Comicbook Resources has a full story on the Terminator: Salvation panel that was held during the New York Comic-Con. I just wanna summarize and comment on the few points that caught my attention.
Apparently the role of Kyle Reese, being played by Anton Yelchin(Alpha Dog, Charlie Bartlett, Huff) is larger than previously realized. I've had a hard time imagining Yelchin in the role, as he's always played sorta slight, brainy types and never the soldier. But if he's capable of going toe-to-toe with Bale on the acting front he must be doing a bang up job.
The film will acknowledge Terminator 3 continuity but will ignore The Sarah Connor Chronicles. For a continuity nut like myself, this is a mix of good and bad news. Terminator 3 had to be followed, as this is not a reboot but a continuation of sorts. The tv series, which isn't very good and probably won't last the season, isn't strong enough for the feature film to pay attention to. So I guess there won't be any smokin' hot Summer Glau Terminators afterall. Dammit.
McG acknowledged that his earlier work was mostly awful, and that he hopes he's grown as a director. "Listen, I hate McG too," he said to laughs. "I got started making 'Charlie's Angels' movies, which is not in keeping with the Terminator idea. But we all look for a break. As a filmmaker, you do what you gotta do. And all I wanted to with those movies was to go up there on the ceiling of 'Hey, you can't have a successful female action franchise,' and in that respect I stand by those movies completely." He then adds, "Now I'm here, I'm hoping as a filmmaker who has grown, in a genre that I'm frankly most comfortable being in, and a genre I grew up worshipping.”
I for one liked the first Angels film, but the second was pretty bad(although I still own it because I'm a completist freak). Doesn't matter. If this film is good all will be forgiven.
McG was coy about whether or not Linda Hamilton would be showing up as Sarah Connor. In fact, his non-answer was probably an answer in itself. I say count on her being there in some capacity. He also revealed that they will be going back to elaborate on some of the things Kyle Reese said in the first Terminator, such as his claim that "pain can be controlled-you just disconnect from it".
Last but not least, McG says that they have a way of introducing the T-800s, even though they all look like the Governator. Apparently the T-800s play a huge role in the film, so I'm especially curious to see how they do this and I hope it's not just showing all without flesh covering.
