When Arnold Schwarzenegger first spoke the iconic words "I'll be back" in 1984, we all assumed the Austrian Oak meant "in an anime, at some point." The subtext was there. Well, it's finally happening: Netflix announced today The Terminator will be adapted into an anime series by The Batman co-writer Mattson Tomlin, noting that the story is "expanding" the world originally created by James Cameron, not rebooting.

Said Tomlin in a statement: “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.”

RELATED: The Terminator Movies Ranked from Worst to Best

The Netflix series marks the first-ever animated adaptation in the Terminator franchise, a series that now stands at six movies and a TV show. The 1984 original introduced Schwarzenegger as the titular robotic killing machine, who returns from the year 2029 to eliminate a woman named Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). The Netflix adaptation is a co-production with Skydance and Production I.G. Here's what John Derderian, Vice President of Japan & Anime at Netflix, had to say:

“Terminator is one of the most iconic sci-fi stories ever created--and has only grown more relevant to our world over time. The new animated series will explore this universe in a way that has never been done before. We can’t wait for fans to experience this amazing new chapter in the epic battle between machines and humans.”

Added Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, President and CEO of Production I.G: “I asked my long-time friend and colleague Mamoru Oshii what he thought about the idea of turning Terminator into an animated series. His response was "Ishikawa, are you out of your mind?” At that instant, I was confident we should get onboard. As huge fans, our team at Production I.G is putting their heart and souls into creating this series. We hope fans will enjoy it!”

Tomlin's Terminator adds to Netflix's growing anime line-up, which also includes adaptations of Pacific Rim, Kong: Skull Island, and Tomb Raider.

KEEP READING: The Timeline of All the 'Terminator' Movies, Explained