It’s nearly impossible to keep a secret these days about a major movie like Terminator: Salvation, which is probably why WB and McG are letting the cat out of the bag about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s digital cameo. But wouldn’t it be so much better if they hadn’t? This is the sort of news that will travel, but it’s not something that’s likely to draw traffic to the film. Wouldn’t it be much better if the studio had just led opening weekenders discover the cameo for themselves?

Variety has cleared up questions that arose after Schwarzenegger mentioned earlier this week that he might appear in the film, but didn’t want to act. McG and crew have used an old body cast of the Governor to create a new digital model of his original Terminator persona, which will be animated and brought into the film.

That’s a neat thing for fans, I suppose, especially the ones that get much more bound up in the minutia of Terminator continuity than the filmmakers ever have. But do I actually want to see a digital Schwarzenegger? Nope.

That also means that Arnie will be free to dance with Fred Astaire and sell DirecTV in various commercials, which could be a valuable revenue stream after his Governorship is termina…er, ends.