Exclusive: Tim Miller On Dark Fate: Blu-Ray Features & What Could Have Been!

Terminator: Dark Fate, the best-reviewed Terminator sequel since 1991's "Terminator 2: Judgment Day, comes out on Blu-ray on January 28th so Tim Miller, the director for the film, is here to tell TheArnoldFans all about the upcoming special features!  Miller tells us there’s going to be quite a few deleted scenes added to the bonus content. In fact he says we will be "getting all the SCENES on the blu-ray. The director also shares his sadness on the more-than-likely termination of the franchise and mentions there were very interesting ideas that they once had in mind for the sequels.

TheArnoldFans: Have you had much involvement yet with the blu-ray for Dark Fate and if so, what special features can the fans look forward to? Will there be an audio commentary by you and perhaps a cast member?

Tim Miller:  "A fair amount.  I had a hand in selecting all the additional content and then provided a lot of materials like previs, concepts etc.  As well as the usual stuff like Director's commentary, which I did with our editor Julian Clarke.  We have quite a bit of additional materiel —scenes shot etc. — that had been cut for time (or story reasons) and I’m glad to see them out in the wild.  Even though they were all cut for good reasons they are still interesting scenes." 

TheArnoldFans: 82% of theater-goers praise the film so now that after positive word of mouth has spread, Dark Fate should do very well on Blu-ray.

 

Tim Miller: “I hope so!  Paramount seems to think it will do very well and are excited about the marketing (of the blu-ray).” 

 

TheArnoldFans: I heard Terminator: Dark Fate had a runtime of over 3 hours before it was trimmed down to the official 2 hours and 8 minutes. What can the fans do to get the studio to release either that full-length cut OR to release that additional hour in deleted scene on the blu-ray? Sometimes we only get 3-5 deleted scenes but we want them all! 

Tim Miller:  "I believe my directors cut was 2hr 50min.  The assembly cut was longer —though I can’t remember the exact length.  But the assembly cut is EVERYTHING that was shot... so that doesn’t really count.  You’ll be getting all the SCENES on the blu-ray, but most of the other cuts were within the scenes... lines, beats, action moments etc that were cut for a variety of reasons.  The bottom line is that the current film — with the exception of a handful of decisions made by the producers — is essentially the “directors cut”.

TheArnoldFans: What are a couple of your favorite scenes that were cut from the film that you hope makes it onto the deleted scenes? 

Tim Miller:  "As I said, I love the film the way it is now.  The battles I won or lost were mostly in the script phase and the ones that happened after would likely be irrelevant to most of the audience.  Line choices, beats inside existing scenes and some editorial pacing issues.  Nothing that would be a big deal to most of the fans." 

TheArnoldFans: What was your favorite shot scene with Arnold that didn’t make it into the film? 

Tim Miller:  "There were pilots originally in the C5 and Arnold and Dani had a quick scene where they’re tied up and he’s told them what’s going on.   The C5 is the big plane they steal — a C5 Galaxy. Arnolds has no lines in the scene, but his reactions to Dani and the pilots were great."  

TheArnoldFans: In the movie, Arnold says, “ I won’t be back.”  It sounded like Arnold was admitting this was his last Terminator film but in the planned trilogy to follow this film, was Schwarzenegger to have any involvement in the sequels...or was that truly the end for Arnold as the T-800? 

Tim Miller:  "Sorry, can’t answer that one!  But it’s sad... we had some interesting ideas for those other films." 

TheArnoldFans: Thank you for this interview. I’m a bit bummed at the lack of merchandise from this film but I know that’s not your fault. Great job on Dark Fate, Tim! 

Tim Miller:  "Thanks Randy, I really appreciate that.  I’m bummed that the film didn’t get the response we’d all hoped for, but the experience of making the film was fantastic.  I love the film and the cast and I hope that someday, someway, more people come to appreciate the film."

We might not be getting any more Terminator movies in theaters but it’s good to know Tim Miller gave us a final wild ride.  After the positive word-of-mouth has spread and now that the grumpy trolls can watch the film in the privacy of their own homes (and they all will), let’s hope Terminator: Dark Fate becomes a successfully high earning blu-ray and we hope it gets the love and respect that this film deserves.

• BONUS FEATURES ON 4K ULTRA HD COMBO, BLU-RAY COMBO & DIGITAL
• • Deleted and Extended Scenes
• • A Legend Reforged
• • World Builders
• • Dam Busters: The Final Showdown
• • VFX Breakdown: The Dragonfly

• ONLY AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL*
• • Creating a New Threat
• • Future Tech
• • Previz Sequences: Factory Fight, Air Battle to Humvee Falling, Humvee Dam                          
• • Commentary by director Tim Miller and editor Julian Clarke
• • Deleted scenes introduction and commentary by Tim Miller