Transformers #18
It has been a while since the last linkfest and the links have piled up. This edition brings a nice detailed look at the recently released Masterpiece Optimus Prime and more pics of upcoming Reveal the Shield/Classic toys, a G1 graphic, and some videos. The highlights of that is a Generation One Autobots dancing to Thriller and the entire Generation One cast, CGI style, fighting it while Stan Bush sings his latest single.
Peaugh once again shows off his ability to get hold of the latest Transformers toys before anyone else by reviewing Transformers: Dark of the Moon deluxe Ironhide. He actually posted the review about two weeks ago but I somehow missed it. The Mech Tech weapon gimmick doesn't do anything for me. The robot mode is looks good but appears to suffer from some engineering issues. It is possible that those have since been ironed out but I doubt it since Hasbro is probably past the design phase and now mass producing the toys to make their May release date (which is why all the leaks). 
A few days ago our first look at the voyager Shockwave toy for Transformers: Dark of the Moon and now we get an even better look. ACToys has a new gallery of pictures that really show off the color and look of the Voyager class toy and therefore a close approximation of how he will look in the movie. While I am not completely sold his tank mode, the robot mode is pretty sweet and I like the homage to the classic Generation One design. The full gallery can be found here. (via Seibertron)
Update:ACToys has a group photo of DOTM leaked toys. According to TFW2005 the identified toys from bottom left are:
The toy leaks keep coming. There is news from the UK Toy Fair 2001 that while gives a little more insight into Hasbro's plans for the Transformers: Dark of the Moon toy line by providing a full summary of the various sub-lines and releases. The main highlights include "Ultimate Optimus Prime" that will come with a his trailer that "converts into Mech suit" and the Cyberverse Ark Playset "provides 2 in 1 play as it converts from vehicle mode to battle station." No pictures were allowed at the fair so the descriptions will have to do. Thanks to Udana for the link. In addition, hit the links for a few new DOTM toy galleries.
More Transformers: Dark of the Moon toy images has hit the web. Unlike most of the previous ones, we finally get a look at the robot mode of a Nascar Wrecker, Starscream, the Human Alliance Buggy and the Suburban Dread. Also another Human Alliance vehicle, a helicopter, so highly likely the line is back and going in a slightly new direction then its previous incarnation. Pics and links below.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Transformers: Dark of the Moon will have a TV trailer that will air during the Super Bowl XLV on February 6th. The movie will join trailers from Super 8, Thor, Captain American, Pirates of the Caribbean, Cowboys & Aliens and others. Rates for this year's Super Bowl ads are around $3 million per 30-second spot.
The members at AC Toys are on a roll as they have posted more images of Transformers: Dark of the Moon toys. The latest round of posts bring images of Skids in his new black and green paint job, a possible look at Barricade with white and blue paint scheme, leader class Bumblebee, a new Human Alliance dunebuggy sorta triple changer, voyager Ratchet, and voyager Optimus Prime. The buggy may or may not be new character in the film, too early to make that leap since the movie toy line in the past has had additional toys inspired by the movie but not characters in the movie. Below are a few samples, hit the links below to view all of them. Also thanks to an anonymous site fan, here are two new images of voyager Megatron that show off the paint job really well.
"The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and learn its secrets, which could turn the tide in the Transformers' final battle."No idea if this is based on information provided by the studio or if something derived only from the trailer. Something else to add to all the speculation.
In an interview with Hero Complex, Transformers: Dark of the Moon director Michael Bay discusses the disappointment he had with Revenge of the Fallen and how he thinks Dark of the Moon is a much better film, comparing its style "as a sort of homeland version of ”Black Hawk Down.” The full article is here.“[Revenge of the Fallen] was kind of a mess, wasn’t it?” an unsmiling Bay said of the 2009 film, which was far from a flop — it grossed a potent $836 million worldwide, finishing third for the year behind only “Avatar” and the sixth “Harry Potter” movie. But the director still talks about the blockbuster in tones of regret. “Look, the movie had some good things in it and it was entertaining and it did very well, but it also failed in some key ways. I learned from it. And now with this third movie we’re going back to basics and I absolutely believe this is going to be a much better film than the second one.”
“I’m still having fun and especially with this movie,” Bay said. ”Look, we got burned on the last movie. The big thing was the writers strike, it hurt the film and it made it hard on everybody. We had three weeks to get our story and, really, we were going into the movie without a script. It’s tough to do that. It was too big of a movie. There were too many endings or too many things that felt like endings. There was so much animation [in the visual effects postproduction work], too, and we ran out of time. We used the schedule of the first movie for the second movie but on the second one way more labor was needed for the animation. And then it felt like we were writing the script in the edit room, trying to put together a story.”
A render of The Ark posted anonymously in the comments of this website has led to speculation that the ancient Autobot ship could be the alt mode of Omega Supreme by an Italian Transformers website (translation). The validity of the render is unverified but it is missing the logos and copyright info that often accompany these types of leaks. While the image is pretty neat looking, it has to be taken with a grain of salt as it almost seems like a merge of two different images. I doubt the Ark has an alt mode and its part in the movie will mostly be the extent it is used in the moon landing sequences. Still it is an intriguing idea.
An image posted on the Michael Bay Forums has added more confusion to the issue of what Transformer the Rosenbauer Panther airline fire truck seen in Chicago is. Set rumors and a toy listing indicated the character is Sentinel Prime but the image of a redacted call sheet now adds Ultra Magnus as a convincing candidate. It could even be one or both of these characters are pure CGI creations much like most of the Decepticons. As always, only time will tell. Thanks to Sam for the link.
Update: From Max in the comments, another call sheet image that once again references Ultra Magnus where it says "VFX:" near the bottom.
Imax Corp. has booked four upcoming Paramount tentpole pics for its 2011 slate. The pact with Paramount Pictures will see Toronto-based Imax screen super-sized versions of Super 8, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn.
Kenny, who also did robot voice work for the previous 'Transformers,' acts as if he is afraid of famously fiery director Michael Bay. Sort of.
"He's been known to make grown men cry, and I don't want to be the next one," Kenny told us recently, when he had to hurry off the phone to resume 'Transformers 3' recording sessions with Bay.
Now, he says, "He's really great to me, but you know, people are like, 'What magic charm do you have that he's nice to you? What voodoo curse breaker?' My experiences of him have been uniformly positive."
In a new post about the first wave of Transformers: Dark of the Moon toys from DOTMToys.com (before the domain disappeared) potentially proves that the red Rosenbauer Panther airline fire truck seen in Chicago this summer is Sentinel Prime as the rumors at the time indicated. The listing shows that Prime will get a Voyager release with trailer and the name of Raodbuster (yep with typo), Air Ride, Barricade, Crankcase, and "New Villian" (yep with that spelling) which I assume is Shockwave. The screenshots are from an unknown source so this all remains rumor especially since the typos do not exactly lead confidence to their legitimacy. The recent spate of toy leaks may eventually prove this information one way or the other. (via Seibertron)
Speaking of leaks, Yahoo Auction, Japan has revealed the toy of the final Wrecker, the Green Impala. Not much in detail but once again shows that all three Wreckers at least have Transformer modes for the toy line so not a reach to assume the same for the movie. (via TFW2005)
It seems that Michael Bay just can't quit Linkin Park as the band seems to have been tapped to contribute a song and possible more for Transformers: Dark of the Moon. According to a source that wishes to remain anonymous, Bay chose "Burning In The Skies" from their current album A Thousand Suns for the movie's soundtrack. As a result instead of Burning as their next single it will now be "Iridescent".
Transformers: Prime Art
Two new Transformers: Dark of the Moon toys have popped up online. Yahoo Auctions, Japan has prototype images for Deluxe class Dread (according to TFW2005) that appears to be the Chevy SUV Suburban. The vehicles sport a large Mechtech gone and pincers. I think the name Dread or Dreadbot is a fan created placeholder name until we learn who the official Decepticon "cast" is for the movie. 
