Did Internet Fanboys Save 'Terminator Salvation'?
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Warner Brothers, RumorMonger, Fandom, Scripts, Remakes and Sequels
Okay, even though some folks may not enjoy the current state of internet film journalism, I happen to think there's a real upside to the fact that everywhere you turn people are talking about movies. The competition may be fierce, and while everyone is clambering for the next big scoop, crackpot rumors still abound. But, you can't deny that sometimes we bloggers come in awfully handy; heck, we may have just rescued one of the biggest summer releases this year.So let's all think back to last summer when AICN broke the news of what they claimed to be the leaked ending to Terminator Salvation. According to their source -- and this might still be considered a spoiler, so read at your own risk -- the ending supposedly culminated in a reveal that John Conner (Christian Bale) was in fact a terminator himself (um, yeah). As soon as the story hit, the message boards blew up and plenty of ink was spilled over the film's potential 'skin-swapping' ending. Director McG immediately squashed the rumor, and I think most of us just chalked it up to fanboy speculation.
Almost a year later, Moviehole reports their 'friend' at Warner Brothers told them the internet leak actually did cause a change, and that the new ending "doesn't resemble the previous one in any shape or form." That's a huge relief to me, because if there's anything I hate more, it's a spoiled surprise -- which isn't easy considering my choice of profession; spoilers are our stock and trade. Moviehole's source at WB also went on to say the new ending is "a complete [180] from the original film," which is probably good news if you were one of the fans out there crying 'Blasphemy!' when the story first hit.
So in the end, I guess you can say what you want about the world of blogs and "'toldja!' journalists". But if it was the online leak that inspired McG and company to get to work on a rewrite, is it possible that maybe, just maybe, the internet saved Terminator? (Unless the new ending sucks even more ...) Sound off below...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-23-2009 @ 1:14PM
paul said...
I put my fingers in my ears and went LA LA LA LA LA!
figuratively speaking.
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3-23-2009 @ 1:40PM
Pudge said...
That rumored ending sounds perfectly plausible to me. Not the one on here, but the full one on ACIN. It makes total sense, and wouldn't ruin the other movies or anything. Plus, don't the studios want to shift focus from Conner to another guy? This feeds into that perfectly.
Boy that was painful to write without revealing anything.
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3-23-2009 @ 2:16PM
HairyKnuckles said...
Shifting the focus away from Conner to another guy? Sure it's plausible if WB wants to burn that franchise to the ground. Plausible? Try "highly unlikely."
3-23-2009 @ 3:14PM
Jason Lloren said...
"Rescuing" the next chapter of a has-been film franchise is a major achievement of Internet journalism? Really? You're saying that with a straight face?
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3-25-2009 @ 7:01AM
Christian said...
I was like Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-tada... in the background , then I read this article, and yeah, they wouldn't be so professional if they would let John Connor be a terminator.
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3-23-2009 @ 5:19PM
Naf said...
I couldn't disagree more. I think we're already way too close to fanboys controling movies. Shouldn't we wait to see something before we decide if it sucks or not? Fanboys already destroyed JJ Abrams take on Superman and a remake of Spaced just because they didn't agree with it. Just because you watch something doesn't give you the right to control it.
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3-23-2009 @ 6:10PM
JJ M said...
I'm glad that they changed the ending. I know that it sucks when one person ruins everything for everyone, but i think that the blogger really helped save the franchise, people didn't like T-3 and in a way i can see why, but i love the first three films. If anything they could have stopped at 3, but the idea of John Connor being killed and they put his skin on a terminator and Connor becomes a machine is just rediculous.
I am not a fanatic about the franchise, i have grown up with those films, and as a fan of the first three, i would want something that isn't so stupid out of a film.
It's like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the crystal skull a total let down. But it looks like a great film, i am glad the ending was changed though
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3-23-2009 @ 10:22PM
Tom said...
So now Sarah Conner will be the terminator?
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3-23-2009 @ 7:43PM
mike green said...
first of all, isn't it "Connor" and not "Conner"?
second, any good movie's ending is related to what happens before, so even if the new ending sounds better without seeing the movie is always better to have the moive as it was origiannly planned, unless they chnage the whole thing
on the other hand if if changing the ending doesn't have any effect on what happens on the rest of the movie then that's a clear sign of a bad movie
just watch "I am Legend" if you don't agree
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3-23-2009 @ 7:43PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
The idea of John Conner would live on and further it would allow him to be in multiple places at once. Conner would become a symbol.
It's not a bad idea. At the very least kill him and his closest people decide to have him live on in side a bot. There's a nice irony in him becoming that which he was born to destroy.
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3-24-2009 @ 8:20AM
Digital Robot said...
Avatar is the real Terminator Salvation.
Cameron has your anticipation on 11.
Weaver as Sarah Connor...
..."this is not the future my mother warned me about"
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3-24-2009 @ 1:10PM
Tucker said...
That's a good thing... unless the ending WASN'T the "spoiler" version, and the execs were like "hey, cool!" and then used that ending instead. Part of me wants it to happen like that for sheer, delicious irony.
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3-24-2009 @ 11:33PM
Tonka said...
I thought this is what they're setting up on the Terminator TV hour.
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4-06-2009 @ 2:19PM
Patrick said...
I think the idea of connor becoming a cyborg to keep the revolution alive sounds like a good idea. There could have been more going on also than just that part with the big reveal and all so Im not too happy too hear the script has been changed. Fanboys arent filmakers for gods sake. If they start dictating what we see on the screen then god help us all. Movies are going down the toilet these days. I think the idea sounded really cool and I dont understand how everyone seems to jump on the bandwagon and say its crap because it isnt. For gods sake it would have been something different seeing the hero being killed off for once in a Hollywood movie, which in itself, is something; that just never happens. In the end, its the ideology Connor represents to the people, that keeps the revolution against the machines alive. History has already showed us that interfering with movies just to please audiences at test screenings has been the downfall of many movies down through the years. Im sure well get a happier, more "popcorny" ending now, which will really ruin the movie altogether.
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4-06-2009 @ 2:21PM
Patrick said...
For gods sake do none of you realise that the ending might have worked when you see it happen in the context of events which transpire in the film. Remember all of you are judging the film on an ending you havent even watched take place. You havent even seen the movie yet. How can you judge it objectively-"OH, eh,Just cos it sounds kinda crap!"
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4-13-2009 @ 8:28PM
David said...
Perhaps you will get both when it gets released on bd, that would be sweet.
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4-22-2009 @ 7:40AM
bobby said...
Terminator was a fantastic movie. Terminator 2 and 3 should have never been made the way they were. Terminator 2 should have been about the future war as demonstrated in the original. Instead, they take advanced cyborgs to the T-800 which, actually, end up being inferior and obsolete, throw in some special effects and ice the cake with humor. Humor should have never been introduced in Terminator 2 or used in T3. Terminator 2 should have taken place in the future with those huge flying machines, the tanks and the various cyborg models. It should be a serious and disturbing movie. New music from Brad would have been nice to hear too.