New TF2 Trailer with 007? Nope

Maybe it was just my theatre, but there was no Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer with Quantum of Solace. Neither was the Star Trek trailer. I am thinking there will be no trailer this week mainly because there is not the usual studio promotional push with leaks to major movie websites and magazines. The theory was based on comments from Orci that a promotional push would start in November and just rumors in general. Keep in mind though that no one officially ever used the word "trailer" when describing promotional plans for the movie, so while I am disappointed there really isn't anyone to blame.

Now that I have seen Quantum of Solace, it seems like a good call to not air the trailer with that film. It will not be the biggest movie of the season as it will likely have a great weekend and then quickly flameout due to poor word of mouth. The acting is good, the story serviceable, the woman beautiful, but the villain is a joke. But that isn't the problem. The problem is either a poor director or editor. The film seemed edited by someone with a hyper version of ADD. During action sequences, I defy you to find a moment that lasted more than 3 seconds before there was a cut. During no action points, the number climbed to at most 8 seconds. There was probably excellent, epic Bond-like stunts and effects in the movie but everything was so cut to pieces that you could not enjoy them. In there was an excellent 007 flick but horrible editing resulted in a horrible movie. I cannot recommend the movie and suggest you wait till it’s at the cheap theatre or can rent it. See Casino Royale or another Bond movie again if you need a 007 fix.

This leads me to wonder if Paramount and Bay knew what a disaster Quantum was going to become and decided to attach the movie to a better, possibly Twilight (out 11/21). I hope that is the case. Time will tell as always but if suddenly multiple magazines and websites start getting Transformers 2 information, take that as a strong hint that a trailer is coming.

New Transformers 2 Logo?

From TFormers.com comes a possible version of the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen movie logo. The image was revealed as part of a presentation of securities analysts by Hasbro today. The logo is a nod to the classic G1 Transformers logo. I am not sure but the Autobot image is from one of the video games and not the movie itself.

Now the image could be what is being used for the upcoming image or just something that Hasbro put together for the presentation. As usual we will not know until something official comes out to confirm it. Thanks to April for the heads-up.

TF2 Soundwave Toy Pictures? (Updated)

From TF08.net's "yizhi521", via TF2005.com are the below pictures of what could be a toy for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The current theory is this is an image of Soundwave based on the three wings that look vaguely like satellite panels, which is the current rumored alt mode for the character. Thanks to Simbatron for the heads-up.

Update: Two more pictures have popped-up. Still as blurry as the rest.


Update 2: Another pic has popped up. Still blurry but a better look at the head which almost looks like a re-colored Optimus Prime head to me.

Theatre TF Shirts Hint at Trailer?

Over at the TFormers forums, "Hunter Rose" (name of comic book Grendel) pretty much writes this post for me.

I have a buddy who is a manager at a theater, and just like last year when he hooked me up with a TF Movie shirt early - he gave me a brand new REVENGE OF THE FALLEN shirt today.

I guess we should expect to see promos popping up at theaters soon then...
shirts, posters, trailer maybe??

The current theory is Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer will start this Friday with Quantum of Solace and the Star Trek trailer. Failing that, then Twilight becomes the next likely debut movie. Hopefully by the end of the week Paramount will release something that verified the trailer's debut date (but not holding my breath on that). Thanks to Rich for the link.

Transformers This and That

Just a few random Transformer related things that I have collected over the last few weeks.

Robot Chicken: Transformers - Thanks to Mindy for the link. Apparently Peter Cullen was approached to voice this skit but declined. Not sure who the replacement voice is but probably one of the regular cast.

Transformers Nike Pack - Nike plans on released Transformers related shoes in 2009. The pack will come in GS sizes (whatever that means). Thanks to AirForce1s for the link and pictures.


Bonecrusher Goes to Afghanistan - The Daily Star reports that the US Department of Defense will send the Buffalo to Afghanistan. The model was used as Bonecrusher in the first film before his demise at the hands of Optimus Prime's sword. The vehicle is part of a fleet of 700 new vehicles that are going to the region. Thanks to Chris for the link.

Almost Transformers - Rather bizarre video that shows people disguised as appliances and scaring people. Thanks to Stefan for the link.


Chinese Transformers Movie - In last bit of information is news that Jeffrey Lau plans on directing a Transformers like film for China. The title of the film is Robot and "present a refreshing look at Chinese robots for people who are used to stereotypical Hollywood figures like Spiderman and Superman." The filming starts November 19th in China. Yay copycats, I guess.

Transformers 2 On the USS John C. Stennis

From Seibertron.com comes news that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen production spent November 1st and 2nd filming on the USS John C. Stennis. This contradicts news from Nelson that shooting wrapped around the end of the month. Roberto Orci had suggested that production may wrap on November 5th but at this point I guess we will not know for sure until Bay pops up somewhere and announces it.

The filming involved Michael Bay and the core Transformers 2 cast of Shia Labeouf, Megan Fox, Tyrese Gibson and Josh Duhamel. Filming occurred on "closed sets" and on the flight deck showing normal operations. Duhamel and Tyrese where in dress uniforms while Shia had "beat-up" makeup on so difficult to tell exactly where in the storyline the scenes might be for.

The full set report with pictures can be found here.

Thanks to Rich for the heads-up.

More Constructicon Toy Rumors (Updated)

s250 has provided another rumor regarding the Devastator toy. S250 previously posted the information about Megatron and Sideswipe's possible movie designs.

At local agent clearance event, I met their product manager. He gave me a little blur information about Devastator.
We have some rumor and speculations about Devastator likes Energon Optimus Prime [pic above - TFLive], and his words proved this. In the Gestalt version, most construction vehicles just transformable drones as a part of Devastator, no robot mode.
These vehicles will get Deluxe version, can transform to robots, but I think Deluxe version can't combine.
And he's not very sure about the members number.

And he mentioned Optimus Prime and Jetfire combine, but no details.

Judging from last year, the toys are often a solid guide to what a character looks like and how used in the movie. In this case I have no real clue what to make of this description except that it continues to feed the rumor that the famed gestalt will appear in the movie.

Update: TFW2005 has posted a little bit more information about Devastator from S250.

Devastator Gestalt toy will be formed as follows:

Dump Truck - Right Leg, Bulldozer - Left Leg, Wheel Loader - Right Arm, Truss Crane - Left Arm, Excavator - Right Shoulder, Articulated Dump Truck - Left Shoulder, Cement Mixer - Head

S250 has also received an update regarding his previous information, the update being that six of the seven components (the lone exception being the Truss Crane) also apparently have a robot mode. The Truss Crane is listed as having "no robot form".

Megan Fox as Wonder Woman

From Wonder-Who.com is the below image of Megan Fox as Wonder Woman. It has nothing to do with Transformers but I figured the Megan Fox fans wouldn't mind considering how good she looks and how well done the photo shop design of the costume is on her. Now this site nor the image has anything to do with a rumored Wonder Woman feature film. Currently that movie is in limbo with no script and no director so this is entirely for fun...but it does get you thinking (which may very well be the point).

Orci Answers More Questions

Here are more questions asked by fans and answered by Transformers writer Roberto Orci over at TFW2005. There really isn't much new information (unless you just want to read more into his replies then need to). My comments in parenthesis and italics.
On what day did / will filming end?
two days left
(This suggests that filming will end on November 6th, which contradicts the post on Michael Bay's board. Not sure what to make of it, could just mean that 1st unit wrapped last week and 2nd unit wraps this week.)

How do you and your writing team go about selecting characters and storyline
for movie?
Different for each movie. For TF2, we start with the characters we know we have to have and start by imagining what they'd be up to two years later if we were merely thinking realistically, and we go from there.

Will Primus be mentioned/referenced in Revenge of the Fallen?
Perhaps... certainly some form of deep back story and mythology will be important
(I read that as no on Primus, but yes on some established Transformer mythology might be used, possibly in the backstory of the Fallen?)

When I think of the decepticon Soundwave, three things come to mind: 1) His distinctive vocoder voice, 2) His loyalty to Megatron, 3) His (cassette) partners such as Ravage & Laserbeak. My question is, will we experience all three of these characteristics in the next movie?
All signs point to yes

I was wondering if the Beasties had any influence in the Original Transformers design. Can we expect more beast-like qualities/references?
Not for us. We didn't indicate that type of design in the writing. You'd have to ask Bay and Hasbro and designers.

Can you comment on this supposed concept art for Soundwave?
I thought you said he wasn't going to be a pickup truck?
This concept art appears to imply it is Ravage who is a truck, no?
(I read this as a non-answer where he is not confirming nor denying anything.)

Are their going to be evil humans that work with the decepticons?
Certainly, not every human will be on their side.
(This could hint at the rumor on Alice...or it could just mean any number of other things.)

How much input is given to Jablonsky on the score? Or do you happily let him do his own thing? Will there be more, separate, themes for the Decepitcons?
The input he was given in general was to make sure the score was more melodic and classic in nature, rather than being too electronic, which could be a temptation when dealing with robots.

Have you ever, even fleetingly, discussed a nod or crossover with G.I. Joe with Lorenzo di Bonaventura? Or does that film being set ten years into the future prohibit the idea?
No, but in a way, the Transformers vs GI Joe series inspired the first movie -- hence the heavy soldier presence. In a way, that is what we did.

Simpsons' Transformers Parody

Last night The Simpsons' aired a parody of Transformers as part of its annual Treehouse of Horror episode. While the TF section was said to be inspired by the movies, it seemed to me to be mostly inspired by the 1980s cartoon. Either way it was usual goofy Simpsons fun. Below is the video from Transformers Matrix of that section of the episode.

Update: Via Hulu.com, here is the entire Simpsons's Treehouse of Horror episode in better quality then the above. The Transformers section begins about a minute and a half into the episode.

"It's A Wrap!"

From Bay's official blog:

Nelson here..

As of this week, principal photography for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has ended.

Congrats to Michael and his team.

It probably ended around the same time that Shia was spotted at LAX so October 27th or 28th. Now begins the editing of the film together, finalizing of FX work for scenes, working on the music, sound effects and casting of the Transformer voices. Thanks to Rich for the heads-up.

To echo the above, congratulations to Michael and the cast and crew of Transformers 2. Also a big thanks from me to all the site readers for the information they provided and keeping me (and therefore everyone else) up to date on the movie production.

There is still a lot of work for Bay and company to do (including getting that teaser trailer together) so still plenty to post about in the future.

Alice Is a Pretender?

TFW TF2 source strikes again, this time saying that Isabel Lucas' Alice is a Pretender.

The TFW TF2 Insider has confirmed that the character of Alice, as played by Isabel Lucas, in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, is a Pretender. For those not familiar with Transformers sub-lines from the 1980s, Pretenders are Transformers that are hidden inside a shell that acts as their disguise. In the case of Alice, the shell will be an attractive human woman while the inner robot is best described as a hybrid of the Frenzy robot design from the first movie. The Pretender Transformer will have an arm that transforms into an energy weapon, a long tongue, and a scanning tentacle.

So what is a "Pretender"? It is a subsection of the Transformers line that was first introduced back in 1988 where a Transformer has a "synthetic organic outer shell" that hid the robot. Back then the shells where just a plastic shell that split in half revealing the TF inside which usually had a pretty crappy alt mode. Click here for the Wikipedia entry.

As for the character of Alice, currently the only confirmed information is she befriends the freshman Sam in college. I want to discount the rumor but really there am a whole lot of story left that we know nothing about so any theory on what part the character plays in the movie and for how long remain valid. The actress has not been spotted on any other sets except those shot in Princeton but that doesn't mean she did not show up for scenes filmed at the various air force bases around the country or overseas.

There is also a video of a scene shot in Princeton that supports this theory as it shows Lucas calmly walking away while extras are panicking around her suggesting something sinister is going on with the character. Could she be the form that "Ravage" hides in before chasing Shia, Megan and Leo on the streets of Princeton?

It is an interesting idea to say the least. While Pretenders were poorly executed back in the '80s it doesn't mean it couldn't work in a movie if handled well and judiciously. Really the only problem I have with the idea is it a little too Terminator like. If there wasn't a Terminator movie in production and a TV show, having a Pretender Transformer preying on our human heroes could almost be a movie unto itself. As it is, I am very skeptical.

Most Anticipated Movies of 2009

Movietickets.com had a survey of 4000 movie fans between August 8th and October 5th for the most anticipated movies of 2009. Sadly Transformers 2 is "only" 3rd place. Hopefully once a trailer debuts next month that will change.

MovieTickets.com Top 10 Most Anticipated Films
1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Warner Bros)
2. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Fox)
3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Paramount)
4. Public Enemies (Universal)
5. Angels & Demons (Sony)
6. Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian (Fox)
7. The Informant (Warner Bros)
8. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Fox)
9. The Day the Earth Stood Still (Fox)
10. The Taking of Pelham 123 (Sony)

"The Touch" On Chuck, Transformers in Simpsons

Via TFormers.com is the below footage that shows Stan Bush's "The Touch" being used for an amusing montage on NBC's Chuck (good show, very entertaining, highly recommend). The song is dear to many of us Transfans from the animated Transformers: The Movie so its use brings a few memories.

In addition SciFi.com reports that Transformers will be pariodied on the Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror episode that is airing this Sunday. Thanks to William for the link.

[A] segment lampoons Michael Bay's Transformers movie. "What happens is Bart gets a Christmas present from a 99 Cent store, and it turns out to be a Transformer. They take over Springfield, and they're fighting all over the place. Then Marge says to the Transformers, 'Why do you have to fight?' And they go, 'We agree. We'll just team up and take over you guys.'"

For the segment, animators drew from the live-action film, not the animated Transformers TV series. "It's based on the movie. It's just really fun to do transformations. You can see why they enjoyed doing that film."

Shia Wrapped on Transformers 2

According to Celebrity-Gossip.net, Shia LaBeouf is back in LA as of October 27th after wrapping on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

As the picture shows, his hand is still in a splint. While Transformers 2 production is possibly still shooting in Paris, that could just be interstitials and the like that doesn't require direct participation of the actors to complete. I expect we will hear that Transformers 2 production has wrapped any day now. Thanks to Rich for the link.

Transformers II Goes To The City of Lights

According to a poster on the Michael Bay forums, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen production has moved from Egypt to Paris, France.

Forget the Middle East, he's in France right now...

... in Paris, more specifically.

And this is what he was shooting: L'Arc de triomphe.

Now that was weird... I was walking home from work, and just happen to see a small group of people around a camera... When I got closer, I saw that Bay was riding it (literally). The last thing I would have expected is to see Bay shooting in my neighbor.

The scene was about a news anchor from CNN doing a report... It feels like main photography is getting closer to the end.

Producer Ian Bryce was here as well.

NOTE: this is a stock photo of L'Arc de Triomphe, but from where Bay was shooting it, you will probably get the same angle, with the actor standing in front of the camera.

While this could be fake, it seems more likely that Bay and company are in France to film exteriors and other scenes they need to match the "Paris, France" footage that was shot on Chancellor Street in Philadelphia, PA back in June involving Sam's parents. Thanks to Michael for the heads-up.

Soundwave and Ravage Movie Concept Art?

From TFW2005 is the possible concept art for Soundwave and Ravage. The artwork (link below) is pretty slick but I think it's fake mainly because Roberto Orci already said that Soundwave's alt mode is not a truck (he didn't comment on the satellite mode). Besides I think the misspelling of "satelitte" is a big hint.

Thanks to Michael for the link.

More Transformer Videos

Because of the lack of Transformers 2 news and people find them, here are more Transformer related videos. Thanks to Tahnee for the rap link and Radames for the rest.

Transformer Rap Video


Stopmotion Chase Fight Part 1


Stopmotion Chase Fight Part 2


Transformers Go Hollywood


Ark Mayhem


Beachhead Calls the Autobots

Transformers Video Fun

It is Friday, the news is slow, so here are some Transformer related videos that I liked.

Jazz Has a General Problem - thanks to Joe for the link

Stop Motion Bumblebee vs. Optimus Prime


Baysplosons! - from Adult Swim

Fan Made TF2 Trailer - mixed from movies, car commercials and TF video games.



Another Fan Made TF2 Trailer - mix of stuff, including Sector 7 website videos.


A Third Fan Trailer - thanks to Josh for the link


Bumblebee vs Barricade Stop Motion - Thanks to Slushie Man for the link

Bay Comments on TF Ride

Earlier this week Dreamworks and Universal announced plans to open a Transformers themed park ride for their Universal Studios parks. Michael Bay apparently is less then enthused by the idea based on his blog post.

The shooting in the Middle East is ground breaking - an awesome time had by all the crew.

The Transformer Ride at Universal making all the press rounds - not sure yet - they had me in a press release saying I supported it - but Universal has a long way to go in my mind. I don't support it - I'm not involved and not sure the story of the ride works, and I know Optimus is not going to just show up to be directed by some new people that have never worked with him. I hate when people bullshit a quote from me that I never said.

I'll keep you informed. Maybe the guy making the rides at Universal will direct Transformers 3????

Bay

Bay has a tendency towards snark so don't jump to conclusions about who is or is not directing Transformers 3. While I guarantee the studio is gung ho to do a third I doubt they are even considering the details of who will be helming it. Also, realistically a theme ride is very much an engineering exercise as it is creative. The skill sets required to create a ride that runs thousands of times a year safely for millions of tourists is a whole lot different then what is required to direct a movie. At most the movie director would have input on the project as far as design but probably not much else.

Thanks to Steven for the heads-up.

Voight Wants to Be President

Jon Voight apparently enjoyed filming Transformers so much that he is game for a cameo in the sequel if the powers that be are up for it, at least according to MTV.

But what about Jon Voight, who played the Secretary of Defense John Keller? When we caught up with Angelina Jolie’s dad at the premiere of his film, “Pride and Glory,” he told us that while he has yet to film anything for “Transformers 2,” there’s still time to get in a quick appearance.

“I should be able to make a cameo,” Voight said. “That’s a good idea. Let’s talk to those guys about that.” And he even has a suggestion.

Voight said doing the first “Transformers” was “really a lot of fun,” that director Michael Bay “did a brilliant job,” and LaBeouf, who he had worked with previously on “Holes,” was “wonderful,” so he’d be happy to come back. But how?

“It all depends on the plot, of course,” he said, “and what the plot needs, you know. But the Secretary of Defense, we want to know what happens to him. Was there a new administration that came in? Maybe he ran for president. Maybe he became president.”

Considering that “Transformers 2” will be coming out following an election year, it could work. (Voight himself, as you might guess from his work in “An American Carol,” supports John McCain).

“I don’t know [if they’ll green-light a ‘Transformers’ cameo],” Voight said. “But I enjoyed being in that movie. It would be fun.”

Transformers II Visit the Pyramids

Waxword and site reader Dan have confirmed that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen filmed in Egypt over the weekend.

First segments from Waxword:

A major milestone quietly passed last weekend: the first major Hollywood film in decades filmed in the heart of the Middle East. “Transformers II” turned its cameras at the Pyramids in Egypt, and again in the upper Egyptian town of Luxor, near the famed Valley of the Kings. This is significant for many reasons but mainly because it represents a rare move by two Hollywood studios, Paramount and DreamWorks, to connect to a country and culture that is perceived to be hostile the United States.

I say ‘perceived’ because my guess is you’d probably find no more avid fans elsewhere in the world than those clustered around Shia LeBeouf, the star of the film, in this part of the world. But after years of anti-American images in the Middle East, and years of entrenched mistrust, this is the kind of interaction – and publicity - that makes a difference. I hear from sources within the studio that DreamWorks was “petrified” when producers got clearance to shoot at the pyramids and in Luxor, and that LeBeouf was hesitant but decided to take the leap. (I agreed to hold this news until production had been safely completed.)

In the end, “Transformers II” shot for several days, bringing together a crew of 150 Americans and several dozen local Egyptians for an effort that producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who called from a cellphone while standing beside the pyramids, told me was “remarkably smooth.”

And now the report from Dan:

Hi there, I'm not a fan of Transformers but I can confirm after visiting the Pyramids section in Cairo last Friday (17th oct) that there was indeed a film crew filming on the third pyramid in the Giza area (can't remember the name, but for those of you that know, its the Pyramid with half of one side that looks like it's been dug out. They were filming some scene late in the afternoon before sunset (when the heat was less intense) and it was quite amazing because my girlfriend and I sat on some rocks 20 metres away from it all and managed not to get sussed out by the security crew (who were all wearing T2 badges...one of the crew was tying up his shoelace behind me and confirmed to me it was T2)about 40 people on site, the locals were trying to get their camels and donkeys in the scenes, which involved one of the cast climbing part of the pyramid.....

There is also rumors that TF2 was going to film in Jordan but if the above is any indication it looks like security is extra tight on the schedule to protect the cast and crew so we will probably not hear about it anytime soon.

Thanks to Dan for his information and Rich for the link.

Even More TF Rumors

IO9.com collected the various new rumors that have popped up over the last couple of days and then provided a few new ones of their own. Usual disclaimers about this applies.

Meanwhile, a guy who knows a guy has a buttload of spoilers. Apparently Soundwave is black, and does not have an Earth mode. (So not only is he not a pick-up truck, he's nothing at all, in Earth terms.) And the Decepticons mention Soundwave during their discussions.

The Constructicons join together to form Devastator more than once. Jetfire starts off as a Destructicon and then changes sides. Also, John Turturro's character dies at last. Optimus Prime "has a scene with a trailer." And Ravage is actually a biological weapon, and there's no Laserbeak. The ice cream truck, the Chevy Volt, and the Hummer HX are not Transformers. And Megatron doesn't return (possibly as a tank) until the end of the movie — when Soundwave resurrects him.

My two cents again. Soundwave as a satellite supports the notion of a black non-Earth mode. I wouldn't mind satellite to robot toy but I am betting that Hasbro would be far less enthused by the idea since kids tend to like their toys to do a touch more in the alt mode. Jetfire changing sides fits the character historically and the idea has been since the character was first determined to be in the movie.

John Turturro dying rumor has been coming around lately. Might be something to it. Nothing like killing a core character (but not too major) to drive home the seriousness of a situation. Optimus "has a scene with a trailer" sounds like a joke similar to the beetle sitting next to Bumblebee in the parking lot from the first movie.

The ice cream truck and Volt not being TFs, sure that could be true but that doesn't really explain why those two vehicle has been seen at multiple sites and traveling with the Autobots rather frequently. The Hummer on the other hand seems to have only been at Bethlehem and suggests it was involved with that one sequence which means it a) died or b) was a human vehicle only.

As for Megatron's resurrection, are they really going to hold Megs back to the very end again? If they where setting up for the third film that would be fine but Bay and the writers have been very adamant with the press that they are not doing that. The bit about the Fallen, sure why not. Currently there is absolutely nothing to support or contradict the idea. More then likely though, due to simple budget constraints, I am guessing the Fallen is a single character. Otherwise you have three groups of robots (Autobots, Decepticons, Fallen army) to CGI which can be mighty expensive once those groups come together.

While I am at it, here are more rumors posted from comments on another post.

Hello.

I can confirm some of these rumors as an employee of Dreamworks.

Jetfire is confirmed. He will be hurt and he will use a landing gear-which is NOT computer generated-as his crutch, however it is very unlikely that he will combine with Prime.

Soundwave's alt mode is a satellite, I'm not so sure about Bay's plans for a truck.

Scorpinok WILL return and there will be hell to pay :)

Three bikes will combine for Arcee.

The Chevy Trax is NOT Cliffjumper. This car is the RED car that people have been commenting about. The Trax is one of the "twins"... it's twin is the GREEN Chevy Beat (Skids).

I hope I have helped a little, I'm not sure what has already been posted on this website since I ran across it by accident.

Also, let me state that everything that has been "confirmed" by any source can change at the drop of a hat. Bay can have a vision of one thing one day and dream up something completely crazy the next. An on-going motto on any Michael Bay set is "It's Bay, you never know". I promise though, you won't be disappointed!

A damaged Jetfire using landing gear as a crutch is new and actually a pretty interesting idea visually and a good way to mitigate his potential strength (which, based on TF1, seem to be proportionate to size). If take the comment at face value this would be the third source to say Soundwave is a satellite (which does fit the character), further confirms Scorponok's return (given), continues the Arcee rumor (my favorite theory) and first to "confirm" who the twins might be.

It will be interesting to revisit these anonymous rumor posts once its all said and done to find out which was real and which was simple misinformation. Regardless, it adds to the fun.

More From Seibertron's Insider

Seibertron.com TF insider has provided additional information for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Previousily he had commented on Soundwave's alt mode, Arcee, and some TF powers. The new info seems to support or clarify some of his earlier statements.

Couple more tidbits while I can....

Arcee doesn't die in the movie, she just doesn't show up until later on, and spends much of her time as a robot.

The movie was not shot in sequence; everyone seems to think that the stuff being shot now is the end of the movie ... Only Bay knows for sure!

Only one character combines with another Autobot to make a bigger robot ...

The Constructicon is 9 vehicles together but will only make a brief appearance.

Scorponok is back in force, and he swims down and uses his internal "spark" to refire ONE of the Decepticons ... Who, Im not tellin' ...

More as I get it! Shhhhhh

The Arcee tidbit and the movie being shot in sequence is about the suggestion that she dies early in the movie since the only time the rumored Arcee bikes have been spotted was at the Bethlehem shoot which TF producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura said was for opening the movie with a bang. The theory is if she plays a larger role in the movie she would have shown up in more set locations. However, we know next to nothing about what was filmed at the various military bases nor what second unit has been up. It is no accident that most of our information is on the Autobots only and almost nothing about the Decepticons except rumors.

As for the movie being shot in sequence. Clearly not. The Bethlehem Shoot that seems to have been picked up at Queensway Bridge pretty much kills that idea. The combining reference is back to the idea that Jetfire somehow merges with Optimus Prime at some point in the movie. Nine Constructicons? Really? I thought seven was a bit much but now nine?!? Yeah right. If they make only a bit appearance why bother having them show up at all.

Last is the return of the very legitimate theory that ties into the "Fallen." If you believe that character is not a new one but the return of a defeated Decepticon (i.e. Megatron) then how does that 'Con come back? Why with another spark of course and who better the Scorponok. I don't know if I believe it but of the group that one is probably the only one that is closest to the truth of a story beat in the film.

Fan Made Bumblebee Costume

In time for Halloween is this cool fan made movie Bumblebee costume from Lionel Lum. He made it specifically for the San Diego Comic Con 2008. The detail and skill is pretty darn sweet and probably good for getting into some Halloween parties. Click the images for larger versions.

Why Do You Like Transformers?

A no news day so thought I would post a query from Greg in Australia for the Transformer fans to answer (politely and kindly please). He has been asking for a while for a response and I just kept forgetting. I don't know it will help him but figure fans will enjoy giving their views on Transformers.

Hi, I hope you're doing well. My name's Greg Baxter and I'm from Australia. I came across your great Transformers blog. I'm writing as my classmate and I are researching and profiling the Transformers in my media course at school. Thanks so much for your time. I hope to hear from you.

Question 1. What made and still makes Transformers and the Transformers universe (preferably the comic, or the animated series), so unique and compelling to you, compared to other sci-fi, or sci-fi fantasy, that
you also admire ?

Question 2. Who are currently your 3 favorite Transformers
characters and please say why, for each one named ?

Sincerely,
Greg

Sadly I don't have a real good response to either question.
1. For me it was the toys that got me going. I have always just found the concept of a real world object turning into a robot to be cool. I like the engineering and creativity that doing something like that requires. From there the original G1 cartoon added a mythology that gave life to the characters in a classic battle of good versus evil that is fun to watch as a kid. As an adult looking at those cartoons they strike as simple and lacking depth but the love remains.

2. I never really developed favorites to be honest (it is probably why I have not been bothered by who does or does not show up in the movies). My liking them was based on more of whether the toy looked cool or not and not much to do with their roles in the cartoons. If forced to choose, I would go with the usual - Starscream (schemers are always fun), Megatron (unabashedly evil and doesn't care), and Optimus Prime (kind, noble, the best kind of leader).

Before people complain, I know, where is the news?!? As always, once there is some I will post it, this is just something to pass the time and for fun.

Transformers Theme Park Planned

ENI is reporting that Universal Studios Parks & Resorts has joined with Hasbro, Inc. and Dreamworks to develop a Transformers attraction based off the movies. It seems that Universal Studios Singapore will get the attraction first in 2010, followed by LA in 2011.

The attraction will fuse 3D-HD media, mega special effects and stunning robotics with a ride system that will transform perceptions of theme park experiences. The rides are scheduled to make their debuts in early 2011, first at Universal Studios Singapore and then at Universal Studios Hollywood. In "Transformers," Earth's humans are caught in the middle of an intergalactic war between the friendly Autobots and the evil Decepticons, which are able to change into a variety of objects, including cars, trucks, planes and other technological creations.

Larry Kurzweil, President and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Studios Hollywood, said "'Transformers' represents a perfect match for our theme park: an exhilarating blockbuster with a great story, clever humor, non-stop action and flawless special effects. It has all the elements necessary to become one of the world's most exciting theme park rides and a centerpiece attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A."

Tan Hee Teck, Chief Executive Officer of Resorts World at Sentosa, the mega resort that is home to Universal Studios Singapore, said: "It is great that Asia will be the launch pad for the first Transformers attraction. Transformers was introduced in the United States in 1983 but traces its roots to Asia. Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Megatron are familiar names to Asian audiences, who grew up with the robot toys and love the movie. When Transformers opens in Universal Studios Singapore in 2010, it will be the first of its kind in the world. We may see a surge of Transformers mania.

More Movie "Leaks"

Siebertron.com's own TF insider provided the site with more information about the movie. Much like with TFW's source, I remain skeptical but the ideas still seem pretty cool (and sometimes a bit farfetched).

- As mentioned before, Soundwave's alternate mode is a satellite. Our source, however, cannot personally confirm the other reported rumor of Soundwave also turning into a pickup truck.
- Our source confirms the recently reported rumour that Optimus Prime will combine with Jetfire.
- Ravage uses biological warfare against the humans.
- Jetfire can create wormholes.
- Scorpinok will return.
- Our source does not know if the three "Arcee" motorbikes seen in the Wal-Mart exclusive video combine to form Arcee or not - but our source does tell us that the Arcee bikes have not been on set for months, leading to speculation that the character may die early on in the film.

To add my two cents in order:
- Soundwave's alt mode remains speculative but this is the second source to say his mode is a satellite. The pickup truck mode has been debunked by Transformers writer Roberto Orci.
- I know combining is a theme right now with the rumors but this combo just strikes me as strange. I am hoping this one is false. Optimus Prime shouldn't need assistance of that order to get the job done. His strength, tactical knowledge and leadership skills should be enough.
- Assuming that Ravage is the same creature we saw from Princeton, the attack seems physical. A biological attack, by its very nature, doesn't require direct confrontation, it is a distance offensive attack that doesn't lend itself to action packed Transformers sequences that Bay (and us) favors. Possible but why bother.
- Transformers and special powers is great for a cartoon series, but when the stated goal was to be realistic as possible (hence no mass shifting, complicated moving parts for Transformations, etc), then giving a Transformer the ability to create wormholes seems to negate that goal. Besides, if he could create wormholes then it would make it real easy to kill (or move) all enemies out of the field of battle, which again is counter to action packed TF sequences. Again possible but why bother. Jetfire is big, he flys, he is strong, just using that to make things go boom and beat up on Decepticons.
- Scorponok's return is pretty much a given to me considering his survival in the first film and the return of desert sequences in the second. It’s almost like this piece of information was added to make the rest seem legitimate.

Long story short, I take most of the information with a grain of salt. As usual time will tell. Feel free to add your view in the comments, please keep it civil and insult free.

Roberto Orci Answers More TF Questions

Transformers 2 writer Roberto Orci has had a busy week due to Star Trek but took the time to reveal a few tidbits about Transformers over at TWF2005's Ask Roberto Orci thread.

A few of the questions are directly related to recent information released primarily through TFW TF Insider source that said that Devastator is in the movie, comprised of seven separate vehicles, Soundwave's alt mode of a satellite and truck, and Arcee's three part mode.

Personally I have been very skeptical of the source's information but I do like his ideas and hope most of it is true (except the Soundwave bit). Apparently, Orci might be in agreement based on some of his answers to those and many other questions. My comments are in parenthesis ().

Why is Tidal Wave, the aircraft carrier, removed from the sequal?
Couldn't make it work for the story.

tell us if Soundwave is really turning into a pickup truck...
Soundwave is not a pick up truck...

A number of fans, myself included, noticed a lot of similarities between Movie Scorponok and his Beast Wars namesake, certainly more than existed between him and the more famous G1 Headmaster version. Were these just coincidental similarities based on a similar size and altmode, or was Movie Scorponok a conscious BW nod? If so, might we see any more in future films?
Conscious nod to BW. We wanted to find some organic way to do something more than just vehicles, and when we hit upon the notion of soliders trapped behind enemy lines being hunted by a Decepticon, Skorpy seemed to fit the bill.
(I think the use of "sparks" alone shows that Beast Wars, a great series btw, had a huge influence on the writers.)

Can we expect lots of fights as cool as Optimus vs. Bonecrusher from TF1 but longer?
Yes, indeed.

Bob, if you are you at liberty to say so, have any of the leaks from the TFW TF2 Insider been misinformation?
Some. Yes.

Is there a robot called The Fallen? If so is he playing a role in Transformers Revenge of the Fallen?
Maybe. On the other hand, Fallen may simply be a synonym for the defeated side.
(So basically he re-iterated the two prevailing theories on who "The Fallen" is.)

I heard Peter Cullen would be makeing a cameo. Is this true?
We wrote a cameo into the script. I actually don't know if he was able to do it or not.

Also i asked you a little while ago if the movie was going to be released to the world at the same time in every country? You said you would find out? Do you know yet?
Most of the world, yes. But not all.

These are from the Don Murphy Forums Ask Orci Thread.

Bob is there any combiner in the TF2. Or at least can you say if something really big is in it.
BIG, yes
(Now my source says that "Devastator" is not a combiner but based on the world's largest earth mover, so this answer really means all theories remain valid.)

...can you comment on the photo of the Green Chevy Beat that has the license plate named Skids?
no idea -- sorry

Bob, have the transformers' names been set yet, or are they still up in the air like movie 1?
nothing's ever set until the movie rolls
(For example, that the license plate on Skids is a perfect background for CGI work to change it to something else. Course be a waste of money but still doable.)

Roberto, are any humans gonna get squashed? It has to happen, you know, seeing as giant robots are walking round, blowing each other up. I think that would be good to see.
I think you might be right.

Transformers, M&Ms Promotion Campaign

M&M Mars and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has joined together for a candy-tie in promotion campaign. The details are unknown, but AllSpark.com has scored pictures of the M&M mascots with a touch of Transformer fun added in. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing them come out as a key chain or a little toy.