Burger King Announces Transformers Promotion Details

Burger King did a promotional tie-in with the first Transformers movie and in February the company indicated it was joining up a second time for Revenge of the Fallen. Sadly at the time details were lacking. Now, via a press release (via TFW2005), BK has made the partnership official and provided a little more information about the promotion that will include toys, a new burger and contests. The full press release is here but the Transformers segment is below.

Beginning today with Star Trek (release May 8) and continuing with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 24) and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Aug. 7), this partnership marks an evolution of an ongoing alliance between Burger King Corp. and Paramount Pictures that takes movie marketing to new levels.

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

- Transform Your Way(TM): Starting June 22, fans can look forward to the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen promotion, which will give guests the chance to take home a range of prizes, from $1 million cash** to a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro to movie passes and instant-win food items like the CROISSAN'WICH(R) and WHOPPER(R) sandwich. As part of the Transform Your Way(TM) scratch-and-win game, game pieces will be available on specially marked menu items. BURGER KING(R) will also give guests a second chance to win at bktransformers.com, where consumers can navigate interactive online applications to enter daily for a chance to win $10,000.

- New BK BBQ DOUBLE STACKTICON(TM) sandwich: The BURGER KING(R) menu will undergo a transformation with this new sandwich. Available for a limited time only for a suggested retail price starting at $2.79 the Transformers-inspired burger allows guests to stack multiple burger patties, bacon, sauce and cheese similar in theme to the "combining" of Transformers characters in the upcoming film.

- Advertising by film director Michael Bay: Blockbuster director, Michael Bay, directed the national kid's television advertising spots that will turn the BURGER KING(R) dining experience on its head. In addition, each BK(R) Kids Meal will come with one of eight Transformers toys that bring the beloved characters and vehicles from the movie to life.*

New Ravage, Blackout Toy Pictures

The toy information (and thus potential movie info) continues to get doled out slowly from TF08.net regarding Ravage and Blackout with the single image of each below. The alt mode Deluxe Ravage remains a mystery and Voyager Blackout is apparently in the works only now his paint job is white (as seen in the trailer)...does that mean he gets renamed Whiteout?

Few Trailer Scenes Combined Clip

Katsuhono has put together the below clip that takes footage from the two trailers and ShoWest montage to create three plausible scenes from the movie.

Stratosphere Bio

S250 has posted an image of the back of Voyager Stratosphere packaging to go along with the front from the other day so now we have his bio. In addition, click here for a gallery of Revenge of the Fallen Robot Heroes figures. The question remains is does the character show up in the movie and in robot mode.

Voyager Stratosphere Bio

When the Autobots need to be delivered to the front lines fast, they rely on Stratosphere. His cargo bay has enough room for an entire Autobot strike team, and his engines have enough power to get them all the way to the other side of the world in only a couple of hours. High altitude weapons allow him to deliver a punishing barrage against Decepticon targets on the ground as his comrades move in for the finish.

Transformer Candy, Trailer Commentary and Soundwave?

Just a few odds and ends.

Here are screenshots from the trailer from the 2:07 point that flashes so quickly before Devastator sequence that is easy to miss. Provided by Joe (thanks), he (and I) wonder if that is a quick shot of Soundwave, with the face shape and crown shaped head it makes me think it just might be.

It appears M&Ms' Transformer promotion is starting to make its way to stores. Stephan provided pictures (thanks) of the candy wrappers for after enjoying the contents. Checking out mms.com it seems that their online plans have not been enabled yet.

Empire has posted a "commentary" that inserts relevant comments to screenshots from the new trailer. A few of the comments are below and the whole thing can found here.

- "This one's apocalyptic," grins Bay. "The last movie had a threat to a little non-descript city; this one impacts the whole world. It's nuts."
- Two of the new additions to the Autobot team can be seen here, behind Bumblebee. Called Skids and Mudflap (aka "The Twins"), they are hybrid cars who can transform separately or combine into one big 'bot, and were actually dreamed up by Bay himself. "I had the idea to introduce these two dumb little Transformers," he explains. "They're brothers who are really stupid and argue with each other all the time - they're great for kids."
[Note that Bay doesn't comment on the combined form so this is not official confirmation, but I think this is Empire's reference to the theory that the Ice Cream Truck seen on set is the Twins early vehicle mode]
- These ancient symbols play a key role in the plot. "We're going to show you that the hieroglyphics in the pyramids are actually pictures of Transformers," says diBonaventura. "The movie actually opens before the pyramids were built. We tie the Transformers into the beginnings of civilisation."
- "You've got to push yourself out of the comfort zone," says producer Ian Bryce. "The effects have to top what we did before - and top anything the audience has ever seen before." "Optimus has 10,000 moving parts," chips in Farrar, "and we've got robots in this with five times more than that!"
- Meet Jetfire, a doddery old Autobot voiced by John Turturro. "He's a cranky, forgetful old man," says Bay. "He's running out of Energon, which keeps him going. When he falls down he creaks and he doesn't transform well - it's like arthritis."
[Turturro voicing Jetfire has not been officially confirmed but probably true]
- Devastator hoovers up the Sahara in the final battle. "I personally thought the ending of the first movie was pretty weak," admits Bay. "For one thing, I had to shoot the city battle on five separate blocks, which made it confusing and hard to follow. But the climax here is much clearer in terms of the landmarks and what the endgame is. And it's a really cool scene. You'll never have seen anything like it before."

Transformers 2 Performing Pickup Shots

Turns out that Transformers 2 production is not quite finished as the cast performed some pickup shots this week for the film. This information is supported by an interview with Tyrese, a tweet from Megan Fox and a video of the area that includes shots of Shia, Fox, Optimus and Bumblebee.

Megan's tweet:

surprise surprise! shia and i were filming some more scenes the other day. can't wait for everyone to see :)

Tyrese on the shoot and pickups with SciFi Wire:

"Yeah, we did some new scenes, some new shots, got to the set around 10 this morning," Gibson said in a group interview. "Today we officially wrapped Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. Any missing pieces there were, we picked them up today. They're going to go ahead and put it in the chop shop and put the magic around it and go ahead and add it into the film."

What exactly were the pickup shots you did today?
Gibson: I can't really speak on it, but that was a nice try.

Did you get to go to Egypt?
Gibson: No, I didn't get to go to Egypt. I was supposed to go, but you won't be able to tell I'm not there. ...

Will you be part of the third one?
Gibson: I didn't die in 2. I can tell you that.

Based on Megan Fox's outfit, Shia's burnt shirt (as seen here), the background, and set, this appears to be pickup shots for the Egyptian desert sequences. They may also being doing pickups for Princeton based on the outfits of some of the other people on set. The magic of Hollywood where one scene has the potential to have been crafted from literally around the world. Thanks to Megatron for the video link.

Story Spoilers from ShoWest? (Update 3)

In the new theatrical trailer thread, an anonymous post reveals some potentially spoiler information about the Transformers 2 story based on information they got at ShoWest. Normally I don't post these but in this case the information is consistent and logical enough with the information we have that it makes me wonder if it is not legit. At the very least it will probably lead to a lively (and hopefully insult free) discussion in the comments. I have edited the post a bit (mostly using bullet points) to make it easier to read. My comments are in brackets [].

I work in the effects industry but I am not affiliated with this film. We do have an online community (member only) where we discuss various projects around the various studios. I have some knowledge about some of the robots in the shots from the trailer.

- The robot with the "loose" treads is called Scrapper. Hence the reason he is "fist" fighting with Bumblebee.
- The yellow robot is Rampage.
- The helicopter is Blackout. You could see it at the ShoWest if you were there but more now with a HD feed of this trailer you can see that Blackout has rust on him just like Megatron does. Blackout is mostly intact.
- The robots crashing into the aircraft carrier are the Constructicons. Many people believed it was members of Starscream's air force but as you can see from the video there are no robots present. We saw an additional scene where Long Haul and Mixmaster are destroying the ship from within and end up ripping the hull of the carrier in half.
- What I was told is Soundwave has been scanning vehicles and when the Decepticons come to earth they fly by him in space and receive their alt mode on the way down. [Strategically and story wise, this is a genius idea]
- This is why Long Haul, Scrapper, and Mixmaster are as their alt modes over Megatron. Brawl and Bonecrusher do not return. They use Brawls parts to reform Megatron underwater (tank tracks and fitted with a particle cannon that Soundwave provides.
- Soundwave is only seen in the trailer as one of the 4 robots down in the ocean. By the way if you think Long Haul is huge Soundwave is about 6 feet taller. The other plot point is the cold and pressure does not affect their bodies like the humans thought they would. Two Decepticons give up their sparks to revive Megatron and Blackout who we find out is 3rd in command behind Starscream.
- Michael Bay made Soundwave's role as Megatron's most trusted friend (aka bodyguard and secretly unknown to Starscream as the real number 2) hence the recovery effect by the Decepticons.
- Mixmaster and Megatron can semi-fly in the film but not much. Megatron has back rockets and Mixmaster has the spinning gears turbines under his arm shields (cement mixer barrel) that he uses a few times. Mixmaster has a lot of screen time. [This would explain how Megs "swimming" up so fast and how Mixxy gets on the bridge]
- We saw a short 5 second shot where Long Haul stomps on Jazz's corpse underwater. [Sorry but I have not and still don't think Jazz returns and I could see this being Bay's definitive statement on the matter]
- There are 5 other jets that fly with Starscream but have not been named at the time of the show. I do not know the type of aircraft.
- Barricade is the one crashing into the library but isn't seen.

We saw more of that shot at the ShoWest show in private. Finally the major spoilers is as follows so look away if you don't want to know.

Remember when Michael Bay said Ravage does something no other transformer does? Well Alice is Ravage. Well they kinda gave it away when they said she had a tail and a tongue. Ravage is really small like a real jungle cat. He is sent to kill Sam but realizes Sam has information about The Fallen so he tries to get it from him. Once she turns on Sam and comes after him then she shows who she really is and Barricade shows up to help. Enough said. Now I said enough but hey there was 300 plus people at the ShoWest after party. I am out. Enjoy Revenge of the Fallen because a lot of great lads at ILM and DD did the work. [This is an elaboration on a plot point that video and story leaks indicated and Orci indirectly verified]

Update: To add to the above, a post from a possible DreamWorks employee confirms some of the above and denies other. It has a tinge of the realistic to it and is convincing enough to make it worth posting. As always though, all of this remains unproven but very interesting. Some edits made for clarity, my comments in brackets.

This is a shock to us here at Dreamworks. We are NOT asking you to remove this info [maybe a few months ago we would have] but we will clear some up for you. I will say that most of the info is correct but some is not.
- The robot that is fighting Bumblebee is NOT "Scrapper" because if you look closely he is seen by the wall [yellow bot] when Shia & Megan jump from the blast of Starscream. We aren't revealing if the red bulldozer has a name just yet. Around 10 bots will be nameless.
[Could this be Overload, the 7th Constructicon recent articles mentioned?]

- 2 Decepticons do NOT give up their spark for the return of Megatron. It is just one. If you look through TF mythology this won't come as a surprise. This character willingly sacrifices himself.
[I believe this is a reference to Beast Wars series which created the Spark concept and made them transferable. Who does the sacrificing? If Blackout does comes back, does a Decepticon also die for him?]

- A lot of people speculate that the tank tracks on Megatron are from Brawl--they are NOT. His tank tracks are Cybertronian metal and that is the reason most of his body has rust but the tracks do not. He is built from deceased Decepticons but not from the Laurentian Abyss. There is a double-meaning to the name Long Haul (think back to his F.A.B. toy bio)

- Isabel's character is NOT a human form for Ravage. I will not say who but think back to the videos I am sure you have seen with the crew & the puppet-like minion. Ravage actually has nothing to do with the college aspect. Soundwave enlists someone else for that job. All I can say is this...Ravage is far too big [unlike the info you have] to be Isabel.
[This does not discount that Alice is not a pretender, just not a skin for Ravage but another un-named Transformer such as the Frenzy-like creature. Mass wise, Ravage does seem way too big.]

- There isn't a character in the film named "Gridor" because it indeed is Blackout. We had that toy made because we weren't going to show him until this final trailer and we felt if the toy was leaked with that name [we were right] it would ruin the surprise. Mike insisted on the scene with him in it for the Vegas footage. Fans will indeed see a Blackout toy after the release of the film.
[Looks like Blackout, attacks like Blackout, if sounds like Blackout, must be Blackout, but why the white coloring?]

- Starscream does have re-enforcements however there are only 3 that accompany him. They also use the same scanning technique. If you remember, we had an original artwork with Soundwave in his satellite mode where meteor bots are flying by. Ehren came up with the idea like Teletran-1 for the Autobots. This is but one of the many things Soundwave adds to this film. Mike loved this idea because it saves time on having each individual bot scan & transform.
[This is a genius idea because now very little screen time has to be wasted on getting Decepticons in an alt mode, they just literally do it on the fly and go right into the main story]

- That was a secret of ours however, one of our biggest secrets is now revealed regarding Barricade. As Mike would say...the cat's out on that one. The crew knew the cop car would draw attention on set hence the reason there wasn't a confirmed set-picture---the car is CGI for roughly 3 seconds before a transformation to robot form occurs.
[We already knew Barricade was back, just not how he would be used]

- The rest of the info is indeed accurate along with the info on Jazz. We knew a lot of people wanted him to show up but if everyone returned it defeats the purpose of having tragedy in the franchise---same with Brawl & Bonecrusher.

I'm sorry if any info has been spoiled for you but the great thing about our dedication to this film was for each and everyone of the fans out there. We listened to all the good & bad comments over the past couple of years. Enjoy the film!!

Update 2: The plot gets a little more interesting as the orginial poster comments on the the above which was a comment on his first post and adds a few more potential story details. Honestly these two posters are not really opposing viewpoints, at most the differences come down in identifying what Constructicon is which and who Alice is the Pretender of.

Hey all of you. I am the poster from last night that provided the information that I am surprised has grown so much. I just wanted to respond to the guy that claims he is from DreamWorks. I have a feeling this guy is a fake. Industrial Light & Magic and Digital Domain are doing the visual effects for this film. DreamWorks and Paramount are making it. This guy is talking like he is sitting in on the visual effects sessions which only the writers, producers and director would do. Plus he is stating that quote:
"That's right, some big secrets were revealed that we didn't want published, so what I am going to do is confirm them for you. Then add a bit more that you didn't ask to hear because we want to keep it tight lipped around here. --DWE"

Now why would someone who works for DreamWorks start confirming secrets and add a bit more if they want to keep it tight lipped? Also without Michael Bay's permission and all cast members have to sign a contact not to release information.. I do not work for DreamWorks as I stated last night nor did I work on Revenge. I am friends with people at ILM and DD and our company was one of many that attended ShoWest. I am not under contract to keep my mouth shut because like I said I have nothing to so with the production. They sign as DWE meaning DreamWorks Entertainment. There is no division under that name. It is only DreamWorks Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG. I suspect this is someone trying to toy with the information I have provided. I don't really care either way.
[All valid points, personally I thought DWE meant DreamWorks employee]

I am myself a huge fan of Transformers and just thought I would volunteer the information I was made privy to at ShoWest. I would love to provide information as to who I am but just in case it may get me or someone at ILM or DD in trouble I shall remain in the shadows. Like I said there were 300 plus people at the ShoWest after party so I felt it was safe to tell you guys what I know.
[Also like more information, so volunteering is good but people are going to muddy the waters which is easy to do until the movie comes out.]

I am just posting this last time so if you see anymore posts claiming it is me then don't believe it. If you need straight facts or get a 100% confirmation then take the word of Roberto Orci or Alex Kurtzman over some guy claiming to be from DreamWorks.
[Couldn't agree more, if doesn't come from official channels, it remains under the speculation category.]

In closing I will say I sent a email this morning to someone in the know to clarify about the changes on Scrapper and Rampage and I was told is the yellow bot chasing Sam is Rampage but he was changed from the toy seen as the yellow Rampage to the a wheeled construction machine and his head was moved to that robot model. Look at the head of Rampage on his toy box on this site and then look at the scene with Sam jumping off the roof and you will see Rampage has the same head as the toy but is another mode. Scrapper was given his body, color changed, and a different head for the film. Same thing was done with Demolishor from the movie to the toy itself (different colors).
[Hasbro production means toy designs had to be locked about a year ago to get the engineering and manufacturing done in time for the movie. ILM and Bay are not under any such restraints so they can make adjustments right up to the very end so this is very plausible.]

Another tidbit and a spoiler is as follows..
So it was mentioned by the DWE guy about the shots of the Frenzy like creature on Sam's dads Saturn car being Alice. Well after Sam gets chased by Barricade and Ravage and Bumblebee shows up to fight them off right as Sam's dad arrives and they get attacked by this creature who is with Barricade. They escape and drive home which isn't far from the college but the creature is hanging on the car. That is when more of these creatures attack their house and hurt his dad and that is the scene where Bumblebee crashes through the fence to save them. From here they go to see Simmons and find Prime aka the graveyard scene. The scene where Bumblebee is dancing in the garage and the house damaged outside is because Bumblebee accidently falls into the side of the house and that is why Sam is kind of cold to him in the garage about how he isn't coming to college with him after his dad lets him have it.

Update 3: DWE replies to the above. I edited it to specific story stuff but you can find the full post in the comments.

...however I must add another clarification:
Trust me when I say this......all of the toys that associate with the major classes [SCT, FAB, DLX, VOY & LDR] will be named correctly. The name "Grindor" is only for the F.A.B. toy and that's it. There will NOT be any mix-ups...I can give you my word. Ehren has been VERY adamant about this fact as well---he will be the first to say that he's the ultimate "fanboy"

To be honest we haven't read a post from one person yet that has the ending figured out [not to say that someone doesn't know it...we just haven't read it] but the fans on this blog as well as the others are VERY smart at picking up details.

Megatron returns..I never said who he gains the spark from.
Alice is a pretender..all you know is that it's not Ravage.
The seekers were obvious..I didn't say who the 3 were.

I hate to do this again but as you know Sam & Mikaela have a long-distance relationship and the info you were given in the 2nd update is also incorrect to an extent. The college Sam attends is an east coast university so the school and his house would NOT be in a close proximity to each other [that should give it away right there]

If you remember [I'm sure you do--who am I kidding] the coloring book revealed a "kitchen crew" of drones. They do NOT appear while Sam is enrolled in college. Those two points in time do not intersect during the film.

[The Spark] DOES NOT come from Soundwave. Trust me when I say this as well...Bob, Alex, & Ehren did justice to the original character & the visual effects on him are AMAZING. I will go out on a limb here and say that when you see & hear the new Soundwave you will NOT look at the original in the same way. Those 3 men & Mike listened to the fans. You will LOVE this rendition of him [unless you are rooting for the Autobots]

New Secret Site, AllSpark Code from Trailer

It turns out that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen may have a new ARG (alternate reality game) marketing campaign just like they did with Sector 7 for the first movie. As site reader Mauri noted, if you watch the new trailer, at the 1:08 point, you will notice that Sam has a jacket on and along the back it says "www.therealeffingdeal.com" (left pic). If you go to that site you are then asked for login credentials.

So I did a search to see if any Transfans found the username and password. No luck but the guys over at TFW2005.com did discover another Easter Egg in the trailer, a code (right pic, circled) that gives you access to Stormbringer, a gold character in Battle of the AllSpark game. No idea how they decoded it but it becomes 091784 or 09/17/84 the day that the original Transformers cartoon debuted.

I checked the first trailer and didn't spot anything but then I didn't notice anything in the second trailer either. Hopefully more clues and fun will come out as we reach June 24th.

Stratosphere Packaging

Based on the eBay auction of Stratophere in his packaging, it appears the name is officially confirmed. However, his status in the movie is not. Sadly the eBay seller did not put up more than the one picture so any bio information. It also appears that the shuttle has been removed (yet the peg hole remains) as previously reported. Thanks to Phil for the link.

HBO Transformers 2 First Look Scheduled

From TFormers, HBO has scheduled the first airing of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: HBO First Look for June 18th, 2009. Repeats will then run through July 1st. The full schedule of showings can be found here.

Hasbro Starts Transformers 2 Pre-Order

For those that just can't wait until the toys arrive in stores, Hasbro is allowing you to pre-order 5 of the toys - Leader Optimus Prime ($45), Deluxe Bumblebee ($13), Bumblebee Plasma Cannon ($40), Deluxe Soundwave ($13), and Bumblebee Voice Changer Helmet ($40). Estimated delivery dates are listed as June and the toys are expected in stores in late May. If you do want to pre-order, click here.

New Transformers 2 Theatrical Trailer Online Now (Updated)

The second theatrical trailer for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is now online at Yahoo! Movies HERE. I have also uploaded the 1080p version of the video to YouTube (HD link here). Keep an eye below the video as will add links to screenshots, downloads and so forth, pretty much all from site readers.

Downloads: 1080p MegaUpload | 1080p Rapidshare | 720p MegaUpload

Screenshots
Movie Chronicles - 99 screenshots broken down by sections
Flickr Set - From blog reader, more stills.

Update: Below are 20 pictures from above galleries that I liked best and showed off most of the Transformers in the trailer (but only a fraction of the whole). One thing is clear; the Constructicons have a much larger role in this movie then initially thought.

LA Transformers 2 Trailer Premiere Video

It is now past 12pm PST/ 3pm EST, so sadly the trailer delay seems to be correct. In the meantime enjoy Entertainment Tonight's report from the LA screening of the new Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer that included Shia LaBeouf, Tyrese Gibson and Michael Bay. Don't forget that E.T. plans on airing the trailer in tonight's show and it will debut online at Yahoo Movies! around 4:30pm PST, 7:30pm EST, or 12:30am GMT. Or just keep an eye on the blog because soon as I know its up, I let you know. Thanks to wickedweezl and migiuman for the link.

Online Trailer Debut Delayed?

Coming Soon is reporting that the new Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer "will come online today (Thursday) at 4:30pm Pacific Time!" This is 4.5 hours later then originally planned time of 12pm PST. A possible cause is Nelson's report of needed color correction. However, the delay also conveniently places the debut after E.T. will premiere the trailer in most markets.

Megan Fox Talks With USA Weekend

As part of USA Weekend's Summer Movie Preview cover picture with Seth Rogen, Transformers' Megan Fox discussed her career, kissing Shia LaBeouf and working on Revenge of the Fallen. The full interview is here.

Before landing high-profile movies and magazine covers, you were [a] TV sitcom sidekick. Did you ever doubt you'd wind up where you are now?
Megan: ...I started acting as a way to make money and avoid college. I sort of fell into it having no idea what I was doing ... in "Transformers" as well.

Is it true that you didn't know you were the female lead in "Transformers" until the end of filming?
Megan: Yes. Everything was on lockdown. The script wasn't released to anyone. The director, Michael Bay, was the only one who'd seen it.

Megan, you and "Transformers" co-star Shia LaBeouf are good friends. Were your make-out scenes uncomfortable?
Megan: It's always weird. That's not something that's ever romantic or sexy. Doing an on-set kiss is just strange, and knowing Shia so well makes it even more strange.

OK, but the ladies want to know: How is he?
Megan: [Laughs.] Very good.

In "Revenge," you flee evil Decepticons for just about the entire movie. At least your male co-stars hauled butt in comfy sneakers -- you were in heels!
Megan: Stilettos -- and for the last part of the film, motorcycle boots. I had major shinsplints and threw out my back a couple times. Beyond that, Michael likes everyone freakishly tan, so we were painted maroon, like in the old Westerns when they hired Caucasians to play Native Americans. I had on fake eyelashes, running through the desert with sand stuck in them, and I'm sweating off all the makeup. It looked like we were making a tragedy.

For many young actors, Megan, being in "Revenge" would be like the pinnacle of their career. But you've hinted that, in the end, movies about shape-shifting robots are nothing to write home about. How do you define success?
Megan: I'd like to develop my skills to where I can be recognized as a good actress. That's my end goal. It has nothing to do with the box office. It's about peer recognition and critical acclaim, even on a small level. I mean, I'm not trying to take Cate Blanchett down. I just want to improve.

Mudflap Video Review

Peaugh has posted his video review of Deluxe Mudflap from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen toy line. He verifies that the Twins do not have a combined mode. Transformation wise, this toy is more complicated then would think, has a lot of kibble, and of course that ugly head design.

Official Transformers Sites Update

The two main official sites for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has added some content.

The main movie site has altered the backdrop to look like the theatre standee and a few new desktop images.

The official video game site also updated, this time with the "Battle for the AllSpark" version two of the game that was part of the promotion for the first video game. Once again players get to choose their faction and character as they fight against other online players for points and territory. I haven't played yet but it appears the game has improved graphics and new character models to play as. Thanks to The Chief for the heads-up.

E.T. Teases Trailer with HD Snippets

Trailer mania continues as Entertainment Tonight teases that tomorrow it is going to air the new Transformers 2 trailer (bootleg version here) in HD. Exactly when will depend on your local listings. On the bright side, probably in most areas in the States, the Yahoo! Movies release will beat it. The main reason to watch the tease is about five or so seconds of clear footage. Thanks to Michael for the heads-up.

If the embed below doesn't work, then click here to see it.

Alternate Trailer Cuts?

Nelson, MichaelBay.com's admin, has posted two comments on the forums relating to the new Transformers 2 trailer debuting with Wolverine and online tomorrow (or view bootleg version here).

The first answers questions on why the HD version of the trailer isn't getting released early.

There are contractual agreements with Yahoo I believe. Plus there has been a small recall on the video for color correction purposes.

Nelson didn't indicate if this could cause a delay with the planned 3PM EST official release of the trailer tomorrow.

The second comment indicates that Bay might be planning some with some of the May movie releases.

Just spoke to Mike.

He indicated that there *might* be different cuts for the other movies this trailer is attached to: Star Trek and Terminator Salvation.

Note the emphasis on "might". Don't assume and get upset if this doesn't occur as probably at the idea stage. I am guessing it will only work for theatres that have a digital setup as I don't see the studio paying for printing and shipping alternate cuts of the trailer. Hopefully more details will get released next week if the plan goes forward. Thanks to Michael for the links.

New Transformers 2 Trailer ...While It Lasts (Updated)

Thanks to the internet, you can watch the new Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen before it shows with Wolverine (or Transformers tomorrow for some). Watch it while you can as I doubt it will stay up long. The good news, the trailer does use some footage from the ShoWest Montage, but most of it is brand new stuff we haven't seen before.

The bootleg version was pulled from Vimeo. Since the HD version is debuting in a few hours, not going to look for a replacemet but another link to the trailer is also here or to download go here.

Update: YouTube video pulled so replaced with Vimeo link from the comments.
Update 2: Vimeo pulled video, changed above paragraph to reflect the removal.

Blackout...No Grindor, Bumblebee FAB Pics

It seems Hasbro love of repaints has made its way to the movies as the mystery of the Blackout appearance in the ShoWest Montage is explained.

Based on the Fast Action Battler pictures from TF08.net, the actual name is Grindor whose alt mode is MH-53 Sikorsky Pave Low, the same alt mode as Blackout. The FAB line doesn't have enough detail to know if the character (and other toy classes) will have more differences then just the paint job. Thanks to Phil for the link.

FAB Bumblebee Bio

With the battle raging in the desert, Bumblebee knows he needs to be ready. He upgrades with the latest in deep desert weaponry and prepares to charge into battle across the dunes. The Decepticons will never know what hit them when they get a taste of his sand blast.

FAB Grindor

Grindor is always ready for a fight. He plans everything out in detail, so that he knows exactly how a battle is going to go before it even begins. He is always at the center of the action so that he can use his heavy firepower to ensure his plans succeed.

New Trailer Debuts Online 4/30 (Updated)

Coming Soon is reporting "the new trailer for Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will come online at noon Pacific Time on Thursday, April 30th" or 3pm EST/8pm GMT.

Update: Bay's admin Nelson reports the trailer will premiere on Yahoo! Movies. Thanks to Michael for the link.

GameStop Golden Offer for Transformers 2 Game

Via TFW2005, Destructoid.com is reporting that GameStop is offering a little something extra for people that pre-order Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen game through them.

From GameStop:

Reserve The Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and receive a keychain containing a GameStop Exclusive download of Gold Optimus Prime and Megatron character skins. Internet connection required to redeem code. Available for online and in-store customers, while supplies last.

Online Customers: The keychain containing exclusive download code will ship with your order.

In-Store Pickup / Store Customers: The keychain containing exclusive download code will be available at time of game pick-up.

Blurry Ravage, Stratosphere? and More Toy Galleries

A new image of Deluxe Ravage has popped up on TF08.net. It hard to see any details but its pretty clear it matches the box image. Still clueless on what his alt mode could be. Thanks to Adam for the link.

S250, who has revealed a good bit of toy related information over the last few months, is reporting that the Voyager class Autobot cargo jet that some fans were calling Silverbolt is going to be called Stratosphere and rumor is the small shuttle was removed from final design. No packaging images (yet) to collaborate this and it remains unknown if the character is in the film or not. Thanks to Scorpio for the link.

Hasbro has a Q&A panel at TFCon last weekend where they provided a little bit of information about their process developing Transformer toys. It is an interesting read that can be found here. Makes you wish that Hasbro would do a video as an extra for the Transformers 2 DVD/Blu-Ray that documents a Transformer toy from idea to the store shelves.

Here are a few galleries for your enjoyment.
Deluxe Chromia - Many images of the toy with comparisons to other Transformers cycles including Arcee toy released with the first movie.
Devastator etc - More images of Devastator and other toys from the upcoming Transformers 2 toy line. Thanks to Phil for the link.
Voyager Ironhide and Starscream - More pictures of the redesigned toys.
Cannon Bumblebee Review - Video review of the toy that looks pretty good. Thanks to Scorpio for the link.

Update: Added two additional galleries and link to TFCon report.

Welker is Officially Cast in Transformers 2

Ugo Movie Blog is reporting that legendary voice actor Frank Welker has been officially cast in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as Soundwave. The news is from an interview with Roberto Orci as he was promoting Star Trek. Soundwave is a character Welker originated for all three seasons of the 1980s cartoons or G1 cartoon as sometimes referred to that ran from about 1984-1987.

Jordan Hoffman: Who’s voicing Soundwave in Transformers?
Roberto Orci: Welker.

Jordan Hoffman: That’s official?
Roberto Orci: I think so.

Jordan Hoffman: Uh oh.
Roberto Orci: Might be something I just told you for the first time, but I think so.

Fantastic news for die hard Transformer fans who have been trying to get our favorite voices cast in the movie.

Three Constructicon Video Reviews

Peaugh, Transformer reviewer extraordinaire, continues to get hold of those Revenge of the Fallen toys before anyone else. This time he reviews Voyager Mixmaster, Deluxe Rampage, and Voyager Demolisher. Note that these figures do not combine to form Devastator, which is an entirely different $100 toy that has the separate vehicle modes and the combined mode but not the individual robot modes. Thanks to Scorpio and other readers for the links.

Nimoy to Bay: Just Ask

Last week, Michael Bay indicated he is open to casting Leonard Nimoy as a voice in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen but "I just feel kind of bad about asking him. Like ‘I can’t pay you that much? But would you do this voice?" and maybe use his mother as a go between.

Today, IESB asked Nimoy if he would be willing to do a voice in the movie. Sadly a video of the exchange could not be posted due to a press embargo on Star Trek stuff in the states until May 7th. This is usually done by the studios so that there is a huge amount of talk about the movie before the critical opening weekend and most sites are not going to breach it for fear of losing access. It is also a way to contain bad reviews but that isn't an issue in this case as Star Trek reviews have been glowing.

I am paraphrasing our conversation. Nimoy was in a great mood, laughing and having a good time and said he would be perfectly willing to do a voice in the Transformers sequel, all Michael has to do is ask - but has he?

IESB asked Nimoy straight out if Michael Bay has contacted him yet regarding the voice work, Bay has said he may use his mother as a go between if need be.

Nimoy said he had just seen Bay's mother and she didn't say anything. He doesn't think she wants to be the go between. Nimoy said that he's not hard to get ahold of, if Michael wants to get ahold of him, he can.

Since it is voice work which can be done in a day or so under experienced hands, Bay still has plenty of time to cast who he wants when he wants. Of course with the world premiere now schedule just six weeks away the clock is ticking.

Mixmaster Bio, Packaging

TF08.net has posted images of Voyager class Mixmaster in his packaging which reveals his bio. He looks like a pass to me, don't like the robot mode and calling him a "triple-changer" is a reach. Thanks to Phil and DeceptiFreak for the link.

Voyager Mixmaster Bio

Resident chemist and explosives expert for the elite among the Decepticons, Mixmaster has spent his entire life learning all there is to know about chemical interaction. He can make thousands of poisons, explosives, and deadly gasses from the materials around him. The other Decepticons rely on him to fashion powerful warheads for their missiles, and dangerous venoms in which to coat their blades.

Linkin Park Working on RoTF Song, Score

Mike Shinoda, member of Linkin Park, has officially confirmed that the band is working on the score and a song for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as mentioned the other day.

BREAKING NEWS: Linkin Park will be working on the score for Transformers 2: Revenge Of The Fallen.

Although I wasn't at liberty to say it before, the song I've been referencing here on mikeshinoda.com in the past few weeks...is actually being done for Michael Bay's new Transformers film, due out June 24th.

In addition--and probably ever cooler--we have been offered the unique opportunity to help score the film. The song we wrote is being used as one of the themes, and we will be writing various interpolations on that theme, and trying out some other thematic ideas as part of the (very large) team scoring the film.
My bandmates and I are working with award-winning film composer (and resident ass-kicker) Hans Zimmer. We met with Hans last week, and heard some of the incredible things he and his guys have done with our new song. In the next few days, we'll be doing some work with Hans' amazing writing and recording crew.

Michael Bay has shown us select scenes from the film, and it looks incredible. I can't wait for you to see it.

The only part I am confused about is Steve Jablonsky is the composer for Transformers 2, not Hans Zimmer. My best guess is Zimmer is lending a hand since he is producing the score and Jablonsky works out of his Remote Control Productions studio. Shinoda has been talking about the album on his blog for a few weeks now along with posting pictures.

April 14th, 2009

Studio update: still making progress on the new album. Still working on that one song, too, ha. Things are going well. I thought I'd put up a few pictures of the guys for you to see. My favorite one is of me and Phoenix--it looks like I'm saying, "that bassline is kinda...eh...not so good." (I'm actually just talking to someone who's not in the frame)

March 28, 2009

We've been working on a new song in the past couple of weeks that has been a lot of fun. The backdrop for the song is built on layered, heavy synths and a sharp performance by Mr. Bourdon. We're keeping the drums a little looser on this track, not doing too much studio trickery...it creates a nice interplay between the organic feel of the rhythm track and the more robotic feel of the keyboards. Bass and guitar are next, meanwhile Chester and I are emailing lyric notes back and forth...

Thanks to Hanna for the link.

ROTF World Premiere in Japan (Updated)

From a link posted on TFW2005, it appears the World Premiere for Transformers 2 is scheduled for June 8th at TOHO Cinemas Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, Japan with Michael Bay, Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox attending. The site with the info is here (and a translation would be appreciated).

Update: Using Google, Dom and Scorpio provided the below translation of the article. Since a computer translation, it has rough edges but you can get the gist of what is being said. Long story short, Japan is getting the world premiere as it is the birth place of Transformers (via Takara). If I remember right, I do believe the very first Transformer was a dark brown Megatron (yes the gun) in 1979.

07 to the hit record published in the SF blockbuster, "Transformers" sequel, and four days earlierthan the United States will be published June 20 in Japan, the world's fastest "Transformers / Revenge" . The world premiere will be at the unveiling of the world's first film, in Tokyo June 8 TOHO was decided at the Roppongi Hills SHINEMAZU. According to this, director Michael Bay, Shire of RABUFU star, Megan Fox, who plans to visit Japan.

July 3 is the original 1907 opening date is in 1900 North America 300 million dollars, all in world record 700,000,000 grossed 800 million dollars. In the same year in Japan was published in the August 4 date, fun revenue and 41 billion yen was a big hit, DVD has sold 64 million copies.

"Transformers", was released TAKARATOMI 85 years, the original toy robot that transforms into various vehicles, such as. The latest "Transformers / revenge" of the Transformers toys come from TAKARATOMI May 30 will be released on Sunday.

Steven Spielberg's and accomplished, following the original recently, and coach bay is said to have seen a rush of people in this film, in doing so, to further scale-up from the original content, "if this SUGO it! "divulging that exclamation. The previous total of 12 transformers of the body appeared in the film is more than five times over 60 new and original from 5000 and cost 100 million dollars, twice the number reported three billion dollars.

The blockbuster that sort of "place of birth" will be unveiled the first in Japan, but is likely to receive attention from around the world.

Paley Festival Interview With Writers

IGN has posted a video with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci at the Paley Festival (from last weekend I think). The interview asked them about Transformers they wanted to add (Soundwave, Arcee, Ravage, etc) and they also discussed their goal with the movie's main villain. Thanks to The Chad for the link.

More Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen News & Previews

RSVP For 20 City Transformers 2 Trailer Event (Updated)

Paramount Pictures has released the RSVP e-mails to the 20 city Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer premiere event that will be shown with the first Transformers movie on April 29th. Click the picture below to find out the email address for your city. It is first come, first serve. Thanks to Mcat and lonegamer8 for the info.

Update: I sent an email (below) to sign up for the event and it turns out that the RSVP is just to help judge popularity. To have a chance to get a seat, make sure you arrive to the theatre early to get a good place in line as the "RSVP" does not reserve you a seat.

Thanks for the RSVP for the special screening of TRANSFORMERS. The screening is FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY, as this RSVP is to establish an accurate head count and does not guarantee seating. No one will be admitted once the screening begins.

Come to the screening dressed as the coolest/most creative/awesome Transformer ever and be entered to win a trip to the Premiere in Los Angeles!!!!

Writers Talk Transformers 2 Action and Comedy

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman dicussed tone and balancing the action and humor of the sequel with SciFi Wire. Thanks to DeceptiFreak for the link.

...the sequel remains tonally consistent with their first giant-robot movie. Early teasers suggest a darker or more somber tone, but the writers said that is only one element of the new story.

"Actually, I think you'll find that it has all the same tone of the first movie," Kurtzman said in an exclusive interview on Thursday night in Hollywood, where he sat on a panel at the Paley Festival on his Fox series Fringe. "The story's a little smoother, and it's a little bit darker, so it does dip in there a little bit, but it has all the same humor, if not more than the first movie."

If the first Transformers shifted between action and comedy with some darker undertones, Orci thought the duo did an even better job balancing those elements the second time around. "I think it's a little smoother, actually," Orci said. "We had the first movie for practice. So we were able to hone in on the tone a little bit more sharply in focus on the second movie."

One of the spectacles visible in the teaser is a scene in which a transforming robot brings down an entire factory. The writers hinted at the consequences of that event. "It could be a trap, that scene," Orci teased.

Ratchet Bio, Concession Cups and the Twins

It’s a day of the week so time for more toy pictures. This time TF08.net brings us a gallery of Mudflap and Skids, a look at Ratchet's bio (below), and via Collider a sample of Transformer concession stand cups seen at a ShoWest display that may or may not be found at a theatre near you soon. Thanks to Phil for the links.

Twins, Ratchet bio, more FABs
Concession Cups

Voyager Ratchet Bio

Racing across the dunes of the northern Sahara Desert, the roar of this engine echoing off the ever-shifting dunes, Autobot Ratchet charges toward the inevitable confrontation with Megatron and his assembled Decepticon army. Though he has battled against odds this bad in the past, no fight before has meant so much. He knows the fate of the universe rests on the outcome of this conflict, and he will do everything in his power to see to it that his allies come through it safe and victorious.

Bay Talks Transformers 2 With TV Guide

TV Guide has posted a brief interview with Michael Bay where he discusses Transformers 2. Most of it is stuff we have heard before but I do believe this is the first time it has been stated that specifically three scenes are IMAX formatted. Thanks to Crisp for the link.

Transformers 2 Trailer Premieres With Transformers 1

Paramount Pictures has announced that the new trailer for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will premiere with Transformers in 20 cities for a one time showing on April 29th confirming the info from Bay's site. Five locations will even get a reprise of Transformers: The IMAX Experience. Exactly when the tickets will go sale has not yet been released but probably will be within the next day or two. Below is the full list of what city, which theatre and the time. Thanks to Ian for the link.

Atlanta: 7pm at Regal Atlantic Station in 35MM
Baltimore: 7pm at AMC White Marsh in 35MM
Boston: 7pm at AMC Boston Common in 35MM
Chicago: 8pm at Navy Pier in IMAX
Dallas: 7pm at Cinemark Movies 17 in 35MM
Denver: 7pm at UA Colorado Center in 35MM
Detroit: 7pm ar Emagine Novi in Novi, MI in DIGITAL
Los Angeles: 7pm at The Bridge Cinema De Lux, in IMAX
Miami: 7pm at AMC Sunset in South Miami in 35MM
Minneapolis: 7pm at AMC Southdale in Edina in 35MM
New York: 8pm at AMC Loews Lincoln Square in IMAX
Orlando: 7pm at Premiere Fashion Sq Mall in DIGITAL
Philadelphia: 7pm at UA King of Prussia in DIGITAL
Phoenix: 7pm at Harkins Tempe Marketplace in Tempe in DIGITAL
Sacramento: 7pm at UA Market Square in 35MM
San Diego: 7pm at Regal Edwards Mira Mesa in 35MM
San Francisco: 7pm at AMC Metreon in IMAX
Seattle: 7pm at Cinerama in 35MM
Toronto: 7pm at Scotiabank in IMAX
Washington DC: 7pm at AMC Georgetown in DIGITAL

Transformers Re-Release, Book, and Linkin Park

Nelson, the admin over at MichaelBay.com, has posted a brief news update regarding a possible Transformers "Visions" book signed by Bay, soundtrack work and Transformers I returning to some theatres.

Nelson here...

Back in the day when Michael directed Armageddon and Pearl Harbor, there were books that accompanied the released of both films. "Visions of Armageddon" and "Pearl Harbor: The Movie and the Moment." I got the special hardcover edition of "Visions of Armageddon" which was shipped in a velvet-like slipcase. They are numbered, autographed by Bay & Bruckheimer and only 200 were printed.

So it was this in mind that I asked Michael the other day if he was planning on doing something similar. "Yes" was his response. He indicated that it might be available for this holiday season. So I’m looking forward to that.

In other news, Bay noted that Steve Jablonsky and Linkin Park are working on the score for "Revenge of the Fallen." He also mentioned that they will be re-releasing the first Transformers movie with the new “Revenge of the Fallen” trailer attached to it in about 25 markets in the US.

A "Visions of Transformers" would be a neat book as long as the focus is on the designs, planning and creation of them (both CGI, practically and possibly Hasbro's end of it). If it is just a bunch of info about how Bay directs and the usual "kiss the cast"-fest that most behind the scenes videos and books have become then I am not interested.

I am surprised to hear that a re-release is potentially in the works considering the crowded summer release schedule. In general, "markets" are centered on major US cities so if a re-release occurs they will be in major cities like LA, New York, Austin and so forth. Also such a release would be to a very limited number of theatres.

First Look at Ravage Toy

TF08.net has posted the image to the left of the Deluxe class toy for Ravage. Sadly that is all the information currently available so still unknown if it transforms and if so what is the alt mode. Thanks to Phil for the link.

Update: As pointed out by Duncan, the picture shows the image came from Deluxe class packaging and for years Hasbro only pictures same class figures on the packaging which means that Ravage is probably Deluxe class.

1st Trailer and ShoWest Comparison Shots

More screenshots, but this time cool comparisons of the exact same moment from the first trailer and the ShoWest montage that illustrates the ongoing work of the magicians at ILM and Digital Domain. Thanks to John for putting them together and below note. (Click the images to larger size)

I've noticed several updated shots in the Showest footage compared to the first trailer. Attached is an example of Optimus getting kicked in the head with added dirt and grass, more "blood" and darker in general. Other shots are the one of Ravage walking on the beach which had water added dripping off him and the Fallen's teleporting has been changed slightly.

FAB and Robot Replicas and M&M T-Shirts

Three new galleries relating to Transformers 2 toy line for your enjoyment.

Fast Action Battlers and Ratchet - Link to pictures of Mudflap, Skids and Voyager Ratchet in their packages.
Robot Replicas - A series of eBay auctions for Robot Replicas of Jetfire, Skids, Sideswipe, Megatron and The Fallen.
M&M T-Shirts - From an eBay auction, cute little t-shirt with the TF M&Ms.

Thanks to Phil for the links.

Once Again, Ask Orci

It’s been a month, so seemed like a good time to see what information Transformers 2 writer Roberto Orci may have dropped in the Don Murphy and TFW2005 Ask Orci threads. Unlike last time, sadly he was much more tight lipped.

Have you guys gotten a ton of feedback from Transfans, disappointed that Optimus coming up small in that pivotal battle with Megatron at the end of the 1st movie? ...can we expect a little different in ROTF as far as Prime is concerned?
Yeah we did get a lot of discussion about that very point. It was on our minds for the sequel...

Are there any writers, or team of writers, who you would like to hand the reigns too in an ideal world? For TF3.
No... this isn't a monarchy where duties can or should be passed on. May the best idea win!

...will the ratio of robot-to-human time be pretty much the same?
There's no shortage of robot time in tf2. It will be longer than than the first movie.

Roberto, sum up movie Soundwave in one word please.
Spy

Prime's new toy has dual swords. Any chance of seeing dual swords in the film?
Would be cool!

What is your opinion on John Turturro voicing Jetfire? Will it do justice to the character?
I love him for everything, and he playfully offered to do it because he thought the character was fun. We'll see!

I know you said Soundwave don't turn into a truck but will he have some kind of earth mode? Does he fight on Earth at all?
that would give away TOO MUCH!

Who are some Autobots that you thought hard about including in this movie but chose not to?
Dinobots.

1) On a note of confirmation, is Springer in TF 2? 2) Will there be an action scene of Sideswipe deploying his blades in mid-air, spinning in a circle as he goes? 3) Will there ever be a fast talking Autobot in the three movies? 4) Are any humans gonna get slagged? Major ones?
1 no comment 2 no comment 3 no comment 4 no comment Does that answer your questions?

When you said you thought long and hard about including Dinobots in movie 2 but decided not to, does that mean it will never happen or that it just wasn't right for this particular film?
Just for this film.

Are Scavenger (Excavator and part of Demolisher) and Demolisher (Excavator and Giant Wheel Death Bot from the trailer) two different characters? Or is this another bit of Brawl/Devastator naming weirdness?
We'll find out together!

When Mr. bay said the movie was "Darker", what does he mean by that?
When Alex and Ehren and I were thinking about what to do with the sequel to Transformers, we thought back to the sequels that we loved as kids. These movies all shared some common characteristics: they stood alone as their own movies... the stakes seemed greater, and as result, they seemed darker... we're talking about sequels like Superman 2, Aliens, Wrath of Kahn, and The Empire Strikes Back... I think most would agree that each of these bench mark sequels were darker than the first, yet still were genuine continuations of the first.

Is Soundwave not going to accompany Megatron as the loyal soldier?
soundwave is kinda doing his own thing in the movie.

I'm interested in knowing how exactly the process went about since there were three of you. Did you all work on the script together at the same time? did you each write your own draft and merge them together or did one of you get elected to write the first while the other two worked on it afterward?
As far as the script goes, the three of us sat down and came up with a story, the way you can imagine riffing a story with your friends... almost like band practice, or something. Then, once we had the story, we went 30 pages at a time, each of us writing different scenes and then passing them around for notes, comments, or adjustments until we had a full shooting draft.

Four More Transformer Bios

More bios for Deluxe class toys from Transformers 2 toy line, this time Cannon Bumblebee, Interrogator Barricade (still not proven in movie), and Smokescreen, the repaint of Jazz that is unlikely in the movie. Images from TFW2005. In addition, an eBay auction provides pictures of Deluxe Mudflap in package and first look at his bio. Thanks to DeceptiFreak for the link.

Deluxe Interrogator Barricade

Repaired and retrofitted after the Battle of Mission City, Barricade elected to remain on Earth while Starscream returned to Cybertron. He has devoted his time on Earth gathering intelligence for the inevitable rise of the Decepticons. He stalks and captures important humans, then scans, interrogates and disposes of his captives using the highly sensitive proves built into his vehicle mode.

Deluxe Cannon Bumblebee Bio

After the Battle of Mission City, and the discovery of new Decepticons on Earth, Bumblebee decided to upgrade as many of his systems as he could. With the help of Autobot Ratchet, he added some human missile launchers to his arsenal, and modified his vehicle mode to make his weapons accessible. He was caught off-gaurd too many times the Decepticons. Now when they come around he'll be ready.

Deluxe Smokescreen

According to Smokescreen, the only good Decepticon is a totally confused one. He does his best to make sure that the Decepticons never know what his teammates are up to. He's perfected the art of creating diversions, using traps, holograms, and strategically placed explosives. When all else fails, he uses himself as bait, often racing right through a group of enemy robots to distract them.

Deluxe Mudflap

Young but eager, Mudflap has wanted to be a full-fledged warrior under the command of Optimus Prime for as long as he can remember. He and his twin brother Autobot Skids traveled for years to Earth, just in the hopes of joining up with their idol. Being on Earth with Optimus Prime and the other heroes of the Great War is a dream come true.

Bay Talks Potential Nimoy Casting

MTV once again, this time talking to Transformers 2 director Michael Bay about voice casting, specifically casting his cousin, Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek's Spock) in the sequel.

“I’m still not done with all the voices,” Bay explained to us recently when we brought up “Revenge of the Fallen” robot casting for the film.

As loyal fans of the robots-in-disguise remember, Mr. Spock himself - Leonard Nimoy - was the voice of characters like Galvatron in the 1986 cartoon “Transformers: The Movie.” And “Revenge” writer Roberto Orci has said that he’d like to see Nimoy return for the summer blockbuster.

“You know, he’s related to me,” laughed Bay. “And now that you are filming this, maybe you can send it to him.”

“[Nimoy] is married to Susan Bay, who’s a cousin to me,” Michael explained, saying that he’s afraid of insulting his relative with the mere pittance allotted to pay his voice actors. “I just feel kind of bad about asking him. Like ‘I can’t pay you that much? But would you do this voice?’”

So Michael hasn’t worked up the nerve yet to ask his famous cousin – who appears in next month’s “Star Trek” – to lend him his vocal talents. Instead, the pair have been using a third relative as a go-between.

“Would he do it?” Bay asked. “He suggested to my mom that he might do it.”

Rodriguez, Lucas Talk Transformers

Finally coming out of hiding, Transformers 2 cast members Ramon Rodriguez (Leo Spitz) and Isabel Lucas (Alice) talk about Revenge of the Fallen with MTV.

Below is a section of the story and also a video where Isabel describes filming at The Free Library in Philadelphia. Ramon talks about auditioning for the role pretending to run from robots in Bay's office.

It's bigger, it's badder, it's better," said Rodriguez, who plays Leo Spitz, Witwicky's roommate at Princeton University and the proprietor of a Web site about conspiracy theories, from aliens to robots.

Quickly, though, Leo finds out that all this conspiracy mumbo-jumbo isn't just the stuff of paranoid fantasy. "I end up getting sucked into [Sam's] crazy world with real robots and finding out he's involved in the real thing," Rodriguez said. "My complete world is flipped."

Lucas plays Alice, another Princeton student who takes an immediate liking to Sam, even though he's still in a relationship with his hometown girlfriend Mikaela (Megan Fox). "The character of Alice is more the seductress," Lucas said. "She's got mysterious intentions that we don't really know about."

Rodriguez talked enthusiastically about a Decepticon named Demolishor — "Makes [Optimus Prime] look like a roach" — but went on to rave about another massive bot. "There's one even bigger than him," he said, referring to Devastator, a massive construction formed when several Decepticons come together. "It's crazy!"

Bay brought a couple of industrial-size fans to the Egyptian desert that blew 100-mile-per-hour, sand-filled winds at Rodriguez's face. He ended up dislocating his shoulder and needed to have his eyes flushed out for 45 minutes. Another time he had to sit perfectly still as a huge metal spike pierced the roof of his car, perilously close to his head. In those moments, he was not so much acting as reacting to a very real sense of fear.

"It's really borderline getting hurt, but you're still safe," he said with a laugh. "But you could get hurt."

Thanks to Linariel and DeceptiFreak for the interview link. The picture is a PhotoShop job from Mauricio that combined a previously released picture of Ramon hanging onto a pole with a still from the ShoWest montage.

Megatron Blasted and Starscream?

I thought I was done with stills from the ShoWest Montage but the below are compelling enough to post.

These stills provide a great look at Megatron and seem to show him taking a few blasts to the chest and head complete with fire flare-up. The future doesn't look too bright for the villain. Thanks to InvisbleMan for the pictures.

Here is a close-up of a moment in the field where Optimus Prime goes flying from a kick by Megatron. In the background is three Transformers many are assuming to be Blackout and Starscream. As the picture from Andrew (thanks!) shows, the arms, shoulders don't quit match. Maybe Starscream taking on a rather odd pose (I think supposed appear to be stalking) or a different character all together?

Combined Keychain, More Mixmaster and Ratchet

More stuff from the Transformers 2 toy line.

Yesterday was the first image of the "Power Up" Optimus Prime and Jetfire combiner leak. Joining that leak is a look, from TFW2005, at the keychain that a few months ago helped confirm that a combine mode was planned for the two characters. The greater detail that the static keychain allows indicates that while the toy is not that impressive, the CGI version (assuming this combined mode is film inspired) will be awesome to behold.

Next is a reminder that Ratchet is supposed to be in the film with an eBay auction for Voyager class version of the character. Other then looking like a brighter shade of lime, it seems to be the same toy as the first movie.

Last is another gallery for Voyager Mixmaster that can found here. His robot mode doesn't impressive me at all but I really like the vehicle mode.

Thanks to Phil for the links.

Combined Optimus, Jetifre And Other Galleries

Yep, more toy galleries from the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen toy line for your enjoyment (or not), all of them from the TFW2005 forums.

First up is the rather tiny picture to the left that shows off the combined mode of Leader class Optimus Prime and Jetfire that has been hinted at for awhile. Of note is the combined mode doesn't quite match the black-out preview pick from Jetfire's packaging. In addition, there is the image of Devastator and his six Constructicons, a contradiction of the seven that recent press articles indicated would comprise Devastator. It looks like we will have to wait on the leak of the toy packaging to finally clear this one up.

Next is a shot of Wheelie in his packaging via an eBay auction. We previously got a look at his card backing and bio. Nothing much to add, he is still as strange looking as you expect. Makes you wonder if Scapel and him will have a tussle (that would probably be amusing to watch).

More Transformer comparison photos. This time of the Takara version of Deluxe Sideways compared with the Hasbro version. Takara's version has a darker paint job that does look better. The full gallery is here. Deluxe Breakaway (still not confirmed if in movie) also gets a Takara vs. Hasbro treatment. Takara Breakaway is a brown color instead of Hasbro's tan. In this case I am not sure if it is an improvement or not. The Breakaway gallery is here.

Last is a small gallery (here) of the Transformers version of Jenga. As you can see, it is the classic game that when stacked for play forms the faction symbols. I like the touch of adding them to each block.

Thanks to Phil for the links.

Bay Comments on ShoWest Montage

Over at Michael Bay.com, Bay posted a quick comment on the Transformers 2 ShoWest Montage (updated with working video) that is getting pulled left and right from the internet (sadly). Thanks to Mcat for the heads-up.

The Showest footage was pulled down because it was just a 12-hour thing.

I just wanted the fans to get a taste of what we have been making for a year and a half because we have been so quiet. The piece was cut about a month ago for this Showest thing I accepted this past month - so as you can see many of the shots were far from being finished renders. This dinky little site received over 1,500,000 hits and 550,000 downloads in this short time. Anyway the trailer is being printed today and coming out on Wolverine and Star Trek. 64 days left!

Michael

Complete Audi Chase Clip, More Screenshots

Below is a clip from Kevin (thanks!) where he combined the Audi chase sequence from the first trailer with the additional footage from the ShoWest montage to create a full sequence. In addition are a few more screenshots to join the previous batch from the montage that shows off character faces and a bit more. Thanks to Dave, Eugene, Asri, and Simon.

Video pulled by YouTube due to Paramount copyright claim.

Fallen Bio, Jetfire, Gravity Bot Pics and Other Galleries

TF08.net has scored more photos of the Transformers 2 toy line. This time it includes a first look at Leader Jetfire, Voyager The Fallen in package with bio, Interrogator Barricade, Cannon Bumblebee, and multiple gravity bots. Below are a few pictures with the full gallery here. Thanks to Phil and DeceptiFreak for the link.

In addition, here are a few more galleries.
Cannon Bumblebee - A side by side comparison of preview Bumblebee with his counterpart
Wobbler Transformers - Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron wobbler pics.
Voyager Megatron - Another gallery of the figture in different poses.

Voyager The Fallen Bio:

For millennia, he has waited. Thousands of years have dragged by as he recruited proxies, one by one, to scour the cosmos for the artifact he required. Now he finds he must return to the primitive, flesh-slug infected planet on which his quest began. Nothing will stand in his way this time. If need be, he will scour the surface of this disgusting world clean in the fire of his rage, and search through the blasted rubble for that which he seeks.

Christmas Mural Re-Visited

The new ShoWest Footage reveals confirmation of a leak from last Christmas that showed a damaged mural and no idea what behind it. As seen below, it is clearly the same mural. Based on the footage, it appears this is occurring at Petra, Jordan. We know the Decepticons are looking for the AllSpark fragment and Sun Harvester. What could the Autobots be searching for? Thanks to Katie for putting it together. To view the images of what is behind that mural, click here. Early guesses were the Fallen but the images don't match and besides he is in another dimension.

Bay's ShoWest Transformers 2 Montage Video (Update 4)

In what can only be a sneak of what the upcoming second Transformers 2 trailer will be, Michael Bay's site has posted the montage video for Revenge of the Fallen Bay showed at ShoWest a few weeks ago. It is freaking awesome with first looks at Devastator, Jetfire, Megatron kicking Optimus across a field, Sideways, Chromia, Megan looking incredibly foxy and lots more. The first part is a scene between Sam, Mikeala and Bumblebee in their garage before he leaves for college. Right off the bat you can see an improvement in the CGI work not only in the design but the movement and mannerisms of Bumblebee. From there it just gets better. If this montage doesn't get you excited for the movie, I don't think anything will. Thanks to Franco, Diego and Tony for the link.

In addition, he also posted the tribute video to his career that was played as part of the award ceremony when he accepted the Vanguard Award.

From the comments, links to download the ShoWest montage:
FLV(Higher Quality) - VLC to play
MP4(Lower Quality) - VLC or Quicktime to play
HD Download: MediaFire (Thanks to Alex for the links.)

Update: Added above download links and the below screenshots of the montage (hover over for comments) that Elis provided (thanks!).


Update 2: From picture 6, someone noticed the blue look and wheel indicating the Transformer is Wheelie. Makes more sense as I imagine Scalpel, being a Decepticon, would simply just tear the safe apart. Thanks to HoosierAussie for the observation. Update 3: Sadly the video has been pulled from Vimeo and some locations on YouTube but did find an HD replacement embedded above. I also removed some of the download links that no longer worked.

Update 3: YouTube video stopped working, replaced that with embed from SlashFilm and Trailer Addict.

Update 4: Trailer Addict pulled the video so did an upload via blogger's interface which as you can see isn't so hot. Tried to make larger but the result looks like crap. Enjoy while you can.

EW Article Reveals "Space Bridge"? (Updated)

The April 24th is of Entertainment Weekly showed up in my mailbox today with a summer movie preview of various films including Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. One related story, Shia LaBeouf's hand status, was already appeared online. The main Transformers related articles was not. So with that in mind, below are excerpts from the article including how Shia's injury was incorporated into the film. I would scan, except I don't have a scanner.

Michael Bay remembers the day that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen nearly fell apart. It was Sunday, July 27, 2008. "I always look on CNN.com," says the filmmaker. "And there it was: Shia LaBeouf in a car crash... Oh, God. I read it and thought, 'No, this can't be true."

But it was. The 22-year-old star, who was about one-third of the way through shooting the sequel to Bay's 2007 hit Transformers, had seriously injured his left hand in an early-morning traffic accident in West Hollywood.

While he was naturally concerned about LaBeouf's health, Bay also had a movie to finish. With his leading man's cooperation, he moved decisively to keep from shutting down the production, and a bandaged LaBeouf returned to the set after just a few weeks - against the advice of one of his doctors, the actor says. The screenwriters tweaked the script so that his character...get hurt in a sort of teleportation device called a "space bridge." LaBeouf agreed to postpone additional surgery on his hand until after the shoot wrapped in October, and he was outfitted with a custom-made hand cast designed to be both photogenic and superprotective. (There has even been talk of replacing LaBeouf's hand with CG; Bay says it was ruled as too expensive and "a pain in the neck.")

Seven weeks after LaBeouf's accident, the actor is hard at work on Revenge of the Fallen, his face, arms, and one good hand covered in fake sweat-that is, Vaseline. They and several dozen uniform-clad extras playing soldiers are nestled among desert dunes in a picturesque corner New Mexico near the White Sands National Monument.

"We've blown up so many things," says LaBeouf, squinting hard in the reflected sunlight. "A fish tank, a helicopter, concrete tubes. We blew up a library. This set you're looking at? This will all be gone." Indeed, the buildings were constructed with charges built right into them. They're dressed up to look like an Egyptian village, which will later be intercut with IMAX location photography of a real town near the pyramids of Giza. That's the site of the film's final showdown between the good-guy Autobots and bad-guy Decepticons, including the title character, a Lucifer-like figure actually called the Fallen.

Standing atop a dune, Bay is barking into a megaphone at some crew members who've gotten a little too chatty. "Let's have some quiet and some respect!" he yells. "It's not many sets that have live F-16s flying over!" Minutes later, six F-16 warplanes thunder past overhead, piloted by military personnel - though not at taxpayer expense, Bay hastens to point out.

The Space Bridge is from the G1 cartoons that was built by the Constructicons (and designed by Soundwave if remember right) that allows instant transportation between Earth and Cybertron. It was really a story convenience to allow stories to be set on Cybertron with established characters while introducing new ones (such as Shockwave). How this could play into the movie should be interesting. Maybe it is how so many Decepticons get to Earth without the attention grabbing blaze across the skyline before crashing through something. Of course, if your goal is destruction, not a bad way to go about it as the trailers show.

Update: TFW2005 has scans of the article here to read the stuff I left out.

ROFT Novelization Pre-Order and Excerpt

Amazon and Del Rey have updated with details for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen novelization with a better cover.

Amazon lists the title for $7.99 with a release date of May 19, 2009 and provides an interesting product description.

“THE FALLEN SHALL RISE AGAIN. . . .”

This cryptic warning is ignored by the national security adviser who feels the ruthless Decepticon threat is no more. The allies are victorious, the enemy has been defeated, and the world is safe. Small attacks around the world have been contained, and the remaining pieces of the coveted Allspark are locked in an electromagnetic vault on one of the most secure Naval bases in the world. But nothing is at it seems, and there is a shift in the shadows. Things can change in an instant–and fragile peace will become all-out war.

Del Rey also provides an excerpt from the first chapter, pretty much proving what had already been reported, that the shoot in Bethlehem, PA and Queensway Bridge in California is the opening sequence of the movie as those sites were dressed to be Shanghai, China. If you think about it, it means that pretty much the entire first movie trailer is composed of maybe the first 20 minutes or so of them movie. The full excerpt can be found here. Thanks to DeceptiFreak for the link.

Wii ROTF Video Game Screenshots

For those curious, below is slideshow/video of screenshots for the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game for the Wii. It appears the gameplay is similar as seen for the PS3/360 but the hardware's lack of graphics power isn't doing this version any favors. Thanks to Gregory for the link.

Devastator and Other Video Game News

More details are coming out about the upcoming 360/PS3 versions of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen game. The latest comes from MTV were they report that Devastator and the Constructicons will be in the game as part of a story point derived from the movie.

While the game’s developer had to keep quiet on the biggest (literally) addition to the film’s roster of giant robots due to how closely the game is modeled on the movie, there were a few Devastator-related bits and pieces to glean from the event (though no images, unfortunately). Production coordinator Mike Mejia took MTV News through a climactic battle with the massive Decepticon set in streets of Cairo late in the demo — an encounter that Mejia said was pulled directly from the plot of the film.

And that wasn’t all there was to learn about Devastator and (as fans of the series will be glad to hear) the Constructicons that unite to form the villain.

Along with taking us through a battle between Optimus Prime and Devastator, Mejia took a moment to pan the in-game camera around the massive villain and provide an up-close peek at the robot’s design. Composed of several different Decepticons like his cartoon (and comic book) counterpart, Devastator maneuvered around the Cairo cityscape on all fours, with his various construction-vehicle components clearly visible during the slow-pan peek.

It’s also worth noting that “Demolisher,” the Decepticon with a giant wheel seen in several of the “Revenge of the Fallen” trailers (seen in the concept art [above]), is clearly visible as the primary torso and neck component of Devastator. Originally rumored to be Devastator, the wheel-wielding Demolisher robot is actually just the bulk of Devastator’s chest in the game — giving you an indication of how large the character will likely be in Bay’s CGI-fueled sequel.

Of note is the continued confusion over Demolisher or Scavenger. The question is they the same character with naming confusion or two separate characters? The first movie also had naming confusion with Brawl being called Devastator in the movie. The confusion initially started as Toy Fair 2009 images leaked and people (including me) just assumed that the naming of Demolisher and Scavenger were confused and are the same thing.

They are probably two separate characters. The primary reason is story logistics. The movie opens with NEST tracking down Demolisher (as seen in trailer) in Shanghai, China. As the above indicates, the battle with Devastator takes place in Cairo, Egypt. Which do you think is easier to do story wise - have to explain how a character escaped and traveled thousands of miles to Cairo or simply introduce a new character? Another reason is official information from Paramount for a USA Today article lists them separately. Official information trumps speculation. Last, as the toy image below shows, they are two separate toys, with similar but clearly different designs (SCVGR on side is its own hint).

Back to the video game, another blog entry from MTV highlights that homages to the various G1 gestalt characters will make appearances in the game and briefly mentions online play possibility of playing as Devastator.

The developers behind the games are Transformers nerds themselves, I was told. They have used Aerialbots, Stunticons, Combaticons, Protectobots and Omnibots as inspiration for the unnamed robots players will encounter in the game. There was no sign that these modern-day Protectobots will merge into the mighty Defensor. Instead they seem to be foot soldiers — extra robots to shoot and be shot by. The group names are classifications as these robots won’t have names.

The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of “Revenge of the Fallen” include online multiplayer deathmatch and capture the flag modes. Up to eight gamers can play online. The new “Revenge of the Fallen” version of Devastator is, like his 1980s predecessor, a giant robot made up of smaller robots. So, I asked, can online players each play as one of Devastator’s component robots and then merge so that multiple players control a single, towering Devastator? The Activision reps gave me a stalling laugh and then one said: “We do have a lot of Transformers available [in the game.]

My read on that is you can play as a Constructicon but you and your buds will not get to merge and form Devastator. He is probably reserved as a boss character only.

Last, but not least, is from TFW2005. They have posted information from the Activision's New York press conference yesterday. It is worth the read as breaks down many elements of the upcoming video game. That can be found here. Also they have posted a video interview with a Transformers 2 developer that sadly has no spoilers. Thanks to Patrick and Scorpio for some of the links.

Mixmaster Triple-Changer and RPMs

Light toy news today. Voyager Mixmaster, one of the Constructicons, turns out to be a triple-changer according to the instruction manual. Judging by the images (from TFormers), triple-changer might be a stretch as the "battle mode" is a bit underwhelming.

In addition, TFW2005 has posted hi-res images of Wave 2 of the Transformers RPM (Robot Powered Machines) line. From what I can tell they are essentially matchbox type cars in the Transformer vehicle mode and the robot look painted on underneath. The full gallery can be found here. Thanks to Scorpio for the link.

New Theatre Standee (Update)

MTV has posted an image of the planned Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen standee that will probably start popping up in theaters in time for the second trailer with Wolverine. It is nearly identical in form to the first movie's display. Thanks to Scorpio for the link.


Update: AICN has posted a hi-res picture of the standee which you can find here. Thanks to DeceptiFreak for the link.


Side note: Cut the crap in the comments. All movie theories are essentially valid right now and remain so until new official information or the movie comes out.

Second Trailer Gets Official Date

Only 60 days left until the release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Director Michael Bay commemorated it by posting about watching a cut with Steven Spielberg and revealing the unexpected release of date of the second theatrical trailer.

Steven Spielberg sat next to me in a big 100 person theater at Sony today. There were 98 empty seats. The lights came up after we just watched my cut of Revenge of the Fallen. He turned to me and said "It's awesome". He felt this movie was better than the first - and probably my best, who knows - at this point in a movie you start to lose your objectivity. I just hope the fans like it. I'm going to start putting it in front of audiences in a few weeks - no you are not invited, yet.

We have 60 days left. Let me tell you it will be a race to finish. It's 12 at night and we are still working here in the edit room. Everyone at ILM and DD are killing themselves right now, they are doing a stellar job on the effects. We also just finished our trailer which is coming out with Wolverine. Talk to you soon.

Michael

I have to admit I am really surprised that Paramount is releasing the trailer with Fox's Wolverine rather than their own movie, Star Trek, just a week later. I don't mind though as it mean in two week we get a good look at more CGI Transformer goodness. Hopefully this time it will include a look at Devastator. For international blog readers, the main takeaway is that sometime during the weekend of May 1st, the trailer will be online for your enjoyment. Thanks to Ken (and Alex) for the link.

Bay Talks Favorite Transformers

MTV has posted another snippet of their interview with Michael Bay. This time he discusses his favorite Tranformers in the movie.

"The Fallen is the ultimate bad boy," Bay explained of the mysterious evildoer glimpsed briefly in the trailer for the June 24 film, whose vengeful mission gives the film's title its double meaning. "He goes way back in the Transformer world. He's one of the first Transformers."

"The twins are quite fun," Bay said of the comedy-relief duo, remembering his inspiration for including them. "I just kept thinking, 'What if we have two dumb Transformers that are young and dumb?' ... They are just irreverent, dumb Transformers."

"[Devastator is] the most complicated model that George Lucas' company has done in 30 years," Bay marveled. "In all the 30 years of [Industrial Light and Magic] making movies, it's the most complicated digital model — and it's tenfold in terms of the most complicated. It's taken a long time to do.

"There's a lot of great new characters in this movie — some funny ones, some devious ones, there are some little teeny ones that are a little irreverent," Bay said of a robot group that includes such newbies as the four-legged Ravage, sleek Sideswipe and others. "You know what is better in this movie? The acting of the robots. It's just evolved from the last one, and in terms of the animation we are able to put these robots' [emotions] in."

Such acting innovations have also helped a big breakout robot from the original "Transformers" film, who Bay insisted remains his favorite Transformer of the group. "Bumblebee is great in this movie," he promised.

More Toys News

Various new toys news is out.

TFW2005 has posted clear views of the bios for various Deluxe class toys. Three of them have been revealed before (Chromia, Wheelie, Skids) but Desert Brawl (highly unlikely a movie character).

Desert Brawl Bio

Hidden deep in the driest desert on Earth, Decepticon Brawl wanted for a new Decepticon leader to emerge. Though the Autobots searched for him, they never even came close to finding him. It enraged him that he was forced to hide in defeat. Now that Megatron has returned, he is ready to do battle again and determined this time to destroy as many Autobots as he can.

Speaking of new toys, Wal-Mart computers indicate some minor editions to the movie toy line. Arcee is getting a Deluxe and Legends class figures, Cyber Slammers have been renamed to Battle Chargers and Mixmaster is part of the RPM line. The full list is here.

TFW2005 has posted images of the Robot Heroes Game for Transformers 2. The images indicate the game is set in the Egyptian desert and images include the instruction manual. Rather odd little versus game.

Voice Changing Helmets is making a return, this time Optimus Prime is joined by Bumblebee. No details yet, but hopefully this time there will be only one version of Optimus Prime being voiced by Peter Cullen versus the first movie were there were two. Images of the helmets in packaging can be found here.

Last is an image of the AllSpark Rubik's Cube. Not bad looking, no idea of the price. I think there was a similar version released with the first movie.

Thanks to Scorpio and others for the links.

Transformers 2 Video Game Preview (Updated)

Various sites have posted articles describing a preview of the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game complete with screenshot. The previews appear to based on the 360/PS3 versions not the Wii/DS/PSP that are also in the pipeline. Highlights below, click links for details and plenty of screenshots including Wii and DS/PSP versions of the game. Thanks to Michelle, Scorpio and others for the links. Forgot to mention, the game is getting released June 23rd in the states (don't know the international release dates).

Kotaku | TFormers | Team XBox | Joystiq | Movie Chronicles
- Follows along with film plot but missions are chosen from central hub (a faction war room) rather than linear storytelling
- Still chance to choose faction and Transformer to play as
- Larger mission environments then first games, improved interaction with environment (climb buildings, step over objects, etc)
- Various mission objectives, demo level was find and kill Sideways.
- One button Transformation that seems to improve combat.
- Each Transformer has a special ability (Sideways has a sniper rifle, Starscream can hover).
- Improved melee control include a transformation kick flip (ex: drive at target > transform > brutal melee attack > land back in vehicle mode and drove away).
- Not all missions are open to all Transformers (example one mission is Starscream destroying battleships, not exactly something Autobots would do).
- There are babysit human levels (example was driving Shia to a location and prevent building he is in from being destroyed).
- There is a level in the game of Optimus Prime vs. Devastator (his weakness is bulk equals slowness)
- Robot designs are based off of the ILM creations.
- Sequel has a new type of drone, various classes of robots that join the factions but appears Arielbots, Protectobots, Stunticons, etc where used as inspiration to create the cannon fodder.
- Stats are maintained via Leader boards so can see how doing in regards to kills, awards and other details for both single and multi-player modes.

Update: Added links to two more video game related articles. Also added possible picture of the sun harvester (as mentioned in comics and coloring book) from Movie Chronicles.

Bay: "I will never have a Twitter account"

A recent twitter posted from MichaelBay_Dir account indicated that a new trailer is coming soon. Technically this is true as, while not officially confirmed, I don't see Paramount missing a chance to advertise one of their own movies with the re-launch of Star Trek when it premieres on May 7th at 7PM.

However, it turns out that account is not the real Michael Bay, as Bay recently emphatically posted.

I will never have a Twitter account

Twitter. Never. What a waste of time.

M

I believe the source of the confusion was the admin for the official Michael Bay website linked to it (see photo), thinking it was real (link since removed). It is an honest mistake as it can be difficult to sort out the real from the fake on Twitter. On the plus side, some fake accounts can be amusing reads such as The_Megan_Fox.

In this case, it is also an example on why having a real account might just be a good PR move since the fakes can cause problems. If I ran a PR company, part of the "package" would be to maintain a star's various social sites so that people can easily add the real over the fake. Not saying post as the star (transparency always a must), just provide a destination for fans so they don't follow the fake accounts.

At least you know my account is real so feel free follow me.

On Set With Robert Zuckerman

EDFX has posted a video with Set Photographer Robert Zuckerman about his career and work both on and off Hollywood film sets. In the video is specifically some footage as he works on the Princeton set last June as part of his work on Transformers 2. He doesn't reveal any movie spoilers but it’s an interesting video.

The video is below. Click here for background and examples of Zuckerman's work from Transformers I. You can also see more of his non-film work at his blog Kindsight. Thanks to Edward for the link.

Shia Updates EW On Hand Injury

Entertainment Weekly has posted an article that provides an update on the condition of Shia LaBeouf's injured left hand from a car accident, working on set with the injury and another near miss. The full interview is here.

What's been going on with your hand since the first surgery?
I've had screws and plates put in. They put a screw in one of my knuckles. And they shaved a piece of bone off my hip and made a [bone for my] finger out of it.

Was your hand out the window of the vehicle when it got injured?
Yeah.

How is the hand now?
I'm on my third surgery. That's coming up in a week or two [from April 2]. My middle finger is still crooked as a f---ing noodle, so they've gotta straighten it out and put a screw in it.

How long will it take to recover from this third surgery?
I imagine like two months and I'll be back on my feet.

How much usage will you get back of your left hand?
Probably about 80-something percent. I'll be able to make a fist again. There's a knuckle I'll never be able to move again, but that's probably the only permanent damage, other than the scarring.

What do you remember of the initial surgical procedure?
The first voice I heard when I came out of surgery was Harrison's. Harrison [Ford] called me on the phone and said, "Hey, are you okay?" I said, "Yeah, I'm good." He said, "Well, then you need to get back to work." I said, "Are you serious?" He said, "That's the way this cookie crumbles." So I went back to work. The show doesn't stop for anybody.

And of course Harrison, your costar in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, shot most of the second Indy movie with a seriously screwed-up back. How soon did you go back to work?
I was only down for two weeks. The average bone healing time is six months.

Did you consider postponing your return to the set at all?
When I came back it was just out of the guilt that I had. I pride myself on my professionalism, and this is the first issue I've ever had where I wasn't able to come to set, and it's f---ing heartbreaking when you gotta look at your crew. You know, what can you do? You just gotta grab your balls and move forward. There's nothing else to do. The thing that cut deep to the core of me was knowing that there were 65 human beings [in the crew] who are like family to me, waiting for me to come back. They were sitting on their asses doing nothing because of my...you know, my situation. It's the most intense s--- I've ever dealt with, and am still dealing with. I mean, if people look at me like a drunk a--hole, that's okay. But I know my family looks at me like a whole different person, and I know my crew respects me immensely. And at the end of the day, I can't do much more.

How debilitating has it been to have no use of your left hand all these months?
It's hard to do anything. It's hard to button your pants or brush your teeth, let alone jump off a three-story building into a pad. This movie was the most physical thing I've ever had to do, and I had to do it with a broken hand. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. Constantly having to take hits and fall and run through explosions and get hit and beat up all day. Aside from my hand, I also got 25 stitches making this movie, in various parts of my body -- stuff that had nothing to do with my hand.

In October, there was a report that you got hit with a prop just above one eye and needed stitches.
I basically stuck a f---ing sharp object through my eyelid.

Michael Bay, your director, says it was a large prop of some kind that caught you, which he didn't want to identify or describe because it's a plot spoiler. He also says he dropped to his knees as soon as he heard someone on the set say, "There's blood."
They stitched me up in a military hospital. The doctor looks at me and he holds his thumb and forefinger about an inch apart from one another. I said, "What is that?" He said, "Blindness." This is the most insane s--- I've ever been a part of.

Transformers 2 Adaptation Cover

The first issue of the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation will hit newsstands on May 20th. One of the covers is to the right and I believe the entire four issue series is coming out weekly leading up to the movie. The adaptation will be written by legendary Transformers comic writer Simon Furman with art by Josh Nizzi.

I have yet to decide if I will summarize each issue as it will give away the entire story. Sure this is a spoiler site but most of the time the information is best guesses and unconfirmed. Since this will come straight from one of the script drafts, but not necessarily the shooting script, that will no longer be the case. Maybe use invisio-text to make it easier for people to skip over.

Transformers 2 Runtime Locked

Transformers 2 director Michael Bay has informed MTV the runtime of the sequel. “It’s four minutes longer than the last one,” explained Bay, saying that the runtime was locked. The 143 minute time of the first movie + 4 = 147 minutes long movie. “I don’t ever talk (to executives) about run times,” [Bay] grinned. “Studios always ask, ‘What’s the run time?’ And I’m like ‘If you enjoy the movie, do you care?’”

The reason runtime matter to studios is it reflects the number of showings per screening. So a 90 minutes movie might have 7 showings a day to five for a 150 long movie. Over 3000 or so screens that can be a lot of money the studios think they may not get. However, I think its nonsense. A sell out does more for a movie's word of mouth (an excited, full audience raises any viewing) then a half empty theatre will any day of the week. Besides, if someone wants to see the movie, less show times during the day isn't going to stop them, especially with all the screens the movie will likely appear on (my guess, 3.5k). Thanks to Mcat for the link.

Interview About TF2 Video Game

Siebertron.com has posted an interview with Luxoflux's Joby Otero. He is the game designer for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen video game for XBox 360 and PS3. Based on the interview it appears the game will be using most of the game elements (play as Transformers, choose a side, etc) that were part of the first movie's game. Below are snippets of the interview with the full transcript here.

F G: Transformers the Game (2007) was a huge treat for fans and allowed players to follow the storyline of the first movie without completely copying the movie script itself. Can we expect the same thing from the second installment?
JRO: Our game begins and ends in the same places as the film and there are key events where we synchronize with the film. However, the film tells a story from a human perspective and ours is told from the perspective of the Transformers. Players can also expect to play sections that expand on the film and bring in additional characters.

F G: Something us Transformers fans absolutely love is giant Robot action! One of the best kickers to the 2007 game was the ability to "Choose your side". Will Revenge of the Fallen give the same capabilities?
JRO: Most definitely. There's an Autobot campaign and a Decepticon campaign and they can be played in either order.

F G: A big question most gamers have is will Revenge of the Fallen feature online gaming capabilities?
JRO: Yes, and we're particularly excited about our multiplayer. For the first time in a Transformers game, players can take their favorite characters online in intense matches where the game's mix of driving, flying, shooting, melee and acrobatic transformation, results in something not quite like any other online experience. It's fast and intuitive, yet difficult to master and we hope players will agree that it's an addictive, full-on, ‘Transformers' experience!

F G: Transformers the Game also features "side missions" that unlocked certain bonus materials such as movie trailers and photos, will ROTF feature anything of the sort?
JRO: We're proud to say that Hasbro has really opened up their vaults to a lot of cool content for us. Our game has lots of bonus material, but the system is different this time. Extra content is unlocked by completing a variety of objectives, some of which are in story missions, some are in non-story missions and others are elsewhere. We'll have to leave it at that – all secret and stuff.

F G: Yet another cool bonus in the first game was that it featured characters that were not in the first film, and as far as we can tell, have not been slated for an appearance in the second film. Can we expect bonus characters from ROTF?
JRO: There will definitely be surprises. We have familiar characters as well as variations that I can't say much about yet. We also worked closely with Hasbro and reference from the two movies to create many new characters that are uniquely designed for the game. There's a little something for everyone – Autobot or Decepticon.

Update:FYI, as the new pic above shows, the offical video game site has updated with screenshots and other information.

G1 Cartoons Getting Re-Release

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Shout! Factory has inked a deal with Hasbro to release some of its "classic" 80s cartoons to DVD including Transformers, G.I. Joe, and My Little Pony. This will be the first time for new fans thanks to the movie to get an idea of what some of us mean when we refer to "G1 Transformers." That phrase specifically refers to the first generation of Transformers that were created between 1984-1988ish and used in the three seasons of cartoons and movie in that time frame. Sadly, much like the sets that were released by Rhino about 10 or so years ago, these set are not going to be cheap.

Shout! Factory's first release under the agreement will be "The Transformers: The Complete First Season -- 25th Anniversary Edition." The set is slated for June 16 (prebook May 19), a week before the big-screen debut of the Michael Bay-directed feature film sequel "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," due in theaters June 24.

The $29.99 three-DVD set will include the original broadcast versions of all 16 episodes from the 1984 season in the intended story line order, with remastered picture and a new stereo soundtrack created from the original audio. The Rhino releases featured incomplete work prints of episodes and modified sound effects.

Tentative extras include the featurette "Triplechanger: From Toy to Comic to Screen: The Origins of the Transformers"; a printable script; rare PSAs; toy commercials; concept art; and a limited-edition Autobot magnet.

Foos said Shout! Factory would follow the release with special complete series sets of "The Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" later this summer.

An interesting review will be to see the comparison of the Rhino sets (which I have and ok for their time) with these new sets. I am also curious to know if they will continue the very annoying practice of breaking up seasons in to "parts" to maximize sells that has plagued the cartoon DVD market.

Mixmaster Robot Mode and Other Toy Pics

Another day, more galleries of toys from the Transformers 2 toy line.

First up is Voyager Mixmaster from TF08.net. We have seen pleny of pictures of the cement truck mode and a tease of the robot mode. Below are some of the pictures of the robot mode that gives you an idea of the toy with the full gallery here. This toy has so much kibble that I seriousily doubt this robot mode ever makes an appearance in the movie. Thanks to Sam for the link.

In addition to Mixmaster, TFormers has posted the below pictures of all the currently leaked Constructicon toys (Mixmaster, Long Haul, Demolisher, and Rampage) as they surround Prime. Thanks to Gregory for the link.

Finally some repaints and a new FAB. Click here to view the gallery of Fast Action Battler Sideswipe in both modes. Click here to get a look at the re-release of Deluxe Barricade compared to the first movie version. Last is a gallery of Deluxe Smokescreen, sadly a simple repaint of Jazz from the first movie. That gallery is here and the link is from Scorpio.

Defiance #4 Movie Spoilers (Updated)

The concluding issue four of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Prequel Defiance arc came out this Wednesday and it provides a few details and spoilers for the upcoming movie. The arc is the story of what started the Transformers Civil War that eventually reached Earth in the first movie. I have not read the copy so the information is from Seibertron and TFW2005.

In this first three issues, a relic (the sarcophagus Megatron bows before) is found during an archaeology dig on the planet Cybertron. At this time Megatron is leader of the military and Optimus (not yet Prime) is essentially his assistant and director of the dig. Due to the influence of The Fallen, Megatron claims the relic as his own. The Fallen continues to build on Megatron's ambition until he declares martial law and forms the Decepticons and orders the arrest of Optimus and his friends for treason.

So now to the movie related points of interest:

- The Fallen and his "brothers" (13 total perhaps?) were born on the same planet as the AllSpark (its own origins unknown).
- The AllSpark's power was limited but could be restored by harvesting the energy of a sun.
- The first Cybertronians (including Jetfire) were created to find an appropriate star while the Sun Harvester is built on another planet (Earth).
- The Fallen wanted the AllSpark power for himself but his brothers turn the tables and trap The Fallen and themselves in the sarcophagus
- After the brothers are trapped, a pyramid is built around the Sun Harvester.
- The Fallen influences Megatron to form the Decepticons to use the AllSpark to find the Sun Harvester and activate it so he can be released (alluded to in coloring book pages).
- Optimus Prime forms the Autobots to stop Megatron and his followers from freeing The Fallen.
- As part of the war, the AllSpark is sent into space where it lands on earth due to it detecting the Sun Harvester on the planet (and thus the beginning of the first movie).

Update: Small update, changed the cover photo in the top left to much better variant cover for the issue. To bad there wasn't a scene like that in the first movie.

First Look At Mixmaster, Megatron Bio

TF08.net has posted the front and back pictures (below) of Voyager class Megatron in his packaging. The bio somewhat provides hints on how Megatron escapes his fate. I guess the deep ocean water pressure isn't enough to pancake a Transformer.

The packaging also provided the first look at the robot mode of Mixmaster (vehicle pics here) and, for those in doubt, official confirmation of the toy for The Fallen.

Voyager Megatron Bio

Trapped in the black, crushing depths of the sea, his mind inert in the grip of stasis lock, Megatron knew nothing of the desperate search mounted for his remains by the other Decepticons. When he was finally brought back online, their effort and sacrifice meant little to him. The only thing that had any meaning was revenge. He would have his vengeance against the human boy who cheated him of his prize, and he swore to celebrate over the smoking wreck of Optimus Prime.

Chromia, Megatron Video Reviews

Peaugh has posted three new video reviews of Transformers 2 toys. This time a good look at Deluxe Chromia (sister of Arcee), Leader Megatron, and Scout Dune Runner (not confirmed to be character in movie). Chromia is pretty weak robot mode, that comes with a stand, but the video shows that there is some extra bits that might suggest a combine mode for the 3 Arcee sisters. Megs looks good but doesn't seem worth the price. Found via TFormers.com.

Transformers 2 CGI Art Work (Update 2)

It took a while but finally some new CGI artwork of the some of the characters for Transformers 2 has appeared online. Some of the CGI in the gallery is old but much is brand new. Thanks to Ken and David for the link.

Update: Added the image in the left created by D-M0de (thanks!) for those that like the idea of the Twins running for their lives. Good for wallpaper or imagining such a scene in the movie.

Update 2: D-M0de provided the below two pictures to replace the previous Twins chase image. Uses the below CGI images along with Photoshop magic to tell a better story.

By D-M0de


Devastator


Ironhide


Megatron


Ratchet


Ravage


Sideswipe


Starscream


The Fallen


The Twins

Few Transformers 2 In Egypt Set Pics

MichaelBay.com has posted a few new pictures taken while the Transformers crew was filming in Egypt near the Valley of Kings back in October of last year. It was the first time in decades that a major Hollywood filmed there. The first two are new pictures, the other two were two previously posted last year.

More MixMaster, Fallen, and Other Toy Pics (Updated)

Another day, another set of galleries to look through.

Voyager Mixmaster - Large set of images that compares the vehicle mode of the Constructicon with other Transformers past and present.
Voyager The Fallen - A few pictures that show off the main villian of the upcoming sequel for an eBay auction.
Leader Megatron - Gallery and review of the toy.
Leader Optimus Prime - Two high quality pictures that show off the re-designed toy.
Deluxe Bumblebee - Also two pictures of the slightly tweaked toy.
Deluxe Skids - Review from Peaugh of the upcoming toy. Yep, he does have buck teeth.
Hyper Hobby Magazine Compare - Two pictures below are from the Japanese magazine that gives a comparison of the first movie vs sequel design of multiple Transformers characters.
Scout Scalpel (The Doctor) - Another gallery similar to Mixmaster that shows off the character and compares him to other Transformers.

Update: Added a link to the Scalpel gallery and corrected the class for Mixmaster.

More Transformers Tidbits from Bay

MTV has posted more of their conversation with Michael Bay at ShoWest. In their first post, he revealed that Arcee annoyed him enough that she just had to die. In this second part he discusses the IMAX Experience, Megan Fox, and no car chases.

The video portion is below but so far I have not had much luck getting it working, may just be server overload.

Highlights:

- "There's no car chase in this movie. There's a lot of different types of action. In some movies, it's the same action throughout the entire movie. There's a lot of different types of action in this one, and that makes it interesting."
- "You will see Devastator in IMAX. You heard it here first. [Several scenes] are going to be on IMAX, which is awesome. Some of our main scenes were shot with IMAX cameras, so the screen will pop wide [if you see the film in an IMAX theater]. It's the first movie to do serious digital effects in IMAX quality."
- On Megan Fox: "Wait until you see] the very first shot in the movie," he replied when we asked whether Megan gets a moment as memorable as her hood-opening flirtation with Bay's lingering camera in the first film. "You'll see."

Removed video since still not working on the MTV website so embed isn't going to work either
The main takeaway for me is unlike most IMAX Experience movies, Transformers 2 will actually be worth the travel time and ticket cost since its doing more then just showing an oversized scene. As Bay points out, this will be the first movie to make real use of CGI elements for IMAX scenes something previous movies have not spent the money on to create.

Orci and Kurtzman Video Interview

The Hollywood Reporter has posted a video interview with Transformers 2 writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman as they discuss working on the sequel and their decision to return. The goal was to top the first movie and show how the government and sentient robots would interact and maintain secrecy. The scope is "absolutely bigger and a lot more robots."

GM and Transformers Marketing Troubles

Thanks to the huge economic problems that General Motors (near bankruptcy) is experiencing, the company has made the decision to dial down its promotional campaign for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen according to the Los Angeles Times.

The struggling automaker, whose new Chevy Camaro is one of the stars of director Michael Bay's action film in which vehicles morph into giant robots, has sharply throttled back its contribution to the advertising campaign tied to the sequel's release June 24.

The reduced spending by GM comes at a tricky time for Paramount, which needs all the promotional backing it can muster for "Transformers" in what looks to be one of Hollywood's most competitive summers ever. A dozen big-budget "event" films, including "Star Trek" and sequels to "Harry Potter" and "X-Men," will be elbowing one another into theaters.

"There's so much competition out there for the entertainment dollar that studios and filmmakers really can't open big, $100-million movies without the assistance of partner alliances that can help generate awareness and sell movie tickets," said Norm Marshall, chief executive of NMA Entertainment, a brand marketing firm that's been involved in movie "tie-in" campaigns for "Mama Mia!," "Iron Man" and "Matrix Reloaded."

For the Hollywood studios, which are under pressure to keep a lid on marketing costs, a promotional tie-in can spell millions of dollars of advertising underwritten by consumer giants like GM or fast-food chains McDonald's and Burger King.

"It can be extremely valuable," said Adam Fogelson, president of marketing and distribution for Universal Pictures, whose upcoming June release "Land of the Lost," a sci-fi adventure comedy starring Will Ferrell, has a "huge" media and in-store campaign with promotional partner Subway.

Studios can spend more than $100 million to market their "franchise" movies around the world. But as the studios try to rein in marketing costs, the tie-in campaigns with big advertisers become more important.

I can't say I am really surprised. Cutting marketing expensive is a quick and easy way to save money. I am more curious to know what impact this may have on the third film as Michael Bay saved money on the budget by getting the fleet of cars essentially for free, something I doubt GM will continue to do. This might open it up for competitors to step in. Thanks to The Chad for the link.

IMAX Experience Montage

As part of ShoWest, a montage of IMAX Experience movies for this summer were shown including Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The clip is a brief comment from Michael Bay about IMAX and a shot of Sideways crashing through an apartment as seen in the trailer. It also shows clips of other movies such as Harry Potter 6 and Star Trek. The Transformers 2 part starts at the 1:10 and 2:34 points.

Two Transformers Toy Videos

TFormers has posted two new videos that show off two of the new toys for Transformers 2 toy line. The first video is a review of Scout class Scalpel (or The Doctor) that is the medic of the Decepticons but better used to torture to Sam. The second is Voyager Megatron that actually looks pretty good and possibly better then the leader class version.

Voyager Megatron

Devastator, Mixmaster and Other Toy Pics

TF08.net once again provides the cool new Transformer 2 toy images. This time an excellent look at artwork and early look at the combined form of Devastator. The images do match the toy seen at Toy Fair but it indicates only six Constructions, rather than the seven that was reported last week. Note that the vehicle images used are easy to find via a Google image search.

In addition here is the first look at Deluxe Mixmaster. Note though that the Deluxe class toys do not have the ability to combine into Devastator (separate set of toys for that). Also get a look at Jetfire (note his "cane") but I have no idea what class he is (Voyager?). Then there is Power Bots Megatron, Human Alliance Bumblebee and another look at Deluxe Barricade that look so close to his first movie look (rather than a repaint) that it makes me think he might just be in the sequel. Thanks to Gregory for some of the pictures and Michael, Phil and Gregory for the link.

Mike Patton To Voice Mixmaster

MovieWeb.com is reporting that they have confirmed that Mike Patton has been cast to voice Decepticon Constructicon Mixmaster. Mixmaster will form the head of the gestault. He is the lead singer of Faith No More and producer for multiple artists (wiki here). Thanks to Gregory for the link.

Rumors about musician Mike Patton's involvement in the highly anticipated summer sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen were confirmed today by a "close" friend of the singer (who may or may not live in Philadelphia). More of a cameo than a leading robot, Patton will lend his unique vocal talents to Mixmaster, one of the seven Decepticons that form to create Devastator. He is a concrete mixing truck that serves as the left leg of this gigantically awesome robot.

While Patton's participation in the film was 100% confirmed, the "source" didn't seem quite so positive about the actual robot he would be playing, at times calling him a dump truck (which is actually Long Haul). Either way, he will voice one of the seven vehicles that form Devastator. Patton is said to have landed the gig after producers heard his voice work on the video game The Darkness. This is a big year for the prolific singer, as his score for Crank: High Voltage will be released this coming Tuesday. And he is currently in the midst of embarking on a European reunion tour with his former band Faith No More.