On July 11th 2014, I traveled to New Orleans to visit the set of Terminator Genisys, the fifth installment of the Terminator film franchise. My visit to the set of McG‘s Terminator Salvation four years prior couldn’t have been more different than my experience on the latest installment.
Salvation director McG had talked up Jonathan Nolan’s script (right on the heels of The Dark Knight‘s release). He showed us a ton of practical creations designed by Stan Winston’s Legacy Effects; we explored gritty lived in sets made out of dilapidated buildings in Albuquerque, saw a room of cool concept art, and we watched Christian Bale film a “should have been” iconic scene. But of course, it wasn’t a remembered moment — because the film was widely panned by critics and fans alike.