"Terminator Salvation" star Sam Worthington may be teaming with original "Terminator" star Arnold Schwarzenegger, as he's in early talks to join the former California governor in David Ayer's action-thriller "Ten."

QED International is financing "Ten," which will be distributed stateside by Open Road Films, the company distributing Ayer's gritty police pic "End of Watch." Studio just moved up the release of the Jake Gyllenhaal/Michael Pena police drama one week to Sept. 21.

Worthington has an offer for "Ten" that he plans to accept, provided his reps can make the financial details work.

A testosterone-heavy riff on Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians," the Skip Woods-scripted film follows an elite DEA task force that robs a dangerous drug cartel under the guise of a tactical raid on one of its safe houses. They think they've gotten away with millions in merch, until team members begin getting bumped off one by one.

QED's Bill Block and Paul Hanson are producing with Joe Roth and Palak Patel of Roth Films, as well as Albert Ruddy. Alex Ott of Ayer's Crave Films will serve as exec producer.

Worthington is best known for toplining the highest-grossing movie of all-time -- James Cameron's "Avatar." He also starred in WB's actioner "Clash of the Titans" and its sequel "Wrath of the Titans." Thesp will soon be seen in the Aussie surfing drama "Drift."

Worthington is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and Oz-based Shanahan Management.

Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com