Tim Miller Discusses Terminator: Dark Fate Failure

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Tim Miller discusses Terminator: Dark Fate failure

It’s been three weeks since the latest attempt to revitalize the long-running action franchise Terminator: Dark Fate debuted in theaters, and Paramount is still bracing for the final numbers on how much money they’re set to lose on it. After producer James Cameron opened up on his clashes with director Tim Miller shortly after its release, Miller himself has revealed his side of the story and why he believes the movie is failing.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Miller revealed that a whole book could be written surrounding the behind-the-scenes drama of Dark Fate, and that though he’s still “processing” the disappointing returns on the film, he’s still “very proud of the movie.”

“The things they seemed to hate the most about the movie were things I can’t control,” Miller said. “I can’t control you didn’t like ‘Genysis’ or you felt betrayed by ‘Terminator 4.’ I can’t help that. Even though Jim is a producer and David Ellison is a producer and they technically have final cut and ultimate power, my name is still on it as director. Even if I’m going to lose the fight… I still feel this obligation to fight because that is what the director is supposed to do. Fight for the movie.”

Miller revealed that many of the disagreements between Cameron and Miller came from small lines of dialogue the latter viewed as “poetic and beautiful” and were “important to me,” but that Cameron didn’t care for, as well as their visions for the new future. The franchise creator wanted the humans to be winning in the future, as was happening in the first two films, whereas Miller wanted them to be facing a losing battle to the new Skynet.

“[I suggested] Legion is so powerful, the only way to beat it is going back in time and strangle it in the crib,” Miller said. “Jim says, ‘What’s dramatic about the humans losing?’ And I say, ‘Well, What’s dramatic about the humans winning and they just need to keep on winning?’ I like a last stand. It’s not his thing.”

Miller revealed that the reasons behind why he exited Deadpool 2, where star Ryan Reynolds “wanted to be in control of the franchise,” are the same ones as why he will most likely not be working with Cameron again in the future.

“You can work that way as a director, quite successfully, but I can’t,” Miller said. “I can say no, but it has nothing to do with whatever trauma I have from the experience. It’s more that I just don’t want to be in a situation again where I don’t have the control to do what I think is right.”

Despite all the behind the scenes issues, however, Miller claims he and Cameron’s relationship is still on good grounds, even receiving an email from him saying “I know we clashed a little bit. I put it all down to two strong, creative people with differences of opinion and I think it made the movie better. I’ll be back in L.A. in December, let’s go get a beer.”

More than two decades have passed since Sarah Connor prevented Judgment Day, changed the future, and re-wrote the fate of the human race. Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes) is living a simple life in Mexico City with her brother (Diego Boneta) and father when a highly advanced and deadly new Terminator – a Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna) – travels back through time to hunt and kill her. Dani’s survival depends on her joining forces with two warriors: Grace (Mackenzie Davis), an enhanced super-soldier from the future, and a battle-hardened Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). As the Rev-9 ruthlessly destroys everything and everyone in its path on the hunt for Dani, the three are led to a T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from Sarah’s past that may be their last best hope.

Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger return in their iconic roles as Sarah Connor and T-800 in Dark Fate with James Cameron, also returning as a producer and co-writer. They’re joined by Mackenzie Davis (Blade Runner 2049), Natalia Reyes (Birds of Passage), Gabriel Luna (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Diego Boneta in the film with Tim Miller (Deadpool) behind the camera.