So Terminator 5 is in demand! after fans disappointment of the last two installments. The movies always find a way of paying homage to previous movies but over do it to the point where we want to stick our fingers in our throat and vomit in disgust.
Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to do Terminator Salvation unless they filmed in California. With the studio opting to not film in California instead he allowed rights to use his face digitally! The CGI Arnold cameo although at first accepted and enjoyed became a bore quickly and the more you see it the more holes appear and generally, it all comes down to a simple failure. The Cameo for our time was done well but at this moment in time technology just won’t allow the human eye to believe this is real. When Schwarzenegger was at a distance (Roland Kickinger’s body with Arnold’s computer generated head on top) it was flawless but on close-ups and looking at the eyes, you could tell it was Arnold’s head on Roland’s body in a digital format.
TheTerminatorFans.com has had enough of the direction the movies are headed in, so as promised we will voice our opinions, as we are fans and we believe that if we are listened to we can make good contributions to the overall movie making process but only if we are listened to.
So in order for us to get the homages we require we need to go back in time and bring the actors back from their respective years in order for things to be as seamless as possible. No longer can we witness more re-casting of main characters. We can only just accept Arnold Schwarzenegger aging and explaining this away by saying he is a different model or, as we have mentioned, that if he was to return as a human character in the next movie. Plus Arnold always works hard to maintain a certain physique for a Terminator movie and lately pictures we have seen of him after a workout show he can do the Terminator 2 more times at least but only if they get a move on.
Robert Patrick also met with McG for a chat about being in Terminator 5, in the days when fans didn’t turn on him for Salvation, McG wanted Robert Patrick to return as a human scientist in the next picture who would be the catalyst of developing the T-1000 and creating the next killer in his own image. Obviously bringing Robert Patrick back as a human character would have to be a greatly written part of the script/story. Entering this type of territory is dangerous especially if they turned Arnold into a human character in the next movies. After all he is the title character…
What we would like to see is the T-1000 of (1991) to return as we exactly saw him in Terminator 2. How could we do it? Is it possible? Is it too much time to waste on another failed impact CGI cameo… ?
This is how I want to bring back Robert Patrick and the rest of the staff agree with me.
If Terminator Salvation was about the creation of the T-800 then T5 has to be the true future war, the development of time travel and the creation of the T-1000.
Following is a script idea, a rough outline of the type of scene that could invest continuity into the plot. A device that could intellectually please fans of previous movies as well as giving a sense of “a true sequel”.
TheTerminatorFans.com T-1000 Cameo Scene Concept Idea:
As a team of tech-com resistance soldiers fight the onslaught of oncoming machines trying to stop them gaining access to the interior of the Skynet Pyramid, sirens alerting the rest of SKYNET deafen human ears. The sound of constant gunfire takes over the echoing cold steel corridors of SKYNET, suddenly things are very different from ten minutes previously when all that could be heard was the hum of electricity and blue light running down either side of the corridors.
Time is now running out for Connor and his men to gain access to the heart of Skynet to get to the time-displacement equipment. For if they cannot get Reese back to the year of 1984 would this fated conception even take place?
While fighters struggle and fall left right and center to find SKYNET’s defence grid other events are taking place. Skynet has no other choice even though not fully tested and flawless the T-1000 MUST GO ONLINE.
(John Connor voice over: “SKYNET using human prisoners is nothing new, branded by laser scan, accounted for at all times and forced to work for the machines. They used doctors and scientists, confining them to R & D labs. They had a comfortable life… until they out-lived their usefulness.
The weak were killed and the strong forced to build, to mine, to load bodies. It took the sweat, blood and corpses of over 200,000 people just to start the foundations for the final home of SKYNET.”A scientist (Robert Patrick) works on the latest prototype for SKYNET. As he looks through the transparent prison for the liquid metal his face is etched with a look of excitement edged with fear.
Scientist: “Finally”
The soldiers find the defense grid and rig the entire room with C4 as quickly as they can while fragging Mini Hk’s and numerous other ‘handleable machines’. Once blown the commander of the group contacts Connor via headset to let him know the defense grid is smashed.
The surviving turrets surrounding the facility are inactive. SkyNet was wide open to an attack but the machines would continue to function until the Central Processing Unit of SKYNET is found and destroyed. Only then would the machines be offline… forever.
A helicopter outside of the SkyNet Pyramid drops wire and more reinforcements come in from the air and ground. John Connor, Kyle Reese and Sgt. Perry head a team of the finest soldiers who drop at the entrance to the Pyramid and are joined by other fighters with extreme military precision.
John and Kyle are surrounded by soldiers, similar to a battle formation in the war of the roman empire.Sgt. Perry who has been kept in the dark for so many years continues to become angry at how many men he has lost in aid of ‘protecting Kyle Reese’. The two men have a terse conversation as the outer perimeter of the SKYNET pyramid is secured.
Sgt. Perry: “Reese is a good soldier Connor, after all I trained him but what makes this kid so fucking special? Why have you had me child minding all these years?”
John Connor: “To protect him… ”
Sgt. Perry: “Protect him from what exactly?… What makes him so damn special?!”
John Connor: “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Sgt. Perry: “Well we’re losing all our fucking men here and we all believed your wacko bullshit up to now, after all you seem to know everything and I don’t believe in fucking psychics.”
John Connor: “He’s… he’s my father… and SKYNET has a time machine somewhere in this facility.”
The two men exchange looks, one of disbelief,- the other of desperation.
John Connor: “I told you you would believe me but I don’t have the time to convince you Sgt. The bottomline is, if we don’t get him back to 1984 the T-800 which has been sent there already,- will kill my mother and the resistance as we know it will cease to exist… the war will be lost.”
Sgt. Perry: “Well Connor…”
Sgt. Perry drags a hand over his grimy face, giving a resigned sigh.
Sgt. Perry “… that’s some fucked up shit but I guess I got nothin’ to lose. These metal motherfuckers have taken everything from me. Let’s get this shit rollin’… ”
The group of men enter a large metal structure…
Fade back to the continued creation of the T-1000…
R & D Lab:
The T-1000 has successfully been completed. The Scientist (Robert Patrick) opens the chamber to which testing has been taking place on the mimetic poly alloy which has now taken human form. Reminding the scientist of his favorite comic book character the Silver Surfer of which a copy can be seen on his desk.
Without being aware the scientist has now become of no use to the advancement of SKYNET and has served his purpose, he is curious and excited as he walks over to the machine, the scientist tilts his head, intrigued by his own creation. The machine merely stares back, eyes a vacant mirror of the scientist’s gaze. Raising a finger, the scientist touches the liquid metal skin covering the mimicked facial bones of the machine.
Scientist: “I’m impressed, you’ve adapted faster than I had anticipated.”
Raising its finger in a parody of the scientist’s movements, the machine slices into the eyes of its creator, dropping him to the floor.
Gaining physical contact with the scientist allows for the machine to shapeshift into his image. On exiting the chamber and seeing its reflection in a mirror the T-1000 shapeshifts to look sleeker, younger and more agile to begin its mission. Go back to 1991.
How this could be done:
A younger actor with a resemblance in shape and build to 1991 Robert Patrick (body double).
Affective use of CGI and morphing effects of the liquid metal face changing abilities.
lessen close up shots, instead focusing on distance shots.
Green Screen/Blue Screen make-up on actors face to allow manipulation by ILM to make the correct facial adjustments to create the look of Robert Patrick.
Over dubbing of Robert Patrick’s voice if required.
At first the faceless metal man changes into the current Robert Patrick by touch on looking in the mirror decided to make himself look younger to wear SKYNET’s image of perfection and efficiency.
Who could play the T-1000 with the likeness of Robert Patrick in 1991?:
Well British actor and soap star Bill Ward is our choice. He looks like Robert for one! He has the same build and can achieve the same muscle-tone Robert did for T2. His eyes are the same color, so no need to digitally re-create his eyes. With some “minor” cgi tweaks with the facial scans from Terminator 2 which should technically be on back-up somewhere. They could, without using heavy CGI,- re-create Robert in a future war movie. By using the actual Robert Patrick to play the creator then his creation to be the sleeker, younger looking version of himself to kill and head to the time-displacement and evade/kill passing resistance soldiers could be the edge of the seat T2 action. With numerous missions taking place all at once, with the success of each, the resistance should try to halt the sending back of older models yet fail before our eyes.
Bill Ward is ten years younger than Robert Patrick being a good choice to take on the cameo role of the T-1000. Robert Patrick also knows the role so well and could indeed assist in advice for Ward’s training.
We think by utilizing the original actor for a human role (scientist) for the T-1000 as well as a body double that needs minimal CGI could work, the fact that Bill Ward has the cold blue eyes that Robert Patrick has means we don’t have to have fake eyes looking at us as with did the Schwarzenegger Cameo in Terminator Salvation.
3 short scenes is all it would take. The creation of the T-1000, the efficiency of the model in combat and function and the sending back in time to assassinate John Connor as a child in T2. It would be an arc similar to the Lt. Traxler and Detective Vukovich scenes in T1.
This is the kind of concept idea we would like to see. We want something intellectual, story driven, not just a bunch of explosions and some over the top CGI which took half of the budget away to begin with.