To hell with Judgment Day; on May 22, 2009 Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins will be unleashed upon the world, ushering in a whole new era for Terminator fans. Salvation will serve as the first installment of a new Terminator trilogy. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but we do know that the story picks up not long after the apocalyptic ending of the third film, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
O.T. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is busy finishing out his latest role as the Governor of California, will not be in the film. The incredible Christian Bale has landed the role as the adult John Connor for the new series, replacing Nick Stahl (and Edward Furlong before him) as the leader of the rebellion against the machines. Avatar star Sam Worthington plays another fighter named Marcus. (Quick recap for the unenlightened: the machines are led by a sentient computer network known as Skynet that seeks to wipe out all of humanity - and they're succeeding.)
The first two films were written and directed by James Cameron. The third was directed by Jonathan Mostow and written by John Brancato and Michael Ferrisand. Brancato and Ferris also wrote the fourth installment, but directing is in the hands of McG, real name Joseph McGinty Nichol. A director who started out in music videos but found big-screen success crafting the two Charlie's Angels films, McG's got some big shoes to fill. It remains to be seen if directing a trio of annoying, overpaid "actresses" in spandex are enough experience for him to handle the Terminator franchise. Fingers crossed.
Warner Bros.' decision to release T4 on May 22, 2009 is likely due to Twentieth Century Fox's plans to roll out Night at the Museum II: Escape from the Smithsonian that same day. It's the follow-up to the ridiculous 2006 blockbuster Night at the Museum, in which Ben Stiller goofs around with an assortment of dead things and skeletons in a museum. The original Museum film somehow grossed $250 million domestic, so Warner Bros. are betting heavy on the Terminator's return.
Shooting on Terminator Salvation is scheduled to begin in New Mexico in May.
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