McG has posted the first update on the official website for Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, featuring our first look at concept art for post-judgment day Los Angeles. Click on the image below to enlarge. I think even the naysayers have to admit, it looks f’n cool.
But to play devil’s advocate: a lot of concept art for even bad movies looks cool. It’s also important to note that this is the first time McG has attempted to reach out to the fans to reassure them that his vision is not to ruin Terminator 4:
“Like you guys, I’ve been a long-time fan of the series and I understand your passion for the Terminator movies — and it’s my full intention to deliver a film that lives up to the previous three installments. I’ve spent time with James Cameron, spoken to Arnold Schwarzenegger, gone over the story with Jonah Nolan, and enlisted Stan Winston,” wrote McG. “Everything we’re shooting is designed to be tactile and real, you’ll be seeing a whole set of inspired designs you’ve never seen before, and best of all you’ll finally get to see some of the post-judgment day future that was only hinted at in the previous movies.”
McG also talks about the casting:
“John Connor will be pushed to the brink. And for me, Christian Bale embodies Connor’s strength and tenacity perfectly. And after visiting Sam Worthington on the set of Avatar, I know he’s perfect for his role,” writes the director. “As you know, Anton Yelchin is playing Kyle Reese, and his prep has been unbelievable. The guy’s been watching all three Terminators incessantly and he’s definitely going to capture the essence of the character Michael Biehn created in Cameron’s first film.”
The music video/commercial turned feature director says that he has already seen the first sequence they shot at Griffith Observatory cut together and claims “Anton and Sam are excellent.”
Discuss: C’mon guys, should we give McG a chance?
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:55 pm
apparently it is going to happen now and so we, those who actually care, are forced to put our faith in the McG. Good grief, I can’t believe I just wrote that.
please don’t suck, please don’t suck, please don’t suck, please don’t suck,please don’t suck, please don’t suck,please don’t suck, please don’t suck,please don’t suck, please don’t suck,please don’t suck, please don’t suck…
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:57 pm
haha
No Peter, just no.
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:08 pm
They need to change the title or drop “The Future Begins” subtitle.
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Funnily enough I’ve just been watching Charlies Angels: Full Throttle (it was on TV…I swear) and I the worst part is when they jump out of the boat and continue to surf down the rope. Then the Irish dude casually jumps off the ship and walks through fire.
If any of that crap goes anywhere near the Terminator franchise, I may cry.
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I almost want to.
I want to so badly.
but
but I’ve just been hurt so many times before in the past.
I just
can’t let myself get hurt again…
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I like it. I’ll go see it when it comes out. But everybody’s entitled to there opinions, So no matter how good or bad this’ll turn out to be. People who say it’s going to be terrible for a year straight (May ‘09). I’m sure there opinions want change in a years time.
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:39 pm
At this point I’m actually excited about the project the actors cast seem decent enough and McG is known for a great visual style which was kind of lacking in T3 among other things…I’ve been won over even though I was hesitant when I first heard he was directing…Even if the story and lines end up being weak I think we’ll end up getting a “good” Terminator flick…
Let’s hope they start their marketing campaigns early, this blog being started so early in production is a good sign…hopefully by the end of next month they’ll start releasing stills…
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:45 pm
they should change the title and he should drop the whole McG thing
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:00 pm
concept art is usually 95% badass for films. It’s up to the director and producer’s “vision” to fuck it up in the end.
Mark my words on that, been through that situation many times.
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I’m glad McG has a reverence for the series, but that doesn’t necessarily mean his movie will live up to his own expectations. I mean, have you read that interview with Uwe Boll where he lists his favorite movies? THEY’RE GOOD… and it hasn’t helped him one bit.
Still, optomism! Resurrect another franchise Christian Bale!!
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Nobody else notice the KISS logo in the bottom right hand corner?
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
As far as this concept art goes it’s nothing we haven’t seen a lot of in the other films so…
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
“gone over the story with Jonah Nolan”
next to bale, this is the strongest step the movie has taken towards being successful, as jonah is nothing short of genius. i’d feel better if he had actually written it, but if they at least heeded his advice, i’m actually feeling better about things. the art does nothing for me, JN does.
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I’m dubious about all this. Terminator 3 was utterly appalling and MCG has a reputation for making mostly bad films. That said Christian Bale is great actor and so has obviously seen something in it to commit to 3 films. How much more excited would we be if Cameron was in charge
May 24th, 2008 at 12:48 am
@ greg
yer 100% right - if we had all the exisitng factors PLUS cameron, this would be epic. i don’t care for mcg at all, but i do feel at any moment a person can turn their career around. maybe this will be mcg’s breakthrough into solid filmmaking - though i still cannot understand how a grown man can call himself that.
May 24th, 2008 at 4:01 am
I think I’ve figured out the title: (this might be common sense to some).
Possible Spoilers.
(Terminator Salvation=
The resistance is going to need to hack into Skynets network , also the Endo-Skeletons themselves. Im sure there going to have a reprogramed Terminator character, (Jadagrace?) that will help Connor and the resistance take down Skynet.
(The Future Begins=
Means that Connor still intends to stop Judgement day by using prob time travel.
The Marcus character prob plays a big role here.
790…..>
May 24th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
What do you mean “give him a chance”?
He’s GOT his chance.
It’s called Terminator Salvation.
I’ll pat him on the back if he gets it right. And I’ll punch him in the cunt if he gets it wrong.
May 24th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
All he’s done so far is a load of name dropping to get into fans’ good graces.
Cameron, Schwarzenegger, Nolan, Winston…
I don’t care who you’ve “talked to” or “spent time with” or “had a romantic meal with”. Just give me results. Or I’ll give you mine…
May 26th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
WTF! The future begins…oh shit! this title and this concept art are a joke? seems a cartoon serie for kids
June 15th, 2008 at 8:41 am
well hmmmm
obviousely bale is a awesome choice and would possibly rectefy the t3 screw up of a lack of a better word homosexual not tough john conner this better be good john has to vtake over the lime light since arnie is moving on and well we see in t2 john kind of scrawny and hopefully there will be a good back story to his character getting hardcore like being a first grade kick ass soldier and they do with t3 what they did with hulk forget it and start fresh cause t3 was painful
June 19th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Im a huge fan of the terminator franchise, and i personally cannot wait for the new installments. Judging by the feedback we have all been getting from McG im pretty confident that he doesnt want to ruin this for the fans, i say we all back off a bit and give him a fair chance.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
@Liam:
Those are two of the funnier scenes in Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. This movie is tragically misunderstood by almost everyone, including the critics, who should know better. This movie is a comedy– a satire of an action movie. The things that happen are so ludicrous, the stunts so impossible, the villains so over-the-top, that you can’t help but laugh. Once you understand this, you should be able to enjoy the movie.
McG showed serious directing chops in that movie and I’m sure he’ll do the Terminator proud. You won’t see any absurd action, because he realizes Charlie’s Angels is about camp, while Terminator is serious business.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I expect this will be a pretty pointless CG extravaganza full of corny lines and great swooping camera movements full of fake explosions. Everything about McG screams low-brow Hollywood blockbuster, not paranoid speculative sci-fi thriller. I’m sure McG is a huge fan of the Terminator movies, but I find it hard to believe that the guy responsible for directing Charlie’s Angels and producing a Pussycat Dolls TV series is capable of following in the footsteps of T2, especially not with a PG-13 rating. The first two movies were great because they were unsettling and even terrifying at times. McG however seems much more adept at “Ooh-Aah” type of disposable entertainment than creepy, visionary science fiction. But hey.. Heath Ledger pulled himself out of Hollywood drudgery and so did Leo DiCaprio so maybe there is hope.