As movie fans turn the calendar to 2009, they can truly look forward to the blockbusters on slate this summer.

Leading the group is Terminator Salvation, director McG's latest take on this iconic franchise.

The director assures viewers the he's taking the assignment seriously, as proven by his choice of Christian Bale for the role of John Connor.

''It was important for me to get the most credible actor of his generation to come and add gravitas to what we were trying to achieve,'' McG told Entertainment Weekly. ''I wanted to respect the audience, and be very mindful of the mythology. We take this very seriously.''

Here's the latest image of Bale in Terminator Salvation: