The Transformers Live-Action Movie: Live-Action He-Man redux?
Good grief, Michael Bay! Couldn't you have at least borrowed a copy of the G1 Transformers DVDs before you started production on this... thing?!
For those of you out of the loop, photos have been leaked of the movie versions of Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Starscream and Megatron. And, hoo boy... they couldn't be any further removed from the classic looks of the core Transformers characters. Bumblebee looks like a Bionicle, Prime looks like the Terminator with a flame tatoo, Starscream looks like an ape with bird feet and Megatron... well, Megatron is so abysmal that I just had to blog about this. He barely resembles a robot, let alone a Transformer, let alone such an iconic character as Megatron!
Look, I'm not such a G1 purist that I demand cartoon accurate designs -- but this is just too much! It's too far removed from the essence of Transformers, which has remained more or less intact throughout all incarnations of the series over the past 20 years. And from what has been leaked, the script is about as far off as the character designs are.
This is why Hasbro has been throwing fans a bone with their Classics toyline. This is why the secrecy over the appearance of the movie Transformers. This is why Peter Cullen was cast as Optimus Prime, despite Bay's reported initial disinterest -- to help win over fandom before these images hit. This is why producer Don Murphy and Hasbro's COO are on the defensive with fandom nearly every other day on message boards. This is why the fans are outraged. This is not shaping up to be the Transformers movie we've waited all these years to see.
In fact, it's looking to mirror another well known toy-to-film disaster: Masters of the Universe. And Hasbro, if you're reading this -- remember what happened to the He-Man toyline after the movie? Nuff said!
This isn't just about fanboys grumbling over something as relatively unimportant as organic webshooters. This is about a film being made that apparently has very little to do with the source material at all, aside from featuring giant robots.
And while I understand how much time, money and effort is being poured into the movie, please Mr. Murphy, don't talk down to the fans like we're being unreasonable with our complaints. This movie isn't being made because you're "on our side" -- it's being made because the studio thinks it'll make money. Let's at least drop the facade and stop patronizing the fanbase, okay?
Nothing against you personally, but it's just business. We're all old enough to understand that. So let's just be honest about it. That being said, how much business do you guys expect a film to make when you're alienating the very fans that have made it endure this long? Honestly?
Personally, I'd rather see no Transformers live-action movie than one that could potentially harm the franchise. But that's just me.
I so would not want to be attached to this film and attending BotCon this year...
2010 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 2010 Newer› Newest»Amen my friend! I completely 100% agree with EVERYTHING you stated above. MOTU: Transformers here we come!!! Too bad they couldn't get Dolph Lundren for the sequel.
Hey you got the Masters of the Universe reference in there! I've been using that to describe this movie for ages.
Seriously I really, really, hope there is enough left of the Transformers for it to make it worth the fans while going to see. Right now that doesn't seem likely. Any faith I gained from the Writers webchat earlier this week where they told of how G1-like the characters would be and how much they loved and respected the source material has now gone.
To me it seems like all this lip service about Peter Cullen and faitlhful characters was just a smoke screen to keep the fans of thier backs while they did the dirty on us.
I really do hope I am wrong but right now this movie, a movie about quite possibly my favorite thing ever, is 2007's big musn't see.
Here here. It looks more and more like this is going south in a major way.
I completely agree. When I first heard of the TF movie I was more excited than when Elias from Clerks II heard of the movie. I nearly pissed in my pants. But from day one I was thinking this was going to be a "money train" rather than a satisfaction to all the new and old TF fans. I would've been satisfied even if they used the Armada, Cybertron, More than Meets the Eye or Headmasters line as a reference.
We all know they were aliens, but do they have to look like pretty junk put together by a tattoo artist? I mean, I'll give it up, Megatron looks sic. He looks like a creature that'll stir up some s**t. BUT DONT' CALL HIM MEGATRON!!! Starscream looks like a Macross reject. Bumblebee looks sic also, but can we, just for the sake of keeping some kind of purity, call him Sunstreaker? I know Lambo won't give up the rights to use their cars and its all good. This piece of crap movie is going to only generate the revinue as the price of maybe 2 Lambo Murcielagos. Optimus is the only one that has the Classic look, but looks like a bionicle. All in all, HORRIBLE!!!
Yes. Y-E-S. Every Transformers fan alive should read this. You are obviously a genius, why aren't you making this movie?
I coulden't agree anymore with what you have said.The moment I saw the bumblebee images I knew this film was down the pan, let alone Starscream and Megatron...dreadfull.
As you have stated, casting Cullen as Prime was blatantly just a cover up for us to THINK this film was going in the right direction..doesn't seem that way to me anymore.
Blah, if this film is released in this dismal way, I will NOT be attending and will not even class it was The Transformers Live Action Movie.
Actually, Alex, I disagree with you. I really really hope that there is NOTHING left for the fans to see at this point. I would rather everyone realize that this movie is not worth watching. The movie makes no money, flops, and Michael Bay and studio realize that hey, maybe we should've been true to the original Transformers.
What if they made Gandalf a talking bear on LTR? What if Harry Potter was played by Will Smith? What if they made Batman in a white cat costume? See, that kinda stuff goes without saying. Agreeably, it's not hardcore fan pleasing, it's just being true to the original that made it popular in the first place.
I say boycott the movie. Hell, even picket in front of it when it comes out. I really want to see this thing flop...and everyone, to piss off the movie makers even more, post torrents of the movie and wave it in their faces, saying, we're watching your damn movie but not paying a cent for it. That'll get them nice and flamed. Maybe even hopefully teach them a lesson about messing with the original.
Here's why this movie will flop. Transformers is not mainstream enough for the general public to support such as Superman or Spiderman. Therefore, this movie heavily depends on the current Transformers fan base, which they have successfully alienated. The general public will remember Transformers only as some show that used to be on in the 80's, so they won't care enough to go to the movie. Parents with kids that currently watch Transformers Cybertron won't let their kids see it because of the horror look.
Finally. Your article is well put and hits all the areas I can't quite articulate sensibly (as my deep disdain for how this film has developed is all consuming).
I will not be seeing this movie; no matter the cost.
I cant agree more with these comments. A live action Transformer movie has been the dream of TFs fans all these years and now heres our shot and its put in the hands of people who dont know an Autobot from a Decepticon from a Go-bot.....
I strongly agree that no movie is better then what we will get next year. WE, the fans need to start putting out screaming voices together and do something about it. Something can be done if we get ourselves heard everywhere!
Exactly....perfectly said.
Now I am, like most, a child of the 80s. I am greatly disheartened at what I have bore witness to these past days. While I do understand things and times change. I didnt expect the film makers to be this far off. I was willing to give a little. Megs as a Starship made sence with no size shifting. I mean its still very menacing, but I at least hoped he would keep a face that I would recognize. Hell Starscream looks more like Waspinator then his meglomenaical self. The Prime model is way off and what the Hell is with all these panels going everywhich direction. The bots look like poorly put together toothpick models.
I wont harp that the movie should just be a G 1 revamp, that would be asking too much. But I think WE the fanbase have put up with a lot of crap over the years and havnt really asked for much in return. I mean Hasbro seems to be doing better now adays, with giving us a good Unicron figure and posability in just about every figure. The age of the Brick is over. Now it took Hasbro and Tecnology a little time to get together and make sweet toys. But we have a Speilberg budget and this is the best they can do. I gotta agree with Kneon, if you (the film makers) arent going to listen then stop now or sell the Damn movie to a company that will and leave in the capable hands of people who give a Damn about our glorious hobby.
Ok guys, seriously. First off, first thing I said when I saw Blackout, and then Megatron was "Oh S**t! That's Badass!" I think you are all over reacting to this whole thing, concitering you haven't seen frame 1 of film yet. There is much more to the Transformers then what they look like. I mean, for crap's sake, it still says "More then meets the eye..." on the marquee, yet every drooling fanboy on the net is judgeing these books by their cover. The fact that Cullen is in IS a testiment to the film makers dedication to the source material. I mean how many "remake/re-imagineings" have we seen where the original stars were no more then a sight-gag in the background, or some corney cameo. Here he reprises the role that he gave life to. Quite frankly, it would be an even worse movie if the designs hadn't changed in the QUARTER CENTURY since they were conceived. The essence of the Transformers is what has kept it going this long. The characters, the concept, the basic story. I mean, just in that splash page on Seibertron (so much for being unbiased) I see 6 COMPLETELY different designs for Megatron under the heading "This is Megatron", none that would translate to anything realistic, and I'm sure he'll have 6 more before the franchise dries up completely. Yet THIS Megatron is suddenly not good enough? You know what? Get over it and go bitch about Star Wars some more. At least we've SEEN those movies.
You hit the nail on the head for sure. i was pissed when I found out prime wasnt a flat nosed semi, I guess Im one of those G1 purists. I saw primes chacter design the other da and it didnt look bad, but still to me its not prime. Starscream should be called waspinator or something. Seeing that Megatron reminds me of what Bay said, that the bad guys were going to look more "alien like" but cmon. Megatron can be jet thats fine, although a tank would suit his character much better, or maybe the RiD version of a dragon, but not this. the transformations look like the chactrers have gone through a paper shreder. Murphy telling us to calm down and "wait and see" is total crap. Bay's vison makes me wish someone else would direct this. Anyone but him at this point if hes gonna ok these designs. Im so worried this will turn out horrible. any Idea if welker is talking the role of Megs? id like to hear the reaction from him on this. Anyways kudos to you for making so many valid points, im sure if we all make our voices heard there will be a change. Heres hoping anyway.
Very good summary of thoughts and concerns. As high my hopes were for this movie when it was first announced, as hard my face slammed on the floor when I first saw these images.
As Megatron would put it: "I belong to nobody!" Certainly not to the people who are making this movie.
I agree and think that if the studio decides to follow executive and marketing survey based decisions, the movie might flop.
Even though I do not like TMNTurtles, the movies did good money and became a franchise of at least 2 movies. WHy? They remained somewhat true to the cartoon.
Money makers that follow the cartoon series accuracy:
(People tend to associate the movie to its previous incarnation)
The Flintstones, Inspector Gadget, Richie Rich, Scooby Doo
I personally did not like any of them, but they did make money (wink, wink Hollywood dudes)
Weel, lot of bad comments. I agree, this thing looks cool, for a crossbreed blade/xenomorph or something. It's far from Megs, nobody can argue with that.
I'm just affraid that afther the major flop. (I don't think all the stuff so far is just a big marketing stunt and that we actually WIL get a G1'ish movie). That no director or movie making company will dare to make a TF movie ever again.
So even if the movie isn't 50% TF, we can't just boycott the movie. Then we'll be stuck to G1 dvd's and animation series. The computeranimation is now @ a level that a Transformers Live Action movie is possible, so they eventually HAVE to make one!
Spot on , thank you for writing what i have been feeling ,
did i expect Gi looks, no of course not, but i did not expect them to diverge so far from esablished looks , to bad they hada director with no real vision on this,
i do not understand why they feel the need to re-invent what works,
US-Godzilla-disapointed everyone,
Master of the Universe-disapointed everyone,
as far as im concerned this is on the same level as those two above, i am now dreading this film
Amen brother. Couldn't agree more with what you said. This is NOT Megatron.
Essence of Transformers: robots that transform into cars, airplanes, and tape decks that beat the crap out of each other over glowing cubes.
First: It is my belief that NeoGalvatron01 is a F**king Mole.
Second: I have no problem with Prime or Bumblebee's designs. Sure they're different, but you can at least tell who they're supposed to be and that they are supposed to be Transformers. But this... this tragedy cannot even be recognized as a transformer. The essence of Transformers is no where in the same galaxy as this thing. It looks cool, and if it were in a movie about giant robot bug monsters I'd be excited, but it's not. It's Megatron. It's Transformers. You (the filmakers) were handed a 20 year old gold mine on a silver platter and were told to make a movie. How do you f**k that up? What is this crap? I heard people lost their jobs over these photos being leaked? My only hope is that these are very early designs and that the people who lost thier jobs were the ones who created them.
You have also summed up what I have been thinking as well. I was really open minded about this movie, but the more and more I see of this movie....the more and more close minded I am getting. I really don't see this as an Transformers movie anymore. This is so radically different then anything we have seen before, it doesnt have the essence of what we know to be Transformers.... I will still go to see this movie, but I am really disapointed.
I have to say that there first and bigest mistake was giving michael bay the right to direct this film. Considering this is the man that was resposible for such classic films as the island & bad boys II. So I wasn't suprised when I saw the transformers. I know they would look nothing like what people imagened they would or even should look like. It is sad that hasbro takes such little care of such a beloved property as this.
Yeah, you guys talking about boycotting this thing, you've really got to think about this for a minute. This movie isn't just catering towards the hardcore Transformers fan, it's catering to everyone with money. Bay knows what he's doing, and that's creating bad*ss looking robots, that turn into other things. I mean, the guy said that he was trying to reimagine the line, or something like that didn't you? I just automatically replace the word "reimagine" whenever I hear it with the word "overhaul". Either way, give that robot a damn helmet, that's what Megs has ALWAYS had since the very beginning.
The reason this Megatron is unacceptable to the fans is he does not in any way resemble a Transformer. We Transformers fans have seen Megatron change a good 14+ times over the last quarter of a centry, we are very used to change and hove come to enjoy it. Some designs have been good, some have been not so good, but ALL have had on thing this design does not, they all looked like they Transformed into something.
Transformers are giant Transforming robots, the vehicles, mahines, beasts etc.. they transform into have always been part of and visible in thier robot modes. This guy could conceivably turn into anything, or nothing. He doent look like a Transformer. The plates/parts on his body are so small and numerous the transformation sequesnce is more likley to look like a T1000-like morphing than the actual robotic Transforming of machinery.
It's not change we are resisting, many of us transfans actualy wanted change from this movie, what we are resisting is someting we hold dear being turned into some bland giant robot movie full of robots that bare little or no resemblance to the Transformers whatsoever.
If they want to make this movie fine but do us all a favour and take Transformers out of the title becuse so far I've seem very little evidence to suggest this movie is about Transformers.
I have something to admit... I actually like him! And I'm proud of it! He looks eviller than the original Megatron, plus a head in the B.M. Floating fortress. I like him and think, we could have got stuck with another animated movie, so all you critics, RETHINK YOUR BLOGS!
Thank you for putting into words exactly what I hope every transfan feels. This movie is doing no justice to a franchise that has survived over 20 years. For many this will be the first look at the series and from what I've seen thus far, it will be the last time they will want to see it.
I agree with everything you have said. I'm actully getting depressed at how untransformer like these "THINGS" look. I mean when I first heard of that they were make Transformers into a movie, I'd thought it be cool, and I knew that somethings might look a little different, and that things might a little off... but for God-sake these "thing" look like crap. Well, it too late to turn back now I guess--- lets just hope in about 10 years time someone who is a real transformer fan will come along and make movie that pays the orignal Tansformers homage. As right now I dont know if Im going to see the movie, but I'd love to beat some sense into everyone that is envoled with the film for ruinning something that I have loved almost my whole life.
And you know what the funny things is, everyone envoled with the film knows they fucked up!!
If Michael Bay wanted to make money, he need not tarnish the transformer name and line. I think the fact that he just -wants to make money- destroys the whole beauty of what Transformers has come to be known. Money has a way of doing that to things...Sure it makes money for him and the studios, but it does nothing for the original history which made it popular in the first place. Why do you think people criticize movies for not following the original novel at all. It is more often than not that movies are harshly criticized for not being true to the content that bore it.
I agree. I would also like to state that if you worked on the designs for this "movie" so loosely based on such a historical toy franchise, you should never go to the San Diego Comic-Con, I will beat the living sh*t out of you. Michael Bay, I don't ever want to see you, I'll just end up punching you in the face. Steven Spielberg, you have become an old man who has zero talent, you're nothing but a hasbeen. Don Murphy and Hasbro's COO, you're a couple of unfunny jokes. People who are no talent hacks, like everyone working on the Transformers movie, got lucky and shouldn't even be on board. The designers of these characters should probably get reference on them before putting their two cents in, hell, don't even put in your two cents. This is just like the American Godzilla movie, hack American Japanabe's trying to remake what's already perfect. The saying goes, "If it isn't broke, don't fix it." Learn it. Live by it. Don't try to pass off your designs as "cool" cos it's garbage. Oh, and stop biting off of Neon Genesis Evangelion, you hacks.
By the way, Spiderman 3 will sooooo kick Transformers ass in the box office, losers (directed towards Michael Bay AND Steven Spielberg)
Alright. I could deal with the Autobots getting new alt-modes b/c certain manufacturers weren't going to allow their cars to be used. Ok. fine. No biggee. However, when I saw Starscream and Megatron, I went, oh no. Just no. And unless this is Megatrons Cybertonian form then, well...i guess I'll jsut have to suck it up since I don't have the money, or personnel to do this thing on my own.
But still. just ugh.
Rename the movie to Converters then I would watch it with entusiasm! Right now I say BOYCOTT!!!
Now, I have to admit that Starscream sucks. But hey, would you rather have them or no movie at all? And who the heck said it was G1? I used to think it was Altanators but... What I'm saying is that it may be a different beginning to TransFormers on Earth. Give a few minutes of thought before you post a blog.
This is reminding me on how the Godzilla movie turned out....
This is my last blog and I'll leave you guys alone. I not a guru, but isn't Megatron supposed to look like his name should be EVIL?! And this is the best design they could go with. Michael Bay could have stuck G1 animated robots in in their place and called it a blockbuster. My final words in this, thank the Lord for what you get.
Sheet metal and barbed wire. You know theyll avoid it and wont care about anythign we say.....sadly.
These new robots that are supposed to be featured in the up and coming Transformers Move are not worthy of being called Transformers.
They look like something from the movie Predator rather than the Transformers that we have all come to know. We know that they are giant alien robots but whoever designed these grotesque bots did not have to go as far to make them look like aliens.
So far I am not very impressed with your robot designs. They are in dire need of an extreme makeover. We are not all saying for you to make them look like the G1 Transformers of old but at least give them some faces and some robot bodies that we can all recognize. They are not supposed to look like Zoids, Lego's Bionicle, and most importantly, they are not supposed to look like the Predator.
I agree wholeheartedly with everything said in this piece. Unless Megs turns out to be in Cybertronian mode, I will weeping into my hands at the prospect of such a bizarre alien thing being the fearsome leader of the Decepticons. These things looks like really really bad toy lines from when Hasbro was running out of ideas in the early 90's (remember the non-transforming Action Masters?!) especially Starscream! He ain't gonna pick up no Energon cubes with those hands!
Conngratulations Mr.Bay, Congratulations Mr. Murphy!!! you are already part of the selected group of highest geniuos of the silver screen with "big shit on it", the actually honorably memebers are:
Ronald Emerich with GODZILLA
Joel Shumacher with BATMAN III and IV
George Lucas with Episode I
Brett Ratner with XMEN III
Please keep going with this job, bring to us this kind of job, and HASBRO, you can say goodbye to your "HIGH SALES", I think your really proud of that...
They made Bumblebee a Camarro. OK.
They made Prime a Flat-camion. OK, We have seen it in G2, looks good.
BUT:
They make an invasion with 7 decepticons, when tech can do more then fifty.
They make a Starscream design that looks like a gorilla.
They make half of the decepticons their own mind-nightmares.
They want to separate transformers from their groups.
They make Scorponok a simple soldier! He should be one of the BOSSES!
They make a LEGO Technic Megatron, with fangs from Aliens.
They have 10 months to correct their mistakes. I pray they succed.
...................... Hahahah they look cool they dont look any thing like transformers but im happy i love megatrons new look and every one elses finaly bumblebee had a step up camaros look much better but we dont know if megatron and most of the decepticons pics are true. But im still agreeing with the good looks they have this move will be great i wonder how many more there will be?
I can understand people complaining about Starcream and Megatron (I personally think that Meg's "battle mode" head looks *kind of* like his G1 helmet), but why Prime and Bumblebee? Bumblebee isn't NEARLY as terrible as you might think--you can at least see the front of the car and stuff, just add some yellow horns on his head and you're good to go. Prime looks just like any Prime, only 100x more complex. He's red, blue, and has his classic helmet/faceplate. What's to complain about? Even Blackout looks alright, you can see the rotors on his back and stuff.
...but yeah, Megatron's design could be LOADS better.
as a huge transformers fan, I'm always disapointed when I read updates about this movie. Peter Cullen is the only good news I've heard.
When I first heard about this movie being made, I remember reading that either Michael Bay or Don Murphy (or both) said they wanted to stay true to the simple idea of Transformers... which is what made it special. I agreed, and was excited.
This is not simple, this is overly complicated jargon. It's not special... it's a typical example of Hollywood ruining something special. (Godzilla anyone?)
As a fan, after all this... I'm embarassed.
Prime looks like an American trailer trash joke of a robot... I won't be surprised if he waves an American flag on top of a building after defeating Megatron. There is nothing Shakespearean like about that design. Nobody would take that thing seriously.
when I saw the pics of Megatron, I pointed at the screen and said
"what the fuck is that!?"
An alien jet!? Why!? What the fuck is so hard about making him a simple tank or something!? How are we supposed to identify with something like that!?
I am sooooo downloading this movie and sharing it... and every other Michael Bay movie. He doesn't deserve to get even more rich off this.... this.... SHIT.
this movie will flop... I think I'll see Spiderman that day instead.
one more thing... don't get your hopes up, the designs won't change... maybe they'll get more detail so they look even more terrible... but these transformers will in fact look that bad in the movie. I'm sorry, but thats the way these things work. Only good images (like amateur transformers on youtube) don't make it to the movies.
Funny... some joe-shmoe in his parent's basement can make a better Transformer than Michael Bay can.
Bumblebee looks like a terminator robot with little scraps of car all over him.
Prime looks like a terminator robot with little scraps of truck all over him.
Starscream looks like an upside down jet with chicken legs and gorilla arms/guns for hands.
Megatron looks like draxhall jump was allowed to rip off predator and guyver.
They all look like cool giant robots, but THEY ARE NOT TRRANSFORMERS!
Yeah guys, the only thing I can do is do agree with your opinions! I mean, the desigh looks fantastic, for an alien bot but this isn't MEGATRON! Megatrons orginally Design is so great that I was exited how they would take it into the film, but now I see they have failed!
I mean, he has blue eyes???? MEGATRON has red eyes, red like EVIL!
Damn, the Starscream design was allready hard but I thought: "Megatron is comming, Megatron is comming!" and now.. nothing left.. :(
46 posts in reply and only 5 disagree....wow awesome. I agree with you totally on this.
Yer blog hits all the right notes for me. Megatron and Starscream, while excellent robot designs, are not Transformers. We are used to change. It'd be ironic in the extreme if we were not! But every Transformer in history has had a defined look. You can see parts of the alt mode in the robot form. These things? Screamer has a cockpit and fins. Airplane of some kind. Damned if I know what plane has cannons like that though. Megatron? Looks like nothing! To transform it looks like he'll have to magically form metal plates outta thin air much like the much reviled (by Bay anyway0 Mass Shifting. But Mass Shifting was taken out to make these designs more realistic. Do they look real? No. There would have to be millions of tiny plates over the machines body to form the outer shell of these designs. There'd be seams all over the place.
So yeah. These designs are a slap in the face to most Transformer fans. Damned shame. I was looking forward to this. I sill am but as a giant robot flick. Ain't Transformers though.
Don't like it?
Don't watch it, Simple as that isn't it.
Go play with mr trigger crotch, go worship at your shrine to your G-D.
I'm not old enough to remember G1 first hand, but I inherited enough of my brothers toys and videos to know one thing.
It sucked.
Most of the toys sucked.
The characters - For the most- sucked.
Starscream for example, heralded as one of the best of them all.
I'm sorry, we talking about the same starscream?
Mr "Megatron is sleightly inconvenienced! Now, While we have the upperhand, RETREAT!"
The comic was a vast improvement over the cartoon, but it has had it's day.
Beast wars was a major improvement, but ofcourse that gets hate.
Beast machines was Revolutionary, but that gets hate.
Armada had amazing development. But the hate.
Get over it, your childhood is over, G1 Megatron is gone, and I hope to Unicron, Primus and whatever else may be listening that they never return.
I have my DVD's, I have whatever VHS' may have survived the years.
I don't have the toys anymore, not even the ones I did love, for lamentably they have not survived the last two decades.
But the memories and the homages in recent lines are enough for me.
But not you.
As somone said.
I'm suprised that people obsessed with Transformers are so opposed to change
First of all, G1 did not suck, your an idiot if you think BW was so much better, what was the main diffrence? Maybe a bit more attention to continuity, but they didn't really do anything diffrent, hell they even had to rip off the names of the original. Sorry not ever transfan worships every change ever made. Armada Sucked, Energon Sucked, Cybertron sucked. There were some decent toys but the shows were terrible. Sorry that some of us want transformers to look like TRANSFORMERS. You talk about us being obsessed, but yet you feel the need to force your beliefs on us assuming that your in the right. If you want to watch whatever piece of crap Bay throws out, good for you, some of us care a bit about what we spend our money on. These designs have been nothing short of horrible but what do you expect from the man who made Bad Boys, Pearl Harbor, Armageddon, all those "classics"?
Don't like it.
Don't watch it.
Done and done.
Thanks for the tip. Don't bitch at us for expressing our opinions. If you love any and everything they slap the name transformers on, good for you.
Kneon I enjoyed reading your article and I agree 100%.
The Megatron pictures look like some kinds of reject from the ALIEN films. While the design is somewhat cool, it isn't cool for Megatron our favorite villian. We'll have to wait and see.....
totally 100% right man.
I'll bitch all I want, my voice has as much right to be heard as any other.
I like where they are going because it is differant, a retelling of a classic story.
Boo-hoo for you if you cant accept that.
Okay, I've been pretty accepting of the new designs so far. Starscream was bad, but Megatron? WTF!!!!!! Seriously, this isn't Megatron. This is an alien reject at best. The fact that Hasbro allowded Bay and Murphy to belch forth this design is intolerable! It's like they burned up old Megs and pissed on the ashes while laughing at the fanbase. BOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
A retelling of a classic story? What part are they retelling? Aside from the names, they've essentially tossed out all continuities, coming up with their own history and storyline.
Can this somehow be sent to Michael Bay's people or to him? He really needs to read this! There's still time left to change these abominations!
Bay and Murphy don't seem to care. After the first set of pictures leaked and fans went nuts, Murphy essentially told everyone to suck it if they didn't like it.
HOLY SMOKES!! I most certainly did *not* expect to be frontpaged on seibertron.com or even this kind of reaction. It's nice to know I'm not in the minority! The comments are certainly appreciated -- even from those who disagree! Thanks, Seiberton! :)
Again, I'm not trying to "Bay bash." I actually *liked* Armageddon and was excited to hear he was chosen to direct Transformers. And I'm not calling for a carbon copy of the G1 cartoon either. The designs aren't horrible -- they're just not what I would consider Transformers. "Megatron" would make a fine villian in an R-rated alien horror flick -- but he's as far removed from any incarnation of Megatron as I've ever seen.
My main concern is for the longevity of the franchise as a whole. I honestly think this movie could seriously hurt it if handled improperly. And that saddens me. Deeply.
Here's the dilemma -- we can boycott the movie, but that may actually send the wrong message. Hasbro and the studio may take that to mean that there's not much interest in Transformers in general. If we support it, however, the message sent is that we agree with this incarnation and the movie may establish itself as the primary canon for future generations -- much like the Spider-Man and X-Men movies have had a strong influence on the comics and animation after them.
I honestly have no "right" answer -- I just know I disagree with what I've seen so far.
And, Don Murphy -- if this makes me a "negative ninny" so be it. You want us to judge the movie after we've SEEN it? Then, for crying out loud, SHOW US SOMETHING WORTH GETTING BEHIND! Please! I want to be proven wrong! I want to like this movie! But don't tell us to "STFU" unless you have something up your sleeve that will shut us all up.
Until that happens, the grumbling will only grow louder and louder, and this "smokescreen" will only stir up more discontent and mistrust. it's a little like politics, eh?
Come to BotCon. Bring a reel. Show us. I dare ya! ;)
well said!
DECEPTICONS!!! RETREAT!!!
They might as well throw Predator in the mix and call it AVP2. It seems that megatron is the alien that was planted inside a predator at the end of the first one. Memo to Bay and Co. :Whatever happened to the phrase "The customer is always right!"? Especially when us Transfans will probably be the main source of revenue. They will find that out in about 10 months from now. I hope that COO from hasbro gets shit-canned because of this in August of '07. So much for thinking sequels, eh!
THANK GOD FOR IDW, FURMAN and FIGUEROA!!
Agreed. Theres not one fan that wants this to be a steaming pile of crap but so far, we're not given much hope to the contrary. Change is fine if its for a reason, not just for the sake of change itself. And this change is drastic, not minor, these are charachters we all love and respected because they were interesting both as toys and to watch in the show and movie. But theres a limit to how much fans should have to say okay sure, go ahead and do whatever you want and we'll just say thank you may I have another.
please retitle this move to KILLER ROBOTS FROM OUTER SPACE
You guys had to ruin the franchise by giving us a cross between short circuit and aliens. This is a disgrace please stop making the movie right now and hand the script over to the dreamwave animation studio and let them draw the real transformers from G1 that we know. I would rather have another animated movie if you guys cant do a live action movie.
Something, somewhere, went terribly, terribly wrong. The "announcement" trailer rolls along and got me so god damn excited. I went nuts when I seen it, even though it didn't show much. The trailer looked and felt...so...Transformer-y. Then the leaked pictures came along. One by one, I sat in utter disbelief. WTF are they thinking? I kept saying to myself. Although I'm not big on the Prime design, when you first see it, instantly you say, oh shit, it's Prime! Bumblebee is okay, I actually like it a smudgen more than the G1 version. And instead of giving us the constructicons and Devastaor, we get the LAZY & CHEAP route in Bone crusher. Then the other guy, Blackout was it? Whatever the hell Bay's made up helicoptors name is, he looked good. Scorponok looks goods but, I'm still on the fence since his robot mode will probably look like shit. Then the ball dropped even firther into oblivion. Starscream. Well...We're told it's Starscream. Absolute, utter, disgusting, shitty GARBAGE design. Not even with SS's G1 color scheme would he be recognizable. Bad, BAD move.
Like another poster said, I said to myself okay well, sooner or later a Megatron pic will leak and everything will be fine. Little did I know, what was to come. Megatron pics leak. I seen it and was like, W.T.F.????? What is it??? "Megatron", or, rather Bay/Murphy's new IMPOSTER-CON....This so-called "Megatron" looks like shattered glass that was glued together by kids at my daughter's day camp. And Don Murphy and Co. can bullshit us all they want...Peter Cullen was ONLY brought on board to win fandom back after the TRASH that leaked. Shit, It doesn't even matter if Frank Welker gets brought on board, because to be honest, this ship is going to sink whether him and Cullen are in or out. As for Bay's and Murhpy's forum, they're filled to the brim with ass-kissing nonsense. I'm guessing they kiss ass because they thinkn it might win them over a "sneak peak" at something. It's absurd. Michael Bay, Don Murphy and everyone else involved, they should all be ashamed of themselves.
We understand that changes needed to be made, in fact we want it. But when you change something to the point of a fan not being able to recognize his/her fave character, than WTF is the point of doing it at all?
I can tell you exactly why us fans are getting what we're getting.
Take Peter Jackson for example. Like it or not, he took LOTR and made it into an unbelievable movie experience. Why? Because he cares and has respect for the source material.
FACT: Michael Bay, Don Murphy and Co....they DO NOT CARE about the source material, and they certainly don't care to us fans. Not to mention the TOTAL LACK OF RESPECT on top of it all. I'm so fucking disgusted.
I totally agree with you. Lately I've noticed a lot of fans giving G1 fans flack. Too many people scream at us and call us "geewunners" or "purists." This is not the case. We love all 22 years of Transformers. And like you said, there is a design aesthetic and style that has remained stable throughout the decades. We love this style. It's part of what makes Transformers well, Transformers. These new designs are NOT Transformers. They're just random-looking abstract hollywood robot exoskeletons, bionicles, and matrix-bots. Do the film makes just not care at all about the source material? I agree that we as a fandom have been insulted by the makers.
Hmmm. I'm glad someone besides me noticed the similarity between the Autobot designs and Terminator. But has anyone else noticed how 'Spikatron' there looks like the Guyver? *sigh* The bad thing is, the designs in and of themselves aren't bad--they're just not *Transfomers*.
I have to say that I agree with this all of this. I don't mind change but this is rediclous. I want to take my son to this movie and he'll be four but I can't take him if they look like that it will scare him and I would not buy the toy either, I wouldn't want that scary thing in my house. If we wanted a Alien or preditor movie we'd go watch it. If I was an animator for this movie I'd be like what the heck is that thing. Well on a more postive note it did say that it was a work in progress so just hopfully it will change.
I'm going to be one of those rare people who disagree. I don't know if this is going to be a good movie or a bad movie, but I personally love the direction the designs are going in.
Megatron looks badass. And honestly I see several similiarities between this head and those of RID and Armada. Its a bit more organic looking in places but I still can see Megatron in it. On the other hand I can understand the complaints about not being able to tell what he turns into, but personally I prefer that. I like the more streamlined look without the kibble in bot mode.
Blackout I'm getting the moment he comes out. And Prime and Bumblebee both look pretty cool.
As for the He-Man comparison, the cartoon ended in 1985 as did the spinoff She-ra series. The toy line ended within a year or so of that, and by the time the movie came out in 1987 it didn't matter if it did well or not, the toys were already on the way out. It may be one of the worst movies of all time, but it can't really be blamed on the end of the toy line.
The designs of the transformers are far too overwrought, and seem to have very little to offer either new viewers or others . As far as Hollywood is concerned, this movie isnt a transformers movie, it's "the first major giant robot movie in 20 years" so they have made the designs some kind of unneccessary cross between anime robots,terminators and those alien things from the movie Returner(was that movie one of the main inspirations for the designers?). The only character that, to me, is remotely tolerable is Optimus Prime, just because it appears they made some remote attempt to preserve his signature looks (red and blue colors, the faceplate and helmet) Once again, if they did this with all the characters, the looks would be tolerable and enjoyable. I also certainly hope that the rumours of the script I have heard aren't true. Then the movie versions of our favorite robots aren't redeemed by characterization either. This would definitely parallel the situation with the Masters of the Universe movie, where the movie was brought in line with the sci-fi conventions of the day to supposedly make it "marketable" but instead became a near-unrecognizable mess. The other hope is, of course, that the movie would do well, and a sequel could be created where the transformers were redesigned to look like the characters we love, and the bizarreness of their appearance in this movie was explained as "the lack of material to rebuild their bodies" or something
Well what can I say... I was lucky enough to be BANNED from Don Murphy forums.... lucky I was.... Migod I guess I should feel lucky Prime at least mildly resembles old G1 Oppy.... this is appalling.
What the hell is this?
It sure as hell ain't Megatron!
well actually something must have happened....since the transformers thread on don,s murphy,s boards are GONE !! hum... maybe they,re rethinking the entire project.... god i hope they do.... why do they feel like they have to screw everything.... they should have done like they did with the x-men franchise and make fantastic movie while remaining true to it,s origins and RESPECT THE FANS
I know there's few people here who say that this drastic change is a good thing, but its not just this but the fact these designs aren't all that good. You mean to tell that Bay and Co. couldn't have combined their "vision" with some of Figueroa's awe-inspiring art to come up wit something that would make both camps happy? C'mon tentagil, and I don't care what anyone sez, Starscream is just.............. atrocious!
Boo-yah, man.
you nailed it, this is all terrible.
I HOPE TO GOD everyone involved with the movie read things like this and realize that what they are about to do could bastardize a truely beloved franchise when this movie could've had so much to offer.
They could've been BIG. I mean beyond big. Beyond Pirates of the Caribbean big. Beyond Titanic and Jurassic Park big.
but there is sadly not much hope left now. not after this.
the only people working behind the scenes of the movie i think i have any respect for as human beings are Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the writers. So far they have been doing a good job. All the artists working on this, however, should be fired and should NEVER have been allowed to work on this.
this movie once had me more excited than possibly anything in my life, and i think that also goes for a lot of people who are now simply dissappointed.
Great job guys. Great job alienating the fan base and (god willing) ruining your careers.
hopefully the NEXT transformers movie they make will get it RIGHT.
You really want to raise a stink? Write a letter to Access Hollywood about how you feel about the movie's direction.
Now's the time--the fan input for Snakes on a Plane is a hot topic right now. Make the comparison. Who knows, if they get enough letters, they might just do a story about this.
http://www.accesshollywood.com/insideaccess/contactus/
At least Masters of the Universe had a reason to suck. They had such a low budget that they had to set it on earth to save money on sets and effects. TF has a 150 million dollar budget. Theres not excuse for it to stray so far away.
I've been constantly dissapointed how they have misstreated the source materal but this is just going too far how can you even claim that this is megatron in any way it dose look cool but it dosn't look a thing like megatron this is one bastardization too much.
Bay and co you have been constantly been cutting back on the decpticons completly not realizeing that they are a main component to our love of the transformer series with out compelling villians transformers looses all it's falvor.
can both camps just agree to just call this gobots.
I agree 100%. We need an official boycott the Transformers movie website.
I cannot tell you how dissapointed I am in Michael Bay and Don Murphy for what this movie will become. I cannot tell you what
I know in my heart may happen when it comes out in theaters next year.
But the fandom can do better than these guys and we know we can. I've seen it in talented people who write fanfics, make tribute movies and parodies of The TFs, even do fan dubs from the show that haven't officially been released here yet. To you all,
keep up the good work. Because it's better to do it yourself than expect someone else to do the thing justice.
The reason he doesn't look *right* is because he's still in his cybertronian form.
He hasn't adapted to a earth-based disquise yet, as I'm sure he will do by the end of the movie after Prime kicks his ass and he has to go off and hide like usual.
Hasn't he been frozen in the arctic for 1000 years or something in the movie? I've heard rumours to that effect and the pictures of him covered in ice kinda go along with that. There wasn't any technology to copy back then.
Megatron...just horrible...nothing resembles Megs in any way. My faith was back up with the releases of Prime...but Megs...holy crap...how could you f' up one of the most iconic bots of all time?
Jeezus...the designers should watch a few movies, and take some inspiration from TF...not freakin' Guyver.
Well written piece, passionate and straightforward -- I like it. Like everyone else in the whole, I too was among you guys who was elated when I first heard that the Transformers will be made into a movie. I think the timing was right since technology can now allow us to do this -- AWESOME. But not a day passess and this movie generates more hate than love. I mean if this movie is'nt made for the fans, then whom are they trying to please? Fans made the Transformers what it is today and fans are the reason why those producers, executives filty rich so fans deserve a little pat on the back. It's like saying hey, fans thank you for all of the support now as an act of gratitude I give you the Transformers that you deserved. This movie can easily topple StarWars and other blockbuster films coz most of the fans who grew up with TFs are now parents and would want to introduce their children to Transformers. It's too early to tell but the way things are shapping out, its starting to look like a DISASTER.
The Transformers characters like Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Starscream, Soundware are iconic and that alone should be given respect. The film should be renamed to Transformers the Movie: No not the Transformers but a different Transformers. Thanks!
I am going with Jive on his take. Probably we will see a more similar Megs after he has adapted to the earth disguise. But that could just be me, because knowing Michael Bay, he would probably give crap justifications like "Megatron feels he has no need to adapt to the Earth form as the current form will strike fear into the humans...yadda..yadaa..yadaa.."
I mean I do enjoy his movies and I am an avid Transformer fan, I will still watch it, but I will think it can never measure up to the original charm of Transformers. To me if things are not done right, it would be another "Giant Robot Movie No. 34"
Somehow, the Ultraman Movie looks more cooler and faithful to the original.
I am, sadly, forced to agree with most of the complaints regarding the transformer designs. I was keeping an open mind, and with regards to story, directorial flare etc.. I still am, but the design department has quite simply made something that is not recogniseable as Transformers. Yes, the TF look has changed a lot over the years, and yes, generally become increasingly complex, but these designs are so far removed from the source material as to be completely unrecogniseable as Transformers. Think about it: Megatron has gone from gun to tank to dinosaur to dragon, and been all sorts of things inbetween. He has had several totally different face/head designs (compare G1 to Armada or Cybertron). Yet still, fans have accepted these new interpentations as Megatron, because they have been appropriate to the character. They accepted all sorts of changes, but not this. Because this quite simply doesn't look like Megatron. In fact, it in no way looks like a Transformer design. If they cannot even make the titular robots look like Transformers, one has to begin wondering why they didn't simply create their own seperate story. Seperate from Transformers. This really is... not good. And Starscream...
If a movie about Snakes on a Plane can be made because of the fans screaming about it, surely the TF fans can combine to have their collective voices heard.