Transformers Bumblebee Prop Unveiling

Thanks to Allspark's DeltaSeeker, below is a video of the unveiling of a statue depicting Bumblebee from Transformers at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. It is apparently part of the pop culture section of the museum. According to the speaker, it is the actual prop used in filming the first movie back in 2007. For more images from the event, click here.

Bumblebee at CES

Transformers Bumblebee model used for the movie made an appearance at CES. Not sure for what looks cool in the pic.

Optimus Prime Peterbilt

A fan built replica of the Peterbilt Optimus Prime is for sale on eBay. At the time of this writing the bid was at $55,400. Sadly the builder wasn't able to develop transformation technology for the truck but based on the below list of accessories, apparently threw in lots of features to make up for it.

Accessories include:
-Voice activated alarm, with the voice of Optimus Prime on lock and unlock mode.
-17 inch LCD TV/DVD
-JVC JAVX33 Stereo CD/DVD player with Bluetooth and Satelite Radio ready
-Infinity Sound system, speakers and subwoofer
-New Memory Foam mattress in sleeper
-Custom 2 tone(red and blue) gear shift with flames
-Legacy Low profile leather bucket air Seats
- All pedals are chrome with rubber flames
- Custom interior with two tone (blue/red) flames
- Wood floors
- Chrome wheels with new virgin tires 285/75R22.5.
- All switches, buttons light covers, speaker covers, arm rests and steering in chrome
- Chrome columns and wood steering wheels with flames
- Dual Chrome 7 inch stacks
- Chrome Sunvisor
- Brand new accessories and new, top of the line, custom Sherwin-Williams automotive paint Base coat/Clear coat.
- Too many features to list, the only thing it can't do is transform!!

The auction and tons of additional pictures can be found here.
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You Can Own Ironhide

Edmunds.com is reporting that GM is producing Ironhide version of the GMC TopKick 6500. Apparently the truck is being built with help from Monroe Truck Equipment and ok from Hasbro. Info from Seibertron.com via TF Live Message Boards.

The article:

MONROE, Wis. — All Transformers fans know that Ironhide is the slowest Autobot, but also the least vulnerable to attack. He transforms into a GMC TopKick 6500 pickup — and now a GM tuner has rolled out a production version.

Monroe Truck Equipment, in association with toymaker Hasbro, says the production version of Ironhide includes custom 20-inch aluminum painted black wheels fitted with monster 40-inch tires. The GMC TopKick normally comes equipped with dual rear wheels.

Other details include two chrome big-rig smokestacks, horizontal stainless steel step tubes, custom front and rear bumpers with textured powder-coat finish, and a 16,000-pound winch mounted on the front bumper.

As Ironhide would say, "High-tech circuitry is no replacement for guts."

What this means to you: Now you can look and feel like Ironhide.

iPod Transformer in Movie?

According to an interview MTV conducted with Josh Duhamel, he indicated a "little iPod thing...this crazy little 12-inch iPod that turns into this killing machine," will steal all his scenes.

From the MTV post:

The 30 and 60-gigabyte models might seem big, but beware…your iPod is capable of a lot more than meets the eye, “Transformers” star Josh Duhamel revealed exclusively to MTV News.

“The Transformer that will steal all the scenes I would say is this little iPod thing, [it’s] crazy,” he enthused. “It’s pretty cool.” Although he didn’t mention it by name, it’s possible he was talking about the Transformer known as Soundwave, a Generation-1 Decepticon who, in the original cartoon, changes from a large robot into a tape deck. While the design might have seemed cutting edge in 1985, a tape deck wouldn’t fit into the hyper-modern setting for the Michael Bay-directed flick.

But just because he’s small, that doesn’t mean this Transformer shouldn’t be taken seriously. “It’s like this crazy little 12-inch iPod that turns into this little killing machine,” he divulged.

Its already been confirmed straight from the producers and writers that Soundwave is not in this movie. What was named Soundwave has now been named Frenzy, whose alt mode is a boom box.

There was an early script rumor that XBox's, iPods and other common electronic gadgets would become Transformers when exposed to the Allspark. It wasn't been mentioned since then by anyone, no toys really have come out about it unless count the "Real Gear" line which doesn't really "look" like the hyper detailed Transformers of the movie.

My theory, and hopefully wrong because who wouldn't want to see a transforming iPod, is that the idea was discussed during filming and later all those ideas where combined into Frenzy. One character model to create that serves the same purpose story wise without the expense of having to create a bunch of other robots designs for a small scene to show the power of the Allspark.

More Transformers Pics

The Lunchables site put up some wallpaper that shows some new stances for 4 Transformers including Ratchet, which was missing from the previous hi-res pics. I find it intersting that someone went through the trouble to design a logo for each character. Now I want to know what the logos for the others look like.

Hi-Res Transformers Pictures

New Hi-Res pics have hit the web that show various movie Transformers with some fantastic details. Blackout remains my favorite design while Starscream continues to be the ugliest. The pics are from a the Lunchables website that has a promotional partnership with the movie. Those images where then reproduced via the Michael Bay blog. I grabbed the images from the Serve with Chips blog. Thanks to Mitchell Z, Lucas C and Maximus for the info. Oops mislabeled Ironhide, added Jazz, now corrected.

BlackoutOptimus PrimeMegatronBumblebeeIronhideFrenzyJazzStarscream

Mark Ryan Is Ironhide?

According to what I guess is the "official" Mark Ryan website, he has been cast in the role of Ironhide by Michael Bay for the movie and the games. He will also perform the voice of Hoist, I guess one of the hidden characters of those games. Even odder, apparently Carl Weathers of Rocky fame, is the voice director for the game. A little "where did they go" moment there.

From the site:

MAY 2007

Well! It's almost summer! So time for a quick update folks!

I recently got called back to the studios by Michael Bay to voice more material to be utilized in editing the Transformers movie to be released during the summer. Michael was again in great form and having a lot of fun with the characters of the Autobots. The material I saw was truly spectacular and I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it in a motion picture before. The action sequences look extraordinary and the scenes were funny and thrilling. The ILM/Special Visual Effects were unprecedented in their complexity and vision. From what I understand the previews of the film seem to be testing very well with selected audiences and I think it's going to be a monster!

So now I can also announce that I've recently recorded two voices for the Activision game based on the film to be released at around the same time as the movie. I voiced both Ironhide and Hoist for the game, directed by legendary "Rocky" star: Carl Weathers, who is an all round gentleman and an excellent voice-over director! More info on Transformers later in the summer!

So your asking "Who is Mark Ryan?" For one thing, he is somebody that might need to look into myspace and other web hosting possiblities as angelfire will probably crash his site soon. Checking out his IMDB entry...well I still have no idea who he is. Seems most of his work was done in the U.K. with a little US work here and there. He is not a known "voice" for cartoons and the like so this is probably all a new experience for him. It also makes it difficult attack or defend his credibility as Ironhide cause have no idea what he sounds like. I guess get to find out in a few months.

My curious question of the moment is when will Frank Welker be announced as the voice of Starscream?
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Barricade Footage from Conan O'Brien

StarWars.comNBC has posted footage of a visit from Conan O'Brien visiting ILM. Of note (besides the work space) is a glimpse of Barricade. The footage, maybe all of five seconds long, occurs about two minutes in.

The video is was here now here. NBC somehow got Star Wars.com to yank the video so they could add a commercial in front of it on their own site. Thanks to TigerClaw for the new link.

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Run Shia Run!: Barricade Chase Image

Another image has hit the web from Entertainment Weekly, the same issue as the Optimus image, that shows an excellent shot of an angry Barricade chasing after Shia. I am not sure but in the upper right, it looks like Prime is about to interfere with the chase. Either way, an excellent image that invokes danger and fear.

USA Today Transformers Question

In a USA Today article, Summer Preview Q&A, Michael Bay comments on fans and why Bumblebee is a Camaro rather then a Beetle.

10: Will Transformers fans be won over July 4 by the movie's changes to the 1980s toys?
The shape-shifting alien robots disguise themselves as Earth vehicles, but certain characters have a different appearance in director Michael Bay's movie.

Die-hard fans have griped that the Bumblebee character is now a Chevy Camaro instead of a Volkswagen Beetle, while others are incensed at things as subtle as painted flames added to robot leader Optimus Prime.

"They're gonna (complain) about everything, you know what I'm saying? Then you'll see them accept it," Bay says. "The things that really matter are there." Internet chat that Volkswagen didn't want the Beetle involved in an action movie are false, Bay says: "I just liked the other car better. I didn't want anything to do with the Bug because it reminded me of Herbie the Love Bug ." —A.B.

You want to attack him for that opinion, but its a true statement. Its what happens when have die-hard fans who are passionate about Transformers and then start to change things. The key is to hear the constructive critisism over the noise. Which occured in some cases such as casting of Peter Cullen and use of Frank Welker.

As for the Volkswagon rumor is a result of the Alternators toyline where supposedly Hasbro approached Volkswagon to release Bumblebee as a current version of the Beetle and they refused on grounds of not wanting to be associated with war toys. Considering the nature of the film, its not a reach to assume the same.

However, we have since learned that at least part of the reason for the change is because of the agreement between Ford GM and the film studio. More then likely to save costs on the probable dozens of cars needed for production, GM provided them for free or at discount in return for the advertising push. By dozens, I mean they don't use just one car but many copies of the same car. Maybe a few for stunts, few to damage, few to drive in, couple to blow up, some to strap to trucks for road filming, and so on. Depending on what is needed, each car has to be rigged a certain way to meet the need and that usually means one car per. Considering the number of cars as central to the movie, that can get quite expensive.

To be honest though, the Camaro looks good, both the '76 and '08 versions. Its almost a car I might purchase. Can't really complain about the choice and its makes sense in this day and age for a male to want to buy such a car. Call it sexist, but in general the modern Beetle just isn't a male car of choice so Sam Witwicky doing that would seen odd to say the least, even odder when it updates to an '08 per the script.

Close-Up of Jazz's Face

From TFW2005, images of Jazz's face, taken from a toy store display. So far, design wise, I am really likely Jazz. The toy is a buy for me and the CGI version is slick looking to.

Masked Bumblebee Pic

A reader over at TFans, Ultimatetransfan, discovered that if you go to the Transformers Video Game website and you don't have the Flash plugin installed for your browser you get a nice looking image of Bumblebee with his face mask in place. Not sure the purpose of the masks, must be a battle-mode protection thing that the movie designers decided to add. I am not sure if the image is from the movie developed CGI or game based. I am guessing game based.

Time Magazine Bumblebee Pic

This has already been discussed before, but figured people would like to see the original photo of Bumblebee's face that appeared in Time. It helps as get to see even more detail in the face.
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Close-up of Bumblebee from Time

"Pimpticon" sent me the below pictures from current issue of Time magazine that shows a nice closeup of Bumblebee's face. I think the image in the magazine is of the full-scale model that was built, not the CGI version. Figure people would like getting a look at some of the details that went into it.

Transformers Producer Di Bonaventura Effects Update

Rotton Tomatoes has provided a brief update on the effects for Transformers from producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura. Right now everything is apparently on schedule and budget but plenty of work to do. I am thinking they will be working right up to deadline.

From the site:

"Transformers" Effects Progressing but Not Done
Posted by Scott Weinberg on Monday, Mar. 05, 2007, 12:34 AM

Ftopel writes: "As the release of the live action "Transformers" movie approaches, some web sites have been strategically shown footage. While reports have improved some skeptical notions, the work is not complete, says producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura.

"We were very proud of what we've seen so far of the movie and we thought it was time to show some people so the hardcore fan base could relax a little bit," he said. "They're not relaxing a lot but they've relaxed a little bit since we've put it out. It's a lot of fun. It's very true to these characters."

The filmmakers know it is a double edged sword of having a massive built-in audience, but a large number of equally difficult critics to please. "When anybody's passionate about something, you have a certain responsibility to try to deliver what drove their passion. What is great on "Transformers" is that people have made a lot of assumptions about what they're going to look like and they're all wrong because we haven't even seen 'em, so I don't know what they think they've seen. There isn't a single visual effects shot that's finished in the movie yet. So what's great is that it's going to keep getting better and better."

With the film on the books for this summer, there's still plenty of time to finish up. "This was planned. We're right on schedule. So far everything has moved really sensationally. We finished on time, on budget and our visual effects are coming in on schedule. They're just really complicated so they take a long time. We've seen the process so we've seen the evolution of a lot of the shots."

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Pics of CGI Version of Jazz

Superherohype.com has posted images of a series of "I Can Read!" books that show an image of Jazz including one with his famed visor. The pictures are oddly over-posed to the point of silly but at least gives an idea of what Jazz is going to look like.

Stealth Bomber; Megatron's Earth Mode?

IGN recently had a few articles about the upcoming Transformers: The Game that will be coming out around the time of the movie. The article describes an early look at the game and its various features. It also included an interesting note in regards to Megatron indicating that his earth mode is a stealth bomber which is the first I had heard this. Before the its was always described as a secret never seen military plane called "The Razor". The quote, emphasis mine:

Since the game is still in development we weren't able to enjoy any of the more vehicle-specific missions, such as air combat with Starscream and Megatron (who, by the way, is a stealth bomber if you aren't up to speed in the new Transformers) or rampage driving missions with Optimus, utilizing real transform and roll out action.

This is the first "official" confirmation on what Megatron's Earth Mode might be. Now keep in mind that its already known that Megatron would have a plane mode of some sort so its possible the game designers just created a temporary skin for testing and demoing purposes and will "correct" the skin closer to release time. (image source)

Fantastic Transformers Ironhide CGI Image

An amazing CGI image of Ironhide showed up along with Frenzy from Emerald Twilight on the TFW2005 boards. This is a Transformer I truly like as his entire design just looks fantastic and he has that bulk and strength that has always been inferred by the original G1 incarnation of Ironhide. While the G1 toy never had that bulk, I don't think that will be a problem with this movie version. Overall this is the best sneak peak pic released yet.

Another CGI Frenzy Pose

Another rendering of Frenzy has appeared online. Its a better shot that shows more detail then the previous image but still clueless on what that alt mode is. CD player or boombox are some readers guesses and they good as any others online. Thanks for the link Maximus.

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