Andy Vajna and Mario Kassar´s C2 Pictures, which produced Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, has pacted with Warner Bros. TV and writer Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds) for Fox´s tentatively titled The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The Fox series will focus on robo-warrior Sarah Connor and her savior son John Connor.

Variety reports that Friedman will write the pilot and serve as executive producer-showrunner of the series, which will take place in the fictional time frame between the second and third "Terminator" features. Vajna and Kassar will serve as executive producers, with C2 senior vice president of development James Middleton also producing.

In addition, Vajna confirmed that C2 is in "the final phases of development" of a fourth "Terminator" film and that the series will have a link to what´s being envisioned as a new feature trilogy.

"There will be a connection," Middleton said. Linda Hamilton is not expected to be involved in The Sarah Connor Chronicles. And because the series will be focused on the Connor family, it´s not anticipated that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would be a regular part of the series either.

Middleton said the series will explore what happened to Sarah Connor after the end of "T2," when the character went on the run. "She has the weight of the world on her shoulder and she also has to raise a 14-year-old son who may be the salvation of the world," he said.

Friedman said his "challenge is trying to figure out how to reinterpret (Connor) for television."

The "Terminator" franchise involves time travel and alternate futures, Friedman believes he´ll be able to take a few plot liberties in the series -- emphasis on "few."

"The last thing I want to do is take a title and exploit it," Friedman said. "The show needs to stand on its own while still being respectful of the franchise."

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