Bonaventura Talks TF3 in 3D, Mythology

Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura spoke with MTV about Transformers 3 in 3-D and Transformer mythology. There was also a little talk of the "feud" between Megan Fox and Michael Bay which basically came down to "much ado about nothing." The full interview is here, highlights below.

MTV: So there's been talk about shooting "Transformers 3" in 3-D or converting it after the fact. Where are you at in terms of that discussion with Bay and Paramount?
Lorenzo di Bonaventura: We're literally in the middle of that. There's no definitive answer. I think the answer is that as James Cameron, who had plenty and plenty of time to do it, even he converted some of it [edit: first we're hearing that "Avatar" had 3-D converted elements!]. So I think the answer is that, as with most movies, you're going to do some kind of combination if you end up doing it. I'm sure 3-D cameras are going to get lighter and more manageable and all the things that get in the way right now. Over time, that may change. But I think in the near and medium term, most movies will do a combination when and if they do it.

MTV: We've been hearing a lot about the third film's return to the core mythology.
di Bonaventura: I didn't think we veered away from the mythology in the second one. We stay pretty close to mythology in general, sometimes we add to it, as we did on the first and the second one. In second one, we're dealing with the matrix of leadership, a very clear mythological component. The Fallen is one of the original 13 Transformers. We were sticking fairly close to the mythology. We are going to continue to explore the past in the third one and that will continue to inform the present. I think it's pretty much the same thing we did on the first two: you try to get as close as you can to the lore and sometimes you run into pieces where there's not enough information to make a judgment, so you make your own call. That's a necessary component. By and large, the fans have accepted and embraced what we've been doing.

If the schedule will allow it, I am pretty confident that Paramount will go for a 3D conversion of the film even without Bay's blessing. I don't think the 3-D market has proven itself but the temptation of an additional $5 per ticket for what is a relatively inexpensive process (compared to the overall cost of a movie) is too tempting for the studio to pass on. I am sure they already have visions of "Transformers 3 in IMAX 3-D!".

Transformers Linkfest

Del Ray Official Announces Transformers: Exodus
The publisher has officially announced the release of Transformers: Exodus, subtitled "The Official History of the War for Cybertron" which is a tie in book to the video game. Both the hardcover book and game are being released on June 22, 2010. The novel, which like W4C, is being treated as canon by Hasbro, will tell the origin of the Transformers civil war and the rise of Megatron and Optimus in their leadership roles. Click the link above if interested in the full press release.

Alex Kurtzman Comments on Transformers: Prime
In an article from Broadcasting & Cable, Hasbro Studios president Stephen Davis spoke about their approach to building The Hub channel. As part of that Kurtzman commented on his and Roberto Orci's involvement with the Transformers: Prime cartoon, '"There is a stigma about things being done by committee creatively, but there is so much to be done, so much of a well to draw from.” Everyone feels protected to do their best work because the message from the top down is that you’re supported in your vision.” Kurtzman adds that he and Orci would “like to work with [Davis] forever.”' So the complete lack of any meaningful information is why stuck this here instead of a separate post. Click the link above if interested in the whole article.

Official War for Cybertron Covers
In case you missed it when the official website first posted them early this month, Activision has officially released the covers to each of the versions of War for Cybertron including officially confirming that the Wii version is being called Transformers: Cybertron Adventures.

Mark Ryan Appearing at TFcon 2010
Mark Ryan will be at the TFcon 2010 which will be held in Toronto, Canada from July 17th-18th. Ryan is the voice of Bumblebee and Jetfire in the movies. He is highly likely to reprise the role for Transformers 3. I wonder if he will be doing the on-set Transformers voices like he did in the first two films and will he drop a few spoilers.

Recon Ravage Shipping
For those that participated in the NEST Global Alliance mail away offer for Recon Ravage, you will be happy to know that the toy started shipping. Click the link to view the NEST specific packaging and letter (from Optimus Prime) that arrives with the toy.

Disney Label Monocolor Buzz Lightyear
Click the link for a gallery of images of the black and white version of Buzz Lightyear that transforms in to shuttle. This B&W scheme is a continuation of what was done for Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse Transformers. I think this and the color version of this Japan exclusive is coming out in June.

Barricade and Warpath Join the War for Cybertron

The official website for Transformers: War for Cybertron has added two new Transformers to the character roll call with Barricade and Warpath. Even better, we all get em as they are not a pre-order special. Both show their Generation One inspiration but with the Cybertronian twist. Warpath especially is showing a much improved tank mode. The game is still two months out so no telling what additional Transformers will be joining the game.

Robert Paul Taylor in Transformers 3?

Transformers 3 may have a new cast member in the form of Robert Paul Taylor who has tweeted twice in the last couple of days that he has been cast in Transformers 3. In his first tweet from April 26th he wrote, "TRANSFORMERS 3!! I just got the call!!!! Top Secret Desert Location! Oh I'm loving this..." which was followed today with "Canceling Cancun vacation to work Transformers 3."

I have no idea who this actor is but checking his IMDB.com profile, he is 33 years old, performed mostly in commercials and had brief walk-on roles in various TV shows and a few movies. That doesn't mean he may not have a larger role in TF3. Michael Bay does like to find undiscovered talent so really the sky is limit on speculation on what this actor was cast to do. The desert location could have something to do with scenes shot in Africa but really no telling. As usual time will tell. Thanks to Christopher for the link.

Transformers 3's Independence Day in Chicago

Reel Chicago is reporting that Transformers 3 production will spend seven weeks in Chicago, Illnois starting on July 4th. The article also confirms previous reports that production would make use of the "Magnificent Mile" on Michigan Avenue in the city and "throughout the Loop." Starting May 10th, TF3 production will begin working out of the Chicago Film Studios which was also home base when the city was being scouted back in January.

Chicago Film Office director Rich Moskal calls the upcoming big-budget shoot “a blockbuster in every sense of the word; in terms of economic impact, stunts and special effects.”

In a sit-down with the producers last winter, Mayor Daley was agreeable to their city location requests “as he saw the multiple value in this big movie shooting here,” says Moskal. They will shoot along Michigan Avenue and throughout the Loop.

The plans to spend almost two months in the city indicates it will be a key focal point for much of the movie. Even more interesting is it seems that where the two previous films spent much of their time in the desert, this one might have most of its action be based in the city. I wonder if Chicago will remain Chicago in the film or be given a different name. (via SuperHeroHype)

Todd Human Character in TF3

Tony Todd hinted he was cast in Transformers 3, only this the role is a human character rather than voicing another Transformer (or reprising The Fallen). Sadly no more details were revealed. This is the second time Todd has come up as a cast member for the movie and again no direct quote so while I think this is pretty much confirmed, it still sits in the rumor category. This information came via "Heroshino" while he was attending The Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. Todd appears at some conventions due to his rather extensive sci-fi resume for roles such as Kurn (Worf's brother) in Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Candyman, and a whole lot more. As a fan of the actor, I just hope the role is more then a quick cameo. Thanks to Christopher for the link.

Transformers Ongoing #6 Preview

The next issue of Transformers Ongoing will hit comic book stores this Wednesday. This sixth issue continues the story of the fragmented and essentially leader-less Autobots as they must stop an attack by Menasor. All three covers and the first five pages of the issue can be found at Comixlogy.

W4C: Best Buy Exclusive Jazz

Amazon and Gamespot already have their own exclusive characters for Transformers: War for Cybertron and now so does Best Buy with Jazz. The trailer below shows of the character in action and the result is very Generation One. It seems it’s going to get harder and harder to decide the best place to pre-order your copy. This makes me wonder if Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and Target might have their own exclusive announcements soon. I think Activision needs to get all the info out on the exclusives so that people can make an informed decision on where to buy their copy of the game.

Transformers 3 in Guam (Updated)

From ComicBookMovie.com is news from an US Airman ("supershaggy") that Transformers 3 production will be visiting the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.

We all know how much Michael Bay loves to use the military in his movies and Transformers 3 will be no different. But this time he is coming to Guam and Andersen AFB. I'm an Airman in the worlds greatest air, space and cyberspace force on Guam. I received an email stating that Dreamworks is looking for 20 airmen from Andersen to be extras.

That is all the info provided so no indications on when the shoot could occur or for what scenes. Since production is heaving overseas to Africa, Moscow and China, a stop in Guam isn't out of the question. Thanks to Katie for the link.

Update: Andersen Air Force Base has responded to the rumor of a visit from TF3 production. “It’s just a rumor,” said Andersen spokesman Tech. Sergeant Mike Andriacco. That was quick response and probably a bit of a drag for any Transfans in Guam. Best get used to it, with production about to start the rumors are going to be flying fast and loose.

Transformers Linkfest

Time for another installment of Transformers related stuff from the last week.

Transformers: Cyber Missions Trailer
TG Studios released a trailer that shows off their online version of the 13 episode CGI series for Hasbro. This isn't related to TF: Prime (to our knowledge) but more or less a continuation of the Transformers movie-verse to help promote the NEST Global Alliance toy line. The episodes look very much like Beast Wars Season One with overall lack of environment details but to be fair to TG Studios, the more details means the more work in design and rendering which means the higher the costs to Hasbro. You get a budget; you usually have to stick with it. If interested in watching the episodes, you can find them at Transformers.com under the "Play" section. Thanks to Kaly and Katie for the links.


Transformers: Prime Trademarked
Click the link for details but basically this seems to all but confirm that the next cartoon and toy line from Hasbro will be named TF: Prime. I suspect that Hasbro will officially announce the name and line at Botcon this summer.

Airachinid Joins Transformers: Prime
Speaking of the new cartoon, S250 (who leaks lots of toy images), tweeted "just heard some rumor about Giant character of coming transformers series...something like giant arachnida and dinosaur" The name "Airachinid" may just be a mistranslation. Almost sounds like Blackarachnia may once again return to TF lore.

Digitalscape Working TF: Prime
Yep, another piece of TF: Prime news. The company is a Japanese consulting company that is seeking 40 people to help create graphics for the cartoon. Since the company specializes in digital, not animated creations, this might be the first real proof that the next cartoon will not in the anime style from the last decade or so.

Optimus Prime, Balloon Animal
Someone with a lot of love or way too much time created the G1 Optimus Prime from balloons over the course of 28 hours. The final result stands seven feet tall with points of articulation and his weapon. Seems silly but it is pretty impressive once you get a look at the video. (via Gizmodo)


Megatron, Balloon Animal
Yep, same idea, same creator, but this time the G1 version out of balloon animals. Final result is six feet tall, made up of 300 balloons. Megs was entered into a balloon contest, sadly he lost to a rabbit.

LaBeouf Return for Transformers 3 "Hard"

It seems that Shia LaBeouf is not all that excited about returning to the role as Sam, as least going by an article at FemaleFirst, which references an interview with Total Film that I was unable to find.

Speaking to Total Film LaBeouf said: “Yes, for sure. But Transformers is a very different movie for a very different crowd.

“My mind battles with me all the time. My mind hates the fact that I’m going back to transformers 3, but the kid in me loves it. The actor in me, who is looking to challenge himself, isn’t going to get it on in Transformers and I know that.

“But that doesn’t mean that I’m any less dedicated to that movie being perfect. I wasn’t happy with the second movie and unless the third one is better than both, then we failed.”

This is something similar to what Megan Fox has been saying for years. Normally such talk might be cause of concern about an actor’s commitment to a movie, but I think he has more than earned any removal of doubt when he continued to work on Revenge of the Fallen despite a severe hand injury even though he "hated it" and found it confusing. Thanks to Katie for the link.

W4C: Shockwave and Demolisher Trailers

As part of the pre-order campaign for Transformers: War for Cybertron, Gamestop and Amazon have added trailers to show off each of their exclusive characters. Gamestop's is Shockwave (jet alt mode) while Amazon's is Demolisher (tank alt mode) and I believe both are limited to multi-player only. The videos are below or to view go to Gamestop and click the "Bonus Details" link in the Bonus description box. Amazon has their video along with other trailers. I have no idea if other exclusive characters are in the works. If so, Activision needs to announce something very soon as I wouldn't mind maybe pulling the trigger on ordering (for Shockwave of course) but I will be PO'ed if a better exclusive pops up closer to the June 22nd release date. Thanks to Christopher and Kaly for the links.

War For Cybertron Ironhide and Skywarp

Activision has revealed two new characters from Transformers: War for Cybertron on the official website. For the Decepticons, Skywarp joins the crew with his cloak and dash abilities. Meanwhile, Ironhide is ready to help the Autobots with Whirlwind and Dash. If their designs look familiar, it should as they continue the G1 tradition of being repaints of their counterparts, in this case Ratchet and Starscream. This makes me think that Cliffjumper will soon be revealed as a character.

IDW July Transformers Comics

IDW Publishing has released their publishing plans for July. The month will bring three Transformers comic books and two trades. If you are interested in the books, just let your local comic book store know. For the full details of IDW's TF and other books including GI Joe, Star Trek, True Blood and more click here.

Transformers #9
Mike Costa (w) • Guido Guidi (a) • Don Figueroa, Guidi (c)
“International Incident,” Part 1: After MEGATRON left Earth three years ago, DECEPTICONS all over the globe were left stranded and leaderless. It was only a matter of time before an insane international despot assembled a bunch of them together to serve as a living Weapon of Mass Destruction, setting off the most action-packed TRANSFORMERS storyline in years, with art by fan-favorite Guido Guidi.
* 2 regular covers will be shipped in a 1-to-1 ratio. • FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Transformers: Ironhide #3
Mike Costa (w) • Casey Coller (a) • Marcelo Matere, Coller (c)
He's been stranded on a deserted Cybertron, but IRONHIDE is about to meet the only two other functioning AUTOBOTS on the planet. One is an old friend in dire need of help, and the other is a legendary character making his IDW debut. Mike Costa and Casey Coller reveal why exactly IRONHIDE—and his death—were so important to the future of Cybertron.
* 2 regular covers will be shipped in a 1-to-1 ratio. • FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Transformers: Nefarious #5
Simon Furman (w) • Carlos Magno (a) • Brian Rood, Magno (c)
The full scope and scale of The Initiative’s grand plan—some eighty years in the making—is revealed, and the pooling of AUTOBOT and DECEPTICON forces may just be too little too late. Armed with his very own Allspark, Carter Newell has nothing less than total annihilation on his mind!
* 2 regular covers will be shipped in a 1-to-1 ratio. • FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Classic Transformers, Vol. 6
Simon Furman, Bob Budiansky, Ralph Macchio (w) • Andrew Wildman, Geoff Senior, Frank Springer, Don Perlin (a)
This volume of Classic Transformers concludes the original continuity, with issues #75–80! Also included is the four-part Headmasters story written by Bob Budiansky, and the original three-part Transformers Movie Adaptation written by Ralph Macchio.
TPB • FC • $19.99 • 364 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-672-9

Transformers: Bumblebee
Zander Cannon (w) • Chee (a) • Chee (c)
IDW presents the first-ever BUMBLEBEE solo tale, written by Zander Cannon (Top Ten). BUMBLEBEE finds himself leading a group that believes him to be unprepared for the job. An opportunity to radically improve the AUTOBOTS reputation arises and he accepts, despite his reservations, embarking on a clandestine mission for the human military to find and disable all remaining rogue robots.
TPB • FC • 17.99 • 112 Pages • ISBN: 978-1-60010-702-3

Prowl and Wreckers #4 Preview

Today is new comics day and IDW has two Transformers comics hitting stands. One is Transformers Spotlight: Prowl and the other is Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers #4. The covers and first five pages of each issue can be found here.

Transformers Spotlight: Prowl
Written by Mike Costa with art by E.J. Su and cover by Nick Roche and Su.
The end of the war between Autobots and Decepticons had profound changes throughout the ranks, even for the coldly logical PROWL. Learn of his change of heart and its impact on his actions in the ongoing series.
32pg. Color $3.99 US

Transformers: The Last Stand of the Wreckers #4
Written by Nick Roche and James Roberts with art by Nick Roche and cover by Trevor Hutchison and Roche
The WRECKERS have found Aequitas, and things have suddenly become a whole lot more complicated! As the AUTOBOTS’ special ops team stands on the brink of dissolution as the fatalities mount, PERCEPTOR realizes that drastic action is called for—but having come this far, who among his teammates is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice?
32pg. Color $3.99 US

Malkovich, Bonaventura Talk Joining Transformers 3

Transformers 3 Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura and newly hired star John Malkovich speak briefly with a few websites about Malkovich's interest in joining the cast while providing a few hints on his role in Transformers 3.

From Coming Soon:

Q: On a film like "Transformers 3," do you find yourself having to explain a lot about what you're doing to the director and studio or are you given free reign?
Lorenzo di Bonaventura: Not with Bay, you know? With Bay, no not too much there either. Bay is such a general that it moves at his pace. The first movie we had to explain a lot of why we wanted to spend this, what was going on… dah dah dah, but most movies in my experience and in most studios they're all running in a difficult time right now and they're concerned about their careers and concerned about the results. I grew up in the Warner Brothers system and our philosophy was once we made our bet, which meant it's up to the filmmakers to deliver it. So it wasn't a particularly intrusive system after once it made its bet. You had to pass a lot of hurdles to get to the go, but once you got there it was like, alright we're here. We've placed our bet and our philosophy at Warner's was you can't direct the movie if you're an executive and you can't write the movie and you can't act the movie, so you know, unless they're going sideways what can you do? It's up to them to elevate it.

Q: And what is {John Malkovich's] role in that?
Di Bonaventura: You know we don't talk a lot about that script, but he's going to have a lot of interaction with Shia in that movie. And he's got a really fun character. And he's going to bring a really interesting spin to that franchise so it's going to be great.

From Latino Review:

How did you get involved with the new Transformers movie?
Malkovich: I spoke with him last week. Lorenzo and Mark and Summit are producing. They approached me about it. I’d see the first one, which I liked and thought it was funny. I like working with them very much. They’re very good producers, they’re very hands-on, always around, really get their hands dirty which is not so normal.

From IGN:

"I was never a fanatical movie person," [John Malkovich] told us. "There are many popular films I love like anyone else. Having said that, I'm not someone… I don't have time to go to the movies very much. I work [on] a lot of different things; I'm always busy. But I'm always happy to see a popular movie. … I'd seen the first [Transformers], which I liked and thought it was funny."

Information wise, not a whole lot of information. I get the sneaking suspicion that John's role is like Rainn Wilson's in the Revenge of the Fallen, essentially a cameo appearance to provide a few moments of levity.

Bumblebee To Become a Convertible in TF3?

A new rumor has appeared on the Camaro5 Message Boards suggesting that Bumblebee might become a convertible for Transformers 3. tmurphycardesign writes:

as ive mentioned before im a designer in cadillac, and today i had to make a run downstairs to the shops, and what do i see..the transformers 3 bumblebee...and i gotta say it looks pretty badass! i think u guys are gonna be really excited when u see it! i guess were shipping it out real soon because they are goin to be shooting it within a week or so..either way it looks real good

The reason for the belief that a convertible is in the cards is due to GM's tease of the 2011 Chevy Camaro Convertible. It would not be much of a leap to provide Bumblebee with that mode considering they are already tweaking his design for the 2011 film. Bumblebee looking like the 2011 Chevy in time for it to hit car lots means a lot of potential sales to GM, something they still desperately need. The idea is also supported by the Transformers: ROTF Autobot scale guide that indicates a 2008 Chevy Camaro Convertible was considered as an alt mode. Hopefully once TF3 filming officially starts in a month or so we will get confirmation of this rumor. Thanks to Christopher for all the links.

W4C: Two New TFs, Voice Cast Rumor Denied

A little bit of new news regarding Transformers: War for Cybertron video game with Activision responding to the voice casting rumor and the reveal of two new playable characters.

While Activision continues to refuse to reveal the entire voice cast of War for Cybertron, it does seem content with shooting down any wayward internet rumors that pop up regarding the topic. In a recent message to TFormers, the company wrote:

Just a heads-up that the IMDB voice actor news you may have heard about is once again inaccurate. Please remove posts about Thundercracker/Skywarp/Ratchet voice actors, as they are not true. There appears to be a random IMDB user with wrong info out there!

That would indicate that John C. McGinley, Crispin Freeman, and Travis Willingham are not involved with the project. Probably just an oversight, but Soundwave (Jeff Bennett) is not mentioned. No idea when or even if Activision plans on providing more details about who they are using for this reboot of origins of the Transformers' civil war.

For the other piece of W4C news, the official website's character profile page has two new additions with the gestalt’s being represented with Air Raid (an Aerialbot) and Breakdown (a Stunticon). I doubt these additions mean combiners will be part of the game, so don't get your hopes up. I don't know if these two characters are playable in single and multiplayer mode or limited to one mode only. (via Kotaku)

War for Cybertron Multiplayer Modes, Voice Casting Rumor

The new issue of Game Informer has hit stands and in it is a preview of Transformers: War for Cybertron that provides a few more bits of info about the multiplayer mode of the game that wasn't hinted at in the recent trailer.

A new multi-player mode revealed is called "Code of Power". In the mode "teams fight for two and a half minutes in the attempt to obtain a large melee weapon for their group." As the trailer showed, you can build custom transformers based on four core classes of scout (car), leader (truck), scientist (het), or soldier (tank) and then use the three upgrade slots to increase the defensive or offensive capability of the character.

There has also been an update to the W4C entry on the Internet Movie Database for the voice cast (via Tformers). New additions are now Jeff Bennett (Soundwave), Crispin Freeman (Skywarp), Travis Willingham (Ratchet), and John C. McGinley (Thundercracker). So far only two cast members have been verified with Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime) and Johnny Yong Bosch (Bumblebee). Jeff Bennett may be familiar to fans as he voiced Prowl and Ultra Magnus in Transformers: Animated. The John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox on Scrubs) casting is up on a W4C Facebook fan page but that isn't the official Facebook page for the game (this one is).

To sum up there is a timed team multiplayer mode and maybe new voices added to the Transformers universe. Personally, as a long time fan of Scrubs, I like the idea of McGinley joining the cast.

Nefarious #2 Preview

Tomorrow is new comics day (i.e. Wednesday) and this week brings "The Official Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Sequel" to store shelves with Transformers: Nefarious #2. Bzzurkk once again brings the issue's covers and the first five pages which you can find here.

Transformers: Nefarious #2
Written by Simon Furman with art by Carlos Magno and covers by Magno and Brian Rood

Layers within layers are revealed as the massive global conspiracy that is Project: Nefarious continues to unfold. OPTIMUS PRIME wants answers, and he’s prepared to go to any lengths to get them. But how far is too far? And by committing his forces to stopping SOUNDWAVE, is Prime just playing right into The Initiative’s hands?

Transformers Linkfest

12'' Optimus Prime Statue
Sideshow Collectibles has announced a new statue from PopBox Collectibles that is available to pre-order for $389.99. The Limited Edition statue of the Revenge of the Fallen version of Optimus Prime is expected to come out this June or July. The statue comes with "two sets of switch-out hands and a set of his energy sword with magnetic attachments." Click the link above to view the entire gallery.

War for Cybertron Release Date Officially 6/22/10
While it has appeared as such on Amazon for months now, Activision finally got around to making it official by confirming to Gamespot that all editions of the game will be released on June 22nd.

WST Sixshot and Ultra Magnus
A look at some pretty cool remakes of Generation One toys. WST stands for World's Smallest Transformers which was a brief line that Takara released a few years ago of classic G1 Transformers that I guess are a little big bigger than a quarter. The toys looked and transformed just like their regular size classics. Once that line ended various toy makers continued it with the most current release being Shockwave and Blaster. The newest additions of Sixshot ($107) and Ultra Magnus ($75) will be released as exclusives for the Wonder Festival in Japan on July 25th. Love to add these to my collection but sadly too expensive for my tastes (usually WST goes for around $15).


New Transformers Listing at Wal-Mart
Click the link for a bunch of new entries found in the Wal-Mart database for toys we already know about but also for some that are news to me like Voyager Lugnut, Grappel, Axor and more. I assume most of the toys are part of the wave that should start hitting store shelves this summer.

Leader Class Starscream Gallery and Video
From ACtoys.net is a look at a gallery and video of the upcoming Leader class Starscream. Of note is the toy is apparently manufactured in Vietnam, rather than China which has been the traditional source for Hasbro toys. The video at the link shows off some of the sounds and features of the toys.

Transformers 3 Production Start Date, Casting Calls

New casting calls for Transformers 3 have provided the start date for production and small details about the movie. Principle photography for Transformers 3 is scheduled to run from May 1st (or 17th), 2010 to July 1st, 2010. So far seen both numbers for start date but same end date. The shooting locations are now listed as Chicago, Detroit, Washington DC, Florida, Texas, Africa, Moscow and China. The casting calls found on Chicago Craigslist (thanks to Tyler for link) and Acting Auditions are showing a search for extras and principle actors (speaking lines).

For Chicago, "Joan Philo Casting (A Nightmare on Elm St., The Dark Knight) is searching for Ukrainian/Eastern European (looking) men (20 to 60 years of age) to work as paid extras on a feature film in April. This will be a one-day shoot. ...Especially looking for Ukrainian (Or Ukrainian looking types) men 6' to 6'3", clothing size 42 regular to 50 regular who know how to handle a gun. If you have a bigger build and are of a larger size – we love this!" Maybe something involving soldiers is going to occur in a Ukraine town.

The extras call in Los Angeles is seeking "Men, 66+, ethnically ambiguous, weathered, tattered, frail, featured roles." This sounds like a polite description of a bum. As for the principle actors, no specifics on what they are looking for is provided, just an address to send photo and resume to DW Studio Productions, LLC.

To summarize, casting for Transformers 3 is in full swing. Pre-shoots start next week or so in Chicago and Gary, Indiana. Principle photography starts in May. Some scenes possibly involve Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian townspeople, and maybe bums.

W4C Optimus Prime Video Review

Peaugh has posted his review for the deluxe class War for Cybertron Optimus Prime which is based on the upcoming video game. The figure is expected on stores shelves in time for the June 22nd release as part of the Transformers: Generations line. This version of Prime is pretty good with a nice transformation sequence that is bit more complicated then I was expecting with smart ways of reducing any kibble. This is an easy add to my TF wish list. Thanks to sideswipe88 for the link.

Witwicky Parents Return for Transformers 3

Variety is reporting that "Kevin Dunn and Julie White have closed their deals to return in the roles of Ron Witwicky and Judy Witwicky, respectively, and reunite with leads Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox."

Except for Ramon Rodriguez, I think they were the last of the remaining core cast to sign on for the film. At this point the question is what new cast members, besides Frances McDormand and John Malkovich, will be joining the film.

War for Cybertron Gameplay Video and Character Profiles

Yesterday provide some information about pre-order character for multi-player mode in Transformers: War for Cybertron and now today Gamespot has released a trailer (below) that shows off the character creation screen and multiplayer game play. The character creation process allows you to create customized Transformers along four classes (Soldier, Scout, Scientist, Leader) that each have their own special abilities.

The official website now has character profiles for some of the Autobots and Decepticons in the game. The profiles provide a look at the robot and vehicle mode along with description, weapons, and abilities. Currently the listed characters are Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Megatron, Starscream, and Soundwave. I assume more will be added later. TFormers has a screenshot of each of the Transformers here. Also, as can see to the right the official covers for the game, complete with the renaming of the Wii version to Cybertron Adventures.

War for Cybertron Bonuses, Wii Rename, and Bumblebee Voice

Three news pieces regarding Transformers: War for Cybertron that is coming out June 22nd.

First up are the pre-order bonuses for the game. Gamestop customers who pre-order will get a code to unlock Shockwave who looks a whole lot like his Generation One source only I think his alt mode is a jet but that is just a guess. Amazon customers can unlock Demolishor, who appears to be based on his Transformers: Armada incarnation. Based on that assuming his alt mode is a tank. This bonus is limited to PS3 and XBox 360 versions and the use of the characters are limited to multiplayer's Escalation Mode. I don't know if this is all the exclusives that will be available or if other stores will get their own.

Second piece of news is the renaming of the Wii version of the game into Transformers: Cybertron Adventures. The DS, PS3, and 360 names remain the same. The information is via the ESRB's Rating Information for the game. No explanation is known for why the rename since current knowledge indicates the game is a less graphic intensive version of the PS3 and 360 versions.

Final piece of news is the voice of Bumblebee for the game has been revealed as Johnny Yong Bosch who has done a lot of video game voice work over the years. This info was confirmed via his tweet, "So one of those games I couldn't talk about voicing is finally up on IMDB. Bumblebee in Transformers: War For Cybertron." Aside from Peter Cullen, the rest of the voices for the game remained unconfirmed. Thanks to Christopher for the link.

Deluxe Ironhide and Knight Morpher Commander Video Reviews

Two toy video reviews for your entertainment pleasure.

The first is a review from Peaugh, this time for Deluxe class Ironhide with drone. The main review is below, click here for a quick update about storing the drone inside Ironhide's vehicle mode. I am digging this version and a solid alternative that find the Voyager size a bit too expensive. Thanks to sideswipe88 for the link.

The second review shows off The Knight Morpher Commander fan designed Tranformer which is really Optimus Prime from the comic book miniseries Hearts of Steel. The figure is out now and the average retail price is $85. I can't tell what the size is but guessing around Voyager size. Over all I like what I see and strongly leaning to adding this figure to my collection.

Shia Hated Revenge of the Fallen

In an interview in the new issue of FHM Magazine, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen admitted he was "confused" by the movie and "hated it." I just didn't enjoy it."

He said: "There are a lot of people that liked the second one, but I hated it. I just didn't enjoy it. "I thought we missed the mark. I got confused, I couldn't see what the f**k was going on, you know with certain robots... I couldn't decipher what was happening. There were storyline paths that I just wouldn't have gone down."

He added to FHM magazine: "I know that directors Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg are dedicated to making the best movie we possibly can, and we're not going to miss next time."

He said: "We were making our second movie in the middle of the writers' strike. We had no script. We had to work with nothing. We literally had like 40 pages. And everything was sort of made on the fly. But I think this time we will be more concise, and in a definite direction where we want to take it."

I really like the blunt and honest way Shia and Megan express their opinions. They don't sugar coat it. I really can't disagree with his blunt analysis. While I enjoyed many of the action beats, the film suffered in writing, plot and humor that can be attributed to the rushed writing process due to the writers’ strike. Normally a script gets multiple drafts with plenty of time to polish it but Revenge simply didn't have that kind of time. Transformers 3 will hopefully benefit from the nearly year long time frame in creating a solid script.

Transformers Comics Coming to iPad

If you are one of the estimated 700,000 new iPad owners, you might want to hit the App Store for new app from IDW that take advantage of the new screen real estate of the device. IDW publishes the Transformers comic books that have been coming out for the last few years and with the IDW Comics app can now read them on the iPad. The app itself is free while a quick search indicates that the price of the comics vary from free to $2 with the most common price being $1. According to the demo video below, the comics are "universal binary apps" so buying it once makes it available for iPhone, iTouch and iPad. IDW also publishes Star Trek, GI Joe, Locke & Key and more. TrekMovie.com has the full press release.

Battle Ops Bumblebee Video Preview

Frenzy Rumble, maker of sweet Transformer customs, has posted a video preview of Battle Ops Bumblebee. This slightly larger than leader class version is expected to hit stores around early summer for $60. The robot mode (1st video) looks pretty sweet with lots of gimmicks with the cannon arm, face helmet, lights and sound. The vehicle mode (2nd video) is pretty good looking too.

Transformers 3 In Gary, Indiana and Dodge Decepticon? (Updated)

Two pieces of information have popped up online regarding Transformers 3 via Slashfilm. One is about Transformers 3 shooting in Gary, Indiana while the other is the possibility of a Decepticon Dodge Charger being used in the film. Maybe it’s an odd April Fool's prank or maybe it is real.

The first piece is based on information from a tweet from Production Weekly:

A pre-vis scene for "Transformers 3" will shoot at the Majestic Star Casino in Gary, Indiana on April 12th.

This isn't the first time I saw a reference to Gary, Indiana as an anonymous comment in the Magnificent Mile post said something similar but was written two hours before the tweet:

Their also going to start filming April 12 in Gary Indiana. They said the autobots cars will be their and it will be a closed set. =( Maybe someone could get some shots:)

The second bit of information comes from Realm Toys with a brief set report and pictures of a possible Decepticon judging by the logo on the front of the Dodge Charger. The images were taken from Playa Vista, the same location as a previous set report. Their source writes:

I was doing my normal rounds on the lot and came across the Transformers 3 work. All the stuff that you guys had reported SuperHeroHype had was there and more! The main Transformers cars are all there including 2 that I didn’t see in the previous movies. One is a autobot that I couldn’t get close enough to take a picture of because it was being guarded so that it would not be scratched/ damaged. It was a red Ferrari. The other (which wasn’t being guarded as heavily) is a decepticon. It was a dark navy Dodge Charger. I managed to snap a couple of pics with my cell. Sorry for the poor quality.

I honestly don't know how to attempt to judge this new information. It sounds plausible but this is the first time Indiana has been mentioned as associated with Transformers 3. Michael Bay didn't mention the state in his update but I don't expect him to list all his locations. April 12th is only a few weeks away so it will not take long to find out if this is true or not.

As for the Dodge Charger, it could be the car of a diehard fan or it could be part of the movie. Decepticons with automobile alt modes is now a tradition of the movie franchise with Barricade in the first movie and Sideways in the sequel. Too early to judge one way or another.

One way or the other though, it seems the fun world of speculation, rumors, and more is about to officially kick off for Transformers 3. Like the previous two films, it will be interesting to see how much turns out to be right and how much doesn't. Thanks to Kris for the link.

Update: Well the Gary rumor just got real with a report from Post-Tribune:

The city's Board of Public Works and Safety approved a filming permit for the movie at its meeting Wednesday. Controller Celita Green said filming will take place April 12 on industrial property owned by Majestic Star Casino at Buffington Harbor. The scene will be shot during daylight hours, Green said, and will involve a crew of about 60 people. Al Cohn, the film's location manager, said the set will be closed to the public.

...Green said the movie crew will shoot a "rather simple scene" portraying vehicles approaching the industrial property. The scene is meant to take place in Ukraine. Larry Buck, Majestic Star's general manager, said the movie crew will film at the former Lehigh cement plant on his company's property. None of the principal stars of the movie, including John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, is expected to be on the set.

However, Cohn wouldn't rule out further scenes being filmed in Gary in the future. "If we do, it will probably be more with the principal unit," Cohn said.

It sounds like second unit will be filming the scenes which sounds like an establishing shot for later action. The image of the Majestic and link from TFW2005's GabrielPrime.

Transformers 3 to Film at Magnificent Mile

Thanks to Michael Bay we know that Transformers 3 will film in Chicago at some point and now the Collecticon.org is reporting where in the city.

We all know that Transformers 3 is being filmed in Chicago amongst other locations around the country and the world thanks to a recent post by Michael Bay. The dream came one step closer to reality for Chicago Transfans as Collecticon.org received confirmation from an un-named source that businesses along Michigan Avenue are being pre-emptively notified of an upcoming shoot for the movie.

The phrase "Magnificent Mile" refers to a portion of North Michigan Avenue. I know nothing about Chicago but Google Maps might help give you an idea that is under discussion for the film.