Character designer Miles Teves explained how the new Terminator 4 will go back to the future in the design of the new Terminators.
 ”I did all kinds of work on the new sort of Terminator… uh, I can’t describe without being in breach of contract… But there is a new endo-skelleton-type super Terminator that in a way is actually cruder than any of the ones from any of the other films,” explains Teves on the Fanboy Confidential podcast. “This one sort of takes place before all the other films in a weird way. So everything in the film is actually supposed to be cruder technology than we see even in the first Terminator.”
Teves, who worked on Legend and Robocop, complains that filmmakers, like JJ Abrams’ Star Trek or Lucas with the Star Wars prequels, have a tendency like going more futuristic with the technology (Enterprise) when they should be going more retro. But Miles promises this will be different.
“It’s very different. It will probably be the most different film of the [series],” says Teves. “…the first three films are essentially these hard driving chase films where you have this unstoppable force pursuing the hero. This is dramatically different in its structure and characters. It’s sort of the John Conner story, but strangely enough John Conner was not the main character. There is another guy who is the main protagonist of the film.”
This basically confirms rumors that Marcus (played in the film by Sam Worthington) will actually be the lead in the film, while John Connor (Christian Bale) is actually more of a supporting character.
“It completely takes place in the machine world in the post apocalyptic aftermath,” says Teves. “There will be lots of hardware and cool toys to be sold. And hopefully they will not water them down and they’ll be as cool as the designs. And there was cool designs. A lot of tanks, a lot of vehicles, a lot of weird machines.”
May 15th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
again, why was there a 20 year buildup to have conner play second fiddle?
May 15th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
I dunno…I think it’s pretty dope that they’ve got the mentality of keeping the whole thing realistic. that was always one of my biggest problems with the new star wars trilogy; everything was way more advanced technologically…which doesn’t make much sense at all. i’m a little more excited now than I was before, so that’s kind of cool. it’s always nice to hear things about upcoming movies that make you feel a little bit better about it.
May 15th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Was I the only one expecting a picture?
May 15th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
That sounds quite cool. I wonder if it will be all action though, or if it will have a bit of a Mad Max/Apocalyptic Western vibe…
May 15th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Yeah this is good.
Reese explained to Sarah in the first film that the T-800’s (Arnolds series) were new and that the T-600’s were easy to spot because they had rubber skin.
On Bale playing second fiddle, here’s what I think they have planned.
This new guy Marcus is possiby a military leader of some kind. Connor is prob not in command yet.
I think were going to get a Origin film here folks. Showing how it all began after judgement day.
I’m starting to think this may actually be VERY GOOD.
I can see Connor taking command of the Resistance at the end of the film, that would dovetail into T5.
May 15th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
haha, this is going to suck hardcore.
May 16th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Haha, this is going to kick ass!
May 16th, 2008 at 4:22 am
Haha, *insert witty comment here*! lol.
I think you’re right, 790. This movie will obvious set up the rest of the new trilogy with Christian taking the reigns. I can’t see him playing second fiddle to anyone after the success he’s been having but if he’s to head up the franchise in the future it all makes sense. Wow, with TDK and now this, he’ll be pretty busy. I was excited when I heard he was going to be in it and now I’m excited that they are being realistic with the time frame.
@Allynd
I’m with you. I had to google him to see what he looked like :P
May 16th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
After this next film with the pre-Arnold terminators, it would be AWESOME to see the next-gen terminators make an appearance in the form of Schwarzenegger, the liquid metal guy, and the blonde chick terminator.
Imagine seeing DOZENS of the three terminators from the previous films TEAMING UP to fight the resistance.
As soon as they killed one Arnold, another Arnold would be right around the corner. Finally, we’d see the premise of the series — that they come off an assembly line — fully realized.
Of course, I don’t see why they’d have any incentive to put clothing on; it’s not like they would necessarily have to blend in after the bombs fall. So I guess that could mean Connor doing battle with 100 naked blonde terminator chicks! What a sight! Ha!
May 16th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Couple things, according to the actor that plays John Connor on the tv show, the T-1000 (liquid metal terminator) is tied up in legal hassles.
I’m pretty sure James Cameron created that character. And prob has control over it.
The terminators in the future war don’t need skin unless their on an infiltration mission.
So expect to see huge robot looking tanks, HK flying craft, huge anti-squad terminators that look like giant spiders and of course the T - hundred series. (Fighting naked , yes without skin).
May 25th, 2008 at 1:22 am
I cant wait for this trilogy to come out….To put out my opinion for some of you out there…No you dont need Arnold in the post apocolyptic side except if they decided to show conner sending back reese and then the t800 from t2…..but other than that they should all be naked endoskeletons…. And i like the idea of conner not being in charge at first…makes it realistic to me…
May 30th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
I dunno, They can still put in the T800’s They will just be using arnolds teeth. No skin just the endoskuletons. But if they don’t include them. I don’t see it doing well at all. And i am a fan of TSCC, I would love to see Summer in the film.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:00 am
It would be cool to see Summer in the film.
However the tv show is produced under Mario Kassar and the film rights have been sold to this new group that’s doing the film.
There really 2 different shows at this point.