The Terminator’ upon the world in 1984 and then followed that up with one of the greatest movie sequels of all time via ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’, the franchise has struggled.

We’ve had further movie sequels of varying quality and diminishing returns (even 2019’s ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’, which roped Cameron back in as producer, couldn’t crack the quality/box office appeal factor with anything like the success of the first two efforts).

Indeed, one of the more respected ‘Terminator’ treatments has been on TV, where ‘Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles’ ploughed its own furrow for a couple of seasons, with Lena Headey playing Sarah.

Terminator Zero

TV-MA1 SeasonsAugust 29th, 2024

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But despite the seeming “Terminator Curse”, that hasn’t stopped other companies from taking a shot, and the latest is Netflix, which has animated series ‘Terminator Zero’ due in a couple of months.

And while we already knew that Timothy Olyphant is lending his voice to the show, the cast list has been updated to include Rosario Dawson, Ann Dowd, André Holland and Sonoya Mizuno.

What’s the story of ‘Terminator Zero’?

Timothy Olyphant as The Terminator in 'Terminator Zero'.

Here’s the official synopsis for the show:

2022: A future war has raged for decades between the few human survivors and an endless army of machines. 1997: The AI known as Skynet gained self-awareness and began its war against humanity.

Caught between the future and this past is a soldier (Mizuno) sent back in time to change the fate of humanity. She arrives in 1997 to protect a scientist named Malcolm Lee (Holland) who works to launch a new AI system designed to compete with Skynet’s impending attack on humanity.

As Malcolm navigates the moral complexities of his creation, he is hunted by an unrelenting assassin from the future which forever alters the fate of his three children.

Which characters are the other new additions playing in the show?

Rosario Dawson as Kokoro in 'Terminator Zero.'

Dawson is Kokoro, an advanced AI and Japan's answer to Skynet, if brought online, Kokoro will be endowed with the same power as Skynet. Kokoro must calculate for itself: is humanity the plague Skynet believes? Or are human beings worth saving?

Dowd plays The Prophet. In the future, the Prophet is the philosophical guide for the human resistance, a light shepherding survivors in the darkness of the unknown future ahead.

As for Olyphant? He has the title role, in a version that sounds like the original movie’s killing machine: The Terminator is still out there. It still can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you’re dead (though we’re promised a fresh take on the iconic character).

Who is making ‘Terminator Zero’?

Sonoya Mizuno as Eiko in 'Terminator Zero.'

Leading the creative team on the new show is Mattson Tomlin, who worked on 2022’s ‘The Batman’ with Matt Reeves and is co-writing the sequel with him.

Here’s Tomlin on ‘Terminator Zero’:

“Anyone who knows my writing knows I believe in taking big swings and going for the heart. I’m honored that Netflix and Skydance have given me the opportunity to approach Terminator in a way that breaks conventions, subverts expectations, and has real guts.”

When will ‘Terminator Zero’ be on our screens?

Netflix previously announced that the new show will hit its screens on the well-chosen date of “Judgement Day” from the movies –– which means August 29th if you’re not keeping track.