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Independence Day for Transformers Live Action

An anonymous reader writes "Transformers, the long-planned, live-action movie based on the robot-morphing cartoon, comic and toy franchise, will roll into theaters July 4, 2007, DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures announced Wednesday. Michael Bay (The Island, The Rock) will direct; Steven Spielberg will executive produce. "

32 of 437 comments (clear)

  1. Homepage by FrontalLobe · · Score: 5, Informative

    They've already got their homepage set up.
    Homepage

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    -FL
    1. Re:Homepage by ErikZ · · Score: 4, Funny


      bah. You kids and your bandwidth hogging HTML pages. I actually visited the Mosaic offices when they were working on the first internet browser. "Pictures? You know how long it takes to download pictures over a modem? And look how much space those markups are taking up."

      Yeah, if only we could go back and live in 1993 forever man.

      --
      Democrats or Republicans. They are both taking us to the same place and they are not afraid of us anymore.
  2. Interesting, however... by opposume · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Let's hope it's not another AI flop. Seriously though, cool concept, but I'm curious as to how they're going to pull it off "live action"

    --
    I haven't lost my mind. It's backed up on disk somewhere.
    1. Re:Interesting, however... by Bitsy+Boffin · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The only reason that AI was a _box_office_ flop is that the morons in the world (the majority) when they heard it was a "Science Fiction" movie were expecting guns, shooting, robots killing robots, robots killing humans, explosions, implosions...

      AI was an excellent movie, it's not an action movie, perhaps that's part of the reason it's an excellent movie.

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  3. More Than Meets The Eye by bc90021 · · Score: 4, Informative

    For those who are curious about what "live" action might look like for a robot movie, start here with an intro to the Citroen commercial, and then get the commercial here.

    With Spider-Man 3 (May 2007) and the Transformers (July 2007) coming out in the same summer, it looks like I'll be spending a lot of time in the theatre in 2007!

    1. Re:More Than Meets The Eye by Marc2k · · Score: 5, Funny

      With Spider-Man 3 (May 2007) and the Transformers (July 2007) coming out in the same summer, it looks like I'll be spending a lot of time in the theatre in 2007!

      Yes, precisely. I'd estimate about 4 hours, which beats the crap out of the number of hours I've spent at the theatre this summer.

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      --- What
    2. Re:More Than Meets The Eye by FauxPasIII · · Score: 4, Funny

      > You watch comic book movies?
      > No wonder women wont suck your cock.

      Your double-entendre kung fu is stronger than mine.
      Well done.

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  4. is it just me by SirSlud · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I love Transformers. Therefore, I could care less about the movie, because there already *was* a TV show and a movie. I like new ideas, not infinate interpretations on a theme.

    --
    "Old man yells at systemd"
  5. Stop *planning* for sequels before the first movie by garcia · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "It will be GREAT," Murphy continued, "and then we will make sequel after sequel. There is no doubt that this is true."

    I wasn't aware that a movie being GREAT was a prerequesite for sequels. In fact, why even bother to *plan* on sequels when they aren't necessary?

    Why not spend all the time you can being true to the original intent derived from the cartoon and making sure that *this* movie doesn't get the raving piss-poor reviews that Fantastic Four did (people going to see it on opening weekend doesn't mean it's good folks).

    Just make the movie and let the market decide whether a sequel is necessary. We're not talking about a story that deserves sequels (like LOTR) either.

    Just because it was a serial cartoon doesn't mean the movie has to be.

  6. Transformers: The Movie by mcsnee · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The article gives short shrift to the animated 1986 "Transformers: The Movie," calling it "little-loved". Personally, I thought it was great... am I the only one?

    1. Re:Transformers: The Movie by MrAndrews · · Score: 4, Funny

      It was little loved by my brother, who woke up crying every night for days because Optimus died. On the other hand, it is one of the most quotable movies of all time. They just don't write scripts like they used to...

  7. Why all these remakes? by kooganani · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why all these remakes of crap shows? Why can't they do cool shows from the Olde Days like Falcon Crest or Knott's Landing?

  8. Ah, product marketing... by geders · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I can't wait to go to the theater and watch them slaughter the current generation of tranformers to help introduce this years "New and Improved" series of transformer toys! It will be like 1986 all over again...

  9. After that will be... by Chosen+Reject · · Score: 3, Funny

    Next will be Thundercats!

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  10. Make sure it is the 1980's version by John+Seminal · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Not the 90's armada version.

    I was a huge fan of the transformers in the early 80's. It was a great block of cartoons. There was He-Man, then Transformers, and then GI Joe (which I thought was weak). Oh, and for a couple years, they had Robotech, which was awesome, followed by Voltron. Talk about good cartoons, I don't think even Thundercats could dethrone those cartoons. Nothing good today like those cartoons.

    Back to the Transformers. The new series stunk. It was not true to the old one. I don't think I even saw Megatron, at least not the way I remembered him. He was fairly smart back in the 80's, not crazy like starscream. The new series has no thought in it, that is why i dislike it. It is just like one thoughtless attack after another, no strategy.

    And what happened to the robot that replaced Optimus Prime, when he died, I remember this robot was stuck inside a comet or astroid, and he had to be found.

    Oh, and bring back the big mega robot, that is combined by 5 smaller ones, the green one that is all the construction machines that form a big robot.

    Please, please, please, get this movie right. It will be a delight for all of us who watched the original series. Put most of the money in the script, something really good. I would rather have an awesome story and so-so graphics than a bad story and million dollar graphics.

    --

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    1. Re:Make sure it is the 1980's version by KanSer · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Put most of the money in the script, something really good. I would rather have an awesome story and so-so graphics than a bad story and million dollar graphics.
      Do you have any idea who Michael Bay is??? He's going to shit on your childhood 10 times worse than Lucas could ever dream of. It's going to be Bad Boys 2 meets Transformers.
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      • MOD PARENT UP by Anonymous Coward Wednesday April 20, @4:20
    2. Re:Make sure it is the 1980's version by chrysrobyn · · Score: 3, Informative
      I was a huge fan of the transformers in the early 80's. It was a great block of cartoons. There was He-Man, then Transformers, and then GI Joe (which I thought was weak). Oh, and for a couple years, they had Robotech, which was awesome, followed by Voltron. Talk about good cartoons, I don't think even Thundercats could dethrone those cartoons. Nothing good today like those cartoons.

      Friend, I don't know how to break this to you, but don't see these cartoons on rerun. Keep your memories alive. They were great when we were kids, but anything with a computer in it was too. If you were forced to watch an entire episode of any of those old series, you'd need a huge shot of nostalgia to keep you from impaling yourself on your TV remote just to end the pain. Nostalgia and childhood inexperience are the two things that make those cartoons great (with the possible exception of Robotech, which I was not privvy to). Those old TV shows made Star Wars (insert your least favorite number, likely "I") sound like it had good writing.

      Transformers: The Movie was the only film I have cried in. I'm nearly 30 and still to this day, when I play the Transformers sountrack (you're a fan, so you have it, too, right?), I can't help but get chills and a tear in my eye when Optimus goes to the bright UPS in the sky.

      Back to the Transformers. The new series stunk. It was not true to the old one. I don't think I even saw Megatron, at least not the way I remembered him. He was fairly smart back in the 80's, not crazy like starscream. The new series has no thought in it, that is why i dislike it. It is just like one thoughtless attack after another, no strategy.

      There are several new series. Not all of them have the cliche, "the world is always reset to the zero state at the end of the show so you can see it in any order". Megatron was indeed changed, as were all the characters. They went with the recent CGI fad, which presented a completely different style. Arguably, they had to mix up the characters some because the graphics were so different.

      Personally, I'm learning that some remakes are acceptable. I don't know about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and any version of A New Hope where Han doesn't shoot first is blasphemy, but the new Battlestar Galactica is clearly its own work inspired by the original. Take it beyond video for a minute, and I enjoy Leaving on a Jet Plane by either Chantel Creviazuk or Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, but not John Denver or Peter, Paul and Mary. Additionally, I can't stand Prince, but I enjoy Darling Nikki by the Foo Fighters.

      And what happened to the robot that replaced Optimus Prime, when he died, I remember this robot was stuck inside a comet or astroid, and he had to be found.

      I think you mean Hot Rod. Wikipedia has a better explanation than I can.

  11. Woah. by njfuzzy · · Score: 3, Funny

    At first glance, I didn't parse "The Rock) will direct; " very well. Man was that a scary moment.

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  12. Re:Just Great by xTown · · Score: 3, Informative

    You mean, of course, another live-action He-Man movie.

    Maaaaan was it terrible.

  13. Where's The Blog by BRock97 · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, how long before we get Optimus Prime's blog up on that site! It would be awesome:

    Planning For The Trip
    Monday, July 11th, 2005

    My bags are packed and I have an Energon snack pack since the trip to the space bridge is a couple of ours by way of Jetfire. Got another message from Elita-1 which says that it will be good to have me home. I don't know. You know the old Cybertronian saying, "You can't go home...". I have never felt that as being more true than right now. I am so nervous, my energy storage unit is backed up into my Matrix of Leadership....


    Damn it Spike
    Sunday, July 10th, 2005

    I swear I don't know what I am going to do with that human. Just as I issued the orders to roll out, he hopped into Bumblebee and came on the last defensive of the human's oil refinery. Sure enough, he gets caught in an explosion and almost fell into the Earthen sea. I hate to do it, but I think I will have to make Bumblebee his care taker from now on. That goldbug has been asking for a promotion anyways...


    Energon
    Tuesday, July 5th, 2005

    God, I love energon. Just thought I would let you guys know that.

    --

    Bryan R.
    The price of freedom is eternal vigilance, or $12.50 as seen on eBay.....
    1. Re:Where's The Blog by PsiPsiStar · · Score: 3, Funny

      So, how long before we get Optimus Prime's blog up on that site!

      As soon as he figures out how to transform his optimus keyboard?

      --

      ___
      It's the end of my comment as I know it and I feel fine.
  14. Writers? by j1ggl3x · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Let's see, according to imdb, here are the billed screenplay writers:
    John Rogers (screenplay) and
    Roberto Orci (screenplay)
    Tom DeSanto story
    Alex Kurtzman screenplay

    Googling around, it seems like John Rogers will be the head writer. His creidts? Catwoman and The Core.
    (Budget/US Box Office)
    Catwoman: $100 million/$40 million
    The Core: $60 million/$30 million

    Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman? Episodes of Alias, the Island, MI3, Zorro sequel. I highly doubt the Island will be good, and sequels just for money usually don't have stellar stories, so not looking too great.

    The only possible saving grace in the bunch is Tom DeSanto who is credited for the story in X-Men. Hollywood must seriously be about the connections. I just don't know how anyone would be willing to invest money in the guy who wrote Catwoman or The Core.

  15. I have only one thing to say..... by xlr8ed · · Score: 5, Funny

    If there is even one single Autobot with "spinners" on their wheels...I am going to go completely postal....

  16. Re:Lord of the Rings IV by Dogtanian · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm holding out for "Lord of the Rings IV".

    That's not going to happen, as such. However, after finishing King Kong, Jackson is supposed to be working on a cash-in prequel- "Lord of the Rings 0" if you like, although the rumoured name is "The Hobbit".

    Apparently they contrived some stupid story about a guy who appears at the start of the first LOTR film.

    What a cheap cash-in. Scum.

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  17. Re:Speilberg!? by mbbac · · Score: 3, Informative

    If Dreamworks is involved with a movie, it is highly likely that Steven Spielberg will be an executive producer of it.

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    mbbac

  18. Wa-wa-wa-wa by NaDrew · · Score: 4, Funny

    As long as they make that sound when they change forms, I'll be happy.

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    Vista:XPSP2::ME:98SE
  19. This is a joke, right? by Zobeid · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Isn't it a bit late for April Fool hoaxes?

    I mean seriously. . . Transformers? What's next, a big-budget movie adaptation of HR Pufnstuf?

    Yep, I can bet I'm gonna burn a lot of karma on this one. But I just don't get it. We're talking about a cheesy SatAM cartoon designed as a half-hour long toy advertisement. Right? On top of that, its heyday was 20 years ago.

  20. Transformers are perverted by Dogtanian · · Score: 5, Funny

    With live action, how are they going to reproduce Megatron? He's as big as an 18 wheeler truck in robot form, but is a handgun in disguise.

    A really damn *big* handgun... ought to get attention from some people.

    "Is that an 18 wheel truck in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?"

    Anyway, I think that "Ravage" (who transformed into an audio cassette) would have the same problem- can you imagine how unthreatening a robotic panther the size of a C90 would be?

    This isn't an issue anyway, as neither Ravage (nor his ghetto-blasting cassette-deck buddy Soundwave) will be appearing in the movie, having become rather unfashionable and outdated.

    Apprently, they will be replaced by an iPod that transforms into a style-conscious robot. "iKill" will, claim producers, be the first openly gay Transformer.

    Sadly, the loss of Ravage and Soundwave deprive us of the opportunity to witness some extremely screwed-up psychosexual issues, as "cassette" Ravage hides inside his "cassette player" buddy Soundwave.

    This loss is a double-blow to Ravage, who never recovered fully after someone recorded a Debbie Gibson album on him in 1989.

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  21. My favorite T:TM quote by halivar · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Shit!"

    Admit it, it was yours, too.

  22. Re:Lord of the Rings IV by AtariAmarok · · Score: 4, Funny
    "What a cheap cash-in. Scum"

    What do you expect from a guy who actually made up the title of the second Lord of the Rings movie to cash in on the WTC tragedy. Shameless.

    --
    Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
  23. Re:wow Hollywood does it again. by hubie · · Score: 3, Interesting
    It is all a matter of age. When GI Joe, et al. came out (20 or so years ago) I found them all unwatchable and annoying then (poor animation, cliche stories and characters, etc.), just as you find unwatchable whatever they're pushing now. Especially since, to me, GI Joe was supposed to be 9.5-inches tall and had Kung-Fu Grip!

    And it was always irksome then that TV went heavy into a "what about the children?" mode where the cartoon censorship got heavy. I grew up on Bugs Bunny and Roadrunner Show reruns and I still get annoyed when I see a Looney Tunes cartoon with an obvious censored cut such as a removal of a gunshot. GI Joe and other cartoons rubbed me the same wrong way as well. You'd have the HUGE plane crash/explosion and everyone would come running out of the flames unhurt. It was even more annoying in the live-action stuff like The A-Team: the roof-less jeep explodes and flips over, but they make sure to show you that the two riders in the jeep crawl out OK.

  24. Oh, it gets much worse. by LiberalApplication · · Score: 3, Informative
    Do you have any idea who Michael Bay is??? He's going to shit on your childhood 10 times worse than Lucas could ever dream of. It's going to be Bad Boys 2 meets Transformers.

    The screenplay is being co-written by the moron who brought us the bombs "The Core" and "Catwoman", so my guess is that John Rogers will be the one shitting all over our childhoods, and Michael Bay will simply be sculpting it into offensive shapes and taking pictures of the result.