Oops, did I just spoil it for you? I wouldn’t worry about it. McG’s statement pretty much gives the impression that the rumors about that stupid ending are crap. In his blog entry he also gives some pretty cool details about the movie and defends his stupid, three letter name that everyone makes fun of.

You can find all the details on the official blog for the movie…or you can just read the entry below:

One Possible Future

We’re in the middle of week five. The New Mexico wind is kicking the shit out of the crew but providing a perfect backdrop for our post-apocalyptic world.

Sam tore a muscle on the left side of his ribs in a fight sequence. Neither of us wants to use a stunt double.

This movie takes place several years after Judgment Day, but prior to 2029. Just like it took a long time to get an HD plasma screen in our world, it took Skynet a lot of research and development to get to the T-800, and this movie explores that “space between.” We have all been fascinated with the world after Judgment Day. Here it is.

In this film, there are Hydrobots that patrol the water, Transports that move human prisoners around, Harvesters that collect human beings as lab rats for Skynet and Aerostats that survey all that is going on with the resistance the world over.

We’ve started shooting the T-600 – the bigger, grimier, nastier version that preceded the T-800.

Like Reese says, they’re easier to spot but they pack a mini gun and carry kick ass fire power. They’re eight-foot tall killers that prowl the badlands looking for anything with a heartbeat to terminate.

Stan Winston, Production Designer Martin Laing and ILM came up with the designs and that thing is on Kyle Reese’s ass throughout the entire picture. Wanted to achieve that bummer, rubbery skin, prosthetic look that cloaks an unrelenting machine with a singular focus of killing.

More to come…

Also, I realize my name is ridiculous. I was born Joseph McGinty Nichol. McG is short for McGinty. I have been called this since the day I was born to create separation from my Uncle Joe and Grandpa Joe. I realize it sounds like some Hollywood nickname, hip-hop choice. But the truth is, this is simply my name – for every day of elementary school, every zit-filled day of high school. I have been taking shit for it ever since. I get it, I would think it’s lame too. But it’s just a name, and to change it now would seem fraudulent.

Oh yeah, don’t get too uptight about the prospect of the film being PG-13. We have entertained the idea of a PG-13 rating largely because Batman Begins, in my opinion, was made compromise-free. So we’ll see. The movie comes first and it will be protected at all times…

By the way, there are only three people who know the ending.

The unknown future rolls toward us.

McG

There is an official blog for the production of Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, and the first post was made last Friday by producer McG.

Photography has started on the film, with a scene bring shot at Griffith Observatory with Anton Yelchin and Sam Worthington, who play Kyle Reese and Marcus Wright respectively. McG has already seen a cut of that initial shot and was pretty happy.

He has some great stuff to say about how much he know the films are important to fans and his drive to make them great:

Like you guys, I’ve been a long-time fan of the series and I understand your passion for the Terminator movies — and it’s my full intention to deliver a film that lives up to the previous three installments. I’ve spent time with James Cameron, spoken to Arnold Schwarzenegger, gone over the story with Jonah Nolan, and enlisted Stan Winston. Everything we’re shooting is designed to be tactile and real, you’ll be seeing a whole set of inspired designs you’ve never seen before, and best of all you’ll finally get to see some of the post-judgment day future that was only hinted at in the previous movies. John Connor will be pushed to the brink. And for me, Christian Bale embodies Connor’s strength and tenacity perfectly.

Below is an image he posted that is preliminary concept art for a post-judgment day Los Angeles. Pretty cool. I have to say, I’m slowly starting to get psyched for these Terminator sequels.

(Click on the image for the larger version.)

[Terminator Salvation]

According to the BBC News:

The Welsh-born star, who is soon to be seen in Batman Begins sequel The Dark Knight, has already started shooting the first of those films, Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins.

“He’s really an actor’s actor, so we’re very proud,” said Victor Kubicek of film company Halcyon.

“Christian was our first choice and he’s a big fan of The Terminator, so we’re very lucky,” Kubicek told the BBC at the Cannes Film Festival.

“But with Batman he’s already done the whole franchise thing, so we weren’t sure he’d respond.”

Luckily, said Kubicek’s business partner Derek Anderson, “he read the script and he loved it, so he’s signed on for all three.”

The first installment in the trilogy is being directed by McG and is set to hit theaters on May 22, 2009. That’s right about a year from now if you’re keeping track.

Common will play a freedom fighter and member of John Connor’s (played by Christian Bale) inner circle. The story of the film centers on John Connor who is now in his 30s and who now leads what is left of the human race in a battle against the machines.

The cast list right now looks like this:

• Christian Bale – John Connor, leader of the resistance
• Sam Worthington – a central character in the planned three picture arc
• Anton Yelchin – Connor’s friend and future father Kyle Reese
• Moon Bloodgood – a no-nonsense and battle-hardened member of the resistance who is carrying a lot of guilt over surviving the nuclear holocaust
• Common – freedom fighter and member of John Connor’s inner circle
• Josh Brolin (rumored) – director mentioned him as an ideal Terminator, but has not been confirmed for the cast

McG is directing from a script by John D. Brancato, Michael Ferris, and Paul Haggis.

Terminator 4 is set to hit theaters on May 22, 2009.

In fact, The Hollywood Reporter reports that Moon Bloodgood is in final negotiations to join the cast of the film as the female lead. Most of you will probably remember Bloodgood from NBC’s short-lived series “Journeyman” (or ABC’s short-lived series “Day Break”).

In the fourth installment of the “Terminator” movie series Bloodgood will play a no-nonsense and battle-hardened member of the resistance who is carrying a lot of guilt over surviving the nuclear holocaust. She will be joining Christian Bale, Sam Worthington and Anton Yelchin who have already been cast in the film.

Principal photography is set to begin May 5, with Charlie’s Angels director McG at the helm. Terminator 4 is set for release on May 22, 2009.

According to Terminator mythology (which is getting more complicated all the time), Reese was born after the first war and survived the capture and killing of his fellow humans only to be put into one of Skynet’s concentration camps. John Connor, Reese’s son, led a resistance movement that freed Reese and some others from the Skynet camp. Reese then volunteered to go back in time to the year 1984 to protect Sarah Connor, the mother of John Connor who is the resistance leader, from a Terminator sent by Skynet to kill her before she can give birth to John to stop him from leading the resistance.

As will sometimes happen when you time travel, Reese gets into some shenanigans that actually bring about the future he’s trying to save…don’t ask me about the paradox effect. All I know is that while running from the Terminator (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger), Reese and Sarah have a night of “relations” that ultimately impregnates Sarah and brings about her son, John. Reese was later killed by his own pipe-bomb while attempting to destroy the Terminator. I’m not sure how the TV series has added to this story.

Now, from what we know about Terminator 4, Reese becomes friends with Marcus (played by Sam Worthington – now cutting his chops on James Cameron’s Avatar), an early version of the Terminator played by Arnold Schwarzenegger from the first film. Christian Bale will play a 30 year old John Connor now fighting desperately to save a decimated civilization against machines that have taken control. Other plot details are still sketchy.

With production scheduled to start in early May, Paul Haggis (writer of Crash, Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace) also has been in talks about coming on board to do some rewrites on the script. David Campbell Wilson, John Brancato and Michael Ferris wrote the screenplay.

So what do you think? Will Anton Yelchin make a good Reese?

First we find out that the setting for the fourth Terminator, “Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins,” will be the future post-apocalyptic world after a nuclear war – and that’s always cool. Then we find out that Christian Bale, Batman himself, has signed on as one of the major characters in the film.

Now we hear about director McG giving an extensive interview to The213.net in which he says, when asked who his dream Terminator would be: “…there’s guys out there like Russell Crowe and Eric Bana, bring a good physicality, they do what they do, but I don’t know if they’re exactly right at the end of the day. (Smiles) Josh Brolin is a very exciting actor – we’ll see.â€Â?

Josh Brolin has always been an excellent actor but is riding high right now because of his starring role in “No Country For Old Men.” It’s obvious that he hasn’t yet been cast, but the possibility of Christian Bale and Josh Brolin both being in the new Terminator movie makes the whole thing sound a lot more like a movie I’d want to see.

McG also used the interview to squash rumors that the John Connor character would only have a small role in this film. The director confirmed that John Connor is, in fact, one of the main characters of the film.