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What tempted you to take on this iconic character and franchise?
Chrstian Bale: I could see a similar reinvention was needed to what I felt was so well achieved by Chris Nolan with Batman Begins.
The difference is that nobody’s attempting to ignore the former mythologies on this. I’d enjoyed T1 and T2 when they came out. And I’m also bloodyminded.
Any concerns about taking on another big franchise reboot?
Bale: I look at it from my interest and am very happy to put my head in the sand whenever people start talking about consequences, burdens,
responsibilities.
I’m sure that would be the death knell for succeeding with anything creative. I think if that’s where your mind is at, you’re on the pathway to losing
the point. So I intentionally ignore it.
What was your involvement with the script?
Bale: I had a lot to say but I respect the writer and the writer’s process. From that respect, but also from past experience in projects where there was an attempt at a mass collaboration at the beginning and it never went well, I think there has to be a defined point of view from one source.
After that, sure, you pick it apart and help cement it up.
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There’s a line in the film where John Connor says, “This is not the future my mother warned me about.” Are there big surprises in store?
Bale: Not for me anymore because I’ve accepted them! Clearly, when you have a mythology that involves time travel there’s an awful lot that can be done.
But then you’ve got the question: well, should you? Because it’s limitless. There has to be a point to it. Other than that, I would want some surprises in there, otherwise the whole bloody movie’s predictable.
Given online debates over the film’s rating, does it match the first two for intensity?
Bale: I would say it goes beyond those. In terms of the rating, I really don’t have a clue. A lot of it is contextual and about understanding filmmakers’ motivations.
That can change a great deal about what a rating becomes. In terms of intensity, it’s very intense throughout and exceeded what I’d seen before.
This interview is part of The Making Of Terminator Salvation article in Issue 150 of Total Film , on sale in UK newsagents now.
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