Arnold Is Back as the Terminator

Date: 15-05-2003 Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamUnited States

Here's what we know: In 1997, Los Angeles-based Cyberdyne Systems Network created a secret project called "SKYNET." It went online on August 4, 1997, and three weeks later, on August 27, SKYNET became self-aware. Since that time, SKYNET has quietly become stronger with each passing day, linking itself with every computer infrastructure around the world and becoming the sole superpower.

Its mission: world dominance. Its enemy? Mankind.

This story line, of course, isn't history. It's the premise behind one of the most anticipated films of the summer, Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines.

In anticipation of T3, "Tech Live" caught up with Mr. Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to get the inside word on what we can expect when the film slams into theaters this summer. See the interview on tonight's show.

Man vs. machine

In the third installment of the "Terminator" series, Sarah Connor, the heroine from the first two films, is dead. Her son, John, now 20, is mastering the skills he'll need to create the flesh and blood resistance against the machines.

According to Schwarzenegger, who reprises his role as the "good" Terminator, there are "a lot of unusual stunts that one can expect. There's also a whole new generation of visual effects than [in] the last one."

That said, producers of the new flick sunk much of their budget for computer-generated effects into creating a new, female Terminator -- the Terminatrix, or T-X.

Creating this badass cybernetic organism took the finest in digital effects. Translation: mucho dinero. The budget for T3 was a massive $170 million, reportedly the highest Hollywood budget ever green-lighted by a Hollywood studio.

What that money buys is action.

"We have so many great action sequences that are involving cars, trucks, cranks. It was a mad, mad six months, I can tell you that," says Schwarzenegger, who returns as the only original actor from the previous films.

Different faces, new roles

Reportedly, Edward Furlong, who played the young John Connor in "Terminator 2," was considered for the role. Instead, actor Nick Stahl got the call. Stahl is perhaps best known to audiences as Sissy Spacek's son in 2001's "In the Bedroom."

Linda Hamilton, who played Sarah Connor in the first and second films, does not return in T3. Hamilton has kept a low profile since her much-publicized divorce from "Terminator" creator and director James Cameron.

Cameron is involved with T3 in name only. Other than creating the original characters, he didn't touch this film.

The rest of the new cast includes Claire Danes, on break from studies at Yale, as John Connor's girlfriend. Newcomer and Norwegian beauty Kristanna Loken plays T-X. Judging from what "Terminator 2" did for actor Robert Patrick's career, Loken could soon be a household name.

Regardless of stars, money, or hype, come July 2 the machines take over.