Transformers

By: Karl Schneider
Date: Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Last Updated: September 9, 2006

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Production Company: DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Angry Films, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Habro Inc, Platinum Dunes, Kurtzman/Orci
Distributors: Paramount (Worldwide), DreamWorks SKG (Domestic)
Special Effects: CLM Studios, Digital Domain, Industrial Light & Magic
Project Phase: Filming
Budget: NA
Who's In It: Josh Duhamel, Megan Fox, Tyrese Gibson, Shia LaBeouf, Bernie Mac, Carlos Moreno Jr., Glenn Morshower, Samantha Smith, John Turturro, Travis Van Winkle, Jon Voight, Zack Ward, Peter Cullen (Voice of Optimus Prime)
Who's Making It: Michael Bay (Director), Alex Kurtzman (Screenplay), Roberto Orci (Screenplay), Ian Bryce (Producer), Tom DeSanto (Producer), Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Producer)
Release Date: July 4, 2007
Premise: Dueling alien races, the Autobots and the Decepticons, bring their battle to Earth, leaving the future of humankind hanging in the balance.
Comments: Peter Cullen is returning to once again voice Optimus Prime. Hell yea!
Updates:

August 19, 2006 - The robots that will be featured in the upcoming film TRANSFORMERS were revealed yesterday by screenwriters Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman via Yahoo! Movies.

The Transformers are:

Autobots
Optimus Prime
Bumblebee
Jazz
Ratchet
Ironhide

Decepticons
Megatron
Starscream
Brawl
Bonecrusher
Barricade
Scorponok
Frenzy
Blackout

June 30, 2006 - The teaser trailer for the upcoming Michael Bay directed TRANSFORMERS movie has hit the web. You can view it here.

May 12, 2006 - Rachael Taylor and Amaury Nolasco have been cast in DreamWorks' Transformers and Tyrese Gibson is in negotiations to join them.

May 8, 2006 - Bernie Mac and Josh Duhamel have agreed to ride along with Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox in Michael Bay's upcoming live-action feature Transformers.

May 3, 2006 - Megan Fox has signed on as the female lead in DreamWorks' Transformers.

March 30, 2006 - DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures are in final talks with Shia LaBeouf to star in the big screen adaptation of TRANSFORMERS. [Hollywood Reporter]

July 13, 2005 - IGN FilmForce reported that screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci stated, "Right now, we're thinking there will be five Autobots and five Decepticons. But you know the ones everybody knows like Optimus Prime and Megatron and Starscream and Soundwave and Bumblebee. R.C. is gonna be in it. The writers told FilmForce are close to finishing a draft of the script for TRANSFORMERS. They are focusing mainly on the storyline and what the story. [IGN FilmForce.]


May 29, 2005 - From Don Murphy's message board: "Michael Bay is signed at this point for the film- BUT- he has to finish THE ISLAND and it's not finished yet- before he can focus on TF. His Line Producer a great guy named Ian Bryce is dealing with department heads and other details. We were hoping to have a script last week but we don't. But we will soon. Voice actors and Arcee and other things will be addressed at the right time. Welcome to the hell that is Producing- things move VERY slowly in my world. And yes, it is frustrating to me." [DonMurphy.net]

March 15, 2005 - DreamWorks & Paramount have hired Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to write the live-action adaptation of "The Transformers." The script will be based on a story by Tom DeSanto.

Steven Spielberg will be executive producing the film which centers on two groups of robots, one led by Optimus Prime, who believes in tolerance and the sanctity of life, and the other by Megatron, who espouses survival of the fittest and the extermination of biological life. [Variety]

July 23, 2004 - While TRANSFORMERS producer Don Murphy said on his website that there would be a major announcement concerning his project at the San Diego Comic Convention, it turns out that the trades beat him to the punch. Both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are running stories that Murphy and Tom DeSanto's live-action TRANSFORMERS film has found a shared home; both DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures will share in the development of the movie, with a summer 2006 release date eyed. The former movie studio will handle domestic distribution while the latter will take care of international markets.

DreamWorks co-founder Steven Spielberg will come on to serve as an executive producer on the project. Hasbro, the manufacturers of the toy line that serves as inspiration for the film, will remain an active participant in the development of the movie's storyline, production, marketing and related merchandising.