Where to go from here?

If you have not seen Salvation yet, I wouldn't come in here for fear of some spoilers finding there way into the thread.

So, just as the title says, where does the franchise go from here? Personally, if I were setting up for the next movie, I'd try to have the world look like it did in the Cameron films; wreckage and skulls everywhere, and a feel that humanity truly is backed up against a wall. To do that, I'd actually have the plot be based around humanity running out of resources such as metal bullets, submarines, helicopters, etc, and John Connor leading a raid against a Skynet factory in order to acquire those sweet plasma/laser guns that we saw in The Terminator and T2. This, of course, would have to be set a few years after Salvation, perhaps in 2022-2024, which has enough time to deplete the Resistance armory but still have enough time before Skynet sends the first Terminator back to kill John Connor. Also, I'd have John Connor say that after they destroyed the Skynet factory, that humanity was hit with retribution from the machines, with many pockets of Resistance being destroyed within weeks of that attack. I think that would be a good way to bridge the gap between the technology witnessed in Cameron's work, with the technology in Salvation.

I'd like to see them bring time travel back into it. Not sure exactly how they should implement it, but I really like that aspect of things. Maybe by part 3 of the new trilogy John Conner himself goes back in time. Maybe to a time when his mother was dying of cancer. I'd love so much for Linda Hamilton to be brought back into the series. Her aged appearance could easily be explained her being sick.

Also, I do want to see the plasma/laser guns brought in, but not with the explanation of running out of resources. There seems to be metal scraps everywhere that could be melted down, so saying they are out of those resources doesn't make much sense.

Originally posted by Myth
I'd like to see them bring time travel back into it. Not sure exactly how they should implement it, but I really like that aspect of things. Maybe by part 3 of the new trilogy John Conner himself goes back in time. Maybe to a time when his mother was dying of cancer. I'd love so much for Linda Hamilton to be brought back into the series. Her aged appearance could easily be explained her being sick.

Also, I do want to see the plasma/laser guns brought in, but not with the explanation of running out of resources. There seems to be metal scraps everywhere that could be melted down, so saying they are out of those resources doesn't make much sense.

Having them running out of resources was just motivation for them to try to steal/acquire the guns, nothing more than motivation. Likewise, what I meant by resources, I included food (they were hunting for rats in Reese's memories) and vehicles (they were using an old POS in Reese's memories, without any glass within the windows), not just bullets. I'm sorry I did not make that more explicit.

Theoretically they could do another 2 of the prequal/sequal (these are after the movies we know but before kyle and the terminators were sent back)
Although you would know the outcome they could do the story of getting to skynet and sending resse back and then later having the t-1000 and t-101 going back.
There again who doesn't know the outcome of most movie heros these days. in t2 you knew john would be OK in T4 you know john would be OK, also t3 you know john would be OK (except i didn't think judgement day would happen) that was a nice change.

Originally posted by Darth Macabre
Well, apparently McG had an idea where they traveled back to like 2010 and fought the machines then or something like that, but I don't know if he was just thinking out loud, joking, or whatnot. I don't know how I feel about time travel anymore; I do think its a crucial part of the series, of course, I just don't know if I want them to go that angle anymore because I kind of want to see the war, you know?

i read that. he wants robert patrick to return

Originally posted by BruceSkywalker
i read that. he wants robert patrick to return

I don't want them to go back to the whole time travelling thing.
It's done. It was awesome. But I would like to see the lead up to the time travelling. I want to see the war happen.

I would assume that the third movie of the new ones will have the last scene involving Connor sending Reese back.

Originally posted by Darth Macabre
Yup, as like a gene engineer searching for eternal youth or something.

yeah, i think it could definitely work

I would really like to see the next movie begin with connor sending Reese back in time and end with him reprogramming and sending the T800 back through time to save himself. By doing this, we get to see how this all transpired and it would make for a great movie. Breaking into Skynet and then captruing a T-800. This way, they could finally end the goddamn franchise with the third movie. By sending reese and the t-800 back in time in the second movie this would put the third movie into unchartered territory. It would be the first Terminator movie to actually expand the story since T-2 rather than just rehashing, remaking and retelling the story. I think it would be fitting to end the franchise that way.

It will be very interesting since{spoiler] John has Marcus's heart and to see how much uber John is going to be in T5 [/spoiler]

Originally posted by Darth Macabre
So, just as the title says, where does the franchise go from here? Personally, if I were setting up for the next movie, I'd try to have the world look like it did in the Cameron films; wreckage and skulls everywhere, and a feel that humanity truly is backed up against a wall. To do that, I'd actually have the plot be based around humanity running out of resources such as metal bullets, submarines, helicopters, etc, and John Connor leading a raid against a Skynet factory in order to acquire those sweet plasma/laser guns that we saw in The Terminator and T2.

This is a very good idea and it was what I was hoping to see in Salvation. I understand that a fourth Terminator movie would need to introduce us to the war but I did not like what we ended up getting in Salvation.

Now if a fifth movie is made and the writers take note of what you have said above, I would be very interested in further Terminator movies.

I think the idea about the Resistance running out of ammo is very plausible. Plus you've given a good idea as to how the Resistance is able to fight the machines with the plasma rifles we saw them using in T2: JD. We don't currently possess this type of technology so it needs to be explained how it was created and how it fell into the Resistances' hands. You have given a very good explanation above.

Future Terminator writers take note!!

-U

I think the next movie should explore time travel, it has to really. Connor realises that the Resistance will need it to figure out how it works in order to win the war and for him to exist (send Reese back etc). The focus should be on the Resistance running out of supplies (as mentioned above). The film should take place in the year 2029 or end on that year. I would also like to see things happen that causes Reese to change his views of the machines (note: his anger towards the T-800 in T1 when compared to an almost emotional attachment in TS). Maybe Tech-Com begins to fail, losing members.

What should happen is the shift of bond that Marcus had with Reese. It needs to move over to Connor and Reese. Maybe Connor's belief and background and preaching of the machines changes Reese's view. They should bond, work together and therefore have Reese willing to go back in time to protect Sarah in 1984.

I'm sick to death of the time travel angle, and I hope it's avoided until it's absolutely necessary to include it (i.e. Skynet sends his warriors back, JC sends his protectors back).

I don't think the Resistance will need to figure out how time travel works in order to win the war. They will just need to figure out how it works in order to send JC's protectors back in time.

In regards to Reese hating machines, I believe he already does. I've only seen Salvation the once but from what I can remember, Reese is only cool with Marcus because he thinks he is another human, and not controlled by the machines. It's only near the end when Reese finds out he's part machine and by that time we're not given enough indication of how he feels towards Marcus.

-U

Originally posted by U Neek
In regards to Reese hating machines, I believe he already does. I've only seen Salvation the once but from what I can remember, Reese is only cool with Marcus because he thinks he is another human, and not controlled by the machines. It's only near the end when Reese finds out he's part machine and by that time we're not given enough indication of how he feels towards Marcus.

-U

I think Reese's tears said it all. I don't think Reese was just crying because Connor could have died. I think Marcus sacrificing himself for Connor to survive had its fair share in Reese's tears too.

I cannot remember that (Reese crying). Like I said, I've only seen the movie once and by that scene I was debating which way would be the quickest out of the cinema...

-U

there could be various movies and stories to explore in the time between connor building the resistance, and to where he confronts the moment when he sends his father back in time. aside from all the possibilities i.e. certain key battles, development of rival resistance groups, religious conotations regarding connors prophetic role, and his
own development into his acceptance of his foretold destiny, there is the story of how humanity could recuperate after such a devastingly world
changing war. the big story after the story has ended would be whether
humans ever trust complex machines again in the new world or if now there might be under john connors leadership, a philosophy where mutual trust between human and machine is neccessary to rebuild the world. skynet tech can go a long way to get humanity back in so far as cleaning up and rebuilding the ecosystem. but the fear of trusting machines like reprogrammed terminators or hk's to plant seeds and rebuild cities would not be an easy sell. even for someone as crucial and charasmatic as connor.That would be an interesting story to explore in comic or novel form.It would be hard pressed to make into a mainstream movie(other than fans who would really care...most folks just want action and explosions).To see or read about how finally humans and A.I come to co-exist would be a truly complete resolution to the conflict of the terminator premise

i would like to poll among terminator fans just how many would ever trust a terminator(free of skynet pre-programming of course)to work alongside.could you get past the horrors of family and friends being slaughtered by machines and ever think you could live peacefully with them?