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McG Explains Terminator Salvation Alternative Ending, Claims 30+ Minutes of Deleted Scenes

Posted on Friday, May 8th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta

McG tells our friends at Collider that the Terminator Salvation DVD will likely have 30 to 40 minutes of deleted scenes. We know about the now infamous Moon Bloodgood topless scene, and after the jump, we’ll talk about the alternative ending, but McG also says “There are great long takes of Connor giving speeches, evoking Sarah Connor that we ultimately lifted because I didn’t want it to feel that he was dependent on the voice of his mother to find his leadership.”

Remember how McG said a few months back that the ending of the film would polarize fans? Well apparently that ending is no longer in the film.

McG revealed the details of that ending to io9. And while the film’s current ending is not even close to the one described, some might consider the following a spoiler, so you have been warned!

“We had a jet-black ending. Connor dies, we’re in a room with all the people we care about. You take Connor’s likeness, you put it on the living machine of Marcus. He sits up, now looking like Christian Bale, takes a gun, kills Kate, kills Kyle, kills Star, kills everybody, eyes flare red, [snaps] the end.”

WOW. I’m not sure what to even think about that ending. It would have at least been interesting and ambitious, but I’m not sure what it would mean to the franchise’s legacy, and the overall story arc of the series. I’m actually more interested to hear what the plan would have been to follow-up on that ending.

Screenwriter Michael Ferris also confirmed that the ending which leaked onto the internet during production was actually real. Not that we had any doubts. For those of you who might not remember, the ending involved Marcus taking over as John Connor (skin and all) after the resistance leader dies in action. Ferris says the screenplay ended with “everybody, except the inner circle” unaware that John Connor is now a Terminator, and the mechanical Connor going on “to lead the resistance” in the war against the machines.

It is unclear if that ending was ever shot. But it sounds like McG shot the alternative ending he talks about above, so I don’t see why they didn’t shoot this ending as well to add to the editing options. McG is unsure if the ending will be included on the DVD. I would assume that it was never properly finished, FX wise.

Comments

RosanatorDA

what is this, the departed?

MasterCobra

Fucking awesome ... I bet even chicks would have jizzed over that ending right then and there in the middle of the cinema!

Peter

while that ending would have been cool, it would also have been wrong for so many reasons. For four films now we are to believe in John Connor. He is the symbol of humanity and to just go and turn him into a machine defeats the purpose of the character entirely. It would be a true betrayal to the Terminator mythology.

Then again, it would be bad ass. But still, some badass things must never see the light of day.. except in DVD deleted scene form :)

BrendonConnelly

That ending sounded very resonant and powerful. What a shame we won't be getting it.

Delta Assault

That ending would've gotten Warner Bros firebombed, I'm sure.

Kyle Brylczyk

They should have kept it. We need more movies where there is no happy ending. Everybody dies. It also leaves no room for a sequel, which in today's market, would be a godsend. Seems like everything out now is a sequel or a prequel or a remake. If they kept this ending, BAM, no more Terminator movies. Time to get some fresh blood on the screens! But no, instead we'll be getting more and more of the same, tired crap.

Don't get me wrong, I'm stoked as hell for this movie, but just once I would like to see something new in the theatre.

Steve

That ending is terrible.

nelson

the ending is cool but ruins the franchise because if he kills kyle would he of ever been born?

Anon

That's the point: Marcus was the best infiltrator SkyNet had. He actually managed to befriend Connors inner circle, adopt Connors personality once he died, and then completely destroy the resistance from the inside out. The machines win, game over, etc.

Probably would have pissed people off, myself included, but it's still a neat idea if you think about it.

JJRK

The real ending is a bit on the weak side compared to this one.

JKW

People will either say that the intended ending was fantastic in its irony or terrible in that it subverts the concept of humanity...which, I imagine, is the reason why McG wanted this kind of ending. Let's face it though, leak or no leak, the fact that the movie blatantly gives away the idea that there is such a thing as a Terminator that thinks it's a human (as seen in the trailer now) would have made this the most likely "twist" in a twist ending movie (like how Shyamalan's endings after The Sixth Sense became reasonably predictable not because they were poorly executed but because everybody anticipates the twist and mentally prepares for every possibility). The real testament to Terminator: Salvation's staying power will not depend on the ending but on how iconic the narrative becomes...essentially it needs to be more like Terminator 2 than Terminator 1, since it would become convoluted to keep twisting a narrative that is already based on a twist (machines set in motion the devices of their own destruction).

Vinyard

So, are these yet more McG remarks we can disregard?

Vinyard

That ending must've been considered for, like, ten seconds. Sounds like something a really dreary, late-night writing session would've come up with.
After all, wasn't the idea to make this whole Terminator reboot a trilogy? So why would that ending have ever been really considered?
At this point, McG needs to stop making comments. Seriously.

Brad

It sounds to me like McG still has no idea what he wants this movie to be.

Landfill

Well it's official, if this movie is any good, which I think it will be, I'm definitely buying the DVD.

MattGoldberg

That other ending doesn't even make sense. If Terminator-Connor killed Kyle Reese, then how could Kyle Reese go back and ensure that John Connor is born in the first place?

I actually think it's a cool idea to have the leader of the resistance end up being a terminator but I don't see why he has to kill all the other main characters.

josh p

well...it says he shoots them all and his eyes flash red. ok, there's a million possibilities to follow that. the next one could have opened up a few minutes later and someone finds the bodies and kyle or others could be barely hanging on, they get rushed to a hospital and bam. alive. as for the john Connor scenario, could still find possibilities. John could have found out Marcus was really a bad guy after all and stages his death for a surprise attack on the enemy.

that ending would have been amazing. people who say it sucks and dosnt make sense need to think. the main guy 'dies'. shocking ending, you dont see it coming at all. theres freaking a trilogy planned, im sure there were ideas to follow up on this

Peter Sciretta

Matt, obviously you havent watched LOST or Back to the Future Part II. People are the variables, and if they change (as happened when kyle went back) the future result changes (ie alternative universe timeline).

And if Kyle is killed and can't go back in time, thet could create a time paradox, the results of which could cause a chain reaction that would unravel the very fabric of the space time continuum, and destroy the entire universe! Granted, that's a worse case scenario. The destruction might in fact be very localized, limited to merely our own galaxy.

Steve Grenier

You sir, made my day lol

dureggersc

I was totally thinking about that sort of time paradox today! Blows my mind.

RamJelly

As time travel tales go they don't get much better than "Timecrimes". When I describe it to people the best way I can think to do so is it feels realistic. Watching the most recent episode of "Lost" I couldn't help but think about that movie while the time travel aspects confused the shit out of me.

krackajap

Listen to this man. He's an expert in time travel. He has the hoverboard to prove it.

Steve Guttenberg

Screw 'interesting', that would have been one of the most horrendous endings to a franchise I have ever heard. It sounds like McG has NO idea what he wants to do... serves him right for hiring the T3 writers on this one.

RamJelly

I wish he'd stop talking about all the things that aren't in the movie. He's starting to worry me.

Fred

This ending would've been great if it wasn't Terminator or another established franchise.

scwatman

yeah Im not loving that idea. so what they take Johns skin and put it on Marcus, which would mean the 1st films where totally pointless or would john still be "john" but just have a terminator skeleton?

I can see the thinking behing it but for me it just doesnt fit in with the pervious films.

The whole point is we are the under-dogs but through bravery, human spirit and sacrifice we come out on top. Making it so its a terminator that saves us takes away from that. A terminator who used to be human or not.

NooBiBoy111

The ending is FUCKING great. I love it.

isotope

I like that ending, it's unique and interesting but I wouldn't have worked that well. John Connor as a Terminator? No, doubt he would want that.

jason B

fuck that ending. it sounds like t4 sacrificed story & drama for action. i didn't wait 20 years to see connor become a robot, and if mcg truly respects the legend that cameron created - he better get his shit together.

i also didnt wait this long to see connor play second fiddle, but from what i've heard, this is marcus's film.

maybe its a blessing in disguise that jonah nolan's name was removed from the screenwriting credits.

Final Word

At what point will the "real fans" stop whining like little bitches?

Does whining make one cool or something?

edc2

cosigned.

Liam

this fully reminds me of the latest heroes finale

NooBiBoy111

[polldaddy 1606604 http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/1606604/ polldaddy]

Why So Serial?

It doesn't exactly instill confidence that they didn't have a clear direction for the film and the franchise untill production was almost complete. I want to like this......

Yeva

That ending sounded like it could have worked, up to the part where Connor/Marcus kills Kate and Kyle, thats way too many time paradoxes in one scene. I'm okay with the idea of him becoming mechanized, but killing his teenage father 20 years before he can go back in time to impregnate his mother is too much.

dannyboy

this ending dont make sense aint Marcus a good guy so you telling me when they put Connor face on to Marcus some how Marcus with Conner likeness turns into a evil Terminator and kill everyone. that endingis bad i understand they wanted a dark ending but thisis not the right type of ending.

Drew Hall

This ending would of been nuts. You know how many people would of stormed out of the theater cursing. I personally believe, that the idea is incredible, but it doesnt follow the correct story of the Teriminator. John Connor will die in one of these movies, and making him similiar to Marcus, to me is a very brilliant well thought out idea. But killing Kyle would make no sense at all.

Kelt

If there is that much deleted material, I hope they consider doing an extended cut for the DVD, with at least 15 minutes extra

Skynet

I Win, I win !!!!!

Copyrite, Microsoft 2029.

790

I'm beginning to believe that Skynet sent 4 Terminators back through time.
The first Terminator 1984
The T-1000. 1992
The TX, 2003
And the Mcg T-102 a little broken but still able to destroy Connor and the franchise all in one film.

andystan

Honestly seems like one of the most retarded things I have ever seen. It seems like McG's trying too hard to compensate for the rest of the film with a controversial ending Rise Of The Machines-style, rather than focusing on making the film actually good

Final Word

You know this because you've watched it? Oh ya, no you haven't? You're just another "fanboy" whining about McG and the film.

Justin Craig

i really like the ending where Marcus leads the resistance covered in Connor's skin because of its irony; the legendary John Connor was nothing more than a machine himself! Awesome. But hopefully they'll throw something good at us regardless.

krackajap

So you're telling me that from the moment you saw Terminator you've been waiting for the 4th installment of the series? Otherwise you've been waiting like a year tops.

Anon

So he couldn't have decided he wanted to see Connor in all his glory after the 2nd film? Or the 3rd film? Or even some undetermined time in between ANY of the movies when he went back and thought more in depth into the series?

Also, try using the reply button. It works.
Post related, it's me using the reply button.

andystan

I'm basing my view on the fact the vast majority of the press he's doing seems to be focused on how edgy and controversial the last scene's going to be and a topless scene

darrksan

I hope the New ending is that John Connor becomes a Terminator.
John Connor's mind is put into a Terminator shell which is made to look like John Connor or even make John Connor part a cyborg with Terminator parts.

Jayleigh

I saw the movie and I thought the actual ending sucked and was hokey. A twist of the proposed ending having conner be a machine that thinks and acts as conner might be OK....Or i thought what if they killed conner and someone else took the Conner monicker and kept the resistance going. John Conner can become a myth and have other people send Kyle Reese Back or do the great things he is supposed too.

Over all The movie was OK...good Action, weak on story elements.

liznia

it was the best ending ever i loved it i think u all are so crazzy ya

Jenia

With this ending there is no longer a point to make another terminator :P

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