By Ethan Alter, filmjournal.com
April 27,2009
It's safe to say that any die-hard Terminator fan would have loved to have been a fly on the wall of the office where Joseph McGinty Nichol met with James Cameron to discuss Terminator Salvation, the fourth installment in one of most successful science-fiction franchises of all time. In one corner you had Cameron, who co-wrote and directed the original Terminator in 1984 and went on to make such revered action films as Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and True Lies. And in the other corner sat Nichol—or, as he's more commonly credited, McG—a music-video director who broke into feature filmmaking with the Charlie's Angels movies, which were filled with the kind of silly, deliberately over-the-top set-pieces Cameron has always avoided. Now McG was about to continue the Terminator legacy and he felt he couldn't do so without first paying homage to its creator in person.
"I wanted to be respectful and tell Jim that I intended to honor what he put into motion," says the 38-year-old, Michigan-born, California-raised director, on the phone from his L.A. office. "And I believed him when he told me that he finished telling the story at the end of the second film. So I brought it to him that the story was still worth exploring because [Terminator Salvation] was about the future war between the machines and humanity. He nodded his head and said, ‘That's interesting’ and went on to talk about how when he was making Aliens, everyone thought he was full of shit. Like 'Who does this guy think he is, following Ridley Scott?' Remember, he had only made a few films by that time. He wished me well, but added, 'I reserve the right not to like it.' And I said, 'That's fine, I reserve the right not to like [Cameron's new film] Avatar.' And we laughed as two directing colleagues would and that was that. I look forward to having a private screening [of the finished movie] with Jim, most likely at [Hollywood super-agent] Ari Emanuel's screening room. It's neutral turf, so if we get into a fistfight, Ari can break it up!"
Salvation by cyborg: McG helms next chapter in 'Terminator' saga
Read also: The Battle for Terminator 5
Terminator Salvation: Beyond the Charismatic Killing Machine
Read more!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Salvation by cyborg: McG helms next chapter in 'Terminator' saga
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
.jpg)
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Terminator Salvation Update.Terminator 5 in the Works?
Halcyon Co. toppers Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek are developing a fifth instalment of the man-vs.-machine franchise. Helmer McG, who directed the upcoming fourth pic, "Terminator Salvation," is working with the Halcyon duo on the latest project. Announcement was among the news that came out of the Dubai Intl. Film Festival, which bowed Dec. 11 and runs through Thursday. No decision has been made as to where to film the next "Terminator," although the Middle East was mentioned as a locale. When Anderson and Kubicek acquired the rights the lucrative "Terminator" franchise last year from previous owners C2, the former ad exec and banker envisaged the re-booted series as a trilogy. Christian Bale has signed on in the role of John Connor for all three roles. Newest pic is tentatively skedded for a 2011 release. The duo had originally planned to wait until the release of "Terminator Salvation" next summer before deciding on whether to proceed with the next chapter, but the positive studio, fan and media reaction to footage from the current pic has encouraged them to move forward ahead of schedule. "We feel the time is now to start shaping the next part of this," Kubicek said. Warner Bros. is handling the domestic release of "Terminator Salvation" with Sony handling the majority of the rest of the world, with the exception of the Middle East where the film is being handled by Dubai-based Gulf Film. No decision has been made yet on whether the fifth "Terminator" will be once again split by Warner Bros. and Sony. (By Ali Jaafar,Variety).jpg)
-John Connor walking through a Terminator factory
Excerpts from two Terminator Salvation previews.
"Peeking at the post-apocalyptic world of 2018, we saw a giant old-school Terminator in action, some sleek futuristic T600 models, major explosions, Skynet's headquarters, a ruined Los Angeles, concentration camp-style transports for captured members of the resistance and much, much more." Moviefone
"[McG] brought us into his streamline trailer and showed us an 8-minute sizzle reel of the film. People haven't seen anything yet. And for those who believe this film will definitely be PG-13, think again. We saw a piece of footage that showed Moon Bloodgood topless in the rain, which certainly gave me the impression that the rating has yet to be decided." Slashfilm
After the jump,Terminator 5 news.
The Terminator will be back.
Read more!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Terminator Salvation wraps principal photography
October 22,2008
We wrapped principal photography. Now we're heavy into post. I've already shown early cuts to Christian and Sam. They seem pleased with where the film is headed. Our focus is on story and character, but it's fun diving into the world of visual effects.
It feels like the responsibility of any Terminator film to reinvent the wheel of effects with every outing. The first movie was a stunning achievement in animatronics and practical effects from Stan Winston. The second film brought us liquid metal, which was a true revolution in the effects world. Robert Patrick's (T-1000) head coming apart and putting itself back together again looks as good today as ever.
Charlie Gibson is aware of his responsibility as the VFX supervisor and second unit director of this film. He works with ILM and Asylum every day and makes revisions to the finest detail. We want the patina of the machines to be dirty and heavy and perfectly realistic - that's why we built so much practically with Stan Winston. But at some point the effects kick in and like any Terminator fan, Charlie wants his mind blown. There's one sequence in particular where we're trying to achieve something that's never been done before. I don't want to talk about it because we haven't been successful yet...
But we're working on it.
It's very interesting working with Conrad Buff every day. First of all he was the editor on Terminator 2 so it's very comforting having his steady hand at the Avid. Long before we ever began we talked about what excited us about making this film. It was the notion of the world after judgment day. We set out to create a world that honored the Terminator mythology but was its own new beginning. Every day I learn from Conrad as he makes the elegant choices of a disciplined filmmaker. It feels great to have his confidence in the movie. I take his opinion very seriously, he provides a daily litmus test for what is worthy of a Terminator film.
Most importantly, Christian and Sam bring power to the rolls of John Connor and Marcus Wright. This is a story of two destinies colliding. Connor is part of a resistance comprised of the ethnicities that make up the globe. This film is so much more that just Los Angeles. It reflects the global crisis of man, all of man versus machine.
McG
Monday, September 15, 2008
Arnold Schwarzenegger Really is Back
By Jim Vejvoda,IGN
September 11, 2008
"I'll be back," indeed. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been photographed and videotaped chatting with actor Christian Bale on the set of Terminator Salvation, the fourth installment in the franchise that began with Schwarzenegger starring as the titular cyborg.
Ever since T4 became a reality, fans have wondered whether the Austrian Oak would be involved with the sequel given his political commitments. According to a scooper for Latino Review, which has posted a snapshot of Schwarzenegger and Bale having a casual conversation on the set, the "premise of Arnie's involvement is to have a fully rendered digital face of Arnie replacing the recently cast Roland Kickinger (The younger version of Arnie)."
The site adds, "It seems the Director Mc G will in no doubt try all he can to ensure the Governator has some sort of involvement and as a result Arnold was on set providing key ADR (Voice over) for the visual effects guys to reference during post production."
Video footage of Schwarzenegger and Bale on set can be seen at You Tube.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
SDCC 2008:Terminator Salvation Panel
By Erik Davis,Cinematical
July 27,2008
This was one of the panels I was most looking forward to because I desperately wanted to walk away from it with even more good vibes than I already had. Though I still chuckled every time someone prefaced a question with "This is for McG ...," the guy definitely "brought it" to Comic Con. You could tell this dude really wanted to sell the audience; he wanted to sell them on another Terminator flick, he wanted to sell them on it being directed by a dude named McG and he wanted to bottle up his enormous energy and sell that too. The guy was amped up to a level just beneath "Okay this is uncomfortable," and the panel audience was virtually high-fiving him the entire time.
The Footage
I wasn't sure what we'd be seeing as far as footage from the film went, since they were still right in the middle of shooting and, well, you wouldn't expect anything too polished. But to my surprise they managed to throw together an enticing little two-or-so-minute teaser that was gritty, grimy, familiar and --pardon the language -- pretty f**king rad. I was too engulfed to write down every second of the thing, but it basically consisted of a number of quick snippets of gunfire, Anton Yelchin (as a young Kyle Reese) saying stuff like, "Come with me if you want to live," a little of Sam Worthington (who seems like the kind of guy that'd clock you for staring at him for more than three seconds), Moon Bloodgood (hot name for a hottie actress), Common (who I assume plays the obligatory post-apocalyptic black dude) and, of course, those T-600 robots (the film takes place in 2018, 11 years before Arnold's T-800 existed).
Not much robot footage, but there was this awesome shot of a giant robot claw smashing down through a roof in order to pick up a human. McG later explained that these were called Harvesters; that they purposely went around harvesting humans. Bale looks perfect in the role of John Connor, who, here, is married to Kate Connor (Bryce Dallas Howard), and the two -- according to McG -- play a sort of Bonnie and Clyde pair of tough-as-nails mercenaries. This film takes place at the beginning of the resistance, when the Skynet technology wasn't exactly perfected (unlike the T-800, the T-600 robots are easy to spot) and groups of individuals were holed up in desolate areas fighting to stay alive.
The Panel/Press Conference
Here are some highlights from the panel and subsequent press conference with the cast (everyone minus Bale, who was promoting Dark Knight in Hong Kong):
* McG said the studio is aware that the film might turn out to be R-rated, and that no matter what they will not kill crucial elements in order to fit a PG-13. Buuut, it there was a problem area and it didn't royally mess with the story, then they'd most likely trim it to get the lower rating. McG: "I'm not afraid of PG-13."
* This film will end on a cliffhanger, and regarding "those highly-spoilerish ending rumors" from a few months back, McG says they are completely false. Word is the script is constantly being tightened and worked on as we speak and as they continue to shoot in New Mexico.
* McG says this film will show us the "becoming of Skynet."
* Sam Worthington said the film will "grab you by the balls" and that, at first, it was a little intimidating because he was "asked to go toe to toe with f**king Batman."
* Anton Yelchin (Kyle Reese) said that the film begins to show how his character (just a teen here) got to the point where "someone like Sarah Connor would sleep with him."
* The T-600 robot (pictured above) was described as sort of a used automobile, with skin stretched over; rusted, weathered, etc ...
* Jonah Nolan (The Dark Knight) was the only name that surfaced with regards to the script, and McG said that Jonah is the man who deserves the most credit for it. Considering you have Bale and Nolan involved, you better believe they worked in Dark Knight plugs a whole lot to remind folks that these were the people who made that film such a success.
* The next trailer will apparently be attached to Quantum of Solace.
* McG said he was very influenced by Children of Men when it came to designing this post-apocalyptic environment.
* A very funny part in the panel came when McG asked a Sarah Connor in costume, an Asian Arnold in costume (hysterical impression; the place was in stitches) and a Robert Patrick as the T-1000 impersonator on stage to chill with the cast. Cute, definitely helped "make" the panel.
Terminator Salvation hits theaters on May 22.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Helena Bonham Carter Joins 'Terminator Salvation'
The Hollywood Reporter announced that Helena Bonham Carter is in talks to join the cast of Terminator Salvation. Exactly who or what she will play is not mentioned, merely that her part is "small, but pivotal."
Terminator Salvation is aiming to hit theatres on May 22nd, 2009.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Terminator 4 Poster-Trailer release date
(Photo published in MTV Movies Blog)
According to MTV Movies Blog,the teaser trailer and initial one sheet are targeted for a July 18th release tied with The Dark Knight.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
McG Updates On Terminator 4
"There are only three people who know the ending. The unknown future rolls toward us."(McG comments on recent rumours)
"In this film, there are Hydrobots that patrol the water, Transports that move human prisoners around, Harvesters that collect human beings as lab rats for Skynet and Aerostats that survey all that is going on with the resistance the world over....We've started shooting the T-600 - the bigger, grimier, nastier version that preceded the T-800. Like Reese says, they're easier to spot but they pack a mini gun and carry kick ass fire power. They're eight-foot tall killers that prowl the badlands looking for anything with a heartbeat to terminate."(McG talks about the robots that will be seen in the film)
Monday, June 2, 2008
Howard Takes Over Terminator Role
Actress Bryce Dallas Howard has replaced Charlotte Gainsbourg in the highly anticipated fourth installment of the Terminator franchise.
Gainsbourg was originally cast to play Kate Connor, the wife of human rebel leader John Connor - played by Christian Bale - in Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins.
But Gainsbourg had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts with another film, a French comedy.
Howard - the daughter of veteran Hollywood director Ron Howard - has joined Bale on set in New Mexico, where shooting is already underway under the direction of Charlie's Angels filmmaker McG. (IMDB)
