Transformers (2007)

Movies Forum

Michael Bay to direct "The Transformers"

http://www.cinecon.com/headers/michaelbay.jpg
Michael Bay

It's official: Michael Bay will be directing a live-action film based on "The Transformers."

Variety announces today that the "Bad Boys" and "Pearl Harbor" director will direct the feature for Dreamworks, with Steven Spielberg serving in an executive producer role and Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci penning the screenplay.

"The Transformers" were a pop culture phenomenon in the 1980s which originated as warring toy robots that morphed into bigger bots. The toys later spawned several cartoons and even a 1986 cartoon movie.

"The Transformers" movie is expected to be CGI heavy with lots of visual effects. The project is slated for a Thanksgiving 2006 release.

- Cinecon

Nah, I think they'll be taller.

Seriously though, this movie better rule all. Such potential if it's done right.

-HECK!

It does have good potential, this is true. I'm still a little uneasy about it...

I guess the biggest trick will be making the cars look real while turning into big cyborg-dealies. Also, they'll need to try their best to keep some of the original characters... hmmm

Special effects will make or break this film, but I was reading another article, and the dude brought up a good point. How much of the film will feature them as robots and will the focus be more on them or the humans? If Bay turns this into a Fast & The Furious style shoot'em up movie, I will be pissed.

-HECK!

Oh man, that'd be terrible

That's true though... I mean, if they focus on the transformers, it's going to be an astronomically expensive movie. However if it focuses on the humans, it's going to suck.

I just really hope the transformers don't look cartoonish.

Exclusive Video Interviews: Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman on Zorro and The Transformers

Now that Zorro has hit the big screen and Mission Impossible 3 is filming, writing duo Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are working on their next project the live action Transformers movie.

The original Transformers animated movie included the death of Optimus Prime. Will this happen again? Alex responded by saying they are pretty sure he is not going to die in this one, but Roberto jokingly said but who knows, anything can happen.

Of course we had to dig deeper!

Click here for linsk to the full video interview with Alex and Roberto on Zorro and Transformers.

Here is a quick transcript of some of the questions...

Q: So Megatron, tank or gun?

A: We are handling everything like a Supreme Court. We are taking everything in from the fans and taking it under judicial review. Treating every decision like it's law. I don't know how we can do it without making Megatron a tank...that's probably how where we're going to end up.

Q: So are you thinking Generation 1, Generation 2? Mixture of both?

A: A mixture actually, there will be a lot of G1 but also some new characters that people have never seen before.

Q: So there will be new characters.

A: Yes.

Q: Michael Bay is still attached, how much influence is he having?

A: A lot, its a really great group ...everyone loves the franchise, loves the universe, we want to make a great movie

Q: Don Murphy wants the original voiceover actors is that something you guys have in mind?

A: We've been writing it with them in mind because since we we're fans that's the voices we have in our heads...I think its going to ultimately be up to Michael

Q: Will we see the homeworld (Cybertron)?

A: We are talking about that we would love to do that...

Q: How is the script coming along?

A: Really well

Q: So when will you think Michael Bay is going to start doing this thing?

A: We are working with Michael very closely right now on the movie and so far everyone is really happy with what we're doing so knock on wood...

- IESB

The teaser trailer is now up. It is a total tease, nothing too great, but it's something.

http://www.transformersmovie.com/

-HECK!

Cooool.

totally stupid idea that just might work. I didn't even want to watch the trailer, but after seeing it, and Bay and Spielburg were involved, it looks very interesting.


If they can make this work, they can move on to claymation specials like Davey and Goliath or Rudolf the Red Nose Raindeer. Cause Transfomers was the most unbelievable thing of my childhood, more so than when the Six Million Dollar Man hooked up with Bigfoot to fight crime.

Transformers was a toy commerical. But that trailer makes it looks awesome, and I like the people involved with it, so I'm staying open minded.

Wait, 6 Million Dollar Man and Bigfoot fought crime?

-HECK!

Man, there's this cartoon I check on Adult Swim called 'The Venture Brothers'. Imagine a Johnny Quest meets Family Guy meets Spinal Tap. I know, it's not a good description. Anyway, there was this episode where the met Steve Austin and Bigfoot and they were lovers. It was hilarious, and now I see why. I thought it was just random humor.

Oh, and Putty from Seinfeld does the voice of one of the main guys.

-HECK!

From what I hear this is Optimus Prime. Thoughts?

-HECK!

I doubt it. Looks more like something Rumble would do...

ok... I think that this movie should prove to be interesting. I also think that HECK! is right, special effects will determine, to an extent, how well the movie does. The question really isn't IF it can be done convincingly, but whether or not THEY can do it. (Have you guys seen that commercial of the car that transforms into a robot that dances? It was sweet and it was a 30 sec COMMERCIAL--for VW I think...)

Anyways, I digress. I was a HUGE Transformers fan back in the day. I even watched the later spin-offs of the original, but the animation seemed to be lacking.. I only liked "Beast Wars" but eventually stopped watching that one as well. Based on Speilburg's involvment, I think that the SE will be good enough, but I am more worried about the storyline and whether or not it will "JIVE" with the original cartoon. I think that this is something that they need to consider when they decided to take on a project such as this one, and that was my biggest disappointment with X-Men 3, as well as Superman Returns. Based on the characters that we have grown to KNOW, the movie didn't ring true and in X-Men, it flat out was NOT true, (eg the death of Jean Gray/Phoenix).

I hate to be one of those people that disect movies, but when a film house decides to go forward with a story about a superhero or popular tv characters, they need to take that into consideration and the movie should gel with the perception the publlic has of them, not go off in a completely different direction because it just ends up ruining it for them--well maybe not "them"... it ruins it for ME.

That's my 2 cents!

also, what trailer did you guys look at? I clicked on the link that had been posted and got an BARELY animated poster.

I couldn't get to the website; too much traffic, I guess. I saw it on another site though... wasn't that interesting... looked like Apollo 13...

But I read that they won't show the Transformers in their true forms until you get into the cinema... they want it to be a surprise.

That would be cool. Keep the surprise going. The one bad thing is that if they sucked. All that waiting and it looks bunk. I would wager it will rule, however.

And you know there will be leaked pictures on the net at some point. Hopefully sooner than later.

-HECK!

I don't think it'll suck to be honest. I love the effort they've put into it. Michael Bay wants everything to be physically probable, like... the size and shape of the Transformer will match the Transformer in car form... no disappearing parts or what not.

That's the reason he used the long-nosed truck for Optimus Prime. He could make him a tad taller and the physics just worked out better that way.

PS. Yeah, there's gotta be a leaked picture SOMETIME. They seem desperate to keep it secretive, though... it'll be interesting how long they can keep it from us.

According writers Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci during a live chat the following 'bots will be in the movie:

AUTOBOTS: Optimus Prime. Bumblebee. Jazz. Ratchet. Ironhide.

DECEPTICONS: Megatron. Starscream. Brawl. Bonecrusher. Barricade. Skorpinok. Frenzy. Blackout.

-HECK!

I heard there'll be a couple of new ones too.

Optimus Prime:

http://www.inreview.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=669819

-HECK!

That looks pretty slick, I gotta say

THE KICK ASS TRAILER NOW ONLINE!

Behold!

http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/transformers/

-HECK!

SWEET!!!!!! That had a total "Wars of the Worlds" feel to it. You know, Steven Spielberg just has a way of making it look so damn real. I will definitely be seeing that movie. I remember the cartoons when I was younger, and while my brother was more into them then I was, I still liked them.

Say what you will but I think Michael Bay rules. He's known for those action packed cheesy dialogue movies. I dig them though.

This movie will kick an ass for sure.

-HECK!

Oh yeah... I'm totally thinking that this will be good.


Reminds me of Independence Day, War of the Worlds, and something else that I can't put my finger on. Still, I think that it will be good.

I watched almost half of War Of The Worlds and turned it off. I wasn't impressed.

Independence Day was dope though, checked that bad boy in the theaters.

-HECK!

See, I really liked War of the Worlds. I thought that it was a good movie. But, we all have different tastes in things. I really like ID4.... watch it anytime I see it on tv. It's just a damn good movie.

No, sorry War Of The Worlds sucked ape. Dunno, I want to check it again, might change my mind. I was crunk at the time.

-HECK!

Well, maybe you should rewatch it, while you're not three sheets to the wind, and keep an open mind. Damn, it really wasn't bad, Heck!

It was ape sucking worthy, but I've always like Cruise and Spielberg. Might get around to it. Sounds like an HBO adventure for sure.

-HECK!

Okay... but why can't you just rent it?

Already spent $4 to rent it and about $10 in late charges. The Martians will land on Earth before I give another dime for that piece.

-HECK!

Well, I guess that you will have to see it on tv.

Wow! July 2007 has Michael Bay's name written ALL OVER IT.