[SDCC:] TERMINATOR: SALVATION PANEL

Hey once again fans! Kevin M. still here in Hall H of the Convention Center after viewing half of the Lost Panel (of which you can read the write up below featuring a Matthew Fox appearance and super-secret video). I stayed behind to catch the “Terminator: Salvation” Panel which starts in a few minutes, so stayed tuned for more!

And then the music began, with that all too familiar clanging. On stage stood a Terminator model which fans ran to take pictures of. Eventually, the eyes lit up into a bright red and the head began to move.

And here we go!

McG took the stage saying that filming is going on and that SOME OF THE CAST WAS HERE AND WILL BE COMING OUT!

McG said he spoke with James Cameron and Arnold, Stan Winston; and got Jonathan Nolan (writer of “The Dark Knight”) to write this film. Also, we wanted to get a well-respected actor of this generation to star: Christian Bale.

McG also confirmed the movie will be R-Rated.
“Having said that, we’re looking forward to showing you guys some of the film that no one has seen before,” said McG. “But first, I’m going to call our collective friend in Japan, Christian Bale.”

McG then called up Bale. After getting voice-mail, the crowd left thunderous applause and cheers for the actor on the voicemail. Then he started the footage from the film:

The video stared with an image of a crashed helicopter with John Connor lying on the ground. He then walks off. Bale and Worthington talking to each other. You see Sam Worthington asking for help and Anton Yelchin coming in and saying “Come with me if you want to live.” Afterwards followed flashes of soldiers running, a parachuter dangling, lots of skull crushing and destruction and explosions. “If you saved us once in another future you can save us in this one,” was heard in voiceover.

After the video, McG called out the cast present: Common, Bryce Dallas Howard, Moon Bloodgood, Yelchin (”Playing the young Kyle Reese”) and Worthington.

Questions then opened to the audience.

One fan asked about the idea of fate as expressed in the original films and whether that will be touched upon.
McG turned the question over the Howard, who picked up a cup saying that if she dropped the cup, it should hit the table. But when she let it go, she grabbed it with the other hand.
Your destiny is to hit the table, but your free will can advert that destiny,” said Howard. “And that’s what this movie is about.”

A fan asked about controlling information being leaked to the public about the film.
“Well, we release like everybody does misinformation campaigns,” said McG. “We want to protect that was well because that’s one of the joys of going to the movies.”

A fan asked Yelchin how he prepared for the role of Kyle Reese.
“I looked a lot at T1 and broke it down and looked at who this guy was and where he came from and how he becomes who he is,” said Yelchin. He also talked about looking at Reese’s own personal inner journey as a kid raised in a hellish world who just wants to help people in the end.

A fan dressed as Sarah Connor asked why that machine was on stage (indicated the Terminator stage) when so many innocent people were in the audience.
McG said that with Sarah Connor here, she could easily protect everyone should the T-600 become active.

A fan dressed as the T-1000 came up and asked if anyone has seen John Connor and held up the picture of John Connor from “Terminator 2.”

Another fan asked in a flawless Arnold accent how much involvement Cameron and Arnold had.
“That was awesome,” said McG of the impersonation. “And if you’re Asian that f–king unbelievable. In fact, get up here. Come up on the stage.”
He also called up the fans dressed as Sarah and the T-1000.

McG spoke a lot about staying true to Cameron’s original vision, while at the same time expanding on the mythology. Since the movie takes place before the future of the first movie, many of the models don’t look as “advanced” as the model from the first film.

McG asked Common what attracted him to the film.
“I’m just glad to be here,” said Common. “I’m just very grateful to be here and be a part of this team. Every time I see the trailer and clips from the film, I’m like, ‘I’m in the Terminator!’”

The showed with McG saying he was going to play the trailer again only if everyone freaked out!

After thunderous cheering, he played the trailer again the close the panel.