The first trailer for Terminator: Genisys dropped overnight, and now our heads hurt. Arnold Schwarzenegger's back but a whole lot else has changed in director Alan Taylor's 2015 reboot (tbh we're not even sure if reboot is the right term). Here's what we know.
Set in 2029, when the Future War is raging and a group of human rebels is fighting the evil artificial-intelligence system Skynet, Jason Clarke's John Connor and Jai Courtney's Kyle Reese have been raised in the ruins of post apocalyptic California. Just like the original movie, Connor sends Reese back to 1984 to save his mother, Sarah (Emilia Clarke) from a Terminator programmed to kill her so that she won't ever give birth to John. But this is where things get interesting. This time around Sarah is a lot tougher than Linda Hamilton's waitress, with Emilia's version hardened after being orphaned by one Terminator and then raised by Arnie‘;s T-8000.
“Since she was 9 years old, [Sarah] has been told everything that was supposed to happen,” producer David Ellison explained to EW recently. “But Sarah fundamentally rejects that destiny. She says, ‘;That's not what I want to do.' It's her decision that drives the story in a very different direction.”
OK. But it's not a great sign when 80% of the trailer is taken up by explaining this plot, is it? And Twitter still has a lot of questions, such as:
1. Is this a reboot, a reimagining, a remake, or what?
2. Are we just writing off Terminator: Salvation?
3. Is that an actual time machine?
4. What happened to the other big star, Matt Smith? Did the former Time Lord have anything do do with that time machine?
5. This?
6. And THIS
7. Sex on the brain, but good point
Generous Arnie did his best to answer some questions, jumping on Facebook after the trailer launched to chat to some fans. Here's the best bits...
He's definitely in the film.
Q: There is A LOT of concern that you might have a very small role in this new Terminator based on the trailer. Is this a cameo or substantial lead role?
A: I have the starring role and you see me throughout the entire movie.
The 'I'll be back" line is so much deeper than you thought
Q: What's your favorite quote in the Terminator's saga?
A: I always like the “I'll be back” line because it is a great philosophy for life. Life isn't all successes, it is also defeats. But you can always be back. No matter what, just like the Terminator. You're not a loser when you fall. You're only a loser if you don't get up. Winners get up and come back.
Fighting himself was epic
Q: During production, how did it feel when you had to place yourself within a scene you filmed back in 1984? attacking your character that would be placed in during post production? Must be weird fighting your old self?
A: It is absolutely bizarre to fight yourself, but at the same time nostalgic to go back to one of the scenes that really launched my career and experience it again.
Just to be clear, he IS in the film
Q: The trailer doesn't seem to focus much on your Terminator, is that what we can expect from the film or will you have a larger role in the overall film?
A: Just remember that this is just the first trailer. Don't worry, you'll be seeing A LOT of my Terminator.
Maybe we should take Arnie's advice, after all this is only the first trailer, fingers crossed we'll get more answers ahead of the July 1 2015 release date.
