There have been a number of attempts to breathe new life into the Terminator franchise since the hit sequel in 1991, and none of them have really managed to stick the landing. While Tim Miller's Terminator: Dark Fate was more positively received than past efforts, it disappointed at the box office, and the future of the iconic series is now very much in doubt.
One of those failed past efforts was 2009's Terminator: Salvation. Despite an all-star cast which included Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, and Bryce Dallas Howard, it's probably most "fondly" remembered for Bale's on-set meltdown which was recorded and later went viral online.
During an interview with CBR, director McG revealed that there's an alternate cut he believes Terminator fans would appreciate. "It's interesting because I feel like we did so much right with Terminator but, ultimately, got just enough wrong that we got beat up a little bit by the fanbase and it really, really broke my heart. And now, strangely, I think the film has started to age better."
"And there is a different cut," the filmmaker continued. "I have my own cut of that film and there's people online that talk about wanting to see that cut. And that's interesting! But I think I got a lot of things right with that. Obviously, I think [uncredited screenwriter] Jonah Nolan is very, very serious writer and he did the best he could. [Maybe] the cut that I have of that movie hidden away is the answer. It's darker! [Laughs] I don't know, that's for the fans to say."
While this is certainly intriguing, there doesn't appear to be much demand for anyone to #ReleaseTheMcGCut. The rights issues surrounding the franchise are also complicated, and it's unlikely anyone is willing to spend money on finishing off this darker version of Terminator: Salvation.
Would you pay to see it?