Slashdot Mirror
'Transformers' Live Action Movie from DreamWorks?
mr_don't writes "Apprently, CNN is reporting that Dreamworks might be in talks with Michael Bay (who directed the bomb Pearl Harbor) to direct a live action Transformers movie. The article says: A November 17, 2006, release date has been set. Bay's credits include the two "Bad Boys" movies, "Pearl Harbor," "Armageddon" and "The Rock." Well, as a child of the 80's I must admit I am interested, but could the movie be directed by Robert Rodriguez instead?"
In case you hadn't heard, Robert Rodriguez probably won't be doing many major-studio pictures any time soon. His decision to share directing credit with Frank Miller (and, to a certain extent, Tarantino) forced him to drop out of the Director's Guild of America.
And AFAIK, it works kind of like a union thing, the major studios only hiring directors from the DGA.
Rodriguez will no doubt have little trouble finding work... but expect it to be via indie studios.
From boxofficemojo.com this is the breakdown:
Pearl Harbor:
Production Budget: $140 million
Est. Marketing Costs: $70 million
Domestic gross: $198,542,554 (44.2%)
+ Overseas gross: $250,678,391 (55.8%)
-----------------
= Worldwide gross: $449,220,945
So... it cost $210 million to make and market the film, it took in $450 million from the box office ALONE (not including the millions that selling tv rights brings, DVD/VHS sales, pay-per-view spots), and I'm sure the producers are really crying about this "bomb" - crying all the way to the bank...
Dude, if you are going to rip someone's lyrics, at least give the source. This fine song is called The End of an Act from the Team America World Police soundtrack. Highly recommend it if you want to laugh your ass off.
Bryan R.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, or $12.50 as seen on eBay.....
Y'know, if you're gonna troll, at least take the time to make sure your claims aren't completely wrong.
Released in US: May 25, 2001 :$45,000,000
Total US Gross: $198,539,855
Production Budget: $135,000,000
Prints and Advertising Budget
Worldwide Gross: $450,500,000
Assume that roughly 50% of gross goes back to the studio, factor in things like DVD/Video sales and merchandise, and you've got a seriously profitable movie.
Obliteracy: Words with explosions
> the original projected release date was 2005
Not quite. The projected release date has always been 2006. 2005 was just a date picked by the fans to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the first movie. On the web forum, Don Murphy mentions they were shooting for a summer 2006 release. More information on the movie can be found on the TF - The Movie roundup page. If the first movie is successful, they plan for Unicron to make an appearance in the third one.
Though many people do not realise it, over 500 episodes of Transformers have been made in their various incarnations.
Here is a brief rundown of the various Transformer shows that have aired in the last 20 years.
American shows
Transformers Generation 1 TV show (American written show, set during 1985-86 and 2005-06)
2) Transformers Generation 2 TV show (modified version of the G1 series that added an annoying 3D space cube animation.
Japanese only series
Transformers: Headmasters (Japanese). Available as an official or partial fandub.
Transformers: Masterforce (Japanese). Available in official dub or sub-titled versions.
Transformers Victory (Japanese series) Available as an official dub, fan dub, or subtitled.
Transformers Zone (Japanese). Available in subtitled or dubbed versions.
Though transforming robots remained popular in the East, the Transformers line was 'rested' for a few years.
The Beast Era
In 1996 the toy line was relaunched. After the disappointing sales of the Generation 2 series, vehicle modes were abandoned and animal forms introduced. Optimus Primal transformed into a gorilla and Megatron became a dinosaur. The Beast era was set years after the original series 300-1000 years, depending upon your source) and introduced two new factions - the Maximals and Predacons.
Beast Wars - The Autobots and Decepticons are gone and the Maximals and Predacons have made peace. This peace is broken by Megatron (a namesake, not the original), who travels back in time in an attempt to change the course of history. In most episodes he is thwarted by Optimus Primal and a small band of Maximals. The animation shows its age, but it is probably the most intelligently written TF show made (season 2, in particular).
Beast Machines - The Beast Wars are over and the Maximals return to Cybertron. They find that Megatron has captured the sparks (soul) of every Transformer on the planet and created an army of mindless drones called Vehicons. Best remembered for the strong religious overtones, huge explosions and scenes of the Maximals running away.
Japanese Beast series
While the US got the second and third season of Beast Wars, Japan received two spin-off series that focused upon other planets.
Beast Wars 2 (Japanese). Leo Convoy (lion) Vs Galvatron (dragon).
Beast Wars Neo (Japanese) - The Maximal leader, Big Convoy (a wooly mammoth) faces against the evil Magmatron. Unlike earlier Convoy/Prime toys, Big Convoy has a removable matrix in his chest.
Autobots and Decepticons return
Hasbro's initial plan was to create a followup to the Beast Machines series called Transtech. This would feature vehicle TFs with animal moulding. However, it was later abandoned and Hasbro made a deal