
SCI FI Wire reveals that Michael Bay was no big fan of the 'Transformers' before he was hired to direct the movie.
"I was not a Transformers fan before I signed on for this movie," Bay said in a press conference in Beverly Hills, Calif., over the weekend. "I think I was 2 years old when the toys came out, so I just discovered girls then ... instead of Optimus Prime," he added, referring to the giant robot leader.
But Bay got a call from executive producer Steven Spielberg, who thought he'd be perfect for the job of helming a live-action movie about the Autobots and Decepticons and their centuries-old battle for galactic supremacy. He even went to "Transformers School" at toymaker Hasbro, which owns the brand.
"I really thought, 'What the f--k am I going to Hasbro for Transformers School?'" Bay (The Island) recalled. "I thought I was going to learn how to fold up robots. But I met with the CEO, and I went through the whole Transformers lore, and I was [hooked]."