Transformers Is Coming to Fortnite

If your a fan of the video game Fortnite, then is probably good news as Transformers will be part of upcoming season 3 of the Battle Royale mode. Currently the only Transformers related item revealed is an Optimus Prime skin based on his Rise of the Beasts.

The skin can be collected at tier 100 for the season 3 battle pass when it starts on June 9th. No other Transformers related Fortnite connent has been revealed but I wouldn't be the least surprised if a few more character skins are in the works with Bumblebee topping that list.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Final Four TV Spot and Statue Tour Continues

For NCAA college basketball Final Four semi finals, Paramount+ aired a TV spot that turned the court to "a 1990’s-era Brooklyn outdoor basketball court—alluding to the setting of the upcoming film."

The effect is pretty good considering its taking a live shot and putting the transformation sequence on top of it with a look at Optimus Primal and Prime as they transform.

In addition, a reminder that the two statues of those characters continues its world tour to help promote the movie that will hit theaters on June 9, 2023.

Transformers: Rise of the Beast Filming At Machu Picchu

It seems that filming of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts has gone from Montreal to New York and now is at Machu Picchu in Cusco, Peru.  Its possible that second unit might be filming elsewhere but since the film's stars Dominique Fishback and Anthony Ramos are on set, this is likely involves first unit and the film's director Steven Caple, Jr.  

Also interesting is the filming has to work around the tourists at the location as the site was not shut down to allow for filming.  As a result we get some videos to watch. You can use CC button and Setting button to get a text translation of the videos but they are not really telling you anything informative about the filming.

In addition, Optimus Prime truck was spotted arriving in Cusco (3rd video below) indicating that whatever is being filmed here is central to the story.  

The last video is one that popped up online from Montreal that shows various Mirage/Jazz parking and filming a scene. There is often several copies of a car to meet specific purposes. One might be a stunt car configured for the stunts, another is usually the "hero" vehicle that is the primary car whose purpose is to just look great on camera, another might be rigged for attaching camera so film the actors, another might be rigged to flip, and so on.

Transformers 7 Optimus Prime Rolls Out In Brooklyn

 In the brief video below from Tik Tok's @arun09345, we have a good look at the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts version of Optimus Prime.  The truck looks great and clearly G1 inspired.

Optimus Prime In Action For Night Filming at Parc Jean-Drapeau (Updated)

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts continue to film in Montreal, Canada. It seems the current set is located at Parc Jean-Drapeau with the Optimus Prime trucked spotted driving away, steam stacks in action. In addition, it seems part of the filming in Montreal is in place of New York City a "NY Museum of Archeology" station wagon is spotted that possibly Elena (Dominique Fishback) drives. Hit the links below to see latest video and images. Thanks again to Quinn.

   TransformersAltModes Insta (pics from TF7 set) Optimus Prime Video | Optimus At Night 3 Pics | Optimus At Night 1 Pic

Update: Seems someone converted the video for Youtube so see it below.  Also added another video of Prime rolling out.

Best Look Yet At Optimus Prime Alt Mode for Transformers 7

Thanks to French account for Transformers, @transformersfr, we have the best look yet at the alt mode of Optimus Prime. As you can see in the images below, the look really captures the G1 look of Optimus Prime in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

A even closer pic of Prime can be found here. Also a look at TF7 Base Camp (term for where production is headquartered with all their stuff, people, etc for a location shoot) is here. I am looking forward to eventually seeing what the robot mode will look like. Thanks to Quinn for the links.

Optimus Prime Truck Arrives on Transformers 7 Set

Filming continues on the Montreal, Canada set of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts which gave us a look at Mirage-Jazz and Bumblebee. Now we have a good look at Optimus Prime's G1 inspired truck alt mode thanks once again to Montreal Car Spotting Facebook group.  For a videos of Prime and 'Bee click here. In addition it seems there will be a scene involving a homeless camp based on a twitter pic.  Seems the core Autobot cast is in the city but hopefully more will be spotted soon.  Thanks to Quinn for the links.

Optimus Prime Auto-Transforming and Programmable Robot Revealed

Today Hasbro revealed its next six months or so of releases across its line of products including Transformers. Besides revealing a detailed G1 inspired transforming Ark, they also revealed a working Optimus Prime robot that transforms, executes 25 voice commands, and can be programmed and controlled via a mobile app. The price is available for pre-order on HasbroPulse for $699. Currently there is no release date but considering multiple outlets got a chance to play with a working version, safe to assume it will be released sometime this year.

Writers, Director Hired for New Transformers Animated Movie

Hey, no time no read. But then been long time since actual movies news for Transformers. That has finally changed as Deadline reports that Hasbro's studio eOne along with Paramount are working on an animated movie. The movie will be based on a script from Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari (Ant-Man and the Wasp) with Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4) as director. No details on plot except "resolves around the relationship between Optimus Prime and Megatron." The film will not be part of any of the current live-action movies continuity, be it the Bay-verse or maybe/maybe part of Bay-verse Bumblebee movie. It does seem that maybe, just maybe, another one of those writer room concepts from years ago might be used.

It seems the sudden renewed interest in an animated movie is due to any live action film being years away and possibly more until Hollywood sorts out they will restart production considering most films involve hundreds of people working together and often without being able to follow social distance rules. An animated movie, for all its complexity, is sit down at a desk type work that can follow social distance rules or at least be outsourced overseas where how the rules are handled will not be considered a Hasbro/Paramount issue.

I wonder how much the IDW comics will come into play in developing the story. Wish I could remember the exact story arcs (I want to say the Autocracy Trilogy but not sure) got into the origin of then Orion Pax and Megatron's relationship. In the comics it started as friendship built on political agreement over the current government heavy handed leadership failing the people. Orion believed in using the system to fix things from within while Megatron was becoming increasingly more aggressive in believing how change need to be forced. The resulting fall out of Megatron's tactics severed the relationship and directly led to the "Great War" that eventually destroyed Cybertron and the Transformers landing on Earth. Another version of the story is being told in the IDW relaunch currently being published but exactly where its going is muddy on a good day so that seems less likely to be a source of inspiration for any movie. Whether they use IDW as inspiration or not, can't beat the potential drama of friends becoming bitter enemies on each side of a civil war that decimates a planet. Which isn't exactly kid friendly (and never forget the movies are about selling toys) so... yeah not holding my breath on that version being told but fingers crossed.

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?

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.

Prime Defeats Chair While Hound Practices His Lines

For your amusement here are two quick videos featuring "behind the scenes" with Optimus Prime and Hound. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Transformers: The Last Knight SDCC 2017 Exclusive Revealed

San Diego Comic-Con 2017 is coming in a little over a month and for collector's that means exclusives. Hasbro has revealed their voyager class Transformers: The Last Knight Optimus Prime SDCC 2017 exclusive that will go on sale at booth #3329. The figure will come in exclusive packaging with a piece of tire from the Western Star truck used in the film and certificate of authenticity. In the past Hasbro has put any left over SDCC exclusives on sale on Hasbro Toy Shop around a few weeks later for those unable to attend the convention.

Optimus Prime's Dialogue Coach Video

Below is a short and cute video that has Optimus Prime practicing his lines outside the studio with a dialogue coach. I assume this clip may air with the MTV Movie Awards tonight along with a new TV spot or clip from the movie. Thanks to Feris O. for the heads-up.

First Look at The Last Knight Art

Thanks to Arun09345 on Instagram, we now have the first look at some of the Transformers: The Last Knight art that will likely be used for the toy line and other tie-in products over the next year. Prime and Megatron definitely have that knight armor look to their design while Bumblebee remains more or less the same. Below are pics of the three but reast of the TF related images can be found on Instagram or mirroed at TFormers.

Movie Optimus Prime and Bumblebee Up for Auction

If you have way to much money burning a hole in your pocket then you might be interested in the Barrett-Jackson auction of an Optimus Prime and Bumblebee vehicles. The Optimus Prime vehicle is the 1992 Peterbilt stunt truck that was used in the first three films while Bumblebee is the 1967 Chevy Camaro from Age of Extinction. No estimated of what prices the two vehicles are expected to get but you can read the full details here. Info on the Prime auction is here and Bumblebee here.

Linkfest - Dinobots and Combiners Oh My

It has been a months since did my last linkfest and its shows with an epic ton of video reviews for upcoming figures from Hasbro's Combiner Wars line and all the third party figures. Below are a bunch of reviews for the first wave for the Combiner Wars with an occasional look at an incomplete combiner as Hasbro chose to swap a Stunticon with an Arialbot for each wave to emphasize their ability to swap to create "new" combined robots. Also a look at the first wave of Robots in Disguise toys along with Masterpiece Ultra Magnus and Bumblebee.

For third party reviews the theme is the Dinobots with four lines coming this year. Two of them are Masterpiece scaled figures from Fanstoys while Planet X's are based on War for Cyberton, and one is regular scaled release (from Fansproject) while last is a combiner (from Toyworld). Hopefully the reviews below will help in deciding which of the four to commit to. The 3rd party pattern remains combiners. Other than the Dinobots there are currently takes on the Terrorcons, Combaticons, Technobots and Protectobots. Before the reviews here are links to some upcoming releases, two 80s Transformers videos, and an update on Transformers: Robots in Disguise cartoon series.

Update: Added this reveal of Combiner Wars Devastator. No real deal details except that he may follow the G1 version with six characters merging and come complete as a collection rather than sold individually. Hopefully more will be revealed at the New York Toy Fair that starts Feb 2.

Linkfest - Combiner Wars

The news on the Transformers 5 front remains dead and probably will for a while but that doesn't mean the toys stop coming. In a few cons Hasbro and 3rd party vendors teased about the next six months or so of releases. For Hasbro that means Angry Birds, Combiner Wars and Robots in Disguise toys.

For third party companies, the theme remains combiners with upcoming releases of combiners but it seems the theme for 2015 is Dinbots with at least three separate sets coming one of which will be an actual combiner. Other galleries include a look at Optimus Prime turning into a Playstation 1 console, a look at Ultimetel Prime, and more. On the video review front we have looks at the next wave of Generations Deluxe and Voyager toys, look at two versions of Swoop, reviews of the not Technobots, more Masterpiece figures including Wheeljack, and bunch more.

Goalie Optimus Prime

Below is a cute commercial from ESPN as part of their FIFA World Cup 2014 coverage as Optimus Prime acts as goalie.

Transformers: Age of Extinction Character Blueprints

From the recent issue of the UK's Empire Magazine are blueprint images of Optimus Prime, Galvatron, Bumblebee, and Lockdown. While they are in blue, it does give you a chance to look at some of the CGI details of each character.