Transformers the Movie

[Blue Bacchus 0]

Credit TFW2005.com:

 

DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, in association with Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS), will develop a live-action, motion picture based on the globally popular TRANSFORMERS franchise. Steven Spielberg will executive produce. The film is slated for release in the summer of 2006. Lorenzo di Bonaventura ("Constantine"), Don Murphy ("The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen") and Tom DeSanto ("X-Men" and "X2: X-Men United") are attached to produce.

 

DreamWorks Head of Production Adam Goodman stated, "Steven and everyone at DreamWorks are very excited about the prospect of expanding the world of TRANSFORMERS into the live-action feature film arena. The possibilities for a thrilling action adventure are virtually endless, and a film holds the definite promise of expanding an already worldwide fan base to new audiences."

 

"This is a tremendous franchise that offers us the opportunity to create an inventive and thrilling action-adventure film," said Donald De Line, Vice Chairman, Motion Picture Group and President of Paramount Pictures. "We're happy to work with our colleagues at DreamWorks to develop this project with Hasbro. There couldn't be a better team to bring the TRANSFORMERS to the big screen."

 

"We are truly fortunate to have the best talent in the entertainment industry on board for the TRANSFORMERS movie and are excited at the opportunities this powerful collaboration will bring to the property," said Brian Goldner, President of Hasbro's toys segment. "The TRANSFORMERS franchise has been successful in many entertainment arenas and we are thrilled to give millions of fans an extraordinary experience that's never been done in the history of the brand."

 

Hasbro will work with the production team, DreamWorks and Paramount on all aspects of the film's creative development, marketing, promotions and will manage merchandising in conjunction with the release of the film. Hasbro will also team up with Takara, who has been the co-developer of the TRANSFORMERS brand since its beginning in the early 1980s.

 

"The TRANSFORMERS brand has always struck a chord with fans around the world and remains one of our strongest franchises since it was introduced 20 years ago," said Keita Satoh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Takara. "Together with Hasbro, DreamWorks and Paramount, we will bring the property to a new level for fans in the Japanese market, as well as around the world." DreamWorks will distribute the film domestically, while Paramount will distribute internationally.

 

In 1984, the TRANSFORMERS brand took the world by storm with its compelling saga of the ROBOTS IN DISGUISE, and quickly became a childhood rite of passage with a tremendously successful toy line from Hasbro and Takara, comic book series, television program and animated feature film. Twenty years later, a new generation of kids has discovered the excitement of the TRANSFORMERS brand and the legendary characters, such as OPTIMUS PRIME and MEGATRON, that truly are "more than meets the eye." Today, the franchise features a popular toy line, an animated series on Cartoon Network and a chart-topping comic book series from Dreamwave Productions, which sold two million TRANSFORMERS comic books last year.

[TheBigSwigg 0]

Live action, and it's probably not the original Transformers. I'm iffy until I get more details.

 

EDIT: It's also in Yahoo Movies.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Grimlock no think this good idea.

[Steviekick 0]

It sounds very iffy. It'll tank if they don't use the classic versions of the characters.

[AndrewTS 0]

I don't think it can suck more than Armada...but then again...

[razazteca 0]

Everybody hated on The Hulk for the CGI, this can't be any better.

[AndrewTS 0]

Why do they so commonly like to go the CGI route when: a) it usually costs an astronomical amount, lessening the chance of a good return, and b) it usually looks too hokey and often fans don't want to see it in that form.

 

Worst of all, it's not all CGI, it's CG/Live Action. They look terrible together and you know how bad cheaply-done CGI turns out.

 

Bah...they should have found a decent foreign animation studio for this. I guess because of the mediocre receipts for the mediocre last Disney (hand-drawn) animated movies, they don't think it's a viable medium anymore.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

Grimlock no think this good idea.

Ahem...it's GRIMLOCK NO LIKE THIS~

 

 

 

Now, as for the CGI thing, there was a video floating around the net awhile back of a VW Bug changing from car to TF-style robot and then back again, and it was flawless.

 

The odd thing was that it was made by a graphic design student.

 

 

Chances are, Dreamworks will overdo the CGI to such a degree that it looks like shit, and of COURSE it will not be the original characters no matter HOW BIG an audience there is for them. They are (more than likely) trying to capture the slightly japanimated children of today into seeing it.

 

Of course, I would LOVE to see a live action/CGI Transformers Movie done with the somewhat dark tone of the original TF: The Movie. Shit, the darker the better. It would probably pull in a bigger audience even with the children out of the equation for box office sales.

[The Tino Standard 0]

And here I got all excited thinking I was coming into a thread discussing the ORIGINAL Transformers movie... Bastards.

[Blue Bacchus 0]

Well it's not the Originals but versions of the characters inspired by the originals. Like Megatron will be a realistic tank and Soundwave if he's a CD player will transform in a robot of comparable size. So no size shifting. That's all according to producer Don Murphy. I think this flick will be the greatest thing since sliced bread, between Star Wars and Transformers my childhood has come back with a vengence these past few years.

 

Plus with Steven as a Producer and how much money they will sink into it, I fairly sure it won't suck. This is gonna be Steven's Star Wars.

[2GOLD 0]

Wasn't this the film where humans turn into the Transformers since to do a Transformer LAM would have cost them well over 250 million dollars with all the CGI needed?

[Blue Bacchus 0]

I'm pretty good with my Transformers info/rumors (obsession), I don't believe that the movie will be that craptacular. Jurrassic Park and the Star Wars Prequels had massive amounts of CGI, I don't think there will be an issue with the CGI. Voice Actors however is where the film will be made or broken. Especially the voices of Optimus, Megatron and Starscream.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

Like Megatron will be a realistic tank and Soundwave if he's a CD player will transform in a robot of comparable size. So no size shifting.

Color me Pissed.

 

I don't want to see a teeny weeny Soundwave running around... that would suck HORRIBLY.

 

Size shifting is part of the TF history, like Optimus pulling a trailer cab out of thin air.

[AndrewTS 0]

" I don't believe that the movie will be that craptacular. Jurrassic Park and the Star Wars Prequels had massive amounts of CGI, I don't think there will be an issue with the CGI."

 

And those sucked. What's your point?

 

You also forgot to mention Lost World. That sucked too, although that had nothing to do with the CGI.

 

Plus, using CGI *in combination with miniatures and animatronics* for dinos is quite different than going full CGI on giant robots.

 

"Especially the voices of Optimus, Megatron and Starscream."

 

I'm sure they can find good voice actors to cast. That's the one area I'm actually not worried about.

[Crimson G 0]

Steven Spielberg will executive produce.

Already knew this was coming out, but HOLY FUCK! Spielberg...at least you know it will have good effeects.

[TheBigSwigg 0]

So nobody is thinking this will be "TRANSFORMERS: ENERGON" the movie? It's the current, yet sucky, version of Transformers, and it makes the most sense to me. Especially if they "update" the characters. That would get shit on like Jim Norton.

[Guest Ram]

Nah, they've said time and time again it's going to be the G1 characters. There's still a long time until it gets under way, but Megatron will probably end up a tank (mostly inspired by G2) as to avoid the size-shifting stuff. Soundwave will probably be a communication satellite vehicle. The rest will probably stay the same with some modernized aspects. I'm sure at the very least Welker (Megatron, Soundwave, +more) and Cullen (Optimus+some others) will be asked to sign on.

[Black Lushus 0]

as a huge Transformers mark, i think this is gonna turn out to be a bad idea...leave well enough alone...what i WANT to see is a cartoon studio pick up where season 3 of the original left off with the return of Optimus (rebirth doesn't exist in my world)...or at least the japanese Headmasters series brought over here, since that was the same cartoon studio and all...

[TheBigSwigg 0]

I myself would mark out if they brought back the original where Season 3/4 left off. I've been dying to see what the series was like in Japan after the show died in the US.

 

And I do think G1 should be left alone, now.

[Guest Ram]

Don Murphy has posted more info at DonMurphy.net about the Transformers Live Action Movie.

 

Many things to answer here on the fly.

 

There's a shitload of rumors that you guys take as facts out there. There are NO voice actors yet. There may be soon. I will personally make sure that our director considers Frank and the gang. I think celebrity voices for a film like this is moronic.

 

Someone out there is telling you that there aill no be toys for this movie from Hasbro? Dream on. That's the very reason they WANT a film from Steven Spielberg.

 

NOTHING is decided. IN MY OPINION knowing how Hollywood works---

 

1- I do not see mass shifting happening.

2- I do not see a giant robot turning into a cassette player.

3- Hasbro will not have a toy that turns into a pistol.

4- I just saw the robots in SKY CAPTAIN at Comic-Con- we want ours to be the opposite of those. Personalities!

 

 

We are NOT doing anything to do with Beasts and Dinos and shit.

 

I think Soundwave is the burger with cheese and sauce. I think his "tapes" are badass.

 

Maybe you're right- maybe he never changes.

 

Dunno.

 

Keep talking- you can tell we are really listening.

 

The next few weeks will have us, ala X MEN, decide on 7 core members of each team. Desanto will be there to make sure we stay true.

 

Your input is NOW.

[Skywarp! 0]

I don't think CGI will be that expensive if you have some significant amount of time spent filming real cars and put the voice acting over it. Of course, if they're static in disguise mode, great. But if they're driving with no one in their cabs, then digital removal of stunt drivers is necessary.

 

Besides, they should look into getting car companies to sponsor the movie. Like VW bugs, of course. You could also tweak Ironhide a little to make him change into a red Explorer, or more traditionally, a red Areostar, I suppose.

[starvenger 0]

Besides, they should look into getting car companies to sponsor the movie. Like VW bugs, of course. You could also tweak Ironhide a little to make him change into a red Explorer, or more traditionally, a red Areostar, I suppose.

If they did that, then they might as well call the movie "Transformers: Alternators".

 

Not that there's anything wrong with Alternators. They're actually pretty badass, and go well with the 20th Anniversary Prime.

 

Anyways, I think that this movie will be fanboyishly awesome, but otherwise, will bomb something fierce. So from a realist point of view I'm setting the bar low and hoping that this will be better than Daredevil. And preparing myself for the 24/7 onslaught of media types saying that the movie will suck...

[ChrisMWaters 0]

One question...

 

Should the Matrix be used in this movie or no?

 

Because their is the question of how well the creators of the Matrix Trilogy will react to that.

[Black Lushus 0]

the matrix was a horrible plot device that never shoulda been introduced in the movie...if it was something so big and monumental, why was it never mentioned in the first two seasons...seems to me the writers were lazy and couldn't think of a better way to elevate Hot Rod to main event status so they threw that out there...kinda like the WWE...

[ChrisMWaters 0]

the matrix was a horrible plot device that never shoulda been introduced in the movie...if it was something so big and monumental, why was it never mentioned in the first two seasons...seems to me the writers were lazy and couldn't think of a better way to elevate Hot Rod to main event status so they threw that out there...kinda like the WWE...

Eh, say what you want to say. I kinda liked the Matrix.

 

So much in fact that I'm using it in a sprite comic I'm about to make, having Mega Man hold it.

 

My theory on why it wasn't mentioned in the first two seasons is because there was never a threat as major as Unicron to the Autobots, hence they didn't need to use it. Also, Optimus never really completely died, therefore he never needed to pass it on.

 

Plus, I like saying "LIGHT OUR DARKEST HOUR" during final battles in video games.

[Black Lushus 0]

no no, the matrix woulda been fine had it not sprung up in season canon TWO SEASONS LATER! here's an example...it clearly shows that the autobot the Matrix chooses grows in size and appearance and gains the name Prime, the movie and season 3 tell us this, but in season two, it shows that Optimus Prime was created by Alpha Trion from the remains of Orion Pax, not once does it mention a Matrix...see what I mean, they just kinda picked it outta think air...i guess they didn't think us too old for cartoon geeks would pick up on it 20 years later!

[Ravenbomb 0]

it'll probably go the way of the Slinky movie

[Highland 0]

Alpha Trion remodelled Orion Pax to Optimus Prime and gave him the matrix at that time.

[Black Lushus 0]

yeah they go back and tell us that LATER, after the movie...

[starvenger 0]

yeah they go back and tell us that LATER, after the movie...

Man, if you didn't like that retcon, I'd hate to see how you dealt with the use of Primus (from Marvel's TF comics) in Beast Wars...