The Transformers

[muthagoose]

Michael Bay ("Armageddon", "Pearl Harbor") may come on board to direct a live action movie based on the '80s phenomenon The Transformers, scheduled for a Thanksgiving 2006 releaes from DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures.

Steven Spielberg, who is currently directing The War of the Worlds for the two companies, signed on as an executive producer for the project, giving it to writers Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci to get into shape. Having worked with Michael Bay on his upcoming sci-fi film (The Island), they were probably pivotal in getting the director excited about the project and interested in directing it. DreamWorks will work on securing Bay for the project once the first new script is turned in.

"Transformers" were a popular Hasbro toy line during the '80s, which spawned a number of cartoons, comic books as well as an animated feature.

[CaticusRex]

From Dark Horizons www.darkhorizons.com

The "Transformers" Are Rumbling On

Most film producers stay pretty aloof, one however not afraid to comment and let his feelings be known is Don Murphy. The man behind a slew of recent Alan Moore comic adaptations, he is now one of the guys responsible for the upcoming "Transformers" movie. Today, Dreamworks Fansite has assembled the man's collective thoughts on the film from dozens of posts that he has put together over recent weeks.

In the first draft of the script there were four main Transformers on each side but the plans are to expand that to five on each side in the next script revision. The characters of Optimus Prime, Jazz, Ratchet, Bumblebee and Arcee for the Autobots and Megatron, Soundwave and Starscream for the Decepticons. The remaining 2 Decepticons are yet to be determined.

The story is set in Southwest, USA and will be about Autobots who have been on Earth for a long time, (possibly as far back as biblical times) and are engaged in hidden war with other Transformers. It will told from human perspective. There are currently no plans for a second or third film but if the first film does well, two more are likely to follow.

The script is expected to be done by July 1st, preproduction begins September 1st and filming begins December 1st. A PG or PG-13 rating is expected, as is a November 17th, 2006 release date.

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: YOU GOT THE TOUCH!!!!!!!!!!

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[CaticusRex]

Some more info on the Transformers live action movie...


In the first draft of the script there were 4 main characters (Transformers) on each side but the plans are to expand that to 5 on each side in the next script revision.

TF cast is composed of Optimus Prime, Jazz, Ratchet, Bumblebee and Arcee for the Autobots and Megatron, Soundwave and Starscream for the Decepticons. The remaining 2 Decepticons are yet to be determined.

As of now, Soundwave’s alternate mode is a helicopter, however Hasbro prefers Soundwave mass shift and the writers seem to be okay with it.

Hasbro seemed anxious to get Soundwave into musical form to unleash Ravage even if it made no sense. They wanted him to turn into something musical later in the story and spit CDS. Soundwave’s minions are to be included in the film and are said to be “part of him.”

Ratchet is currently set as a fire truck. The writers want to make him an ambulance, DreamWorks doesn't. Hasbro actually doesn't mind if he is an ambulance or a fire truck. Jazz will be some sort of sports car and Arcee will be some type of motorbike. DreamWorks is floating a proposal to all the car companies now and licenses being worked out.

As far as voice casting goes, Peter Cullen and Frank Welker are still Don Murphy’s first choice for the roles of Prime and Megatron.

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: YOU GOT THE POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!

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[stallion]

This will be an interesting movie. It has such a broad spectrum of fans, from kids to people our age and older. I imagine it will be difficult to make a movie that appeals to the various age groups, but probably even more difficult to make the story make sense. I just hope Bay and the screenwriters don't fuck this up. One thing's for sure-if Bay's directing it, Snake won't like it.

[muthagoose]

I don't know. Snake was a huge fan of Transformers: A Love Story which Pony One and I shot for 12000 bucks. The film was great. We borrowed all of Fitzgerald's figures, introduced them to some interesting positions, got some M-80s and a gallon for fake blood from Bartlett's house.

"A tour-de-force!" says Snake McMaki of PonyOne.net

[muthagoose]

Coming-Soon.net Reports:

"'Transformers' is very tricky, because it's a movie based on a toy line," Kurtzman told us, when asked about how hard it might be to turn the Hasbro toys into a feature film. "The first question you have to ask yourself is what's the movie? We sat down with Steven Spielberg, and we said that the action scenes in this movie are a given, but he said that that it's the story of a boy and his car and that he wants to bring back the old Amblin movies. It's 'Back to the Future'…great! We're in! It's a real challenge, because the key to making those movies work--and I totally think it's why 'War of the Worlds' works so well--is to be so invested in the people and to maintain the subjectivity of the humans. If you start 'Transformers' with giant robots sitting in a spaceship flying through space, your movie is dead in the water. It's all about keeping it at a human level, and seeing the amazing things that are going on through the eyes of the characters."

The Transformers legacy is so vast and full of characters, we just had to know who they may be including in the story. "The staple characters: Optimus Prime, Megatron, Soundwave, Shockwave, Starscream, Jazz," Kurtzman replied. "There's going to be a lot of them. You're going to have ten Transformers in that movie, and if that's not enough, you can go see 2, 3, 4 or 5."

"The meat and potatoes are going to be in there," writing partner Robert Orci continued. "We're just missing the premise for the sequels."

They still believe that Michael Bay may be directing the movie, but they do have to hand in the script before he makes a final decision. Neither said anything about a "two week deadline" that has been mentioned on other sites. Later on, Bay was just as non-committal, although he did say they were working on the script and designing it right now.

[muthagoose]

Clooney on Transformers... Is he the voice of Prime?

September 16, 2005 - Online rumors about the Transformers movie are nearly as abundant internet porn... Okay, well, not that much, but there are certainly a lot of them! Most have no factual basis whatsoever, but that doesn't stop your loyal band of (on) crack reporters at IGN FilmForce from getting to the bottom of things, harassing any celebrity we can track down in regards to the latest rumblings.

One such rumor has George Clooney as the voice of legendary leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime. Clooney is gearing up for the release of his sophomore directorial effort, Good Night and Good Luck, which chronicles the story of Edward R. Murrow's stand-off with communist conspiracy theorist Joseph McCarthy.

Clooney was in high spirits at the press day. Just before exiting the room at the end of the interview, Transformers was mentioned. Clearly confused and smiling at the thought, Clooney responded. "No. No truth. Is that really out there? No, no one's called me."

"I am actually able to transform myself into a small RV." (Laughs)

[muthagoose]

'Transformers: The Movie' Test Footage?!!

Thanks to the anonymous tipster for this video of what appears to be Transformers movie test footage from Industrial Light and Magic! If it's legit it looks like there is a good chance Sideswipe could be making an appearance in the movie. You can check out the clip by clicking the link below...

www.badongo.com/vid.php?file=Transformers+Movie+Test+Footage__2006-01-09_tffootage.mpeg&s=black



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An article about the film...

5 Things You Didn't Know About Transformers

The release of the Transformers movie is still about two years away, but fans of the popular toy line can't stop buzzing about Optimus Prime's big-screen debut. This forthcoming blockbuster summer release (it's set for July 4, 2007) will feature a combination of live action and CGI, and is shaping up to be a geek's wet dream. What's more, the film is being produced by self-proclaimed Transformers nut Steven Spielberg (no stranger to summer blockbusters himself) and will be helmed by action specialist Michael Bay, he of The Island and Armageddon fame.


Will these big names equal big success at the box office? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: As the film begins pre-production, the rumors are swirling faster than a Megatron laser blast.

Here are five things you probably didn't know about the new Transformers movie.

1- Transformers will be based on Generation 1 characters
According to its producers, the Transformers movie will borrow its 10 principal characters -- five Autobots and five Decepticons -- from the franchise's original television series.

But just which characters will they be?

Alex Kurtzman, one of the film's screenwriters, has gone on record claiming that the movie will feature Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Bumblebee, and Arcee. Producer Don Murphy has also added some names to that list, including characters Jazz and Ratchet.

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2- Transformers will incorporate recognizable brands
Producers are currently hard at work trying to secure permission to use real car brands for the Transformers' shape-shifting alter egos. That means fans can look forward to Bumblebee morphing into an actual Volkswagen, instead of a generic sedan.

While Bumblebee will likely retain his familiar look of old, others characters are in need of an update. Soundwave's alternate mode as a cassette deck, for instance, doesn't have quite the same appeal as it did in the '80s, and he will instead change into a helicopter. Other character facelifts are also on slate: According to producers, Ratchet will likely become a fire truck rather than an ambulance, Jazz will transform into some sort of sports car and Arcee into some type of motorbike.

The first film is still some ways off, but that hasn't stopped the buzz about sequels...

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3- Transformers is being written by a comedian
The genius behind the film's first draft is Canadian cut-up John Rogers, a former stand-out stand-up. Rogers used to tour the world (including some of its smallest hillbilly bars) as a smart-ass comedian before landing a job as the writer and producer of Cosby in 1996. He also wrote the screenplay for 2004's Catwoman , but we won't hold that against him.

Rogers has promised fans that Transformers "will be true to the source material with a nice, light touch, a cast of human characters partnered with the Transformers and big robot action." Whether his vision makes it to the screen, however, is another matter altogether.

Rogers was forced to leave the project after submitting his revised first draft in order to work on another film. The next production pass will be executed by the writing team of Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, who recently collaborated with Michael Bay on The Island . The pair have worked side by side in the past on Xena: Warrior Princess , Alias and The Legend of Zorro .

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4- Transformers sequels are already being forecast
In a remark that could easily be cynically interpreted, co-executive producer Don Murphy has gone so far as to promise that "we will make sequel after sequel." He's not the only one with lofty goals for the Transformers franchise. In a statement on the film's official website, Spielberg reiterated, "We're now starting our first, but certainly not our last Transformers movie that I hope will be an enduring franchise ... we're going to be making many, many more Transformers movies in the future." Who are we to argue? With Spielberg and Bay already attached to the project, the franchise seems to be in very capable hands.

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5- Transformers may feature the original show's voice cast
Co-writer Kurtzman has acknowledged rumors about a return of the show's original voice cast, and has also suggested that the film isn't necessarily a project that requires the casting of A-listers. This leaves open the possibility that Frank Welker (the voice of Megatron, Mirage, Rumble, and Soundwave) and Peter Cullen (who gave breath to Ironhide, Optimus Prime and Nightstick) could return to resume their old roles.

One voice fans shouldn't bank on hearing again is that of Scatman Crothers. The Indiana guitarist died of lung cancer shortly after turning in a memorable performance as Jazz in the first Transformers movie in 1986.

Films based upon toy lines and cartoon series have failed miserably in the past (See Spawn . Better yet, don't.), but something about the pedigree of the Transformers team suggests it's a film that will be "more than meets the eye." With casting now underway, expect the rumor mill to go into hyper-drive as the project nears production.

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The bulk of the original Transformers fan base hasn't watched the show since it went off the air in 1987, but is still eagerly awaiting the film. The appeal of Transformers goes beyond nostalgia; something about the show's blend of conflict-oriented storylines, gadgetry and kitsch has embedded it deep in the collective male consciousness. We expect it to stay there for quite some time yet.

[mavhimself]

will the new transformers movie feature the kick ass soundtrack that the animation version did? like 'dare to be stupid' by weird al yankovic and the immortal "the touch" (you got the touch! you got the powerrrr! yeah!!!) made famous by dirk diggler and reed rothchild.

mav himself.

[CaticusRex]

Uh, that would be Stan Bush who sang the song, not Dirk Diggler from that shitty film that everyone except me seems to like.

[mavhimself]

i should say that dirk diggler broke it too a whole new audience. and how can you hate on 'boogie nights' one of the funniest goddamn films in recent years.

mav himself.

[stallion]

On a sidenote, the Transformers PS2 game is pretty good. Fans might want to check it out.

[stallion]

watching that video, it is somewhat odd that these robots from another planet change into cars made in Japan and Detroit. I can see Megatron doing that General Zod-thing, "Where is this planet Detroit?" Upon the Decepticons' arrival, Megatron transforms into gun mode and is promptly used in 1,449 homicides and armed robberies. Soundwave, as a helicopter, is renamed "Ghetto Bird", with the speakers blasting heavy doses of Ice Cube and Mack 10. Starscream is subsequently awarded the Ghetto Heisman.

[muthagoose]

'Transformers' Movie Begins Casting

Shia LaBeouf is in final negotiations to star in Transformers, the DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures live-action adaptation of the 1980s Hasbro toy line of giant robots that morph into cars, trucks, planes, ships and other technological creations, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Michael Bay is directing the movie, which is being produced by Angry Films' Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto and Lorenzo di Bonaventura. Steven Spielberg is executive producing. In Transformers lore, the robots are divided into two groups: the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, who believe in tolerance and the sanctity of life; and the Decepticons, led by Megatron, who espouse survival of the fittest and the extermination of biological life.



Shia LaBeouf

Stomper Tranny: More Than Meets The Eye!

[CaticusRex]

IGN FilmForce has learned which actors are poised to join the previously announced Shia LaBeof in the cast of the DreamWorks-Paramount live-action feature film version of The Transformers:

Oscar winner Jon Voight is in talks for Keller, the U.S. Secretary of State. Michael Clarke Duncan is closing in on the role of Louisiana-born Army Chief Warrant officer Figueroa and a close team member of young military commander Lennox. "Las Vegas" star Josh Duhamel is in talks for Lennox.

Bernie Mac is the frontrunner for the role of used car salesman Bobby Bolivia, Rachael Taylor as the super-hot and super-smart codebreaker Rachel, and Megan Fox as LaBeof's love interest Mikaela.

Offers are also out to Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Travis Van Winkle and John Robinson.

[muthagoose]

"The Transformers" teaser trailer is online...

If you head on over to the official website, you can watch a teaser trailer for Paramount Pictures' Transformers, which hits theaters next July 4th.

www.transformersmovie.com/

[muthagoose]

New Info On The Transformers: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD

Some new information about the Sony up coming release of The Transformers: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD was revealed in today's issue of USA Today. In the Life section of the USA Today newspaper there was an article about some of the features that will be on The Transformers: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition DVD.

The movie will be in both wide and full screen.

There will also be a look at the upcoming live action movie, and Steven Spielberg will be on the DVD. Some other extras are commentary, deleted footage, interviews, and a viewing mode in which Transformer pop culture references pop up throughout the film. Here is what Mike Snider wrote in the article:

"DVD: 'Transformers'-mania poised to unfold?

Interest in Transformers is about to be, well, transformed into full-fledged mania.

A new DVD, The Transformers: The Movie 20th Anniversary Special Edition (Sony, due Nov.7), not only celebrates the original 1986 animated film based on the Hasbro toy line, but also gives a sneak look at the Michael Bay-directed Transformers film due next summer (trailer at transformersmovie.com). Executive producer Steven Spielberg also will appear on the DVD.

"They are doing something huge, and certainly we are here to help," says Jim Wilson of Sony BMG Home Entertainment.

The DVD will have remastered full-screen and widescreen editions of the film, which includes Orson Welles' final performance. Extras include commentary, deleted footage and interviews. And there's a viewing mode in which Transformer pop culture references pop up throughout. Plus: Hasbro has an action figure line due in November.

[muthagoose]

Some design sketches of Megatron from the upcoming Transformers movie have hit the web. Looks like things could be right on schedule for them fucking the whole thing up. Enjoy!

[muthagoose]

First 5 pages of Transformers Movie script

SPOILERS GALORE!!! Filmwad.com has posted the first 5 pages of the Transformers movie script that we reported yesterday (link). It's the same 5 pages as the version of the full 112 page script that leaked about 3 - 4 weeks ago. Apparently this version was written back in February - the movie folks have said this was an old version and that there have been revisions. So what are you waiting for? Go take a peak before Filmwad.com gets a cease-and-desist from Dreamworks.

www.filmwad.com/first-5-pages-of-transformers-script-1028-p.html

[muthagoose]

New Set Pics from THE TRANSFORMERS

This guy has turned up some exclusive pics from the set of The Transformers.

www.thejay.com/2006/10/03/thejaycom-exclusive/

I think the jury is still out on how this picture will turn out.

[muthagoose]

Peter Cullen talks "Transformers"

Robot hero role transformational for voice actor

By Matthew Price

Twenty years ago, "Transformers: The Movie" hit motion picture screens. This week, a 20th anniversary DVD rolled out.

Voice actor Peter Cullen, who played Optimus Prime in the original cartoon series and 1986 animated movie, talked about his role as the robot disguised as a semitruck who led the Autobots. Cullen is slated to reprise his role in next year's live-action "Transformers," directed by Michael Bay. In it, Cullen will voice the computer-generated Prime.

Story continues below advertisement


Cullen was already a successful voice actor, with stints on "G.I. Joe" and "Voltron."

Cullen showed up at a general casting call and looked at the character sketch.

"I was used to doing animated characters, and here we have a truck," he said.

But after he read the short bio of Prime, he began to get an idea of how to portray the Autobot leader.

"The character breakdown for Optimus Prime was pretty straightforward," Cullen said. "The writers were ... excellent. I got a sense of Optimus Prime having integrity and honor and courage and conviction."

That courage and conviction, as evidenced in Cullen's vocal portrayal, was inspired by Cullen's brother Larry, a former Marine captain who served in Vietnam.

"I think I got a lot of Optimus Prime from my brother. Certainly, the control and the honor and definitely the spirit of command. Soft-spoken, sensitive but willing to kick a-- like a Marine can do." Cullen said. "I tried to keep him cool under all conditions, and authoritative and convincingly powerful."

Cullen found out about his character's death in the 1986 movie while reading through the script with Frank Welker, who portrayed Megatron, the Decepticon leader.

"I looked at Frank Welker, and I said, ‘Did you read this? I'm getting whacked! I'm getting rubbed out, and you're doing it,'" Cullen remembered. Cullen said he understands the business reasoning at the time, which was to introduce the new product line.

"It's (toymaker) Hasbro, and it's Hollywood, and it's business, and that's the way they operate. They don't take it personally, and I don't really."

Optimus Prime's cool leadership qualities made him a Gen X hero. But Cullen didn't know about his influence until years later, when, on the insistence of his daughter, he attended a Transformers convention.

"My eyes were opened wide," he said. "I was shocked, and I was surprised. The little information that I had was on such a minimal basis, you really couldn't get an overall picture on how big it was. It still is kind of a surprise to me. I think about it, and I think gosh, it's an honor."

Cullen was moved by a young man who stood to speak to him at a question-and-answer session at the convention.

"He said, ‘Mr. Cullen, when I was a kid, you raised me. ... You had such a great impact on my life. I didn't have a father, and you became my father, every day. And I'm very grateful to you for that. You mean a lot to me.'

"I don't think there's any words to express the way I feel now, and did then. Ultimately, it was an obligation and a responsibility to never let that kid down.

"I found out subsequently that there were other young boys at that time in their life that felt the same way, because that's been repeated to me. And without sounding as if I'm — it's more of a humble reaction than it is anything else. It takes me back, and I get a little churn in my stomach when I hear that, and when I think about it, too. It affects me very deeply."

Cullen said the hard-core Transformers fans are to thank for his reprisal of the role in the upcoming big-budget film.

"(The filmmakers) were thinking more Hollywood big names," Cullen said. "They did start to consider the original voice actors because of the enthusiasm and the ... stubbornness of the fan base. God, I'm grateful for those guys," he said.

Cullen was called in to audition for Michael Bay at his offices in Santa Monica, Calif.

He was asked to read a scene with Optimus Prime and Ironhide, a gutsy Autobot who was a close friend of Prime's, also played by Cullen in the original series.

"The script assistant was there, and she started reading for Ironside," Cullen said.

"I said, ‘Excuse me, dear, do you mind if I read it?' Because I actually played this character.'"

Cullen completed the read-through reading for both characters.

Cullen received a callback. This time, Cullen was called to act out a more personal, one-on-one scene.

"The reason for that was, they wanted to find out if I in fact could act," he said.

"Optimus steps out of his normal frame, and becomes ... a little more human."

Shortly later, Cullen heard from his agent that he was again cast as Optimus Prime.

"And I said, ‘Oh, fantastic,' and that's when I started to get involved," he said. "It started getting exciting, and it's remained that way ever since."

[muthagoose]

Check out the Japanese Trailer for "The Transformers", which contains some bonus footage:

www.transformers-movie.jp/

[muthagoose]

New Transformers TV Spot!


A new TV spot for Michael Bay's Transformers aired during game 3 of the NBA Finals last night and you can now watch it using the player below! The movie hits theaters the evening of July 2nd.

View it here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtJIHL6l4pI

[muthagoose]

I was rather surprised how well Transformers turned out. PMX and I checked it out yesterday and I thought it was really well done.

Sequel on the way I am sure.

[muthagoose]

Bay On A "Transformers" Sequel

Talking with Entertainment Weekly recently, director Michael Bay was briefly questioned about sequel possibilities and what he's doing next. Here's an excerpt:

How are you sitting with the idea of directing another Transformers movie?

Let's see how this one does. I've got a lot of ideas for the next one. There's a lot of really cool, big robot stuff that I had in my head that we didn't do. I just want to see how this works. You might not grow as much as a director [to do a sequel]. But it's kind of like you have your baby and you don't want someone else to take it.

So, hypothetically, if you were to take on a Transformers sequel, would it be your next film?

I don't know if it would be ready. It just takes so long to do a script. A couple things are on the horizon, but [maybe] I'll do my little movie that I can knock out, because we all think we're going to have a strike.

What is it?

Pain and Gain. It's a true story, happened in Florida. Just love the characters. It's these guys who work at a gym, and nothing's good enough. They're all looking for the American Dream, and they end up kidnapping. It's like a mixture of Fargo and Pulp Fiction, but it's all true. And they're knuckleheads. The whole point is no one's happy with what they've got. It's a fun character piece. No action. One car crash.