History Trivia / TerminatorSalvation

* FranchiseKiller: The plans for any future endeavors with this incarnation vanished at some point and prompted another reboot that reset the ''Terminator'' playing field altogether; Bale was not invited back, but Schwarzenegger was. (Ironically, said reboot, ''Film/TerminatorGenesys'', ended up being a FranchiseKiller too.)

* FranchiseKiller: The plans for any future endeavors with this incarnation vanished at some point and prompted another reboot that reset the ''Terminator'' playing field altogether; Bale was not invited back, but Schwarzenegger was.

** In an [[http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Terminator-Salvation.html early script]], Marcus was much more emotional and talkative, as well as Kyle and a non-mute Star, and they would encounter cannibals in the road and not a good-natured clan of survivors. Marcus would be revealed to be a brain in a fully cyber body, just like Serena Kogan, who would reveal Skynet was creating hybrids like them to build a new, superior human society as part of what they called Project Angel. John Connor himself wouldn't appear personally until the last act, and more shockingly, he would be killed by Serena while rescuing Kyle and Marcus would assume his role by surgical methods to lead the resistance.
** Even after turning John into a main character (by Bale's demand) and adding the Ashdown subplot, the main plot points were kept when they started shooting. Helena Bonham Carter originally played the cyborg Kogan and not her image used by Skynet in the scene with Marcus, where he would have to face a T-800 as well, and John's death and impersonation by Marcus was going to be the official ending. However, this ending was blasted by everyone who heard about it after an internet leaking, with [=McGs=] himself finding it thoroughly wrong upon reading it, while the Project Angel storyline was felt as too derivative and out-of-character for the franchise, so they changed plans mid-production. Still, some scenes from these earlier ideas were shot and are contained in the DVD.
** There was even a [[http://www.hopeofthefuture.net/deletedscenes/t4omit02.html second alternate ending]] where Marcus, after waking up from the operation, [[FaceHeelTurn turn evil]] and [[KillEmAll kill everyone in his hospital room]], including Kyle, Star, Kate and Barnes. It got as far along as having concept art drawn up for it, but was even more hated than the former and was eventually discarded.

* DeletedRole: Terry Crews played Jericho, a resistance soldier and brother to Barnes, in a deleted scene which never was included. Similarly, Greg Plitt's role as a hybrid similar to Marcus was deleted after a general plot change.

* FranchiseKiller: The plans for any future endeavors with this incarnation vanished at some point and prompted another reboot that reset the ''Terminator'' playing field altogether; Bale was obviously not invited back, but Schwarzenegger was.

** In an [[http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Terminator-Salvation.html early script]], Marcus was much more emotional and talkative, as well as Kyle and a non-mute Star, and they would encounter cannibals in the road and not a good-natured clan of survivors. Marcus would be revealed to be a brain in a fully cyber body, just like Serena Kogan, who would reveal Skynet was creating hybrids like them to build a new, superior human society, as part of what they called Project Angel. John Connor himself wouldn't appear personally until the last act, and more shockingly, he would be killed by Serena while rescuing Kyle and Marcus would assume his role by surgical methods to lead the resistance.
** Even after making many changes and starting shooting, the mentioned plot points were going to be kept. Helena Bonham Carter originally played the cyborg Kogan and not her image used by Skynet in the scene with Marcus, where he would have to face her and a T-800 as well, and John's death and impersonation by Marcus was going to be the official ending. However, this ending was blasted by everyone who heard about it after an internet leaking, with [=McGs=] himself finding it thoroughly wrong upon reading it, while the Project Angel storyline was felt as too derivative and out-of-character for the franchise. Still, some scenes were shot and are contained in the DVD.
** There was a [[http://www.hopeofthefuture.net/deletedscenes/t4omit02.html second alternate ending]] where Marcus, after waking up from the operation, [[FaceHeelTurn turn evil]] and [[KillEmAll kill everyone in his hospital room]], including Kyle, Star, Kate and Barnes. It got as far along as having concept art drawn up for it, but was even more hated than the former and was eventually discarded.

** The submarine [[spoiler: commanded by Ashdown]] was originally going to be destroyed by an underwater Harvester and not by a simple missile.

** Terry Crews played Jericho, a resistance soldier and brother to Barnes, in a deleted scene which never was included.
** An entirely different third act was originally written featuring a group of hybrids led by a cyborg Serena Kogan revealing themselves as controlling Skynet in order to create a new, superior mankind, as part of what they called Project Angel. Helena Bonham Carter was originally going to play the cyborg Kogan and not her image used by Skynet in the scene with Marcus, where he would have to face her and a T-800 as well. Some scenes were shot and are contained in the DVD, but the production team ended up eliminating this storyline and reshooting the act because it was felt as too derivative and out-of-character for the franchise.
** In a proposed ending for the final third act, [[spoiler:John Connor would die from his injuries and Marcus and Kate decide to honor his memory by letting "General John Connor" be a legend, via Marcus assuming Connor's identity by grafting Connor's skin over his endoeskeleton.]] This ending was blasted by everyone who heard about it after an internet leaking, and supposedly [=McGs=] himself found it thoroughly wrong upon reading it, so it was changed for the theatrical version.
*** There was a [[http://www.hopeofthefuture.net/deletedscenes/t4omit02.html second alternate ending]] where [[spoiler: Marcus, after waking up from the operation, [[FaceHeelTurn turn evil]] and [[KillEmAll kill everyone in his hospital room]], including Kyle, Star, Kate and Barnes.]] It got as far along as having concept art drawn up for it, but was even more hated than the former and was eventually discarded.

** [[spoiler: Had Arnold Schwarzenegger not given permission for his likeness to be used for the T-800 that attacks John Connor in the factory, the plan was to have Connor shoot the T-800's face off as the camera panned up.]]

** An entirely different third act was originally written featuring a group of hybrids led by a cyborg Serena Kogan revealing themselves as controlling Skynet in order to create a new, superior mankind, as part of what they called Project Angel. Helena Bonham Carter was originally going to play the cyborg Kogan and not her image usd by Skynet in the scene with Marcus, where he would have to face her and a T-800 as well. Some scenes were shot and are contained in the DVD, but the production team ended up eliminating this storyline and reshooting the act because it was felt as too derivative and out-of-character for the franchise.

* FranchiseKiller: The second one within a decade; the plans for any future endeavors with this incarnation vanished at some point and prompted another reboot that reset the ''Terminator'' playing field altogether; Bale was obviously not invited back, but Schwarzenegger was.

*** There was a [[http://www.hopeofthefuture.net/deletedscenes/t4omit02.html second alternate ending]] where [[Marcus, after waking up from the operation, [[FaceHeelTurn turn evil]] and [[KillEmAll kill everyone in his hospital room]], including Kyle, Star, Kate and Barnes.]] It got as far along as having concept art drawn up for it, but was even more hated than the former and was eventually discarded.
** The submarine commanded by Ashdown was originally going to be destroyed by an underwater Harvester and not by a simple missile.
** Had Arnold Schwarzenegger not given permission for his likeness to be used for the T-800 that attacks John Connor in the factory, the plan was to have Connor shoot the T-800's face off as the camera panned up.

** In a proposed ending for the final third act, spoiler:John Connor would die from his injuries and Marcus and Kate decide to honor his memory by letting "General John Connor" be a legend, via Marcus assuming Connor's identity by grafting Connor's skin over his endoeskeleton. This ending was blasted by everyone who heard about it after an internet leaking, and supposedly [=McGs=] himself found it thoroughly wrong upon reading it, so it was changed for the theatrical version.
*** There was a [[http://www.hopeofthefuture.net/deletedscenes/t4omit02.html second alternate ending]] where Marcus, after waking up from the operation, [[FaceHeelTurn turn evil]] and [[KillEmAll kill everyone in his hospital room]], including Kyle, Star, Kate and Barnes. It got as far along as having concept art drawn up for it, but was even more hated than the former and was eventually discarded.

** All three leads, though it's worth mentioning that Russian-born AntonYelchin has lived in the United States since he was six months old.
** General Ashdown is played by MichaelIronside who's Canadian.

* DeletedScene: [[http://www.hopeofthefuture.net/deletedscenes/t4del_index.html There were many scenes that didn't make it to the screen]], ([[MissingTrailerScene some of which were in the trailer]]), including:

** In a proposed ending, [[spoiler:John Connor would die from his injuries and Marcus and Kate decide to honor his memory by letting "General John Connor" be a legend, via Marcus assuming Connor's identity]]. This ending was blasted by everyone who heard about it after an internet leaking, and supposedly [=McGs=] himself found it thoroughly wrong upon reading it, so it was changed for the theatrical version.
*** [[HilariousInHindsight Now consider the plot twist of]] ''Film/TerminatorGenisys''...
** There was a [[http://www.hopeofthefuture.net/deletedscenes/t4omit02.html second alternate ending]] where [[spoiler:Marcus (who has had Connor's skin surgically grafted to his own so he can continue leading the Resistance) wake up, [[FaceHeelTurn turn evil]] and [[KillEmAll kill everyone in his hospital room]], including Kyle, Star, Kate and Barnes]]. It got as far along as having concept art drawn up for it, but was even more hated than the former and was eventually discarded.
** An entirely different third act was written featuring [[spoiler:a group of hybrids led by a cyborg Serena Kogan revealing themselves as controlling Skynet in order to create a new, superior mankind.]] Some scenes were shot and are contained in the DVD, but the production team ended up eliminating this storyline and reshooting the act because it was felt as too derivative and out-of-character with the franchise.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Film/TheDarkKnightSaga Batman]] (who is married to [[Film/SpiderMan3 Gwen Stacy]]) is trying to save [[Film/StarTrek Chekhov]] from an army of machines led by [[Film/HarryPotter Bellatrix Lestrange]] who are using Theatre/{{Macbeth}} as an unknowing pawn in their grand scheme. And let's not forget the Resistance is being led by ''[[Film/{{Scanners}} Revok! Daryl Revok!]]'' [[Film/TotalRecall1990 See you at the party, Ashdown]].

*** [[HilariousInHindsight Now consider the plot twist of]] [[Film/TerminatorGenisys Terminator Genisys...]]

* TroubledProduction: The script of the film was extensely rewritten at least three times, both for Bale's ExecutiveMeddling and testing audience's reactions. See What Could Have Been below.

** An entirely different third act was written featuring [[spoiler:a group of hybrids led by a cyborg Serena Kogan revealing themselves as controlling Skynet in order to create a new, superior mankind.]] Some scenes were shot and are contained in the DVD, but the production team ended eliminating this storyline and reshooting the act because it was felt as too derivative and out-of-character with the franchise.

** An entirely different third art was written featuring [[spoiler:a group of hybrids led by a cyborg Serena Kogan revealing themselves as controlling Skynet in order to create a new, superior mankind.]] Some scenes were shot and are contained in the DVD, but the production team ended eliminating this storyline and reshooting the act because it was felt as too derivative and out-of-character with the franchise.

** The original ending. [[spoiler:John Connor dies from his injuries, and Marcus and Kate decide to honor his memory by letting "General John Connor" be a legend, via Marcus assuming Connor's identity]]. Fan backlash prior to production meant the ending was changed for the theatrical version.
** There was a [[http://www.hopeofthefuture.net/deletedscenes/t4omit02.html second alternate ending]] where [[spoiler:Marcus (who has had Connor's skin surgically grafted to his own so he can continue leading the Resistance) wake up, [[FaceHeelTurn turn evil]] and [[KillEmAll kill everyone in his hospital room]], including Kyle, Star, Kate and Barnes]]. It got as far along as having concept art drawn up for it, but was outright blasted by everyone who heard about it.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Film/TheDarkKnightSaga Batman]] (who is married to [[Film/SpiderMan3 Gwen Stacy]]) is trying to save [[Film/StarTrek Chekhov]] from an army of machines led by [[Film/HarryPotter Bellatrix Lestrange]] who are using Theatre/{{Macbeth}} as an unknowing pawn in their grand scheme. And let's not forget the Resistance is being led by ''[[Film/{{Scanners}} Revok! Daryl Revok!]]'' See you at the party, Ashdown.

** StanWinston was intended to have a cameo as a prisoner who was fighting a Hydrobot in the Skynet research facility, but this was scrapped due to Winston's worsening health.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Film/TheDarkKnightSaga Batman]] (who is married to [[Film/{{Spider-Man}} Gwen Stacy]]) is trying to save [[Film/StarTrek Chekhov]] from an army of machines led by [[Film/HarryPotter Bellatrix Lestrange]] who are using Theatre/{{Macbeth}} as an unknowing pawn in their grand scheme. And let's not forget the Resistance is being led by ''[[Film/{{Scanners}} Revok! Daryl Revok!]]'' See you at the party, Ashdown.

* FakeAmerican: All three leads.
** Let's see, Welsh, Marcus Wright's Aussie right? And Russian...yeah.
*** Though it's worth mentioning that Russian-born AntonYelchin has lived in the United States since he was six months old.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Another portion of the fanbase would have prefered the original ending, [[spoiler:with John Connor dying, and Marcus taking over his place,]] over the implausibility of the one that ended up being filmed.
** Definitely more plausible though than [[spoiler: John's skin being successfully grafted onto Marcus without looking weird, considering how Marcus' skeleton is shaped COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than John's. Think of the alien BigBad's disguise in the first MIB movie.]]
*** Not to mention that [[spoiler: John Connor was supposed to "trick" Kyle Reese into falling for Sarah Connor and fathering him. He told him stories about her. How is Marcus supposed to fulfill that role?]]
** Also, the original cut of the film includes a topless scene when Blair and Marcus are warming themselves by the fire. Director [=McG=] said that it was meant as a ShoutOut to Kelly [=McGillis=]' topless scene in ''Film/{{Witness}}'', but that it ultimately felt exploitative and would have flouted a PG-13 rating. The scene is reinstated in the director's cut Blu-ray.

** Also, the original cut of the film includes a topless scene when Blair and Marcus are warming themselves by the fire. Director [=McG=] said that it was meant as a ShoutOut to Kelly [=McGillis]]' topless scene in ''{{Witness}}'', but that it ultimately felt exploitative and would have flouted a PG-13 rating. The scene is reinstated in the director's cut Blu-ray.

** Also, the original cut of the film includes a topless scene when Blair and Marcus are warming themselves by the fire. Director [=McG=] said that it was meant as a ShoutOut to Kelly [=McGillis]' topless scene in ''{{Witness}}'', but that it ultimately felt exploitative and would have flouted a PG-13 rating. The scene is reinstated in the director's cut Blu-ray.