Beast Wars Megatron Says Merry Christmas

The yearly tradition continues as David Kaye posted his traditional Merry Christmas message in the voice of Beast Wars Megatron.

Bumblebee Weekend Box Office Lands in Third Place

This weekend was chock full of new movies after nearly three weeks of quiet weekends. On the surface it seems like a mistake to release Bumblebee against Aquaman, and Mary Poppins Returns all of whom are competing for essentially same set of eyeballs. The thinking however is is they could take advantage of all school grades and colleges going on Christmas break starting this past weekend. On paper, its not a bad idea, in reality it just reads like they cannibalized each other while letting Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Ralph Breaks the Internet enjoy a few weeks of little competition. Having said all that, the Holiday releases should not be judged the same as the Summer releases. Where summer is a sprint where the first two weeks of box office matter the most, Christmas time is more of a marathon where a movie could benefit from over a month of steady sells to increase their profits. So its in this context that I let you know that Bumblebee just had an ok weekend release. No great but not alarming either. It was in an expected range.

Aquaman won the weekend box office with a $67.4 million opening, Mary Poppings Returns took $22.2M, Bumblebee took third at $21M, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was at $16.7M, and fifth goes to The Mule at $9.9M. My take is its a great weekend for family films but since most families can only afford to see a single movie a weekend, the result is over $100+ million in ticket sales got spread around instead of channeled to a single movie as we would normally see for a summer release. Internationally, Aquaman added $91.3 from 70 markets, Mary Poppins Returns $20.3M in 17 markets, and Bumblebee $31.3M from 38 markets. In short, I suspect all those numbers to more or less double by the time Christmas ends and these three films will enjoy good box office runs. Exactly where Bumblebee will land is too early to say but I suspect that Paramount and Hasbro will consider any number above $500 million worldwide box office total to be a very successful release that will speed up sequel talks and increase pressure to get a new franchise installment out sooner rather then later.

Debating if will right a formal review of the movie. The quick version is its a highly entertaining movie, running neck in neck with the first movie. The movie does away with all the Bay-isms. The robot designs are great with an excellent mix of Bay-verse detail with G1 aesthetic, frequent use of transformations not just for humor but as a means of attack and defense, easy to follow action sequences that do not rely on fast edits or shaky cam to convey what is occurring, developed characters, and a tease of the kind of epic storytelling Transformers is capable of in the right hands. Its the touchstone that future Transformers films can follow. The film is a prequel to the previous movies but lets just say that there are many parts where its clear the continuity to those films was not considered that important. I highly recommend you go see it.

Hasbro Cancels Hascon 2019

Seems that when it comes to Hasbro marketing itself, it just cannot get it right. The toy company has announced that it has "postponed". You really can't "postpone" a convention. There are too many moving parts so the only way to take this is as an outright lie from Hasbro to its fans. Their PR department basically went overboard in trying to soften the news, probably more out of habit then evaluating whether they needed to or not.

This doesn't seem like much but keep in mind the history if you are a convention going Transformers fan. From 1994 to 2016 there was the successful Botcon which Hasbro purposely killed for Hascon which was held in 2017. They then skipped 2018 and now have cancelled the 2019 convention. It makes the ending of Botcon seem even more idiotic with time. Toys R Us closing did more damage to the company then they care to admit and this is one of those indicators of that.

Transformers Producer Indicates Cybertron Animated Movie in Works

In an interview with Metro USA, Transformers producer Lorenzo diBonaventura hinted at the current plans that Paramount and Hasbro are considering for the franchise. To start, their are currently no plans for Bumblebee 2 but that is likely because the studio is simply waiting to see how the first movie does. As for other movies, he said "“We actually have an animated movie in the works that will tell the whole Cybertron mythology. The fans will love that,” diBonaventura teases. “We’re trying to figure out an [Optimus Prime solo movie].”

“It will be hard with Optimus, he is always right, very stoic and is a man of few words … It is kind of like saying, ‘Lets do a movie about Obi-Wan Kenobi?’ But how much is there to say about Obi-Wan? It is not so easy."

“The best franchises are a living breathing thing. We knew we could whatever we wanted with this. From the look, to the time period to the aesthetic to what we were trying to accomplish to the very small plot. There wasn’t a big plot. It was important. But we were constantly moving on.”

Bumblebee Director Talks G1 Designs

Here is a new featurette with Bumblebee director Travis Knight as he discusses his approach to the G1 inspired character designs for the Transformers in the movie. Personally what I found striking was his description was about the look and character of each one where in when Bay talked about the characters it was all about the technical details and volume of moving aparts. Highlights how something as simple as your starting point can influence what follows.

Bumblebee In US Theaters Today, New Clips

A friendly reminder that Bumblebee is now in US theaters. Some other countries either already have it or will be getting it soon. In the meantime below is a clip of the fight between 'Bee and Blitzwing. After that is Hailee Steinfeld on Jimmy Fallon with another clip. Additionally below are a few quotes from an io9 article about developing the story for movie. In short it basically confirms (as if any doubt), that this is a prequel to the Bay films.

“If we’re going to tell an origin story about a Transformer, it made sense we would set it in the era that the Transformers originated, the mid-’80s,” [writer Christina] Knight told io9. “Which is perfect for me because that’s when I was exposed to them. I was a child of that era and it was an opportunity to go back and draw some of these aspects of my childhood that really meant a lot to me.”

The movie hasn’t changed a whole lot since I first pitched in summer of 2015,” Hodson, who is also writing the upcoming Birds of Prey and Batgirl, told io9. “I pitched it then and obviously they went and made the other movie. Then I wrote the first draft of this in the fall of 2016 and it honestly has stayed true. Certainly, the big broad strokes of the emotional journeys, key set pieces, all remain the same. Now, it’s gotten bigger in some ways. We’ve added more fun. We got to go to Cybertron! But the heart of it really remained the same.”

“The important thing was not only that it had some connective tissue with the films Michael has made but that it had some deep connective tissue with the origins of the series,” [director Travis] Knight said.

According to Knight, problems arose because many felt “Michael’s aesthetic has been the defining aspect of these live-action films” and that there was a sense of “this is what a Transformers film is.” Eventually, though, he was able to coax them into it.

“People got on board pretty quickly but there was a little bit of hesitation,” he said. “[But] it was a real thrill bringing these characters to life in the way that I’d always envisioned them on the big screen. I was having the time of my life.”

“I had this whole thing boarded where we’re where we see [Decepticon leader] Megatron and he comes in like Sauron, just blowing shit up and laying waste to everything,” Knight said. However, he then realized in this world, Megatron is currently frozen on Earth, as seen in 2007's Transformers, so that was out.

“So even though I really wanted to see G1 Megatron on the battlefield at the fall Cybertron, I couldn’t do it,” he said. “But I wanted to fit as much of this G1 stuff I loved in there, and so I put my favorite characters in. Obviously there are ones I wish I could put in there, and I would love to see an entire movie about the fall of Cybertron because I think it’s awesome, but just to be able to visit it for a moment, to see the Cybertron of my imaginations on the big screen, it was a real thrill.”

IDW Transformers Reboot Begins in March

IDW has announced that Transformers will return to comic book stores on March 2019. The current run of IDW's Transformers series that began with Infiltration and ended with Unicron (and Optimus Prime #25) is considered a complete end to that version of the Transformers continuity. The new version will begin...well at the beginning. With a new take on what sparked the Cybertronian Civil War (or whatever name eventually gets assigned it). The bi-monthly series will be written by Brian Ruckley, illustrated by Angel Hernandez and Ron Joseph with issue 1 published sometime in early March 2019.

In this new Transformers comic, IDW will explore Cybertron, delving into an idyllic society, peaceful for thousands of years, as it faces the most momentous event in its history: the mysterious end of a single life. Through the eyes of young Bumblebee and his friends, fans will witness conspiracies forming, harmony giving way to conflict, and the very fabric of Cybertronian civilization tearing itself apart.

“Bringing Transformers fans this story is a real privilege,” says Brian Ruckley. “But just as important, it’s an amazing opportunity for new readers to discover and explore one of the biggest universes – and one of the best casts of characters – that science fiction has to offer, and to get in right at the start of a truly epic saga.”

Ron Joseph says, “In my youth, I devoured everything Transformers – toys, comics, the cartoon, the movie – with a Unicron-like hunger. ‘Robots in Disguise’ dominated my every waking moment. To join IDW’s creative team for the launch of a Transformers comic is staggering, and easily one of the greatest moments of my life.”

“We are eager to begin this new chapter in Transformers storytelling,” says Michael Kelly, Hasbro’s Vice President of Global Publishing. “We are excited to begin a tale that will be accessible and appealing to readers unfamiliar with Transformers lore, while still providing the depth and drama that our long-time fans expect. It’s a big responsibility, but we’ve got the right team and the right characters to do it.”

New TV Spot and Two Actor Featurettes for Bumblebee

Here is a new TV spot from Bumblebee that reminds you the movie hits theaters Thursday night. After that are two featurettes with Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena talking about their characters. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Spoiler Warning - The End of the Bumblebee Movie

We are one week away from the release Bumblebee to theaters. The reviews remain positive. Below after some spoiler space is a minute from the ending of the movie. It doesn't reveal specifics about the story itself but it still is a spoiler with a few easter eggs for G1 and movie fans. Up to you to enjoy it or wait until next week. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Spoiler Warning!

New Bumblebee Clip and Three Posters

From Paramount Pictures Australia, here is a new amusing clip from Bumblebee along with new posters featuring the Decepticon triple-changers Shatter and Dropkick. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Bumblebee Chase Clip, Red Carpet Video, Interviews and a Touch of Fan Edit

This past weekend Bumblebee had a preview in some US theaters. From various things I have read the over all consensus is the best movie of the franchise with a lot of humor and fun. For the rest of us, we get to wait until December 21 (or later depending on country), here is some new stuff to promote the movie. The first video is a new clip of a police chase sequence that makes genuine creative use of a Transformers transformation capabilities. The next is a fan edit for G1 fans that inserts Stan Bush's The Touch as the trailer song. The third is from Fox 5 of Washington, DC as their entertainment reporter conducts brief interviews with director Travis Knight, Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, and Angela Bassett. The last video is little over an hour long from the red carpet premiere of Bumblebee at the TLC Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Bunch of New Bumblebee TV Spots, Clip and Triple-Changer Featurette

Here is a bunch of new stuff for Bumblebee from around the world. The first video is a clip of the Decepticons arriving to a meeting with Sector 7 on a mission of "peace". The second and third video are featurettes focusing on 'Bee voice and triple-changers. The last three videos are TV spots that let you hear Soundwave's voice, see 'Bee try to take out Blitzwing (nope the jet isn't Starscream even though could be his G1 twin). Thanks to Feris O. for the heads-up. After the opening "new" thing (getting hard to tell sometimes), the rest of the video is padded with trailers and other TV spots.

New Bumblebee TV Spot Invokes Ferris Bueller

Here is a new TV spot for Bumblebee that invokes a little Ferris Bueller and the 80s with its song choice. After that is a rental car tie-in add and a few international TV spots from various social media sources. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

More TV Spots and New Clip from Bumblebee

Below is a few new TV spots from Bumblebee. Also in the first video, a little after the 1st minute, is a new clip that shows Sector 7 with John Cena confronting 'Bee and the gang. One thing I keep noticing is something that was missing from most of the Bay films which is actual transformations. On screen and not hidden with edits or camera tricks. A lot of them too. They also seem far less complex (thus less of a burden on the budget) with a quick sequence that seems inspired from the cartoons so that the details of a transformation sequence are fudged to a great degree. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Bumblebee Voice Actor Revealed

In hindsight, considering the flashbacks shown in the trailers, it was obvious that the voice of Bumblebee would be heard again. After all it makes sense for the origin story of the character to include the origin of his voice problem. IGN has now revealed that the new voice actor for Bumblebee will be Dylan O'Brien (Maze Runner, Teen Wolf). The last time we heard 'Bee voice was when it magically returned in Transformers: The Last Knight as voiced by actor Erik Aadahl. Until recently, Will Friedle was the voice actor in various cartoons. Like in all other post-2007 iterations of the character, I suspect the voice work will just be a few lines here and there.

"Since we were approaching this as an origin story, we felt that it was appropriate that you got to hear his voice," [Transformers franchise producer Lorenzo] di Bonaventura said of the character who thus far has only been able to communicate using existing media. "That’s the simple logic that we employed. The longer term implication of that is different. But the short-term implication of that is, since we really are resetting the mythology, essentially, of who Bumblebee is. And so, that seemed to us to be the appropriate, to get the chance to hear what he sounds like."

"Dylan has that great quality in his voice of youthful exuberance, and also sort of trustworthiness," the producer explained. "I think those are the two qualities that we wanted Bumblebee to have."

Personally I will be glad when Hasbro abandons the nonsense of Bumblebee communicating through radio as it remains an unnecessary gimmick.

Bumblebee - Influence of Generation One Design

Below is a very short featurette that talks about how Generation One of Transformers influenced the look of the robots in Bumblebee movie with a few more seconds of new Optimus Prime on Cybertron footage.

New International TV Spots for Bumblebee

Below is some new international TV spots for Bumblebee that does include a few snippets of new scenes including a touch more Optimus Prime. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Two New Bumblebee Clips

Below is a compilation video for Bumblebee that starts with two new clips that I have not seen before. Bits of them have been used in the trailers. Bumblebee hits theaters December 21 (or December 8 for a one-time showing). Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Two Weeks Early Screening of Bumblebee On Sale

Available now is an early screening of Bumblebee at select theaters in the United States. The early screening is set for Saturday, December 8, nearly a full two weeks before the films official December 21 release date. If you are interested, hit up one of the links below.

BumblebeeMovie.com | Fandango | AMC | Cinemark | Regal | Atom

Bumblebee Transformation Sequence, Movie Rating and Length

Little bit of news of the Bumblebee movie front. The MPAA has rated the film PG-13 "for sequences of sci-fi action violence" which is the same as the previous Transformers films. Per AMC and other theater chains, the movie will have a length of 1 hour and 54 minutes which makes it the shortest film of the franchise as the others tended to average 2 and half hours or longer. Finally, via a now taken down video on IMDB, here is a very brief look at Bumblebee's transformation sequence from VW Beetle to his '80s robot mode. (source)

A Legend Passes - R.I.P. Stan Lee 1922-2018

Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Hulk, Iron Man, Black Panther, Inhumans, Daredevil, Thor, Sandman, Sinister Six, She-Hulk, Wasp, Ant-Man, the list just goes on and on. All co-created by on man - Stan Lee. In effect, Marvel Comics existed because of the prolific imagination of this amazing person. Today, we lost a true legend. Stan Lee passed away today at the age of 95 leaving behind a legacy unlike any other. A legacy of great imagination married with conveying great responsibility while reflecting the imperfect world we lived in so can marvel at it all. His creativity, his approach to story telling has inspired and will continue to inspire generations.

Without Stan Lee, Marvel Comics probably would have not existed and without them we would not have the foundation of story, names, and personalities that Transformers was built on when Hasbro took a bunch of mostly unrelated toys from Japan and hired Marvel to help create a story around them.

International Poster for Bumblebee

Maybe its just me but this new international poster for Bumblebee has a nice 80s vibe. Movie hits theaters in December 22.

New TV Spot for Bumblebee From Singapore

Here is another international TV spot for Bumblebee this time from Singapore with a few seconds of new footage. (source)

Bumblebee: New TV Spot and Live Performance from Movie Soundtrack

Here are two new videos related to the December 22 release of Bumblebee in theaters. The first is a new TV Spot from Spain for Bumblebee that does feature a few new scenes. In addition, Hailee Steinfeld also performed a song for the movie called "Back To Life" which she performed on the MTV EMA (Europe Music Awards) that she hosted Sunday night.

Charlie Meets Bumblebee Clip From Transformers: The Movie Screening

A week or so ago Transformers: The Movie was screened in theaters. As part of that a scene from the upcoming Bumblebee movie was shown where Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) meets Bumblebee for the first time. Below is the ...lets call it the unofficial release of that scene. Thanks for Feris O. for finding it.

New Bumblebee US and International Trailers With New Footage, More Cybertron (Updated)

Here is the latest trailer for Bumblebee that shows off new footage including hints at more action from Cybertron (with appearance of Shockwave) that does include the footage from the teasers released yesterday. After that is a very short international TV spot that teases the origin of 'Bee VW alt mode. Thanks to Feris O. for the link. While the movie is clearly set in the Bay-verse of Transformers movies, it is also clear that Generation One is the key source for the design decisions such as the seekers transforming into triangle shaped jets which is directly from the very first episode of the cartoon series back in 1984. What do you think of the new footage?

Update Turns out the brief TV spot is from the international trailer (3rd vid below) for Bumblebee that includes even more new footage. Here are links to screencaps - US: TFW2005, TFormers | International: TFW2005

New Bumblebee Movie Teasers Show G1 Soundwave and Optimus Prime

The Paramount Picture Taiwan branch is teasing the release of a new Bumblebee trailer at some point today. To back that up they have released two very short teasers. Below is a video that combines those two teasers, adds the recent BB trailer and a featurette to help you get caught up on what little footage we have from the movie. The most interesting bit is you get a brief look at Optimus Prime, Soundwave, and Ravage all of whose designs seem to be a mix of Generation 1 and the Transformers: War for Cybertron video game. Thanks to Feris O. for the link. So what do you think of their new looks?

Make a Soundwave Bluetooth Boombox

I Like To Make Stuff channel has returned to Transformers (see previous TF related vids here) to make a very large bluetooth boombox that looks like Soundwave's Generation One alt mode.

Bumblebee Toy Movie Presentation, Commercial

The left image is from a "Bumblebee Movie toys Presentation Event" held in Monterrey, Mexico. It gave fans in the area a chance to look at the upcoming toy line with 'Bee's VW Beetle alt mode. Doubt its the "hero" version used in the film. Any case if interested in all the pics from the event, head over to TFW2005. On a related note, below is a compilation video from Brasil of various Transformers toy commercials featuring Bumblebee. The first 30 seconds is the main part to focus on since it features the upcoming movie version of Bumblebee while the rest of the video covers toys from the movies, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, and the video game War for Cybertron. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Transformers Alumni Voices Blitzwing

David Sobolov announced via a tweet that he is the voice of Blitzwing in Bumblebee writing, "#Transformers fans... It’s time to reveal I’m the voice of Blitzwing in @bumblebeemovie ! Thank you Travis Knight and @ParamountPics for this exciting chance to work on another epic @transformers adventure."

He will be playing one of the three big bads of the film joining Angela Bassett as Shatter and Justin Theroux as Dropkick. Sobolov has been doing voice work for quite awhile with recent work as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy cartoon, Gorilla Grodd in The Flash & Legends of Tomorrow, among many others. His work with Transformers including voicing Shockwave in Transformers Prime and Depthcharge in Beast Wars. Bumblebee hits theaters on December 21.

Transformers: Cyberverse Trailer, Premiere Date

Via Entertainment Weekly, here is first official trailer for Transformers: Cyberverse. In addition the site has revealed the premiere date for the show will be September 1 on the Cartoon Network. The first episode will also premiere on the CN app starting Monday, August 27.

“When we were designing the look and feel of Transformers: Cyberverse, we were inspired by the classic clean appearance of the original G1-style,” Tom Warner, Senior VP for the Transformers franchise at Hasbro, which is producing the series. “This was the design we initially fell in love with in the ‘80s and it felt like the perfect fit for this new origin story.”

Bumblebee is on a critical mission, but his memory chips are damaged and he has to recover details of his past experiences on Cybertron.

Only by uncovering his actions on his mechanical homeworld can he figure out what his purpose is on Earth. Meanwhile, the Decepticons are also closing in on him.

The show features Jeremy Levy as the voice of Bumblebee, and Jake Tillman as Optimus Prime. Ryan Andes voices the dinobot Grimlock, while Sophia Isabella is Windblade, who is helping Bumblebee unlock his damaged memory bank.

On the side of the bad guys, Marc Thopson voices megalomaniacal Megatron, Billy Bob Thompson is the duplicitous jet Starscream, Andes pulls double-duty as cyclopian Shockwave, and Deanna McGovern is Shadowstriker.

Legendary Voice Actor Talks Scooby-Doo, Megatron

In an interview for PeopleTV.com's "Hollywood's Greatest Untold Stories: Animation", legendary voice actor Frank Welker briefly discussed creating the voice of Fred in Scooby-Doo and Megatron for Transformers. Below is Welker's segment via EW.com. It not really anything "new" but always nice to see him discuss Transformers and his other work. Really, worth checking out his IMDB credits to see just how many voices to beloved characters he provided over his long career.

Another Bumblebee Movie Image

Here is a new image from the Bumblebee movie via Entertainment Weekly.

New Bumblebee Poster, Image

The movie is still months away from its December 21 release but here is a new 80s like poster and cute image from Bumblebee. The image of bee sitting in a chair is via Empire Magazine which will feature the movie in their September issue.

Transformers: The Movie Coming to Theaters for One Night

For fans of Transformers: The Movie from 1986 here is your chance to re-experience the movie for the first time in theaters since ...well 1986. Fathom Events have announced the movie will screen for one night only, September 27, at around 500 theaters nationwide. Based on the press release below, it looks like it will be the recent HD remaster that was recently released on Blu-ray. In addition to the movie there will also be a behind the scenes video for Bumblebee and an interview with Stan Bush who will also perform The Touch and Dare from the movie. To see participating theaters and buy tickets, head over to Fathom Events.

FATHOM EVENTS, HASBRO STUDIOS AND SHOUT! FACTORY TO BRING THE CLASSIC ANIMATED FEATURE
THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE
TO MOVIE THEATERS NATIONWIDE ON SEPTEMBER 27 ONLY
Featuring All-Star Voice Cast of Peter Cullen, Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack, Frank Welker and Orson Welles as UNICRON
Los Angeles, CA – August 1, 2018 – Brace yourself to relive the excitement and nostalgia of the thrilling action battles between the AUTOBOTS and the DECEPTICONS from the 1986 TRANSFORMERS movie on the silver screen! The world-renowned animated feature film THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE hits cinemas nationwide for a special one-night event on Thursday, September 27 at 7:00 p.m. local time. The film has been meticulously remastered, restored from the original film elements, and transferred in HD.

THE TRANSFORMERS (1986) MOVIE EVENT will catapult audiences into the super-charged, action-packed TRANSFORMERS universe, and enables lifelong fans to relive the excitement and awe of this 1986 animated feature, just months before BUMBLEBEE, the new live-action feature film set in the year 1987, hits theaters everywhere in December 2018.

This special event is a collaboration between Fathom Events, Hasbro Studios and Shout! Factory, and it will also provide moviegoers with a sneak peek behind the making of the BUMBLEBEE feature film, and a brand-new interview with singer-songwriter Stan Bush including recent performances of the theme songs “The Touch” and “Dare.” Moviegoers will be able to enjoy the film in approximately 500 select U.S. movie theaters. A complete list of theater locations will be available at Fathomevents.com.

THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE has captured a special place in the hearts of millions and has been a staple in the pop culture zeitgeist since 1986. Featuring memorable characters from the heroic AUTOBOTS and villainous DECEPTICONS, and thrilling action and a heartfelt storyline, THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE is a cultural touchstone that spans generations. Beloved by legions of fans, this full-length animated adventure boasts the voice talent of Orson Welles in his final voice acting role and an all-star voice cast that includes Peter Cullen, Eric Idle, Casey Kasem, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack and Frank Welker.

Tickets for THE TRANSFORMERS (1986) MOVIE EVENT will go on sale on Friday, August 3rd and can be purchased online or at participating movie theater box offices.

The AUTOBOTS, led by the heroic OPTIMUS PRIME, prepare to make a daring attempt to retake their planet from the evil forces of MEGATRON and the DECEPTICONS. Unknown to both sides, a menacing force is heading their way – UNICRON. The only hope of stopping UNICRON lies within the Matrix of Leadership and the AUTOBOT who can rise up and use its power to light their darkest hour. Will the AUTOBOTS be able to save their native planet from destruction or will the DECEPTICONS reign supreme?

The TRANSFORMERS – THE MOVIE is co-produced and directed by Nelson Shin; produced by Joe Bacal and Tom Griffin; supervising producer, Jay Bacal; executive producers, Margaret Loesch and Lee Gunther; music score by Vince Dicola and Ed Fruge.

Bumblebee SDCC Full Panel Video

Below is the full San Diego Comic-Con 2018 panel with the cast of Bumblebee. If there seems to be some odd cuts in the panel, just be aware that copyrighted things like Stan Bush's performance and clips have to be edited out. If not interested in watching the 37 minute long panel, the highlights can be found here.

Bumblebee Cast at SDCC Reveals Triple Changers

On Friday the cast of the upcoming Bumblebee movie appeared at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con to promote the movie. Director Travis Knight was on hand with Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. Below are the few details that were revealed during the panel.

- Yep the panel opened with a live performance from Stan Bush of "The Touch" from Transformers: The Movie.

- Travis Knight: “It’s an origin story. ...We find out who he was before he met us, why he becomes the character he becomes — it gives the opportunity what he’s about. It’s a way to look at Transformers like we never have before.”

- Knight: His animation experience of world building helped when making the movie. He also looked to G1 designs of the character for inspiration more then the Bay designs while looking to provide each Transformer with a unique silhouette and color palettes to make them easy to tell apart in fight scenes. If didn't do that then it could look like “two Radio Shacks reenacting the Karma Sutra" according to Knight.

- For Knight, Steven Spielberg's coming of age films from the 80s were a source of inspiration for the story which is a "a beautiful love story between these two characters.” (referring to 'Bee and Charlie).

- Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) is suffering from a major loss when she meets 'Bee who will help her find "her voice".

- John Cena is playing Agent Burns who according to the actor "He knows that he’s right, and that’s the reason that he does, sometimes, the naughty things that he does."

- Decepticons Shatter (voice by Angela Bassett) and Dropkick (voice by Justin Theroux) are triple changers. So red Shatter's alt modes is a Plymouth Satellite and a plane. The blue Dropkick's alt modes is a AMC Javelin and a helicopter.

- There will be a look at Cybertron (hopefully not the beehive Bay version).

- Knight said the jet from the first teaser trailer is Starscream. It is Blitzwing (not confirmed if he is a triple changer too but traditionally he is).

- The US Army, with John Cena's character are hunting Bumblebee with the Decepticons providing help (not clear if the Army is aware of the assistance or not).

- Optimus Prime makes an appearance in hologram form, not clear if Peter Cullen does any voice work.

Bumblebee Producer Talks Movie and Next Franchise Installment

In an interview with Den of Geek, longtime Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura discusses deciding on an origin movie and beginning the process of working on the next film of the franchise. Below is the highlights, for the full interview go to Den of Geek.

Why Bumblebee? Why go back and look into the origins of this character?
We consciously said, "Okay, we want to take a new direction." ...We felt like, okay, if we're going to make another of the Transformers movies that it would really have been two characters we could choose from, Optimus and Bumblebee. Optimus forces you to be more stoic, heroic. Bumblebee's the more accessible character of the two, so I think that's really why we settled on Bumblebee as the character. ...we kind of wanted to get back to the feeling of the first movie in the sense of approachability, emotionality, humor.

Could somebody who hasn't seen the Transformers movies or know the mythology very well walk into this and enjoy it on its own terms?
Yes. One of the reasons why we chose it to take place in 1987 was because it is an origin story. None of the events of the Bay movies have happened. ...[Director Travis Knight], by the way, is a giant Transformers fan, and particularly Generation One, which was also one of the reasons why we wanted to go back in time so that we could do a nod to Generation One in terms of design. ...Which, again, you don't want to replicate what (Bay) has done, so it has a very distinctive style all of its own. There's less pieces, it transforms different.

Where would you say things stand now with the overall franchise, and going forward, what do you think might be happening?
There's been some implication that (Paramount) lost faith in Transformers. Well, if they did, I don't see it because they just spent a lot of money on Bumblebee, and they had every opportunity to pull out of it if they'd lost faith in the overall Transformers world. ...It's not exactly dead. I think what we're doing is we're having a (Transformers) script written soon. We put it aside a little bit because we were all focused on Bumblebee, and that takes a lot of time and creative attention.

Now that we've come up for air, we've been meeting with writers and sort of formulating where we're going to go with that franchise. We're meeting with some of the most successful writers in our business, so they're certainly not shying away from spending a lot of money on a script. Doesn't mean we're going to make a movie, but when you deal with studios, you get a sense of the current. My sense of the current is they absolutely want to make another one. They just don't know how much they want to spend on it. That's my sense of it.

Would you say that you might be rebooting it and taking it back scale-wise a bit from where Michael went with his?
It's possible. I avoid the word "reboot" because I don't think it's really accurate, but I will give you a sense of how wide-ranging our thought process is. We have talked about a World War II movie. We have talked about a time travel movie because they can go through wormholes, so you can go to different time frames from that. We have talked about a lot of different kind of genre concepts to put on it. We have talked about going later in the timeline. What would that look like?

To bring a little counter/context to his small sales pitch - yes Paramount did lose some faith in Transformers. Bumblebee is the result with a budget that is nearly 50% smaller then the previous movies with the saving made by reducing the cast (aka only 4 Transformers), simplifying the transformation sequences (hence the "less pieces" since each digital "piece" has a cost), far less globe trotting with mostly sticking to one setting, and other things (including casting choices). This isn't a knock as some of the best films has virtually no budget resulting in every aspect of the film having to be carefully and thoughtfully planned resulting in a better film. As for the information about the next film, basically nothing has changed. We already know Hasbro wants to do another installment, are considering a wide variety of options and right now its all about waiting to see how Bumblebee does. There will be more Transformers films, of that I have no doubt. Its just a matter of when. Bumblebee hits theaters on December 21, 2018.

Two New Decepticons Join Bumblebee Movie

Here is a first look image from Entertainment Weekly of two of the Decepticons joining (probably) Starscream in Bumblebee.

The one in red is named Shatter and is voiced by Angela Bassett (Mission: Impossible: Fallout, 911) with a Plymouth Satellite alt mode.

The blue one is Dropkick, voice by Justin Theroux (The Leftovers), with an AMC Javelin alt mode.

Of note is it seems the look of the robots retain the Bay-verse detailed aesthetic while adding just a touch of G1 with more a "human" look in shape. Thanks to John for the link.

“The two main villains are Decepticon muscle cars,” says director Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings).

“When the cast is too big, and you have a finite amount of time, there’s only so much you can do to create an investment in them,” Knight says. “This is a more personal, intimate, and character-driven story, so it felt right to keep the villain plot relatively simple and contained. If you keep things lean, you can add a lot of other stuff on top of it that makes it more enjoyable.”

Transformers: The Movie Complete Storyboard

If you are a fan of Transformers: The Movie from 1986, you may find the website TF Raw interesting. The blog has managed to collect the entire storyboard for the movie with around 1600 hand drawn images and notes. Due to how animation was done then, the storyboards are actually very details as they were often used as the "animation" of the movie before the actual work was done to save time and money. If anything it makes for a walk down memory lane. Besides breaking the storyboards into sections, if go to bottom of post you can also download the PDF and CBR versions of the file. The storyboard set can be found here. (via All Spark)

Bumblebee Heading to San Diego Comic-Con

In a first, a Transformers movie panel will be at the San Diego Comic-Con. Previously the Bay-verse movies were released before SDCC so there was no promotional value in doing one. The Bumblebee panel will be held on Friday, July 20 from 5-6pm with Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr. and director Travis Knight at the panel to promote the movie. Its not clear if this is a panel exclusively for Bumblebee or more a part of an hour long Paramount panel to promote other movies including Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Hopefully the panel will mean a trailer or additional footage will be made available to the public. Hopefully someone will record a video of the panel to post here.

Transformers: Power of the Primes Conclusion

It is the end of the line for the Prime Trilogy (and go90) as the final episode of Transformers: Power of the Primes is now online.

The final battle between Megatronus and the Transformers leads to unforeseen consequences that will have a startling impact on Cybertron and the entire Transformers universe

Saga's End: US Viewers - go90

If missed any of the Prime Trilogy you can find them at Go90's Transformers Page (for now) and Tumblr.

Update: Hasbro and Machinima have posted the Prime Trilogy on Youtube. Here are the links to the playlist for each:

Combiner Wars | Titans Return | Power of the Primes

Power of the Primes Cartoon Home Shutting Down

Verizon has announced that their go90 streaming platform will shut down on July 30, 2018. In the United States the platform was the home to the Prime Trilogy of computer animated cartoons from Machinima. The final episode of the cartoon series airs next week so fans will have a fairly short window to see the end of the trilogy. Verizon didn't indicate what will happen with their content once the service shuts down but I wouldn't be surprised if a significant chunk of it winds up on YouTube. The main takeaway from US Transformers fans is if you want to check out the Prime Trilogy, you only have a month to do it..

Transformers: Power of the Primes Episode 9

The next episode of Transformers: Power of the Prime is out now. Description:

To save their race, our heroes must destroy Megatronus? machine, but first they must fend off a possessed Rodimus Cron.

Megatronus Unleashed: US Viewers - go90 | International - tumblr

Transformers: Power of the Primes Episode 8

The next episode of Transformers: Power of the Prime is out now. Description:

With the Requiem Blaster in his possession, Megatronus launches his now completed device, draining the sparks of Transformers everywhere. With their fate at risk, our heroes must fight Megatronus one last time.

Collision Course: US Viewers - go90 | International - tumblr

World's First Fan-Built Optimus Prime

Below is a look at the "World's First Fan-Built Optimus Prime" that is based on the Transformers: Age of Extinction's Western Star truck alt mode. The replica was built with Hasbro's permission. Thanks to Feris O. for the link. Video description:

A DEDICATED father with no mechanical training has manufactured the world’s first fan-built Optimus Prime truck. Back in the summer of 2016, 36-year-old Joe Fiduccia worked day and night recreating the giant full-size replica that weighs around 21,000lbs. Optimus Prime is one of the most renowned characters to hit our screens from the hugely successful Transformers franchise that has taken more than 4 billion dollars at the box office worldwide. And being the determined father that he is, Joe from Monroe County, Pennsylvania, managed to produce this impeccable replica in order to inspire his 10-year-old son that anything is possible.

BTS of Bumblebee - Meet the Director

Here is quick behind the scenes video that introduces Bumblebee director Travis Knight. It does include some on-set footage of filming the movie. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Transformers: Power of the Primes Episode 7

The next episode of Transformers: Power of the Prime is out now. Description:

Megatron finally figures out Megatronus? plan, but fears it may be too late to stop him when Megatronus arrives to claim the Requiem Blaster for himself.

Consequences: US Viewers - go90 | International - tumblr

ET Short Behind the Scenes Video

Below is a video from Entertainment Tonight that has a brief interview with Bumblebee stars John Cena and Hailee Steinfeld. Its lite on information but does reveal a few tidbits about 'Bee's alt mode.

Bumblebee Teaser Trailer and Poster

Here you go, the first look at Bumblebee - screenshots.

Transformers: Power of the Primes Episode 6

The sixth episode of Transformers: Power of the Prime is out now. Description:

Overlord and Rodimus Cron finally confront our heroes, while Optimus Primal makes a tough decision that changes the course of the battle. Alas, having found Megatron, Overlord is determined to get his revenge.

Countdown: US Viewers - go90 | International - tumblr

Bumblebee Social Media Live; Trailer Next Tuesday?

It looks like the Bumblebee marketing campaign is about to come to life. A tweet from Once Noticias, a Mexican TV station, is saying that "On Tuesday, June 5, the first trailer of the movie #Bumblebee is released." Weird source but it does seem the social media accounts are now live if currently unused - Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

As for future Transformers movie plans, Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner answered some questions about it at a conference. In regards to Transformers 7 being pulled from the schedule he said "rather than putting another movie out to the market in 2019 we wanted to take a beat and develop across a couple different possible creative directions and then you’ll see, certainly, a raft of great Transformers films in the future. So I would read nothing into that except that Bumblebee will be in the market over the next year. We felt it was a good moment in time when we could again re-frame the creative direction of Transformers."

As for being a reboot, he said "I don’t think it’s a reboot because it is an alternative; a different chronology. So, rather than going to a sequel from what people had seen last time, this takes place in the 1980s. It’s a really fun era, people love the music, they love that time and place, and it was a great place to put Bumblebee because for our fans, everyone knows that the Transformers were originally created in the mid-eighties, so it gives you a chance to hearken back to the things that people loved about the brand."

So umm there you go? I guess we will see when the movie comes out as it could be a new chronology, it could be a prequel to the Bay-verse or just a standalone film with no intent of universe building. In short, it doesn't contradict my theory that they are taking a wait and see approach. If Bumblebee works, that will be the new approach. If not then they will go back to the drawing board. Regardless there will be new movies, just what form will be strongly dictated by 'Bee's success or failure and its place in any continuity will be decided accordingly.

Transformers: Power of the Primes Episode 5

The next episode of Transformers: Power of the Prime is out now. Description:

Hot on the heels of our heroes, Overlord and Rodimus Cron confront the Dinobots and gain vital information as to the team?s whereabouts. Meanwhile, the team learns the tragic fate of one of the Thirteen.

Athenaeum Sanctorum: US Viewers - go90 | International - tumblr

Transformers 7 Pulled from Paramount Schedule

Variety reports that Transformers 7 has been officially pulled from the release schedule. At the time, Transformers 6 referred to the Bumlebee movie currently set for December 21, 2018 release while TF7 was going to be the direct sequel to Transformers: The Last Knight for release on June 28, 2019. The last of any information, director, script writers or anything to begin filming this summer for next year's release date pretty much confirmed the news but this should eliminate any doubts about a sequel coming soon.

What has not been revealed is what Hasbro and Paramount's new plans are. Likely they are waiting to see how Bumblebee does to see if the new approach is worth replicating for a sequel. Its an across the board cheaper movie with a much simplified story with nearly half the budget of the previous Transformers movies so something like a $600 million box office would be considered excellent news rather then bad news like it was for The Last Knight. From what we currently know the movie is a kind of prequel set in the Bay-verse but since its also set in 1987 there is nothing stopping them from deciding later that it wasn't really in the Bay-verse and was actually the start of a new unrelated story arc. It will probably not be until sometime next year before those future plans will be revealed but I have no doubt there will be future Transformers films.

Transformers: Power of the Primes Episode 4

The next episode of Transformers: Power of the Prime is out now. Description:

With our heroes cornered, Predaking demands Victorion hand over the Enigma of Combination. Inside the mysterious dome, Megatron finds the Requiem Blaster, but is confronted by a mysterious figure guarding it.

Primal: US Viewers - go90 | International - tumblr

Transformers: Power of the Primes Episode 3

The third episode of Transformers: Power of the Prime is out now. Description:

Still without Megatron, the team must now fend off both Volcanicus and Predaking. Meanwhile, Megatronus arrives at the Well of Sparks to forge a new device that will help him accomplish his nefarious plan.

Without Warning: US Viewers - go90 | International - tumblr

Composer Found for Transformers Bumblebee Movie

The Steve Jablonsky era scoring the Transformers movies has come to an end. According to Film Music Reporter, composer Dario Marinelli has been chosen to create the score for Transformers: Bumblebee movie. The composer previously worked with Bumblebee director Travis Knight on Kubo and the Two Strings. His other work includes Paddington 2, The Darkest Hour, V for Vendetta and a lot more. A quick Youtube search will let you sample his work. (via TFW2005)

Transformers: Power of the Primes Episode 2 Out Now

The second episode of Transformers: Power of the Prime is out now. Description:

Megatron awakens miles away to find a mysterious structure. Curious, he makes his way there, leaving his team to fend for themselves. Vulnerable without him, the team is on the brink of defeat at the hands of Volcanicus when another threat arrives hoping to destroy them.

Volcanius: US Viewers - go90 | International - tumblr

Transformers: Power of the Primes Episode 1 Now Available

Transformers: Power of the Primes has started its run with the first episode called "The Swamp". The 11 minute episode is described as "Megatronus hunts for the Requiem Blaster as we learn about its mysterious past. Elsewhere, Megatron and his team are also searching for the weapon, hoping to get to it first, when they encounter Grimlock and his fellow Dinobots."

To see the episode in the United States, head over to go90.com. For the rest of the world its either check you area's Machinima channel on YouTube or maybe this tumbler link might work (via TF2005).

Description of First Transformers: Bumblebee Footage

This week is CinemaCon in Las Vegas where the studios tease their summer movies and future plans to theater chains, distributors and the like. What is shown varies depending on the film, how far into production it is and other factors with what little is shown rarely made available to the public. As part of Paramount's presentation they revealed the first footage from Transformers: Bumblebee with the cast. Comicbook.com did write up of what was shown. Transformers: Bumblebee hits theaters on December 21, 2018.

In a featurette, Knight is shaping figures which later became animated in his earlier films. The cast highlight his ability to see "a drawing on a page brought to life."

He is excited to bring the same details to Bumbleebee, whjere he wants to showcase his love of films like Indiana Jones and Back to the Future. It will be an origin story for Bumblebee and Hailee Steinfeld's Charlie.

"He's taking the story back to the bieginning, set in a period where I first fell in love with Transformers," John Cena says. The video concludes with behind-the-scenes footage of Bumblebee in old bug car form driving away with a camera crane following, and a logo for the film.

Knight takes the stage. He wanted to return to what made the franchise so exciting when it launched, which includes "spectacle" and "lots and lots of explosions." He promises there is "an emotional core the family will come to love." He introduces Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, and Jorge Lendovore Jr.

Cena riles up the crowd and ultimately thanks the theater owners for their work.

"One last thing before we give this long awaited sneak peek that I'm excited to see myself," he says. "It really was an incredible experience working with Travis...He really is a special kind of storyteller with a sensitive heart. One thing that was incredibly important to me with the relationship between Bee and Charlie Watson was that it was authentic and it was emotional and I think we accomplished that.

Knight introduces the clip, which will see Charlie Watson get her old VW Bug.

An alarm goes off at 8:00 AM. Charlie shuts it off, unhappily waking up. Her room is covered in posters. She rocks out with headphones on while brushing her teeth. In the garage, her car is playing the same song. When she enters, it stops.

A piece of the car hits the floor. She look beneath it. Getting on a board with wheels, she slides under the car. Ultimately, she finds Bee's face, which lights up in the eyes and stands up above her. She's shocked. This thing fits in the garage! They have a standoff. Bee stumbles around. She reaches for the door handle but sees he is just stumbling around and scared as he huddles himself into the corner.

She approaches and says, "Hi." Bee chirps back. He's still scared and avoiding her in the corner. "Do you speak?: she asks. Bee nods to indicate he does not. He stands up, holding his neck, after seeing the wrench in her hand. He analyzes her hands and comes closer, allowing them to touch his face. He can understand her. "What are you?" she asks. "Where did you come from?" He shies away from answering. He points to her shirt. He is asking who she is. "I'm Charlie," she tells him. "Charlie Watson, I'm 18 today. Actually, it's my birthday today. What's your name?" He shies away, with his ears going down. She rules, "You sound like a little bumblebee." That's what she's going to call him from now on. "Matches your outfit, too," she says.

Later, clips of Bee running from a helicopter, trucks exploding, Bee playing on the beach, driving Charlie around, and other Transformers cut into the frame. A red and white winged Transformer is fighting him. He uses his arm cannon. He fights fighter jets. Charlie does her best to help him. He lands in a desert.

Here is the film's official synopsis which, in conjunction with this clip, seems to confirm that the movie is stepping away from the ultra-violent spectacle of the Michael Bey films and taking on a more nostalgia-inspired take in keeping with movies like ET and Flight of the Navigator:
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On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug

Voices Behind Power of the Primes

Below is a new video to promote the May 1 release of Transformers: Power of the Primes with little snippets of the voice cast at work including Mark Hamill, Judd Nelson and Gregg Berger. If video doesn't load here, head over to its source on Facebook.

Power of the Primes Cartoon To Premiere on May 1

Hasbro has finally revealed the release date of the final chapter of their Prime Wars Trilogy as May 1, 2018. So just a week away. They also released the below trailer for the show brought to us by Machinima. I believe the release schedule is the same as before with US viewers having to go to go90.com to watch while International viewers can go to the Machinima YouTube channel for their country.

Transformers Season One Intro Live Action Stop Motion

Below is a brief blast from the past with a small modern twist as the Transformers Season 1 intro is re-created using a combination of official and 3rd party Masterpiece toys.

IDW Transformers Continuity to End with Return of Unicron

IDW has revealed the first look at their take on the robot mode of Unicron and with it the end of 12 years of IDW Transformers continuity. Transformers: Unicron (press release below) will start in July as a six issue series that will release bi-weekly as will current ongoing Transformers: Optimus Prime and Transformers: Lost Light. So if you are a long time fan of IDW's Transformers take, it seems the end is near. Long time Transformers writer James Roberts summarized things pretty succinctly:

To summarise: the current IDW G1 continuity will end (spectacularly) with Unicron #6, OP #25 and LL #25, all in September. All three are biweekly over summer. We've had time to plan for the end, so it's a proper, un-rushed wrap up. Beyond Sept? New IDW TF comics, new continuity.
— James Roberts (@jroberts332) March 27, 2018

Toys R Us Liquidation Sale Begins Today

Starting today the death of Toys R Us begins as all the stores nationwide begin their liquidation sales. It sounds like its being handled in house by the company but exactly what percentage the sales will be at and all those other details are unknown. End result if something been eyeing might want to stop by and get it as the store selves of the good stuff is probably going to get cleared quickly. Just don't expect the soon to be unemployed staff to be particularly helpful, not that I blame em. Especially the lifers, feel really bad for them. Any case good luck in the hunt. RIP Toys R Us 1969-2018.

Bain Capital and the Destruction of Toys R Us

In case the news reports wasn't enough, Toys R Us has released the official press release on their impending shutdown. As for what really caused the companies downfall - its turns out to be intentional debt caused by Bain Capital, KKR & Co. and Vornado Realty Trust. If you remember any company, remember Bain Capital. You might remember them when Mitt "companies are people too" Romney ran for President. In short the company is pure evil. They are anti-capitalism at its worse. They exist to profit off the destruction of companies by burying them in debt. If anything TRU was supposed to have died around 2010 and just lived longer then intended. The graph, via Bloomberg.com, shows the point the debt became the companies death point. That jump from 2005 to 2006 is when Bain Capital bought the company and turned it private by borrowing $5.3 billion off of TRU's assets to then make a $6.6 billion purchase of the company. That debt was immediately added to TRU's ledgers when the purchase went through. Despite its average ~$10 billion per year in sales. That level of debt means the company didn't stand a chance because all profits go to private shareholders (Bain, etc.) and paying off the debt. Nothing else, like improving stores, advertising and a host of other things heathly companies do to compete, TRU simply didn't have the money or the ownership will to do it. In short the company was bought for the express purpose of eventually forcing it into bankruptcy.

But what's fascinating -- or unsettling -- is that overall revenue at Toys "R" Us didn't fall all that much, even during and after the recession. In the 12 months leading up to the LBO, the chain generated $11.2 billion of sales, versus $11.1 billion in the 12 months through October 2017, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The high was $13.9 billion for the year ended January 2012.

The overarching problem was costs -- and importantly, interest expense on borrowings. By 2007, just before the financial crisis hit, the retailer's interest expense spiked to 97 percent of its operating profit. For the latest reported 12-month period, pretax income was negative $492 million. According to a Bloomberg News story last year, KKR and Vornado previously wrote down their investments in Toys "R" Us to zero, so the bankruptcy didn't affect their earnings.

The takeaway - if you know or work for a company that is bought by Bain Capital then kiss it goodbye. It will be destroyed, that is what Bain does.

Press Release:

WAYNE, NJ – March 15, 2017 – Toys“R”Us, Inc. today announced that it has filed a motion seeking Bankruptcy Court approval to begin the process of conducting an orderly wind-down of its U.S. business and liquidation of inventory in all 735 of the Company’s U.S. stores, including stores in Puerto Rico. Toys“R”Us will provide more details about the plans for the liquidation of its U.S. stores and going out of business sales in the near term.

Toys“R”Us also announced that it is pursuing a going concern reorganization and a sale process for its Canadian and international operations in Asia and Central Europe, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Company’s international operations in Australia, France, Poland, Portugal and Spain are considering their options in light of this announcement, including potential sale processes in their respective markets. The Company’s stores in all these international markets are currently open and serving customers.

In connection with the sale process, the motion the Company filed with the Bankruptcy Court included bidding procedures for the Canadian operations. The Company also disclosed that it is engaged in discussions with certain interested parties for a transaction that could combine up to 200 of the top performing U.S. stores with its Canadian operations. While discussions continue on this potential transaction, Toys“R”Us is seeking court approval to implement the liquidation of inventory in all the U.S. stores, subject to a right to recall any stores included in the proposed Canadian transaction.

The previously announced administration of the UK business continues.

Dave Brandon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “I am very disappointed with the result, but we no longer have the financial support to continue the Company’s U.S. operations. We are therefore implementing an orderly process to shutter our U.S. operations and will pursue going concern sales or reorganizations of certain of our international businesses, while our other international businesses consider their options.”

Brandon continued, “There are many people and organizations who have remained in our corner every step along the way. I want to thank our extraordinary team members who helped build Toys“R”Us into a global brand. I also want to express my appreciation for my colleagues on our board who have continued to provide support to sustain the brand and our operations throughout the restructuring process. I would also like to thank our vendors who we owe a great deal of gratitude to for their decades of support. This is a profoundly sad day for us as well as the millions of kids and families who we have served for the past 70 years.”

The Company and its advisors are working to minimize the impact of the U.S. liquidation on the Canadian and other international markets. As part of these efforts, the Company is implementing a transition services arrangement for the next 60 days and is developing plans for a potential shared service function to support the international operations going forward.

Additional information regarding the Company’s restructuring process can be obtained by calling the Company’s Information Hotline, toll-free in the U.S. and Canada at (844) 794-3476, or sending an email to toysrusinfo@PrimeClerk.com. Court filings and other documents related to the court-supervised process in the U.S. are available on a separate website administered by the Company’s claims agent, Prime Clerk, at https://cases.primeclerk.com/toysrus.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as principal legal counsel to Toys“R”Us, Alvarez & Marsal is serving as restructuring advisor and Lazard is serving as financial advisor.

Toys 'R' Us Shutting Down, Closing All Stores

After filing for bankruptcy and trying to come up with solutions to save the company by selling it, Toys R Us has officially thrown in the towel. Today the company announced it was closing all 800 of its United States Toys R Us & Babies R Us locations. It had previously announced it was closing all its United Kingdom locations. The 60 year old company has "$7.9 billion in debt against $6/6 billion in assets" and owes money to more then 100,000 creditors. The closure will lead to the loss of 33,000 nationwide. End result is the company will likely cease to exist worldwide by beginning of the summer.

The cause is many and varied but the always higher prices on toys compared to competitors (like Target and Wal-Mart) and the last decade virtually ignoring online retail combined with toys being replaced by tablets, computers, phone and other virtual means made this slide all but inevitable. “We know that customers are willing to pay more for an enjoyable experience — just look at the lines at Starbucks every day — but Toys R Us has failed to give us anything special or unique,” Kelly O’Keefe, a professor of brand management at Virginia Commonwealth University, told The Washington Post this year. “You can find more zest for life in a Walgreens.” I can't really disagree with that assessment.

To compound this sad day, the incompetent corporate management that pushed the company over the cliff will likely get hefty bonuses for their failures. The amounts have not yet been disclosed and usually have to be approved by the bankruptcy court that almost always rubber stamps such requests. As for the 33,000 about the enter the job market...good luck.

No indication on when the clearance will begin but likely either this weekend or next so keep an eye out. If you have any TRU gift cards, go immediately to the website or store and try to use them now as they are probably not even a few days away from being useless. Usually when chains at this scale shut down, they actually sell of their entire inventory to other companies who bring in their own employees (or temporarily hire ex-employees of that chain) to then sell of that inventory. As a result the first few weeks of clearances is when everything gets marked up to over MSRP and then "discounted" back to normal sell prices so if go to a closing store, do your homework on what a good deal is, don't assume the % means you got one.

It is a sad day to see this piece of childhood disappear. “I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys R Us kid" describes me (maybe a little closely) and I don't bother to go there anymore as always fail to find what I was looking for at a reasonable price and now its online only. I still remember a time when an entire aisle was nothing but G1 Transformers boxes, another GI Joe figures, another of Lego, and so forth. Another aisle was nothing but boxes of Nintendo and Sega games. A child's paradise of potential. Somewhere along the way those in charge forgot that and it became something boring, lifeless and of no value. To know the incompetence will be rewarded just makes it a little bit worse.