Transformers: Age of Extinction - in theaters June 27, 2014

[big F]

Mark Wahlberg Confirmed For TRANSFORMERS 4; Official Logo Unveiled

"Mark is awesome. We had a blast working on "Pain and Gain" and I’m so fired up to be back working with him. An actor of his caliber is the perfect guy to re-invigorate the franchise and carry on the Transformers’ legacy," said Bay.

Is it just me or does he really talk like an 80's 5 year old ?

Also is Bay admitting that the franchise needs CPR ?

[GU-11]

"Mark is awesome. We had a blast working on "Pain and Gain" and I’m so fired up to be back working with him. An actor of his caliber is the perfect guy to re-invigorate the franchise and carry on the Transformers’ legacy," said Bay.

Is it just me or does he really talk like an 80's 5 year old ?

Also is Bay admitting that the franchise needs CPR ?

To both questions: yes, he does.

[azrael]

The Transformers 4 Script Has Supposedly Leaked, Here’s What’s Apparently In It

Take with your favorite seasoning. Bay seems to be denying it.

[big F]

All we need now is energon and a lot of luck.

Seriously all they need to add is Quintesons, Junkions and its all 1986 v2

[M'Kyuun]

Before the whole tragedy that has been Bay's Transformers and its unholy spawn, I had held out hope that James cameron would want to direct Transformers. Unfortunately, all he's interested in now are tall gangly blue people with big yellow eyes to the exclusion of all else. cameron was always my dream director for TF, even back when a live action film was still a dream.

My hope now is that the next installments are even more terrible than the last 3, thus disenfranchising even those die-hard Bay fans. Sadly, they are many, as evidenced by reading comments over at TFW2005.

The real tragedy here is that Hasbro has latched on to Bay's movie designs with gusto, and unless another director with a completely different aesthetic in mind steps up, we're going to be stuck with them for a long time.

I wish Hasbro had continued with Classics, but they've been replaced with the WFC/FOC designs, which I'm not crazy about, except for the new Prime. Anyway, the overpriced MP line is becoming the only toy refuge for G1 fans. I'm very thankful for the many toys we did get, but I think they pulled the plug too soon.

[anime52k8]

>snip<

Yeah, how dare a company produce merchandise for the highly successful current incarnation of the franchise they own. Hasbro should only cater to the whims of aging nerds who hate everything that isn't from 1985 to the exclusion of everyone else.

[GU-11]

The Transformers 4 Script Has Supposedly Leaked, Here’s What’s Apparently In It

Take with your favorite seasoning. Bay seems to be denying it.

Strangely, I'm not excited about TF4 like I was with previous TF movies. Maybe it's franchise fatigue. It no longer matters to me what TF's will be in it, or who stars in it. I'll watch it in the theater as I always have when a TF movie comes out, and probably be pleasantly surprised with certain improvements, while rolling my eyes at Bay's trademark potty humor and cuckoo-crazy characters.

I'll still buy whatever toys I like from the movie, regardless, being a real fan of the movieverse aesthetics.

[M'Kyuun]

Yeah, how dare a company produce merchandise for the highly successful current incarnation of the franchise they own. Hasbro should only cater to the whims of aging nerds who hate everything that isn't from 1985 to the exclusion of everyone else.

On the contrary, I'm not against Hasbro's producing merchandise for any of the current incarnations. Despite my dislike for the live action movie aesthetic, it made Takara and Hasbro rethink the way they made their toys, and as a result, we reaped the benefit of having some of the most complex Transformer toys that will probably ever be made. I own alot of them. I have a number of Prime toys, and FOC Prime, which I like alot. I'd like to see a continuation of G1 classics as well, mostly b/c I prefer that aesthetic over Bay's designs and the WFC/FOC designs. I'd also love to see more Animated toys, my second favorite toyline.

I don't like Bay's TF movies. Beyond the designs, I'd hoped that a director with a lifelong passion for the subject matter would craft a movie at least on par with the '86 animated movie. Instead, we got Bay. Like many, I was very excited for a live action movie, and like alot of folks, I was deeply disappointed with what we got. The TF: Prime tv show is everything and more than what we should have got in a live action movie.

This aging nerd can't help notice that G1 influence is prevalent in all these new incarnations, and those elements drawn from G1 are often spotlighted. If it's not relevent, then why not reinvent the franchise from the ground up. I think something about those old shows remains relevent, enjoyable, inspiring, and those things continue to resonate, otherwise it would have faded into obscurity 20+ years ago.

[RD Blade]

I like the part where you replied without being condescending or mean.

[big F]

This ageing nerd can't help notice that G1 influence is prevalent in all these new incarnations, and those elements drawn from G1 are often spotlighted. If it's not relevant then why not reinvent the franchise from the ground up. I think something about those old shows remains relevant enjoyable, inspiring, and those things continue to resonate, otherwise it would have faded into obscurity 20+ years ago.

Could it be that on the contrary to that its just down to a lack of scope with the story the writers have penned, they have so little content they have to steal from the cartoons just to get some padding.

[David Hingtgen]

I like the part where you replied without being condescending or mean.

Yeah, he's treading the line pretty closely----better be a bit more hyped-up and critical next time or face a ban---this *is* MW after all.

[M'Kyuun]

I'd rather be reasonable than snarky, even if snarkiness is a bit cathartic.

After 20 years of being perpetually pissed off and stressed out in the military, I retired all that angst last year. If I die of a heart attack in the near future, it'll be due to all the alfredo sauce I make rather than forgetting some piece of pertinent aircraft data for the Col's 1400 maintenance meeting.

As far as Transformers 4 goes, despite Bay's involvement, he may, and that's an infinitely huge MAY, make a different kind of Transformers movie that even I might like. Hell, there were a few moments of Transformers 3 that I thought were ok, although on the whole I still found it unappealing. Since Orci and Kurtzman are writing and producing TF: Prime, I'm guessing that there is/are new writer(s) for the new movie, as well as a new cast and direction. If this one eschews Bay's juvenile humor and takes on a more serious tone, I think I'd cotton to it, at least moreso than the previous three. As far as the aesthetic, well I guess we're stuck with it until some other director comes along and reimagines it all. Regardless, I don't think we'll see toys of the caliber we've had from the next couple of movies since the trend is for smaller, simpler designs. I've always been in it for the toys more than the lore, anyways, so it's a bittersweet development: I'll miss those complex toys, but my wallet will get a breather, especially since LEGO, my other addiction, has become quite pricey as well, and they make so many great sets.

[anime52k8]

Can I just say that the transformers movies have all been incredibly stupid, awful movies. But they've been stupid and awful in ways that make me laugh. And anyways I like movie designs, they're freaky and weird looking with looks of crazy stuff going on which makes for cool toy engineering.

[M'Kyuun]

Can I just say that the transformers movies have all been incredibly stupid, awful movies.

I concur 100% per movie.

But they've been stupid and awful in ways that make me laugh.

I can't even meet you halfway here. I'm not above lowbrow humor (Family Guy makes me laugh), but these movies aren't funny at all. They make me groan with every attempt. Just absolutely terrible.

And anyways I like movie designs, they're freaky and weird looking with looks of crazy stuff going on which makes for cool toy engineering.

The designs are ok for something other than Transformers. If you didn't know these were Transformers, you probably wouldn't identify them as such at a first glance. Moreover, they're skeletal frames with car parts sectioned and diced and placed willy-nilly over the frame. They don't transform as much as they morph through animation magic. I'd like to see designs where the parts are logically placed and attached so that both the toy and the on screen incarnation are extremely close in appearance and transformation. Just like the valks. Or Alternators. I'm not saying that the proportions need be blocky or slavish to the G1 aesthetic, but there was much lost in translation from CG character to practical toy because in reality, none of those things would transform worth a damn. And if they somehow did, there'd be so many seams that the things would look like big 3d puzzles barely holding together for all the miniscule pieces. For that reason, and b/c I think they're kinda ugly, I don't subscribe to Bay's Transformer aesthetic for a live action movie where realism is to be portrayed. With all those little shifting parts, one would merely have to throw a baseball at them and watch them shatter.

[peter]

I beleive there is hope for a re-boot, but perhaps not in the near future, not as long as Hasbro is so firmly latched onto Bay. He makes money, there's no doubt about it.

G1 fans want to see Prime his original form, not as a pile of metal shards. If Space Battleship Yamato can be made more or less faithfull to the original animation, it's possible for Transformers G1 to get the same treatment one day.

[RD Blade]

With all those little shifting parts, one would merely have to throw a baseball at them and watch them shatter.

It didn't take much more than that to kill Starscream in DOTM.

[Astralith]

I hope that in the next installment they introduced human-piloted mecha derived from Cybertronian technology. Then I hope the sell great toys and video games featuring them. That way I can by buy variable vehicles for under $100 and play games with transforming vehicles on-line in English... Basically affordable English Macross.

[Dobber]

The designs are ok for something other than Transformers. If you didn't know these were Transformers, you probably wouldn't identify them as such at a first glance. Moreover, they're skeletal frames with car parts sectioned and diced and placed willy-nilly over the frame. They don't transform as much as they morph through animation magic. I'd like to see designs where the parts are logically placed and attached so that both the toy and the on screen incarnation are extremely close in appearance and transformation. Just like the valks. Or Alternators. I'm not saying that the proportions need be blocky or slavish to the G1 aesthetic, but there was much lost in translation from CG character to practical toy because in reality, none of those things would transform worth a damn. And if they somehow did, there'd be so many seams that the things would look like big 3d puzzles barely holding together for all the miniscule pieces. For that reason, and b/c I think they're kinda ugly, I don't subscribe to Bay's Transformer aesthetic for a live action movie where realism is to be portrayed.

THANK YOU! That is exactly what I've said about the designs in the past and have felt all along. I didn't get all the hoopla about how the technology is finally here for them to make a live action transformer movie (which i believe the makers had said when the first movie was in production) and then just cheat the whole process.

Chris

[BeyondTheGrave]

They don't transform as much as they morph through animation magic.

how does that differ from g1?

I beleive there is hope for a re-boot, but perhaps not in the near future, not as long as Hasbro is so firmly latched onto Bay. He makes money, there's no doubt about it.

G1 fans want to see Prime his original form, not as a pile of metal shards. If Space Battleship Yamato can be made more or less faithfull to the original animation, it's possible for Transformers G1 to get the same treatment one day.

that probably won't happen.

[mikeszekely]

how does that differ from g1?

I'm not saying that the proportions need be blocky or slavish to the G1 aesthetic

I'd like to see designs where the parts are logically placed and attached so that both the toy and the on screen incarnation are extremely close in appearance and transformation. Just like the valks. Or Alternators.

I don't think he's arguing that it's different from G1, and I don't think he's clamoring for live action G1 designs.

If Transformers gets a live-action reboot someday, I'd hope that the characters have at least some connection to their G1 counterparts. Like Ironhide could at least be red, and have a little more personality than "I shoot big guns!"

[David Hingtgen]

If Transformers gets a live-action reboot someday, I'd hope that the characters have at least some connection to their G1 counterparts. Like Ironhide could at least be red, and have a little more personality than "I shoot big guns!"

That's more personality than most any Decepticon got. Really, the #1 area where most any show is better than the Bay movies, is Decepticon characterization. 1986 TF:TM Starscream has more character than the entire Bay trilogy Decepticon army. And Starscream died in the first half of the '86 movie...

[anime52k8]

The designs are ok for something other than Transformers. If you didn't know these were Transformers, you probably wouldn't identify them as such at a first glance. Moreover, they're skeletal frames with car parts sectioned and diced and placed willy-nilly over the frame. They don't transform as much as they morph through animation magic. I'd like to see designs where the parts are logically placed and attached so that both the toy and the on screen incarnation are extremely close in appearance and transformation. Just like the valks. Or Alternators. I'm not saying that the proportions need be blocky or slavish to the G1 aesthetic, but there was much lost in translation from CG character to practical toy because in reality, none of those things would transform worth a damn. And if they somehow did, there'd be so many seams that the things would look like big 3d puzzles barely holding together for all the miniscule pieces. For that reason, and b/c I think they're kinda ugly, I don't subscribe to Bay's Transformer aesthetic for a live action movie where realism is to be portrayed. With all those little shifting parts, one would merely have to throw a baseball at them and watch them shatter.

I could make a lengthy post as to how the design aesthetics of the movie transformers actually make sense within the context of how transformers are supposed to be a form of mechanical based alien lifeforms, both in terms of how they handle transformation and how their bodies are laid out; But at this point I don't feel like this thread nor this entire line of discussion is deserving of anything more than condescension and snark.

[peter]

how does that differ from g1? that probably won't happen.

It's already been done by fans like these guys:

It's just a matter of time before home-made shorts like this will rival the big screen, just have to wait for technology to catch up. 5-10 years or so and I'm willing to bet fans will come up with a decent flick.

Edited December 20, 2012 by peter

[BeyondTheGrave]

It's already been done by fans like these guys:

*snip*

It's just a matter of time before home-made shorts like this will rival the big screen, just have to wait for technology to catch up. 5-10 years or so and I'm willing to bet fans will come up with a decent flick.

those were um...

Edited December 21, 2012 by BeyondTheGrave

[anime52k8]

honestly, the second one looked terrible. I do like how the first one has just as much shaky cam, lens flare and zoomed in way the hell too much cinematography as the bay movies.

[M'Kyuun]

I don't think he's arguing that it's different from G1, and I don't think he's clamoring for live action G1 designs.

If Transformers gets a live-action reboot someday, I'd hope that the characters have at least some connection to their G1 counterparts. Like Ironhide could at least be red, and have a little more personality than "I shoot big guns!"

For your first point, in a reboot, I wouldn't mind seeing G1 homaged, but the designs need not be exactingly G1. I liked TF: Animated and I also like the Classics toyline, neither of which is slavish to G1 design aesthetic. But it's in the ballpark.

The lack of personality in any of his bot characters, except Prime (thanks to Mr. Cullen), is a glaring failure of Bay's movies. It's also the reason I scratch my head and wonder why Spielberg chose him, a guy with no personal connection to Transformers beyond knowing they are toys. Bay likes cars and explosions and juvenile humor, but knows nothing about what made this series worth translating into a live action film. In my experience, one normally doesn't get hired when they have no knowledge of their subject matter.

I blamed Orci and Kurtzman for crappy scripts, but they've surprised me with TF:Prime. They get it, even if they did carry over Bumblebee's annoying lack of voice. The show is brimming with personality, and they tell a good story.

Bay's movies manifest his view that the TFs are nothing more than props. Should there be a Bay-less reboot in the future, I hope a director with a strong connection to these Characters comes forward and crafts a movie that does them justice.

[Oihan]

From IGN:

Michael Bay Talks Transformers Redesign

Director discusses the future of the Transformers franchise.

by Chris Tilly

February 4, 2013

Michael Bay has been discussing the future of the

Transformers franchise, talking about both broadening and redesigning
the series.

Speaking to Forbes,
Bay said, “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.”

Bay’s next film is Pain & Gain, which stars Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg, with the latter also appearing in Transformers 4.

“Mark is really excited about it and it’s a great redesign,” he
explained. “I said that three was going to be my last one. Paramount was
letting me do Pain & Gain and the Transformers ride was opening at
Universal and it was bittersweet to think of passing it off. I wanted to
set it up on a really sure footing and to bring someone else in on
that, it would have been overwhelming.”

But according to Bay, the film is definitely not a reboot. “No,
that’s wrong. We keep the Transformers the way they were, it’s just four
years later. There’s a reason the Transformers are redesigned. We’re
trying to broaden the franchise and give it more places to go.”

Pain & Gain hits this April, while Transformers 4 is released summer 2014.

[GU-11]

I have a sinking feeling he'll remain in the director's seat until the audience finally tires of TF's, and Paramount stops making TF LAM's altogether.

[Lupin The Third]

Wait they're still making TF moves? Why? This is akin to kicking puppies and it just needs to stop.

[Black Valkyrie]

Do you want Lucas to direct it .

[big F]

Do you want Lucas to direct it .

What and have the main characters fall in love and cut to some slushy footage of them running over hill sides,sharing picnics and rolling around in long grass.

At least then It could get sold to Disney. Then we would have to endure more Mouse based products only this time they'd transform.

Bonus would be no shakey cam and ultra close , close ups, Lucas like his details.

Edited February 9, 2013 by big F

[anime52k8]

At least then It could get sold to Disney. Then we would have to endure more Mouse based products only this time they'd transform.

What are you talking about? Disney Label Mickey is awesome!

[peter]

those were um...

Yes, crappy compared to studio films, yes, crappy compared to what fans could do today, but those were done some time ago, and just look at how tech has caught up? All I was saying is technology will be at a point one day when some fan will have the ability to create a film that rivals the studio productions, and I'm willing to bet someday, someone will make a film that pays a lot of homage to the original character designs.

But for now, we've got Bay doing his thing, and that's fine, he makes a $hit ton of money for the studios, so why not?

[areaseven]

Dinobots, Lockdown, Hound, Drift and Galvatron Rumored for TF4

[anime52k8]

Dinobots, Lockdown, Hound, Drift and Galvatron Rumored for TF4

Much more interesting news:

Li Bingbing Joins Transformers 4

I know jack all about Chinese films, but she was seriously hot in Resident evil: Retribution.

Edited May 22, 2013 by anime52k8