Two Transformers Trailers for TV Hit The Web

IGN managed to score the new TV trailer for Transformers that actually revs me up for the movie more then the previously released teasers. The 30 spot is more of a series of images of the characters that show humans scared and robots running amok. More importantly it shows the beginning of Optimus Prime transforming, nearly the entire transformation of Frenzy from a more or a less a boombox, and few more angles of Blackout transforming.

The second trailer, called "Destiny", comes via the Sector Seven website (password: FWIFFO). Click the red hard drive in the top left hand corner and get the full transformation of Starscream and hints at Bumblebee's. In addition the site updated with another surveillance shot from a sewer area. Hi-res version of both trailers can be found here.

Hidden:
Destiny:

Update: If interested in screenshots from the two trailers, go here for Hidden and here for Destiny. Thanks to Scott of Internapse for getting the shots and letting me know.

Voyager Optimus Prime and Other Toy Pics

Via auctions and the usual means, images of various Transformers related toys have hit the internets once again. Some include the not bad looking version of Voyager Optimus Prime for those that don't want to spend $40 on the Leader version and the still butt ugly version of Starscream. Also for giggles, link to a gallery of the Nike Tranformers.

Voyager Optimus Prime Gallery 1
Voyager Optimus Prime Gallery 2
Voyager Starscream
Nike Transformers
Masterpiece Megatron

Keith David Is the Voice of Barricade

IGN has confirmed that Keith David has been cast as the voice of the Decepticon Barricade, the Ford Mustang police cruiser. To some, he is familiar as the voice of Spawn and Goliath in Gargoyles. Others might recognize him from the Chronicles of Riddick. Either way, the man has got a voice he can't help but recognize when you hear it even if don't know the name it goes to. Excellent news to me, as I am a fan of the man.

Sector Seven Update: New Password is FWIFFO

Thanks to the flash file on the new Transformers MySpace page, a new Sector Seven password has been revealed as FWIFFO (not case sensitive). This new passwords brings up an entirly different console with new icons, images and access.

Starting in the top left, there is a harddrive icon. Currently that can't be opened. To the right of that is five boxes, only the first on called "surveillance array 1" that shows someone;s lab. I guess this is from the Sector 7 facility working on Megatron. I like the cute "This laboratory has worked 52 days without a safety breach" sign. Currently the images are not showing anything except the set.

On the right of the screen is 3 external harddrive icons which currently don't open. Along the bottom are five new icons. The Triforce icon (for Zelda fans) shows the Sector 7 building schematics with only the first five floors viewable. The second icon brings up back to the email, only lots of new email. The third icon and 4th biohazard icon are not accessible. The yield icon brings up a new video.

There are now two email boxes for security. One is the "work stuff" box that contains the emails regarding the Agent X security breach and Hugo Weaving as Megs announcement. There is also a new email to Agent Powers that covers the discovery of a security breach using black-hats and root kits in addition to a backdoor password to Agent Snup's computer with concern there are other backdoor passwords. Currently Snup is in custody under suspicion of being an ally to Agent X by Agent Simmons.

In addition to the work stuff folder is now a "informants" folder that has close to 30 emails in it with various subjects (some matrix related it seems) but unknown senders. The one of significance seems to be "rabbit" who comes across as possibly Bumblebee. In an email from 3/1, reveals that N.B.E.'s name is Optimus Prime and "the world now divided into two factions, autobots and decepticons." Also he writes that Barricade being in Nevada with his "to enslave and punish" slogan. Finally he says that the decedent of Archibald Witwicky, Sam, needs to be detained as has the key to stop the Decepticons. Basically the email lays out the entire plot of the movie.

Another email reveals that NBE One is named Megatron and must remain contained. An email from "Daniel" on 3/15 speaks of Starscream, "I have been in the service of key individuals in Los Angeles to portray his vocal qualities in video game form and my voice will be transmitted all over the world this summer." A hint to the identity of who will voice Starscream perhaps? Other emails are claims of having more information, warnings, simply blank, or saying that weapons research should continue to protect humanity.

The new video is a quad screen view of Dr. Howard as she tries to send a message to Optimus Prime on her laptop with security stopping her dated 3/26/07. One box is an over the shoulder view that shows her working on her laptop. Two others shows a close-up on her mouth and eyes with text indicating detection of high stress levels and the computer apparently detecting her attempt to communicate with the last box relaying text showing how its trying to stop the attempt. Overall, for a short video, lot of stuff thrown on the screen.

To summarize, the game continues with Sector Seven informants providing a more complete picture of the players involved in the Transformers threat. Sector 7 sees the TFs as a danger and makes no distinction between the factions while Dr. Howard and allies do.

Update: Apparently the "Informants" mailbox is composed of emails sent by Transfans to video game related email addresses (not sure where they got them from). If true, makes you wonder how they will incorporate this into the Sector 7 story.

Transformers Invade MySpace

Transformers now have a Myspace page. From what I can tell there isn't much content yet but damn if they don't have a crapload of "friends." The site currently is just a flash file that merges the posters of Optimus Prime and Megatron and gives you the option to choose if your an Autobot or Decepticon and leave comments for each faction. More importantly, when the flash loads, on the left side you can see the reveal of a new Sector Seven password: FWIFFO.

The myspace page is here.

Thanks to Selective, Lionel and Boris for bringing this info to my attention.

USA Today Transformers Article

As AICN news mentioned last night with its reveal of the new Transformers posters, USA Today has an article online and one assumes in the printed paper about the movie. Alex Kurtzman claims that Optimus Prime was modeled after King Arthur and more importantly provides the independent collaboration to definitively verify what we already knew, that Hugo Weaving would be the voice of Megatron.

The article:

'Transformers': Good knight vs. bad
By Anthony Breznican, USA TODAY

The writers of the new Transformers movie thought of the shape-shifting robot characters as giant, mechanical knights.
So it's fitting the first images of Optimus Prime and Megatron — the posters go online Wednesday — reveal armor and faceplates that look medieval by way of Star Wars.

"We always modeled Optimus Prime after King Arthur," says Alex Kurtzman, who co-wrote the film with Roberto Orci. "His design (from the '80s toys and cartoon) was so iconic we couldn't make too many changes."

Transformers opens July 4, a release date generally set aside for movies expected to be summer blockbusters.

Kurtzman and Orci worked on TV's Alias, Mission: Impossible III and the upcoming Star Trek remake directed by J.J. Abrams.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Paramount Pictures Transformers
While doing an uncredited rewrite on Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds, the director, who is executive producer of Transformers, talked them into crafting the script for the warring-robots adventure by Michael Bay.

The writers said the concept of alien robots who are able to change into ordinary-looking Earth vehicles was an intriguing premise. A darker parallel to contemporary times: The robots destroyed their home planet in a war over energy.

"The Transformers as a race are sentient emotional beings, and they share our characteristics," Orci says. "They arrived on our planet when we face similar kinds of wars and are able to say, 'We are not that different from the humans.' "

Prime (voiced in the movie by original cartoon actor Peter Cullen) is the leader of the Autobots, protector robots from the alien planet Cybertron, where mechanisms evolved into living beings.

On Earth, Prime changes from a robot into a thundering big rig to disguise his identity. The smooth curves of his red, white and blue façade suggest a kind of solid comfort.

In contrast, his nemesis Megatron — a fascist politician on his home world whose motto was "Peace through tyranny" — has a jagged, colorless metal face with a covering that suggests the exposed jaw of a skull or insectlike pincers.

The Matrix's Hugo Weaving will voice Megatron.

"He's very dangerous-looking," says Kurtzman, noting the character had a more humanoid face in the cartoon.

The writers don't want to reveal yet what machine Megatron becomes.

But the gun that Megatron used to transform into had to go. Says Orci, "That would be the equivalent of Darth Vader turning into his own lightsaber and someone else swinging him around."

New Transformers Posters

Its look like the Hugo Weaving Megatron announcement has more or less become the mark of the beginning of the official advertising push for Transformers. With a budget of $150 million for the film, it wouldn't suprise me in the least if the advertising budget is around $40-50 million. With this renewed push comes the next posters for the movie, each a gigantic and detailed shot of Optimus and Megatron's heads. AICN got the one-sheets a day before they show up in USA Today. Suffice it to say they look good and for the Optimus fans notice the mouth shield.

I merged the two posters just for giggles and despite my best efforts, it doesn't appear the backgrounds are shared 100%. Its possible there is a third poster to be released later that could fill out the middle to create a continuous background but doubtful.

Sector Seven Site: More Information Revealed

Thanks to Shawn H. for pointing new information that was discovered in regards to the Sector Seven website. He decided to look over an older email, the one before the Hugo Weaving reveal, in regards to Agent X.

From the email, he noticed a curious phrase "This ws a dangerous time for us. We do not want to go back to the Ebucehtd Nif scenario." He also noticed that the email is indicated to come from Agent Powers but try to reply and it goes to Dr. Howard.

So from this, he realized that there existed a website ebucehtdnif.ws. Also that the phrase is "Find the cube" backwards. Going to the site brings a blank page but look carefully and you will find a tiny Sector Seven cube logo. Find the cube 7 times and it will bring you a page that reveals The Seven, the original founders of the Sector Seven organization and an email address 317526-AE0@sectorseven.org, an address that is clickable which makes me think that sending a correct word or phrase in the subject will initiate a automatic response that will reveal more information. Shawn proposes the initials of the Seven names might be important.

From find the cube site:
The First Seven hid the past to protect the future.
Stanford Julius Morehouse
Edgar Thibedeau Westfield
Neville Octavian Brewster
Percy Emerson Whitting
Wallace Wilson Clairmont
Alistair Jennings Crowther
Vance Milhaus Lawson

The site also has an interesting sound file that plays on the 6th cube, at least sometimes. The clicks and whatnot I think are a hint for those that keep up with space missions so that may indicate why it might sound familiar even if doesn't make sense. Well, if click here, you can hear the sound file in reverse. Its says "Houston uh Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed...." This is from the 1969 first landing on the moon with Neil Armstrong. The relevance of this sound file to the entire story is not known.

The hide the past is referring to hiding the discovery of Megatron. I did send a test email with the phrase "The Seven" in the subject, but no response received. I am also thinking that sending these emails will help them add entries to their database so can send you future info from "Agent X" and other advertisements once the Transformers campaign ends, so just be aware of that possibility. For giggles I tried a Google search on the above names but only other TF sites came up.

In addition to all of the above, it turns out that "Agent X" has a podcast. To subscribe to it via iTunes, click here. To find using other podcasts tools, the name of the cast seems to be "Sector 7 must be stopped". Now if that phrase makes you automatically want to complete it with "no matter the cost." a) You are a true transfan and b) it may be intentional. Its possible that "Agent X" is Optimus Prime since playing around with the pitch in the 4 currently released podcasts sure do sound like him.

Click here to go to a website that has the four podcasts along with the alterations in pitch. I also agree that sounds like Peter Cullen not quite doing the Optimus Prime voice.

As for the podcasts, the first 3 are more just warnings that the Decepticons are coming and Sector Seven is hiding this preventing the human race from being ready. The most recent cast X4 is interesting as it describes a leak in 1982 thats leads to the Transformers toy line and ends with "look to Takara, it is truth masquerading as fiction." Takara is the Japanese toy company that original created the Transformers and continues to release the toys there today in partnership with Hasbro.

There you go, turns out the Sector Seven mystery is deeper and more spread out then thought. Should be an interesting search on the net to find out more information including the importance of the First Seven and the moon landings in the over movie Transformers story.

In regards to the intials bit they are SJMETWNOBPEWWWCAJCVML. Notice that the current Sector Seven password NBETWO is part of the collection as is "www" and "seven". This makes me think its possibly an anagram for a website.

Update: Based on a review of the prequel novel "Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday", it appears that the significance of the '69 Moon Landing recording on the cube site is related to it being a cover for a Sector Seven launch of Ghost I spacecraft, designed from technology developed from "the Megaman" (Megatron) with the mission to find the Transformers.

Hugo Weaving Is The Voice of Megatron

According to a new email posted on the Sector Seven website, Hugo Weaving has been cast as the voice of Decepticon Leader Megatron. Considering the site is an official arm of the Transformers advertising campaign, its sounds pretty darn official. Also AICN has confirmed the news. To get to the email, go to Sector 7, use password NBETWO, and then click the scorpion icon at the bottom.

The email text:

Operation Hungry Dragon 2 continues. As of today agent H. Weaving has officially convinced S.S., M.B., R.D and A.K. to oversee the Megaman issue. The recording will commence immediately.

All the years of investment into Agent Weavings public persona have finally paid off. We will monitor the campaign from the inside and report on its progress free from suspicion.

By this summer, the population will think N.B.E.'s are nothing more then figments of an overactive imagination.

Our power lies in our secrecy.

So to analyze the email. H. Weaving is Hugo Weaving. S.S. is Steven Spielberg, M.B. is Michael Bay, R.O. is Roberto Orci, and A.K. is Alex Kurtzman. Megaman is reference used on the Sector 7 site to reference the "captured" Megatron, who is still in stasis lock. Of course recording is referring to getting his voice for Megs.

I can't say I am 100% happy with choice, but as a fan of Hugo Weaving, can't say I upset by it either. With his credentials from the Matrix and Lord of the Rings trilogy among others, he is definitely has the chops for the role without a doubt. Besides with the probably heavy sound work that will be done to his voice to give it a dangerous and alien sound, I having a feeling that it will work out and the original voice will only be one aspect of the whole. Its still kind of sad though to not see a Frank Welker / Peter Cullen team-up 20 years later though.

Maybe, tossing this out as a suggestion, since Frank is not the voice of Megatron for the official release of the movie, wouldn't it be interesting to record him as an alternate track as a goodie for the DVD release?

Michael Bay: 102 Days update

Michael Bay has posted on his blog with a brief update on the state of the movie:

Almost a 100 days left. I guess I should start posting every week? I've been working my ass off - the cut is really coming along -the shots ---awesome. Some of the most difficult renders in ILM history. Sometimes up to 38 hours per frame. The Show West thing was fun to see the scenes play in a 1000 person house. But they just saw 25 minutes so it is hard to feel engaged because they are not seeing the full run of a movie. Harry called me to tell me how he loved it. I see all the dickwad talk back people who claim they have read a finished script. Impossible - I kept the only draft for the last two months before shooting. That's where did major retooling to the script - yes the scene beats are similar but a very different script. We are still writing the robot voices. They talk about just 20 minutes of action at the end - yeah right. This is by far the most action I have ever put into a movie - I have 12 huge set pieces. Boy I get tired of these lame cry babies on the net.

BAY

With ILM and Bay on the film I am not doubting it will look good. Just not sure about the "does it entertain" question. Only one way to find out though and I am looking forward to it. As far as the script, so far all the released information aligns up nearly perfectly with the leaked script. Of course this is in regards to major set pieces and the like not the actual words which can change at any time even up to the release date due to the wonders of voice over.

Random Stuff

Slow news week, figure post about a few things that readers sent my way. One of them was sent by Brian F. in regards to costumes that tranform. Worth watching, there are a total of 10 videos, one of which is below. The rest can be found here.


A bit of info passed by "Dave" from the March issue of "Total Film" has an interview with Shia LeBeouf regarding Soundwave.
Q: What are the Transformers like?
A: Man the magic is there. It’s like a f**king wizard put this sh*t together. They built a small robot that transforms out of a cell phone- and the sh*t really does it. It really moves. They control it. You’ll see. He’s called Soundwave.

Q: Can you describe a day on set?
A: Mike would say. “All right, this chopper is gonna fall right here, this persons going to be lit on fire running down the street, were going to have a huge f**king blast right here, the street’s going to fall out right here, this building’s going to fall, you guy’s are going to do a little bit of acting, then we’re going to blow this sh*t here…”

Q: So is there any story?
A: Mike didn’t dumb it up – there’s much more sh*t they wont let me tell you. It’s gonna be sick man….

I think Shia has his info confused. The cell phone isn't Soundwave and I doubt its Soundbyte. More then likely its one of the "Real Gear" toys and part of a scene where the Allspark brings to life a couple of Earth based electronic gear.

Thanks for the info and hopefully soon the advertising blitz will begin providing lots of information to post about. Of course, more then likely most of it will be a retread of the Los Angeles shoot press day, but still. Sadly no news on the final trailer but I am still going with Spider-Man 3 as the date.

Transformers The Video Game Interview

SuperheroHype.com has posted an interview with Activision executive producer Daniel Suarez regarding the upcoming TF games coming out for pretty much all the systems and PC.

Most of the info is the same as previously released info regarding the 360. The same info also covered in the PS3 preview can find here. Somewhat new info, or at least now confirmed:
- The playable characters will range in size from 12-30 feet.
- Each will have unique set of weapons, moves and abilities.
- 9 confirmed playable with "handful" of unlockable characters (me thinks unlockable like Optimus Prime becomes Ultra Magnus, Starscream to Thundercracker, ie skin color changes)
- Game will implement ILM character models from the film.
- Not using movie footage but in-game and CG cinematics
- Confirmed fully destructible environments and Autobot and Decepticon campaigns
- Traveller's Tales (Star Wars Lego) is doing the console and PC version of the games
- Vicarious Visions is doing the two Nintendo DS games, one Autobots and one Decepticons. Based off of the console games, so sounds like one game for each faction campaign.
- Savage Entertainment (Star Wars Battlefronts) is doing the PSP version which will include additional bonus characters then the console versions (similar to Marvel Ultimate Alliance sounds like).
- "Careful to pick a variety of well known characters and even some unique repaints that will appeal to all the Gen 1 Transformers fans out there."
- For fans of the TV series, comics, and other TF related stuff, tried to add characters, locations, etc such as city street names that fans may recognize.
- Unlockables will be based on various iterations of Transformers on TV.

Full interview here.

Even More Frozen Megatron Toy Pics

Lots more of the Voyager class Frozen Megatron figure can be found here for the curious. The robot mode, eh not bad. The vehicle mode, gag me. Its more silly looking then threatening.

Transformers CGI Design Sheets Megapost

TFW2005 found eBay seller "antear" has posted many auctions that covers pretty much every Transformers that will show up in the upcoming movie. It also includes to movie stills. If look at some of the designs, the names have changed a little such as Brawl and Barricade indicating these sheets are from last year pre-production plans, but the overall designs seem to match pretty closely recent pictures of some of the Transformers, especially the toy designs. It makes me think that these are the either the final designs or just a version away from being them. Sorry for the size but I guess the eBay seller wanted to make sure people would buy them.

This is a long post with many pictures some of which are repeats from previous posts. I am going to start with what is the best of the lot in my opinion, and whoever is putting the next trailer together, a sequence with this kind of image needs to be in the trailer. It helps to drive home that we are going to be watching a live action Transformers movie.

Megatron





Barricade




Blackout




Bonecrusher


Brawl

Bumblebee


Ironhide



Jazz


Optimus Prime


Ratchet




Scorponok


Soundbyte

Starscream

Transformers The Video Games First Impressions

Gamespot.com has posted an article that covers their first impression of the XBox 360 version of Transformers The Video Games which is based on the movie.

The highlights:
- 9 Transformers in total to control, with choice of which faction will play as.
- For the Autobots: Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Jazz and Ironhide.
- For the Decepticons: Megatron, Starscream, Blackout, Scorponok, and Barricade
- No human characters will be in the game.
- Its a combo of third-person action, driving and flying in 7 different environments.
- So far just a city and desert environment confirmed but some will be "treats" for TF fans.
- Everything will be destructible with many elements usable as weapons. Also robots can climb building etc.
- The demo played was the opening city location, tutorials and Bumblebee play.
- Morality system in game, with Decepticons going for destruction and Autobots scored by good deeds.
- Also have a "wanted" system where havoc caused is related to how much effort human forces will be used to stop the TFs. Sector 7 is greatest threat on that scale.
- Secret Transformers (who not mentioned) will be in the game, no indication if will be playable.
- One button tranformations at anytime.
- Peter Cullen, as Optimus Prime, has contributed to the game. No indication if other actors will once cast.
- The game will cater to original G1 fans in some form.
- Ultimately the game will get released on the 360, Playstation 3, Playstation 2, and PCs.

Transformers Cast Press Pics

TFW2005 once again. This time 11 pics of the cast in poses from the heroic to the sexual. This is probably the first real look at the female cast members of this movie Rachael Taylor and Megan Fox. Also get a closeup of a dirty Shia and Josh Duhamel. Also one nice something go boom pic.












Update: Thanks to a site for another link to more press stills. Some are repeats of above but some are new.