Transformers Linkfest

Time for another list of links to various galleries of new Revenge of the Fallen toys (mostly repaints) and the like.

Bumblebee vs. Soundwave
From Entertainment Earth, a box set of the two deluxe size toys in NEST packaging that is apparently part of an "Exclusive Figure Offer". The set will be released in February for $23.99. BB is the cannon version and Soundwave is another repaint with red highlights.

2010 Wave One Gallery
Official images of the next wave of Revenge of the Fallen toys that will be coming out next year, much of which is repaints. Thanks to RY for the link.

Masterpiece Skywarp Review
From Seibertron.com, a review of the Wal-Mart exclusive toy that is a repaint of Masterpiece Starscream released years ago in the states. This is essentially the same MP Skywarp released a little over a year ago in Japan but there have been a few touch-ups such as yellow eyes, painted nametag (rather than a sticker), chromed Decepticon logo and other tweaks. It’s a good read for anyone debating buying the rather expensive figure, especially if already has the Japan (Takara) version. Personally I think the Masterpiece line as a whole has produced some of the best Transformers ever so worth considering if you have never bought any versions of G1 Masterpiece Seeker made over the years.

Nebular Starscream
K-Mart is joining the Transformers exclusive bandwagon with a pretty good looking repaint of Voyager Starscream in a black and green color scheme. No idea when it will be released. Another look can be seen here and better look at the packaging here. Thanks to RY for the link.

RPM Jetfire
The RPM line, mostly limited to cars, is adding Jetfire to the line. The RPM line is the one where it’s essentially matchbox cars with the robot mode painted on the underside of the vehicle.

RPM Megatron
Another RPM figure, this time Battle Charger Megatron. This one has a little upper body figure of Megatron pop out of the turret section.

The AllSpark Experiment Transformers 3 Secret Video

The rumors are true; there is a secret video with the Blu-ray edition of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. With the right combination vehicles in the Blu-ray exclusive extra feature "The AllSpark Experiment" the video will unlock with Michael Bay discussing some of ideas he has for Transformers 3.

In the video, Bay suggests he is going to try to go "sideways" rather than bigger with more research into Transformers lore (and image of animated Unicron is shown). His desire is for something that isn't just action but something darker and more emotional. The video was likely recorded before he committed to getting TF3 out for summer 2011 and really its way to early to draw any definitive conclusions from the video as likely the film is still in the spitballing phase to see what sticks.

The video is below or click here which also has the solution to unlock the video. Thanks for Katie for the link.

Interview With G1 Artist Jeff Mangiat

TFormers.com has posted an interview with Transformers (Generation One) box artist Jeff Mangiat, who is the one selling some of his art on eBay. While the name may but be familiar, if you are a long time Transformers fan you are likely very familiar with his art such as the Optimus Prime to the left that graced the front of every box back in the mid-eighties and still pops up on shirts and the like today. Below are snippets, the full interview can be found here.

TFormers: How did you get involved with doing art for the Transformers packaging?
Jeff: My next step was to join Mendola ltd.; the premier artist representatives founded by Joe Mendola, a pioneer in the field of Illustration. Early on I did covers for Newsweek magazine (many done overnight). One of my favorites was a painting of a robot with a monitor for a head and torso. On the torso screen was the superman logo. Supercomputer! My work quickly expanded to other fields, toys being one of them. I started working for Hasbro doing game boards. With my automotive background, the transformers were a natural fit, and the rest is history.

TFormers: Did you work on just the Transformers Generation 1 murals? How many of these paintings did you do?
Jeff: I did a good number of robots for the front panel. I couldn’t tell you how many. My favorite was the original Optimus Prime (how could it not be!) I remember doing the Porsche, F1 car and some of the jets. I did the 2nd and 3rd back of box paintings. The first being the Dinobots battling in space above an earth ravaged by war. How nice! And, of course, the battle moon one. I worked on them till they switched production back to Asia and the animation houses. A sad day.

Transformers 2 Sells 7.5M Copies

The first week of sales for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on DVD and Blu-ray was a smashing success with 7.5 million copies sold in the first week of release according to the Hollywood Reporter. Two million was sold on the first day of release. The movie was also the highest selling Blu-ray movie of the year with 1.2 million units sold (500,000 of that on the first day).

"It's certainly an encouraging sign for the business," said veteran industry analyst Tom Adams. He added that the strong Blu-ray Disc sales count is particularly good news "because if the business is going to turn around it's going to be because Blu-ray starts performing, and this is certainly an indicator that Blu-ray is starting to play its role and help stabilize the business."

"Transformers" easily debuted at No. 1 on all three charts: the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart, Home Media Magazine's rental chart, and the Nielsen VideoScan Blu-ray Disc sales chart.

XBox 360 Elite Transformers Bundle Announced

According to Videogamer.com, a new XBox 360 bundles are being prepared for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

The Transformers bundle includes an Xbox 360 Elite plus Transformers 2 the movie on a Bumblebee-styled USB stick, a copy of Transformers 2 The Game and an additional black Wireless Controller.

There's no indication of pricing or if the Xbox 360 Elite features the standard 120GB hard drive or the larger 250GB variety.

As the images indicate, the bundle will be in Transformers specific packaging. Also, besides price, it is also unknown what regions the bundle will be released for or when but I assume in time for Christmas sales. (via TFormers)

How ROTF Should Have Ended and Music Video

Two videos for your entertainment, both influenced by Transformers. The first is an amusing animated video that shows how Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen should have ended with jibes at some of the plot holes of the film and an ending that Generation One fans would have loved to have seen. Thanks to Scorpio for the find.



The second is the music video for "I Can Transform You" from Chris Brown that clearly influenced by Transformers, as if the line "I can transform you like Optimus Prime" wasn't a hint. Thanks to Brandon for the link.

Original Transformers G1 Artwork Auction

If you have at least $7,500 you could own a piece of Transformers Art that was used on packaging for the later waves of Generation 1 Transformers back in the mid-eighties via an eBay auction. The item description:

TRANSFORMERS ORIGINAL ART PAINTING 1980S HASBRO RARE This auction is for an ORIGINAL work of art featuring THE TRANSFORMERS! This one-of-a-kind PAINTING appeared on the back of HASBRO TOY packages in 1980S. This is an ORIGINAL Gouache on cold press Illustration board artwork painted by world renowned illustrator, JEFFREY MANGIAT! Mr. Mangiat also produced many of the first generation Transformers artwork for numerous package designs. His paintings are known worldwide for their incredible use of detail and intense color palette. This fabulous painting measures 26” X 24” and is in superb condition. There is a minor crease in the lower right corner that does not affect the majesty of this rare original. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to obtain a piece of Transformers toy history directly from the artist who created this artwork! The winning bidder may choose to have the piece signed and personalized if they choose. If you are a dedicated fan or collector of THE TRANSFORMERS or high quality artwork, this rare ORIGINAL PAINTING is for you! Payment may be made by Paypal in US funds and MUST be received within 10 days from end of auction. STRICTLY ENFORCED! (FREE SHIPPING- priority mail domestic USA delivery confirmation & insured!)

The item depicts two transforming cities, the Autobot Metroplex vs. Decepticon Trypticon along with multiple characters introduced in Transformers: The Movie and season 3 of the cartoon series. The auction is scheduled to end on November 2nd. (via TFormers)

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Easter Eggs

Easter Eggs isn't as common on video releases as they use to be but Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen does have two (if don't count R2D2 and Shockwave) on the second disc for Blu-ray and DVD editions. Both are essentially short bloopers. The titles are made up by me. Thanks to LionBoogy for the first egg.

Big Hero Moment
- Load Special Features, disc two > under "Human Factor: Enacting Revenge of the Fallen" > go to "Domestic Destruction" > toggle right and a Decepticon symbol will appear > confirm choice
- Bay warns Josh Duhamel to not screw up who then precedes to fall while running from the huge gas explosion for the desert fight finale.

Mojo Action
- Load Special Features, disc two > under "Deconstructing Visual Bayhem > go to "Jackhammer Fight" > toggle right, see Autobot symbol > confirm choice
- This feature is a montage of Mojo humping Frankie.

A quick run through of impressions while watching the extra features. Over all the two disc edition of ROTF was more informatative than expected. There was the usual butt kissing (it's inevitable) but not nearly as much as I was expecting. Bay does comes across as a bit of a harda$$ but with a great sense of humor. Really he reminds me of every boss I have ever had. Do your job, do it right, and all is well. Don't and I will rip you a new one. There are only three deleted scenes, two with the lovely Julie White, an extended bit of her high act at college and more of Sam's parents in Paris. It was pretty clear why they were cut but still a shame. Probably my favorite feature was "Giant Effing Movie" as it was a behind the scenes with a more light touch from the first day of filming to the last with an angle on showing the fun side of filming a movie.

The commentary was ok; a real attempt was made to be informative as the writers talked about what they were thinking when writing scenes while Michael Bay talked about some of the challenges faced while filming. I believe the commentary track is actually two separate tracks (one for Bay, one for writers) that were edited together as there no overlap in talk and no back and forth that usually occurs when all the commentators are together.

MP Grimlock Stateside, Device Label, and More

Device Label Cats
A new gallery shows off Tigatron and Ravage and their packaging for the upcoming Transformers Device Label line that is being released in Japan only. In this case the alt mode is a working 2GB USB thumb drive. Other figures in the line will include a laptop and mouse. It appears the toys are around scout sized but don't have a scout sized price of around $50.

Device Label Software Screenshot
The USB Transformers also come with "Transformers Desktop Defender" which essentially has a digital image of Tigatron or Ravage roaming around your desktop. Click the link to view screenshots and more info on the app.

Masterpiece Grimlock Stateside
In a quick interview with Hasbro's Transformers team, they said "We are pleased to announce that the next Masterpiece item that we will be releasing will be Grimlock in 2010. We are excited to be able to offer this item within the U.S. and will certainly share more details as we get closer to releasing him." Up until now the toy was a $100 plus toy released in Japan. Since the last three Masterpieces (Optimus Prime, Starscream, and Skywarp) have all been exclusive to Wal-Mart, it’s not a reach to assume the same will happen again.

Official Legends Gallery
New gallery that shows off upcoming Legends class figures including Arcee, Jolt, and Soundwave.

Official 2010 ROTF Toys and Mighty Muggs Gallery
Click the link to view a bunch of new pictures of the next wave of Revenge of the Fallen toys including Shadow Command Megatron, Defender Optimus Prime, Midewipe, Lockdown, Brawn, and more. Thanks to RY for the link.

ROTF Ramjet and Skywarp Sale
Wal-Mart is offering an online sale for Starscream repaints Ramjet and Skywarp with $10 Wal-Mart eGift card for $34.00. Click the link if interested in the purchase.

Revenge Sells 2 Million On First Day

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen sold 2 million discs on its first day of release. This total does seem to include both DVD and Blu-ray sales. This is half the estimated 4 million reported the other day but still considered good news.

..the real talk of the town was Paramount/DreamWorks' "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," which arrived in stores Oct. 20 and within 24 hours had sold 2 million discs, according to industry sources -- giving the sell-through business, down 13.9% for the year, a badly needed shot in the arm.

Shockwave Cameo Plus IMAX Edition Review

Earlier this week Star War's R2D2 was found in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and now another appearance has been found. Site reader Jason reported that Shockwave could be found in the movie and now thanks to David here is the photographic proof. The image was part of a worth reading review at High Def Disc News of the Wal-Mart's Big Screen Blu-ray Edition of the movie that breaks down all the features and might help in deciding what edition to buy.

The image is from the Devastator sequence when he is trying to suck the Twins up as they hang onto a pipe. Shockwave is on the front page photo below the headline "-ERIOUS ROBOT SPOTTED". Most Transfans would prefer he have more than a cameo appearance (always TF3) but still this nod to Generation One by the folks at ILM (as I pretty confident that is a CGI newspaper not a set prop) is appreciated.

I wonder what other goodies ILM have hidden in this movie. Thanks to David for the link and image.

Transformers Writers Talk Twins, Not Doing TF3

In a new interview from IGN, Transformers: ROTF writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman talk aobut their long writing careers that began back in the Xena and Hercules days all the way to their curent projects such as Fringe and the sequel to Star Trek. Below are the Transformers relevant portions, click here to read the entire interview.

IGN: ...during the panel you talked about warning others involved in the movie about the way Mudflap and Skids were portrayed in Transformers 2 and how it was going to be received. When you lose a battle like that, do you try and stop from going on every message board to defend yourself? The projects you work on are group efforts, but obviously a lot of people online don't always realize that when they see your name as writers.
Orci: Yeah, you've got to take responsibility for everything. We're all in it together and it's a harmony. It's a joint venture. And a lot of things will be expressed that way.

IGN: Why did you decide not to do Transformers 3?
Kurtzman: I think it was largely a matter of the fact that we have a couple other movies on their feet and some television things happening now, and didn't feel we could responsibly do it and give it what it needed. Cowboys & Aliens is a very full time job right now and we should be focusing on that, because it took awhile to get it on its feet.
Orci: And the second one we didn't think we could responsibly do, and that's why we were so happy to team up with Ehren Kruger, who was amazing. This time, I think even teaming up with him, we wouldn't be able to give him what would be fair. And it's really a matter of time, but again, the best idea should win, and they need an idea now. We don't have one right now, so…

IGN: Mudflap and Skids became such a controversial focal point of the second movie. Have you resigned yourself to the fact that people are going to ask you about them for a long time to come?
Orci: Yeah. I think… Michael [Bay]'s spoken about this. His intentions certainly weren't to insult anybody or anything like that. When you get in with comedians and you're doing voiceovers and you're improvising and you're mixing and matching lines, you don't always see how it's going to turn out. So certainly there was no bad intention I think on anybody's part.

Recon Ironhide Video Review

Peaugh is back with a video review of Voyager Recon (aka Jungle Attack) Ironhide that is a repaint of the Revenge of the Fallen figure. The main differences with this version is a new head sculpt, a lot more weapon accessories, and smaller arm cannons.

ROTF Sells 4 Millon?

According to Nelson, the admin for MichaelBay.com, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has sold four million copies on its first day of release.

Nelson here...

I've been getting emails from LA, Chicago, NYC, and Houston of people going to their local retailers to only being told that they ran out of TF2 DVDs and Blu-rays. It's insane!!

I've also received unconfirmed reports that about 4 million copies of TF2 were sold today.

I will keep you posted!

Those numbers seem high but its nearly identical the numbers that Transformers posted back in 2007 (when released on DVD and HD-DVD) with a first day total of 4.5 million copies and first week sales of 8.3 million units. To compare the top selling movie for the year (through 10/11) is Twilight with 9,188,197 sold and it was released back in March. If that early report holds, then Revenge of the Fallen will reside in fourth place for the year behind only Twilight, Madagascar 2 (7.0 million), and Bolt (4.6 million) and those movies have out about 10 months. Since Harry Potter 6 isn't coming out until December, Transformers 2 is probably going to be the undisputed king of the home video market for the year inside of two weeks.

G4's Transformers: ROTF DVD Review

On G4's Attack of the Show for DVDuesday, Chris Gore reviews Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and the Transformers Generation One Box Set. Over all he didn't like the movie but did like the special features and thought the Generation One set was good but likely will destroy your childhood memories of the show (as its not as good as your decades long memory makes it seem).

Video Games - E3 2009 - Attack of the Show

More Transformers Galleries

Once again, another link fest of various Transformers toy news. Thanks to RY for many of the links.

Leader Starscream Back Package
Above is the single image of the back of the box for Leader class Starscream. Based on the pictures which show a better designed chest plate and more authentic look to the movie than the Voyager class toy. This is turning into the first version of Starscream that I might actually buy.

Fast Action Battler Spark Blast Jolt
Click the link for gallery of official images for the upcoming repaint of Jolt. Yep, another repaint. At the rate Hasbro is going there will not be a single mold from the ROTF toy line that doesn't have at least 1-2 repaints. For completists news like this must cause nightmare. Personally it just makes me not bother buying any toys until all the repaints are out so can pick the color scheme I like most.

Recon Ironhide New Head Sculpt
Click the link for images of Ironhide's new head design to go along with the new paint job along with a few images that compares this toy with the 1st Ironhide from the Revenge of the Fallen line.

Scout Scattershot
More official images, this of Scattershot that is part of the upcoming NEST sub line of Revenge toys and is one of the few new molds that is part of the line as it is a homage to the Cybertron character (the G1 version was a jet and trigger master figure if I remember correctly).

Skids and Screech Images
Exclusive to Transformers Generation 2009 magazine, these new toys are painted to remind you of the movie Twins.

Disney Donald Duck Monochrome
Even though the toy isn't even out yet, the Japan only figure is getting the repaint treatment in black and white (I guess a nod to his B&W cartoon origins). Bigbadtoystore.com already has the figure up for pre-order for $50 if you’re interested.

Legends Wave 5 in Packaging
Click to view images of Legends class Autobot Wheelie, Bluesteel Sideswipe, Power Armor Optimus Prime and Soundwave in their packaging.

Prime Wants You To Buy ROTF

For those that might have missed it, here is the most recent commercial for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on DVD and Blu-ray with Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) offering an important message of buying "an object of tremendous value to all". Kind of hokey but I think it. For those still debating where to buy, click here for the price guide for the best deals for the first week of release. Thanks to NHLFan for the link.

R2-D2 Spotted in Transformers 2

Way back in June, it was leaked that R2-D2 makes a cameo appearance in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen but exactly when was never revealed. Thanks to Jetfire_J here is the proof of his very brief appearance as part of the debris field during the desert fight.

Update: From the comments, the moment occurs during the merge of Jetfire's parts to Optimus Prime, specifically at 2 hours 17 minutes and 52 seconds into the movie.

Transformers: ROTF Price Guide

Update: Another update, this time for what is probably the deal of the week from Wal-Mart with Blu-ray "Big Screen" edition for $13.00 (but up to $19.96 depending on area but over all they are offering the edition cheaper then anyone else). As for how the IMAX footage works, it is the same as The Dark Knight where the scenes expand to fill the screen (removing the black bars) and then shrink back once the IMAX specific moments end. If I remember right the areas it's used in is the Demolisher fight, forest fight and for Devastator.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has hit store shelves (special features details here. To help promote the release, some national chains have exclusives such as the type of case, extra scenes and the like. Also most stores have sale prices for the first week of release.

Below is an exclusive feature and sale price guide to help determine where is the best place to go to buy Revenge of the Fallen in its various editions. I will add stores (or alter prices) as new information becomes available.

Transformers 2 Wins Three Scream Awards

Saturday Night, the Spike TV Scream Awards ceremony was held at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, CA and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen took home three awards - Best Sci-Fi Actress for Megan Fox, Best Special Effects and Best Breakthrough Performance for Isabel Lucas.

Probably the highlight of the night for Transformers fans was Megan Fox accepting her award and using the moment to set the record straight about her not being killed off in the third film and her feelings about the franchise.

"I would like to take this moment to actually say something genuine. There have been a lot of false reports concerning how I feel about this movie and I just want to be very clear that I've always felt that I am a very ordinary part of an extraordinary film. These movies took me out of obscurity and they gave me a career and I am completely grateful to everyone involved with this franchise."

The full list of winners can be found here. The telecast of the award ceremony will air on Spike TV on Tuesday, October 27th from 10:00pm to midnight ET/PT.

Get A Call From a Transformer

The official website for the Transformers movies has added a new feature as part of the promotion for the upcoming release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen to home video.

The most recent update is the ability to send a (pre-recorded) call from Optimus Prime or Starscream to a friend. According to TFormers, the Optimus message is a warning about a Decepticon invasion and contact from Starscream. The image to the left shows what information you will be asked to provide.

Transformers Invade Cleveland

A Transfan takes his love of Transformers and the movie a step further with two statues of Bumblebee and Optimus Prime built for Halloween that is pretty sweet looking. The video below is a slideshow that shows the construction of the two robots and promises Barricade and Megatron next year. Thanks to Joseph for the link.

NEST, Demolisher Galleries and Breakdown Video Review

Another link fest to Transformers galleries and such. Thanks to RY for the links.

NEST Sub-line
From Toys R Us Japan, a look at official photos of various new toys (most repaints but not all) that are coming out for the Revenge of the Fallen toys under the NEST tag.

Demolisher Repaint Gallery
New gallery that compares the new Demolisher with his old. The new version is sporting a silver/white paint job that includes additional detailing with dirt on the treads, scoops, and arm. Currently it’s a Japan only release but I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a stateside release at some point down the line.

Breakdown Video Review
New review from Paugh of the scout class car repainted as a homage to the Generation One Stunticon of the same name.

Transforming Bumblebee Case Demo

I plan on doing a Price Guide Sunday once the various circulars come out to help decide where to buy your copy of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, but until then below is a demo of Target's exclusive gimmick with the Transforming Bumblebee case for two-disc DVD and Blu-ray edition of the movie.

So far, the breakdown of exclusives is:
Wal-Mart: two-minutes of IMAX footage
Target: BB transforming case
Best Buy: Optimus Prime head statue
Futureshop (Canada): Blu-ray Steelcase
FYE (US): DVD Steelcase

Target Exclusive Bumblebee Transformers ROTF DVD Packaging @ Yahoo! Video

The Optimus Experience Preview

Below is a preview look at the Augmented Reality extra feature for the two disc DVD and Blu-ray editions of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The Optimus Experience website currently just shows the video but I assume on October 20th it will update to support the feature. Thanks to NHLfan for the heads-up.

Transformers Goes to College

A new clip is up to help promote the home video release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The clip talks with the cast and crew as they filmed at Princeton. Sadly these clips continue the extra features meme of selling the movie (and back patting the actors) even though if you are watching the extra features then it’s safe to assume you are already sold on the film therefore no longer need the sales pitch.

Years after the Lord of the Rings trilogy showed how to extra features right and the extra feature producers still can't do it. It is real simple - give me information about how the movie was made, not a sales pitch with back patting and ego stroking. I get it, the movie was hard work. Do a special feature on just the required ego stroking and then the rest can be the real information. It’s not a Transformers thing; it’s a Hollywood home video approach thing that is getting very tiresome because they all do it. Sorry for the small rant.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Going to College @ Yahoo! Video

Previous clips: TF Mythology, TF in Egypt and Action

Paramount Plans Flash Mob Event

Paramount is planning a flab mob robot dance to help promote the October 19th release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on home video. The video of how to do the dance is below. The flash mod is planned for October 19th, 9PM Pacific at the West Hollywood Gateway Best Buy in California. From the Facebook entry:

Be the first to own the #1 movie of the year, TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN on DVD and Blu-ray.
Come down to the Best Buy @ the West Hollywood Gateway (corner of La Brea and Santa Monica Blvd.) on Monday, October 19th from 8 to 10pm.
Look for the 18 foot tall Bumblebee on the corner who will be available for photo ops! The KROQ street team will also be there with tons of giveaways, including Insignia Blu-ray players from Best Buy!
Also, don't miss your chance to be a part of the Transformers Robot Dance Flash Mob at 9pm!

For East Coasters it will be 1 AM so many will likely have already picked up the movie at Best Buy's midnight event or at Wal-Mart. Thanks to NHLfan for the link. (video via TFormers)

Best Buy TF2 Midnight Release

I was in Best Buy today for giggles and found a flyer indicating that my local stores will open on October 20th at 12:01am for a midnight release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on DVD and Blu-ray. A quick search online confirmed the news including the deals that Best Buy will offer that week.

According to Video Business, around 110 Best Buy stores in the United States will participate in the midnight event but check your local store to verify as I couldn't find a link that compiles to entire list of participating stores. My flyer indicates "Free Transformers Giveaways and Sideshowcollectibles.com gift cards" during the event. I would post the flyer but it’s a really bad black & white photocopy that is difficult to read as it is.

As part of the release of the movie Best Buy "Doorbuster Deals" includes an extra $3 off the Blu-ray and $2 off the DVD editions of the movie in the first two hours the store is open. I assume for stores participating that is from midnight to 2 am and non stores from 10am to noon but check the store to verify. As a result you have two sale prices depending on when go into the stores. The price for the two-disc Blu-ray edition will be $24.99 (or $21.99), the two-disc DVD will be $22.99 (or $20.99) and the one-disc DVD will be $15.99 (or $13.99). The limited edition Blu-ray set with Optimus Prime head will be $44.99 (or $41.99).

It looks like those that want the movie as early as possible now have two options, hit up Best Buy or their local 24 hour Wal-Mart.

Transformers Galleries, The Plague and More

Below are a few links to new toy galleries and more.

The Plague and Leader Starscream
The image to the right is a screen grab from the Blu-ray edition of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen that shows off an unused concept character called The Plague. Could this be an early name for the Fallen or possibly a new character that might pop up in the third film? Additionally at the link is images of Leader class Starscream that will hopefully hit retail by Christmas. Thanks to RY for the link.

More Revenge Repaints
Click above for a look at rather ugly repaints of Fast Action Battler Skids and Mudflap along with Dead End and Knock Out. Hasbro's love of creating at least 2 repaints (or more) of every mold continues. Thanks to Ben1227 for the link.

Fast Action Battler Arcee
Gallery of the upcoming toy that retains the ugly look of the original.

Recon Ironhide in Package
Voyager class Jungle Attack Ironhide has been renamed according to the new images the character in packaging pictures. Recon Ironhide is a repaint of the figure but now includes more weapon accessories than ever before. Pic to the right is the back of the box with his bio.

Encore 18 Skids
The latest re-issue gets its own gallery as Generation One Skids is about to be released in Japan. I am especially digging the classic packaging and probably need to add this figure to my wish list as I never had a chance to buy this one those many years ago when first released.

Demolisher and Rampage Repaints
Yep, more repaints this time for the Deluxe Rampage and Voyager Demolisher. Rampage is getting a new red color and Demolisher turns white in an effort to make them more accurate to their look in the movie. No indication if this is a Japan only release or if these will make their way stateside sometime next year.

ROTF Home Video Roundtable

Last week Paramount Home Video held a press conference with Q&A to promote their upcoming slate of home video releases including Star Trek and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. As a result Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman were on hand to field some questions. Also some members of the voice cast participated including Kevin Michael Richardson (Rampage/Prime #2), Jess Harnell (Ironhide), Mark Ryan (Bumblebee/Jetfire) and more. Below are snippets from the writers with the full transcript and voice actor write-up here.

Question: What was your approach to the special features, on Star Trek and Transformers.
Orci: We tend to sit down and talk very loosely about the experience of making the movie, and the differences are in the way that the movies were made, but not necessarily in the approach to the DVD extras. What’s really cool about the DVD extras is that in both cases they documented the things that we were all doing together from the minute that production starts until the day of release.

Kurtzman: We try to be very open as possible (on the commentaries) and avoid comments like “I remember that day” We grew up having nothing like this at all. For example, there was one screenwriting book when we were growing up. Only one. Now there are dvds, you can go online you can see everything. There is so much out there, I think we feel like “how cool is it for people to actually have the thing that we didn’t have. So we try to give as much to the dvd extras as we can.

Question: Do you find it easier to write dialog for sequels considering you have returning actors such as Shia and Megan Fox, and you already have experience writing for them?
Kurtzman: As in knowing their voices? It’s a huge help, it’s a great thing to have. Like we said, Shia is an incredibly fun actor to work with and he can do dialog at any pace. Not every actor can do that. He really can run through things. Shia has a really good, I’ll call it a cheese alarm. If he thinks something is cheesy or inauthentic, he won’t want to do it. So when we are writing we rely on kind of knowing where his instincts tend to go in terms of scene work and what he likes to do. I think for him he can not act a scene unless he feels the truth somehow. It has to be truthful. Even if it’s a scene about giant robots, there has to be some truth to it. And if there isn’t, then he can’t do it – so that’s very helpful in knowing what to look for in any given scene.

I think Megan was really interesting in the first movie because she was very surprising. There’s a sweetness to her, and now I think that’s what made their relationship dynamic work really well. And I think for us knowing that it (the sequel) was going to be about whether or not the boyfriend that was going off to school and leaving her behind, and whether or not, that relationship could survive. Thinking about how that relationship was going to play out over the course of the movie, was what we needed. We talked to Bay and Megan a lot. We had a couple meetings where we would all sit in a room and we would all talk about the script, and the scenes and we’d rip stuff out. That’s where the actor’s voices become really great because, you’ve been living in your head for so long, and then you bring it to them and you can start rewriting once they get their hands on it. Like Shia and the parents, those kinds of scenes really benefit from the actor’ input. “see dad, that’s how you’re supposed to treat a child leaving for college”

Question: What was the hardest scene for you guys to cut from the script?
Orci: Actually, with Transformers, since they animate the robots after the fact, you can continue playing with their dialog up until the last minute. Scenes can be created after the fact, scenes that weren’t in the original script at all.

Question: How do the two of you work together? Do you have specific roles?
Kurtzman: Our writing is a dialog; it’s a process of debate back and forth. We sit across the table from each other with our computers and we decide what’s the right line…

Orci: And I think that process ended up in the Star Trek script moreso than any other project we’ve done. I think Alex is Kirk, I’m Spock. For Transformers, Alex is both Sam and Bumblebee.

Kurtzman: We write everything together. We might tinker with our own stuff on the side, but we go over every line together, in a room like an office.

Orci: We started writing together, pre-internet, so we’d be on the phone like this (mimes cradling a phone and awkwardly typing) And that’s how we’ve developed our voice. And that voice became the way we still write.

Question: Why aren’t you working on Transformers 3?
Kurtzman: We have been working on Transformers longer than I was in college.

Orci: I think we have a degree in Transformers now. And I think we’ve given it a lot, but…

Kurtzman: The Franchise is so wonderful it deserves to stay fresh.

Fox Publicist Denies Recent Rumor

According to Gossip Cop, the rumor that Megan Fox's character will be killed off is "not true". Sadly the exact quote was not provided.

As I said before, this rumor should be taken with a grain of salt as I doubt so much as a single line of dialogue has been written so any conclusions on what may or may not happen to her character has probably not even been discussed in any great depth. Now if this rumor re-emerges after a known draft of the script circulates, then that is a whole different animal. Realistically, any casting or script rumors for the next few months should not be taken at face value as a complete first draft is probably not due until the beginning of next year.

ROTF Dialogue Changes for Home Video Release? (Updated)

Is it possible that the home video release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen could have dialogue different from what was seen in the movie? Apparently so based on the images from the back of the Blu-ray Transforming Bumblebee Case for the movie from Target's website. Site fan David provided the images and pointed out that if you check the image of the back of the case, right above the PG-13 rating in the bottom left you will see "Dialogue has been changed from the theatrical version."

Supporting this is a report from Luis who noticed changes in a section of dialogue when he viewed the DVD version of the film through alternate means. An example he cites is when the Twins (while as the ice cream truck) crash in Shanghai:

Theatrical
Mudflap: "I screwed that up! Oh! I'm OK. I'm alright! Oh, oh!"
Skids: "This is combat, man, what's wrong with you?!" (Wacks Mudflap)

DVD
Mudflap: "I screwed that up! Oh! I'm OK. I'm alright! Oh, oh!"
Skids: "This is combat, man!"
Mudflap: "I got brain freeze!"
Skids: "What's wrong with you?!" (Wacks Mudflap)

In less than ten days we all get to find out the extent of dialogue changes were made. Thanks to David and Luis for their information.

Update: Thanks to redxdogxsurff, click here to view the first 10 minutes of the movie. The Twins dialogue change can be heard starting at about the 6:30 mark. In addition, Chris reports he also noticed some scene tweaks in the forest fight sequence:

I found that some scenes changed a bit. For example in the forest in the imax version Optimus grabs Starscream and as he lifts him up he kicks megatron back as well. Then theres a shot of OP takin a beating. Then before he stabs Megs he stabs Grindor in the hip.

Fox Killed Off In Transformers 3?

A new rumor from In Touch Weekly suggests that Megan Fox is under consideration for being written out of the franchise in Transformers 3.

“Michael’s pretty much discovered Megan and now he’s very quietly looking for her replacement. He hasn’t decided if he’s going to kill her off in the next movie, but he just wants to be prepared.”

I recommend holding the moans (or celebration) as I doubt even so much as an outline of TF3 even exists. Right now I suspect Michael Bay, Ehren Kruger and others are still in the spitballing phrase and nothing is concrete except for a vague sense of what characters may return for the movie.

Megan Fox could choose to opt out of the next movie (being under contract for three movies doesn't really mean that much) so Bay would be wise to have a plan B under consideration just in case. However, Fox demonstrated she doesn't have the star power to open a movie with the box office failure of Jennifer's Body (to be fair the marketing of that movie was awful) so I don't see her turning down an opportunity to keep her fame flag flying high. Long story short, take this rumor with a grain of salt.

In a bit of a unrelated note, the above image is a before and after from GoodPlasticSurgery.com that shows a little plastic surgery can go a long way. Megan Fox had a tweak to her lips, nose and cheeks accounting for the change in look between the first and second films (beyond her tattoos). Makes you wonder if she has anything else planned before Transformers 3 gets before the cameras.

More ROTF Toy Video Reviews

Peaugh is back with more video reviews of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen toys and also three new Transformers: Animated toys. Most are repaints of existing toys but of the group I think I like Deluxe Dirge (below) the most. What I really want to know is how does Peaugh get all these toys before everyone else. Thanks to RY for the links.

ROTF: Dirge | Tuner Mudflap | Armorhide
Animated: Freeway Jazz | Workzone Bulkhead | Electrostatic Soundwave

Taiwan Army Transformers Commercial

The Transformers' movie influence continues as the Taiwanese armed forces attempts to replicate Bay's approach in look and design as various military aircraft transform. For a recruitment commercial, its actually pretty darn good.

Steelcase DVD Image and Info

From MichaelBay.com is the image to the left of the DVD Steelcase for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. As expected it’s essentially identical to the Blu-ray Steelcase. However, there is a caveat which should be no surprise after the mess with IMAX footage exclusive to Wal-Mart.

In this case the Blu-ray Steelcase is only available via FutureShop in Canada and the DVD Steelcase is only through FYE in the United States. Transfans in North America can probably order then online but international Transfans are out of luck. Exactly how IMAX footage and Steelcase exclusives are being handled in other regions worldwide has not been released at this time.

Having said that, if you are willing to pay a premium, Nelson does have a special page to order IMAX and Steelcase versions of Transformers 2 here. Note that to my knowledge Blu-ray is not region locked but typically DVDs are so keep that in mind when making a choice. Also be aware that you can still order autographed copies of the non-IMAX, Steelcase versions for charity here. Thanks to David for the heads-up.

ROTF Featurette Clip on TF Mythology

From SciFiCool.com, below is a preview clip from one of the extra features for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen that discusses the mythology of Transformers and how it influenced the script for the movie. Thanks to David for the link.

Gigantor Completed

It turns out that video from last week with Gigantor (Tetsujin) being under construction might have been out of date as the construction has been completed and a celebration was held. The $1.5 million statue is 60 feet tall and wights 50 tons. Video below, pictures can be found here.

G1 Matrix of Leadership Box Set

October 20th doesn’t just mark the release date of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen but also the release of Shout Factory’s Transformers Matrix of Leadership Edition Collector's Set that contains all three seasons of the Transformers cartoons that started it all 25 years ago. I believe this is the same set that was released earlier this year for online purchase but now your local retailer can stock it in time for Christmas. Below is press release that details the extra features of the set. Currently Amazon lists the retail price as $169.99 but has it on sale for $152.99. Thanks to Ben1227 for the link.

THE TRANSFORMERS:
25th Anniversary “Matrix of Leadership” Edition Collector’s Set
Arrives in Stores October 20, 2009 from Shout! Factory
Featuring 16 DVDs, 98 Restored Episodes, Payload of Bonus Content, Exclusive Voice Cast Reunion, A Collectible 60-Page Book, AUTOBOT and DECEPTICON Magnets and Much More!

The epic story of good vs. evil that sparked the imaginations of fans worldwide finally arrives in a collectible, out-of-this-world, box set. Witness the digitally-restored battles between the heroic AUTOBOTS and the evil DECEPTICONS as the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance. For the first time in 25 years, fans of all ages will be able to own the complete collection of one of the most popular animated series of all time THE TRANSFORMERS: 25th Anniversary “Matrix of Leadership” Edition from Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro, Inc.

Brimming with over 38 hours of content, including the entire original TRANSFORMERS animation series from the early 1980s known among fans as “Generation 1”, a bounty of stellar extras, a special collectible 60-page book, and AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICON Magnets, this 16-DVD box set is another fan must have. THE TRANSFORMERS: 25th Anniversary “Matrix of Leadership” Edition Collector’s Set will be available at retail stores nationwide beginning on October 20, 2009.

DVD BONUS FEATURES
* Five retrospective featurettes including brand new, in-depth interviews with individuals involved with the early success of the TRANSFORMERS franchise. Two of these featurettes are exclusive to this set including a conversation with comic writer Bob Budiansky and a voice cast reunion. The reunion features Jack Angel (RAMJET), Michael Bell (PROWL), Gregg Berger (GRIMLOCKI), Aurthur Burghardt (DEVASTATOR), Corey Burton (Spike Witwicky), Richard Gautier (RODIMUS PRIME), Neil Ross (SLAG), Frank Welker (MEGATRON)
* Two concept art galleries
* Archival Hasbro toy commercials
* All 98 episodes of dialogue scripts. Three full scripts, with original handwritten notes, including “Transport To Oblivion”, “STARSCREAM’S Brigade” and “The Revenge of BRUTICUS”
* 5 rare PSAs
* From the Files of Teletraan-2
* Fan Art Gallery
* An animated fan film entitled TRANSFORMERS: Generation

SYNOPSIS:
Four million years after crash-landing on an unfamiliar planet, sentient robots with the ability to disguise themselves as common vehicles awaken on present-day Earth. Engaged in a crucial race to find a new energy source for their home planet of Cybertron, Optimus Prime and the heroic Autobots must defend the innocent people of Earth against their archnemeses, Megatron and the power-hungry Decepticons.

ESPN's Transformers Contest

Paramount Home Video and ESPN have joined together for a promotion of the upcoming release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on DVD and Blu-ray. From the contest website:

Watch on October 17 as Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon take the battle of the Autobots and Decepticons to the racetrack in Charlotte live on ABC at 7:00pm ET!
With Newman in a specially designed Optimus Prime car and Gordon in his custom Megatron car, the Transformers adventure will be taken to a new level.

Choose your side and vote now on this site and during the race with your mobile phone! Plus, enter for a chance to win a VIP trip to THE Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway to meet Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon or a copy of the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Single Disc DVD signed by Megan Fox.

You do have to register with ESPN to sign up. Click here to learn more. Thanks to Scorpio for the link.

Orci, Kurtzman Not Returning

Roberto Orci has confirmed that he and his writing partner Alex Kurtzman are not returning to write Transformers 3 on the Don Murphy forums.

So Bob and Alex is it true. you wont be involved this time round.
It's true.

Sorry to hear that Roberto, really I am. Are we in good hands with Mr. Kruger? Does he know his Transformers?
He does. He really did his homework. He's awesome.

There you have it. Orci and Kurtzman are out, Ehren Kruger is in. Whether that is good news or not probably depends on your feelings regarding much of the humor of the second film (the Twins, Devastator's balls, etc) as most of that came from the minds of Bay and Kruger. As always, time will tell. Link from TFW2005.

ROTF Exclusives Hitting Store Shelves

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen box sets (and one repaint) are starting to get spotted at various retail stores and online. To my knowledge none are new molds but simply a re-release of an existing model or a repaint.

Fiery The Fallen
The orange and black repaint of The Fallen is now available at Target.com and probably will be landing in stores very soon. The retail price is $21.99. Thanks to Ben1227 for the link.

Autobot Strike Mission Set
Possibly at a Sam's Club near you is this Revenge of the Fallen box set that retails for $39.82. The set comes with 4 Deluxe TFs, Breakaway, Rampage, Battle-Damaged Longarm and Battle-Damaged Sideways. Essentially it’s a set of left over peg warmers and repaints.

War of the Skies Set
Also possibly available is this K-Mart exclusive set containing five Legends class figures of Blades, Jetfire, Thundercracker, and Spinster. Like other sets it’s a mix of old releases with repaints of old releases.

Straightaway Shootout Set
Another five pack of legends, this time exclusive to Target is now out in stores or available on Target.com. The set contains Ironhide, Mudflap, Runamuck, Sparkcrusher, and Swerve and retails for $19.99.

New Alternity Tease and Diamond Black Megatron

Takara's Alternity website has updated with a silhouette teasing the next car in the line. Megatron and Optimus Prime have already been released with Bumbleebee and Cliffjumper coming in the next month or so. This silhouette indicates a sports car whose shape reminds me of Generation 1 Sideswipe.

Speaking of Alternity Megatron, that toy is getting a third iteration with Diamond Black Megatron. It’s identical to the preview versions (blue and silver) only the primary colors are black and a dark red. Click here to view the gallery. Thanks to Ben1227 for the links.

Bludgeon Video Review

Peaugh is back with a new review from the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen toy line. He has been taking a break from ROTF toys instead reviewing Marvel MiniMates and Robots in Disguise, likely because the Revenge line has become a repaint fest. An exception to this is Voyager Bludgeon which is based on the Generation One comic book character. Based on the review, this toy is shaping up to be a solid edition to the line. Thanks to RY for the link.

ROTF IMAX Footage Wal-Mart Exclusive

In a good news/bad news situation, Nelson over at MB.com has provided some info on the status of the IMAX footage for the DVD and Blu-ray release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The good news is the footage will be available on both formats but the bad news is it will be a Wal-Mart exclusive.

I spoke to Paramount today and here's the lowdown on the Imax TF2 release:

Walmart will have exclusive rights on selling the ROFT (w/ Imax) on DVD and Blu-ray.

Exact details were not provided so unknown if the footage will be incorporated into the film or a separate section of special features. In a previous interview, Bay had said "We’re going to do a special IMAX skew where it’ll open up for those scenes. You can see top to bottom” but then it was assumed the IMAX footage would not be exclusive either. The main takeaway is if the IMAX footage is important to you, then Wal-Mart is your only recourse.

The Dark Knight showed how to do this right for theatrical and home release, why re-invent the wheel in moronic ways when the best method was already been done? This is an extremely crappy move on Paramount and Wal-Mart's part and almost enough to make me take a pass on buying the movie altogether. If this is how IMAX footage is going to be handled in the future for home release then frankly I rather Paramount not bother.

Blu-ray, DVD Extra Features Clips

The Blu-ray and DVD release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has about three weeks to go before its release in the States and as part of that Superherohype and Collider received clips (below) from the special features that are part of the home video release. The first clip tells the story of a bureaucratic snafu that almost disrupted filming at the Pyramids in Giza, Egypt that might be part of the "Wonders of the World" featurette. The second clip has something to do with action in the film but lacks any real context or cohesion so it makes me think its part of the intro to the "Domestic Destruction" behind the scenes video.

Bay: "Transformers 3: July 1st, 2011"

Transformers 1 and 2 director Michael Bay has ended the speculation and announced on his website that Transformers 3 essentially begins pre-production today for a July 1st, 2011 release.

Well its official: We have a great Transformers 3 story. The release date is now July 1st 2011. Not 2012.

Today is Day One. This morning started with an ILM meeting for five hours in San Francisco. Currently I'm flying with writer Ehren Kruger to Rhode Island to talk to Hasbro about new characters.

P.S. Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture. Please consult your Physician when working under my direction because some side effects can occur, such as mild dizziness, intense nausea, suicidal tendencies, depression, minor chest hair growth, random internal hemorrhaging and inability to sleep. As some directors may be hazardous to your health, please consult your Doctor to determine if this is right for you.

Pain and Gain is right after shooting of Trans 3.

Michael

There you have it, likely return of the core cast including Fox, the writer Ehren Kruger who helped co-write Revenge of the Fallen, and Bay as director. I wouldn't mind knowing the back story on what changed Bay's mind on taking that year break from the franchise. Thanks to all that sent in a heads-up on the news.

Update: From Dark Horizons, a little bit of information about the competition that TF3 will face in the sequel rich summer of 2011. Once again, chances are high that the movie will go head to head against Harry Potter with Deathly Hallows Part II, but also Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Spider-Man 4, Cars 2, The Hangover 2, and Kung-Fu Panda 2 are scheduled. In addition, Green Lantern, Thor, and Captain America have eyed that summer. The net result is its going to be an expensive summer for geekdom and hyper competitive for the studios.