Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Premieres March 22

In a press release from The Hub with their March programming of new shows, we now have an official release date for Transformers Prime Beast Hunters, the third and final season as Friday, March 22nd at 730pm EST. The premiere episode airs after a mini-marathon of season two episodes from 3:30 to 7pm EST. If you recall the second season ended with Megatron destroying the Autobot base with Optimus Prime still in it as the rest of the Autobots retreat.

Upcoming episodes:
03/22 - Darkmouth, NV (3.01) - While Optimus struggles to survive after Megatron’s destruction of the Autobot base, the separated members of Team Prime try to reconnect.
03/29 - Scattered (3.02) - The Autobots search for signs of each other, but start to lose hope while the Decepticons welcome a key player to their ranks. A win for Wheeljack may ultimately lead to an Autobot defeat.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #14 Preview

This Wednesday at comic books stores everywhere, the current Cybertron story arc starts to reach its conclusion as a fully restored Megatron enters the field with the might of the Decepticons once more at his command. Add to that Prowl switching sides, the Cybertron government led by Bumblebee crumbling and the Autobots in disarray and the stage is set for Megatron to finally achieve his goal of conquering Cybertron. A preview of Transformers: Robots in Disguise #14 can be read here.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise Ongoing #14
John Barber (w) • Andrew Griffith (a) • Andrew Griffith, Casey Coller (c)
FALL OF THE AUTOBOTS! The day the AUTOBOTS hoped would never arrive... is here. CYBERTRON is burning, BUMBLEBEE’s government is crumbling, and the end is near! Sides are chosen... and heroes fall.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

The AllSpark Returns for Transformers 4?

Is The Cube, aka the device that gives Transformers life, returning to the big screen in Transformers 4? Possibly, at least based on an NPR article about set decorators whose attention to details helps bring a set to life. One aspect of the article focuses on Transformers 4 set decorator Rosemary Bradenburg (image left) who along with Paramount archivist Randall Thropp (jokingly recoiling in fear) look over the hero AllSpark Cube prop used in the first Transformers film. Based on below it sounds like it just be used as a easter egg for fans but maybe more. (via TFW2005)

Sometimes, objects have to be made for a film by Hollywood's many artisans. Some of these pieces are housed and protected at the Paramount Studios Archives in Hollywood. There's a faux Russian nuclear launch device and a telephone from Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, along with various items from the Transformers films, including an 8-inch cube made to look metallic — it's really a wooden box — and patterned with wavy lines and mysterious symbols. It's called the AllSpark Cube, introduced in Transformers (2007) as the key to the robot alien civilization.

Rage of the Dinobots #4 Preview

The final issue of Transformers Prime: Rage of the Dinobots is hitting stores tomorrow. The issue concludes the post War for Cybertron / pre Transformers Prime Beast Hunters story of the Dinobots as they seek revenge of Shockwave and deal with his Predacons. The story of the TF Prime Dinobots will continue in May with the Transformers Prime Beast Hunters comic from IDW. The preview can be found here.

Transformers: Prime—Rage of the Dinobots #4 (of 4)
Mike Johnson & Mairghread Scott (w) • Agustin Padilla (a) • Ken Christiansen (c)
DINOBOT WAR! GRIMLOCK leads the DINOBOTS against SHOCKWAVE’s troops—and the results won’t be pretty! With SWOOP under SER-KET’s control, it’s an all-or-nothing battle of DINOBOT versus PREDACON—with the fate of CYBERTRON hanging on every punch, blast, jab, and bite! Don’t miss the senses-shattering conclusion to this mind-blowing miniseries!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

IDW May 2013 Transformers Comics

IDW Publishing has released their publishing plans for May 2013. Five comics and two trades are being offered for the month. The month brings us the first issue of Transformers Prime Beast Hunters that focuses on Grimlock and the Dinobots. Robots in Disguise re-introduces Shockwave to the IDW universe while it looks like More Than Meets The Eye might have started focusing back on the Knights of Cybertron mission. For the full details of IDW's other books including GI Joe, Star Trek, Locke & Key, and more click here.

Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters #1
Scott & Mike Johnson (w) • Agustin Padilla (a) • Ken Christiansen (c)
BEAST HUNTERS! They were there when CYBERTRON fell—but what happened to the DINOBOTS for the past few thousand years? Here’s a hint—GRIMLOCK and company haven’t been sitting around and relaxing! The time is now—the place is CYBERTRON—and the recipe is ACTION!
*2 regular covers will be shipped in a 1-to-1 ratio
*1 subscription variant cover for comic book store subscribers
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Linkfest - G1 Recreations

Toy Fair showed us a great upcoming line up of toys coming out months from now but time to focus on the more immediate future with lots of new Beast Hunters and 3rd part offering in the pipeline along with a few interesting tie in products. More Beast Hunters products are starting to hit shelves so lots of reviews to look at for them. On the third party front we have a look at a not Stunticons line-up, review of not Shockwave, not Jumpstarters, not Fall of Cybertron Omega Supreme and more. Masterpiece Soundwave is out so a review for him. New not toy products include a expensive coin set from New Zealand and a Optimus Hockey Jersey. Basically as the links and reviews show, the next year is going to be a wallet buster.

Causality not Stunticons - T-Bone
From Fansproject, their next series is the not Stunticons of CA-09 Car Crash, CA-10 T-Bone, CA-11 Down Force and CA-12 Last Chance. Apparently they are designed to merge into not Menasor but have not seen that gestalt form or what these four look like in appendage mode. Even if don't merge, each looks like be great additions to a collection. The average prices is $60 with Car Crash out in February, T-Bone in March and no dates on the rest.

Transformers Prime Cancelled After Beast Hunters Story Arc

An article from the magazine Kidscreen has verified that Hasbro is ending Transformers Prime with the 13 episode Beast Hunters story line. From AllSpark's Vivid Redshift page scan:

As for Hasbro's established stable of series, which drive the programming on its US joint venture network The Hub, the 13 episodes of Transformers Prime Beast Hunters due to launch this year represent the final chapter of the Transformers Prime story. It has grown to encompass 65 half-hour episodes that continue to roll out around the world. Look for a 75-minute Transformers Prime Beast Hunters movie to hit DVD shelves in Q4.

But that's not the end for Transformers. [Hasbro's SVP of International Distribution and Development Finn] Arnesen says a "new iteration of the animated TV series" is slated for delivery in late 2014, which looks like it might be shaping up to be the year of Autobots, given that audiences are already expecting the fourth live-action blockbuster in July.

Sadly this doesn't come as a surprise as I called this back in October when news first broke of the shortened seasons. Where prime time television considered 100 episodes to be the "magic number" for syndication (Fringe's season 5 renewal is thanks to this line of thinking), for whatever reason cartoon's "magic number" threshold is much lower at 52. The season 3 renewal was probably only because of the Beast Hunters angle to fill the gap to Generations (fall 2013) and Transformers 4 product line (spring 2014). So enjoy it while it last (trailer here) and start speculating on what Hasbro plans after TF4.

Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Teaser Trailer, Press Release

Hasbro has released the first trailer for Transformers Prime Beast Hunters along with a press release officially announcing their new Beast Hunters line. Sadly no specific release date, just "this Spring" but it provides a good look at Predaking in action. As for the press release (both below), nothing new that wasn't already revealed during Toy Fair.


Press release:

Transformers: Regeneration One #88 Preview

Tomorrow brings Transformers: Regeneration One #88 to stores. The story shifts from a destroyed Earth to Cybertron as Scorponok begins his push to take over in the absence of Optimus Prime. The cover and first few pages of the issue can be found here.

Transformers: Regeneration One #88
Simon Furman (w) • Andrew Wildman (a) • Wildman, Guido Guidi (c)
WAR IN THE CITY! Anarchy reigns on the streets of Iacon as SCORPONOK’s grip tightens further, and those AUTOBOTS still willing and able to resist look to their absent leader—who is on an endangered list all of his own. Beneath the surface of CYBERTRON, HOT ROD runs for his life, locked on a collision course with his maker, PRIMUS!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Toy Fair 2013: Fall of Cybertron Metroplex and More Revealed

Yep, that is a two foot tall War for Cybertron Metroplex. From Hasbro, not a 3rd party creation or Takara. 2014 is the 30th Anniversary of Transformers and Hasbro has made it clear they are taking it seriously with their upcoming slate revealed Saturday at the 2013 New York Toy Fair. In addition to Metroplex, there are new triple changers, bunches of Beast Hunter toys, new wave of Kre-O toys, IDW inspired toys and bunch more. Basically for Transformers fans both new and G1, the next year is going to fun. Below is a bunch of links to galleries and videos about all that is coming.

Metroplex
Based on his Fall of Cybertron appearance. Only member of the Generations line Titan class. At 24" tall, largest Transformer Hasbro has ever created, a touch taller then even Fortress Maximus. Cost is $125, hit retail in August, has light up eyes, flip down visor that controls diameters of eyes, sounds, talking phrases (from the game), and scaled for Legends class figures.
Toy Fair floor: Gallery 1 | Gallery 2 | Gallery 3
Hasbro Official: Gallery 1
Videos: One | Two (same as below)

Toy Fair 2013: Hasbro's Investor Event

While New York is getting hit with a blizzard, today was also the first day of the 2013 New York Toy Fair. All the toy makers and sellers gather to show off their plans for the upcoming year including Hasbro who held their Investor Event today. The event covered all of Hasbro's properties but on the Transformers front they high-lighted their plans regarding Beast Hunters, a new line called Construct-Bots, and a new Transformers TV series. Below are the highlights but TFW2005 has the full slide show with more details here and a Beast Hunters Guide book here.

Highlights:
- Transformers Prime officially being re-branded as Transformers: Beast Hunters, CEO Brian called it "completely re-inventing Transformers" and will drive the marketing of the franchise until next year when TF4 takes over.
- Transformers: Prime is broadcast in 182 countries
- Chief Marketing Officier John A Frascotti: "At Hasbro Studios we’ve developed entirely new Beast Hunters Television Series and we’ve also developed wide array of digital assets that will leverage throughout the year."
- Planning lot of "Lifestyle Licensing" based on Beast Hunters so expect clothes, hats, bags, and so forth with BH related imagery.
- Construct-Bot still transform but now parts of the figure can be swapped out for other parts so can create robot and alt modes of own design (more images here).
- 8 Kre-O Beast Hunter sets planned
- New Transformers TV Series is for China only to air on China Central Television
- No mention of Transformers: Generations plans but that is more of a sub-line so not part of their main marketing push

ILM VFX Supervisor Jeff White Returning for Transformers 4

While we have not heard much on the Transformers 4 front, it doesn't mean things are not in motion. In another interview with Collider, ILM Visual Effects Supervisor discussed his team's Oscar nomination for The Avengers and commented briefly on starting pre-production on Transformers 4. No details provided but still interesting to read his perspective on the franchise. His interested in his take on working on The Avengers, the entire interview is here.

Where do you go from here? What are you working on next?
WHITE: I’m starting pre-production on Transformers 4, which has some really exciting stuff in it. And then, we’ll see what the future holds. Certainly, if the opportunity came to work on the next Avengers, I’d definitely jump at it.

When you work on sequels, do you always get nervous about topping the last film?
WHITE: We worked so hard to get to where we were on The Avengers 1. Now, we’ve got this basis built for The Hulk and we learned a lot, along the way. We’re actually really excited about all the things that we could push forward on, in the future. It is always fun that, with the Marvel projects, everyone seems to want to one-up one another. With Iron Man, he already had two great ways of putting the suit on and taking it off, but for The Avengers, Joss came up with two entirely new ways that were even cooler. That’s certainly part of any sequel. It’s gotta be bigger and better. But, the great thing about Joss is that it won’t just be a bigger film to be bigger. He’ll really dive deeper into the characters. That’s what’s so fun about working with him.

MTMTE, Megatron Spotlight and Rage of the Dinobots Previews

Today brings three new Transformers comics to stores as IDW finishes its January solicits with More Than Meets the Eye #13 and Rage of the Dinobots #3 while kicking February with Megatron Spotlight issue. In MTMTE #13, the adventures on the Lost Light continue with its goofy but well executed humor. A preview of that issue is here.

In Megatron Spotlight, its a flashback to ..uh not really sure when in continuity with a story that gives insight on why Megatron just doesn't finish Starscream off for his constant attempts to take over the Decepticons. Preview here.

Last is Rage of the Dinobots that continues the story of the Dinobots vs Shockwave after the Autobots abandoned Cybertron in War of Cybertron video game story arc. And that preview is here.

di Bonaventura: TF4 "Completely Different"

Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura spoke with MTV about Transformers 4 while at the premiere of Side Effects. He spoke about his hope that Bay returns to complete the 2nd Transformers trilogy by directing Transformers 5 and 6. He also reiterated Bay's statement that the film isn't a reboot but "it's completely different." It should be interesting to see what the final result is. Considering that the Transformers cartoon side goes through a redesign (and reboot) about once every five years, the movies are schedule for the same. The idea of a redesign without reboot is a intriguing one and hope designs start leaking soon.

"I can't speak for Michael. I hope he would [direct the next two]. It would be great, but it's certainly something in our design of this," he said. "It's going to be an ongoing story, so the possibility, again, as long as the audience shows up for us, there's a lot of story still to be told."

"There's a lot of new elements. I wouldn't say we've completely changed this world, and yet it's completely different," he said. "There are new characters, new situations. I don't think we revisit a single location. Michael really has a great way of approaching this thing."

On Shia LaBeouf cameo: "I don't believe that would be true. You never know. Things are not set in stone, and if something evolved and that came naturally. That wouldn't be the intention," he said. "The intention is this is new world, with new characters, with Mark Wahlberg leading us. It's a different movie, but a lot of the things that you love about the other ones are joining the ride."

Bay: Everything Redesigned for Transformers 4

After weeks of silence, there is finally some Transformers 4 news. It isn't exactly new news though as Michael Bay repeats his previous comment that TF4 is not a reboot but "we've redesigned everything from top to bottom". This redesign might explain why Mark Wahlberg considered the movie a reboot even though it takes place four years after the end of Dark of the Moon. The interview with Forbes is part of him promoting the Doritos Super Bowl Ad contest that will give one of the five finalists a chance to work with Bay on the set of Transformers 4. The full interview is here, TF4 related portions below. Thanks to Wynton R. for the link.

What will the winner actually get to do on the Transformers 4 set?
Replace me as director. No, we’ll see who the person is and depending on what he is interested in being, a producer or a director, we’ll try to tailor the job. It’s all hard work when you’re working on a movie.

Will that change the way you do anything on Transformers 4?
We’re going to start off smaller. There’s a brand new cast. To freshen the franchise we’ve redesigned everything from top to bottom. The history of the first three movies is still there, we start four years later and there’s a reason why we’re meeting a new cast.