from: Yahoo! movies
Release Date: November 17th, 2006 (wide)
Release Date Notes: (9/17/03) Somewhat ironically, this movie may actually be released in 2005. What's ironic about 2005? Well, the 1986 animated Transformers movie, which took the characters into the future, was set in 2005. This movie, however, will not follow that storyline (click and scroll for spoiler: in which most of the "first generation" of Transformers got obliterated early on), but will start the mythology of the "Generation 1" characters over from scratch for the big screen. (3/17/05) The fans would have loved a 2005 release, but 2006 is pretty close. Rather than aiming for a summer release, though, DreamWorks is aiming for the Thanksgiving season with November 17th, 2006.
Distributor: DreamWorks Pictures
Production Company: Angry Films (Spawn 2, Iron Man, Astro Boy)
Cast: None announced yet.
Director: Not announced yet.
Director Notes: (9/17/03) Back in July, producer Don Murphy told Comics2Film that three of the directors that had expressed interest in working on this project were Armageddon), Joseph Kahn (Torque), Robert Zemeckis (the Back to the Future trilogy, The Polar Express) and Michael Bay (Bad Boys II, though soon after, IGN FilmForce ran a story claiming Michael Bay was no longer in the running. Personally, I am rooting for Robert Zemeckis. *That* would be something. (4/11/04) Well, what do you know... a director rumor appeared online recently, and the name in question was none other than Robert Zemeckis. Of course, in the three weeks since, there has been no confirmation of it, but there it is. (6/1/04) A while back, IGN Film Force confirmed that the Zemeckis rumor was inaccurate.
Music Note: (9/17/03) I am *so* hoping the producers do the right thing and make sure that "The Touch," the wonderfully overwrought 1980s-power-ballad from The Transformers: The Movie (which Dirk Diggler also covered in Boogie Nights), somehow gets in this movie, even if it's just as a few instrumental notes.
Screenwriter: John Rogers (cowriter of Catwoman, The Core); rewrite by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (writing team of The Legend of Zorro; cowriters of The Island)
Based Upon: (9/17/03) This live-action movie will be based upon the popular line of robot toys produced by Hasbro since the early 1980s that "transform" from recognizable machines or animals into giant robots. The toys have previously been adapted to television as a few different TV series (with the original 1984-1987 series being the most popular) and as an excellent animated feature film in 1986, featuring the voice of Orson Welles in one of his last performances. This film is most definitely considered to be the first in a potential series of live-action Transformers movies. Specifically, the characters in this movie will be based upon the original 1984 line-up, although there may be a few later Transformers added, if they serve the story.
Premise: Whereas the Earth is the home of a variety of organic-based lifeforms, the planet of Cybertron is the homeworld of a race of robots which have the ability to transform into other mechanisms, with each Transformer having its own unique disguise. The Transformers are divided into two separate camps: the good and just Autobots, who are led by Optimus Prime (whose disguise is a red 18-wheel semi truck); and the evil Decepticons, who are led by Megatron (who transforms into a gun; there's a good deal of size-shifting involved with Megatron as well). With fuel supplies (called Energon Cubes) on Cybertron running low, both forces travel through space looking for a new source, which leads them to Earth, which from their perspective in rich in the minerals and chemicals they need. Disguising themselves as cars, airplanes, boats, etc. easily recognizable to humans, the Transformers engage in a secret war for control of Earth's bountiful natural resources...
Filming: (9/17/03) There is currently no production start date for this project. Given the amount of CGI work that will be necessary (in addition to ambitious "practical" effects), this movie will probably take at least 18 months to produce from start to finish. Reportedly, the Transformers will be (mostly) practical, physical effects/props on the set, embellished by or replaced by CGI in sequences where practical effects aren't... practical. (3/17/05) Production is expected to start sometime later this year.
Genre: Action, Eye Candy, Kids, Science Fiction
Sites about the Subject: Yahoo! Directory (whether it be the toys, the animated shows, the comic books, the animated movie... there's a site somewhere out there for it)
Unofficial Rumor Control: IGN FilmForce
Official Franchise Site: Transformers.com (note: this is the official site for the contemporary "Transformers Armada" which will *not* be the storyline adapted in this film, although some of the Armada characters are from Generation 1, many are not)
Official Producer Message Board: DonMurphy.net
Watch an Unofficial Video Clip: The Michael Smith Homepage (although it's completely unaffiliated with this production, Smith's VW transformation clip gives you a great visual idea of what this movie might look like; look for it under June 17th, 2003)
Message Board: Share your thoughts on our "Transformers" Message Board
TransFormers live movie release
March 20, 2005 Meet-up Photos
photos and posted by: Mark Cerbo and Azrael Coladilla
Venue by: Joe Navarette
TF Giveaways by: OJ Arzadon
event by : TransFormers Fans Philippines aka TFPH
Congratulations to Transformers Philippines' Successful TF MEET-UP and clearly suprising turn out especially from Philippine Hobbyist Magazine, Game Ophelia, and Artists' Den where on-hand for the first ever TF Mystery Egg Hunt.
Bong Mera of TFPH was the suprise winner who got the special egg which was an exclusive Micron (Minicon) Booster. Everybody went home a winner getting the much talked about "Pirated" G1 Cassettes in http://www.Tfans.com and here as well.
Many thanks to those who came and went home with there TF Mystery Eggs. Especially our younger members because Transformers Philippines is not just for collectors. We are here for The Fans and by The Fans.
Here's a few preview photos taken by Azrael, Joeshred, and Heer0san....
FOR THE TransFormers Easter EGG Hunt game <pls click here>
Migi having difficulty with STD Convoy.
What are these people doing?
Transformers Galaxy Force on-screen.
Our youngest fans.
This month is Transformers Fans Month. Definitely.
Does it take five people to transform Thunder Clash?
Lei (PHM), OJ, Alf, Joe, Heer0san, Bong, Rico, Migi, Joe's nephew, and Patrick (Artists' Den).%
TransFormers News Update
Scribes Toy with 'Transformers'
Tue Mar 15, 1:21 AM ET
By Borys Kit and Liza Foreman
from Yahoo News!
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci have been tapped to write the DreamWorks/Paramount live-action adaptation of "The Transformers."
| |
Steven Spielberg is executive producing the film, which is based on the 1980s Hasbro toy line of robot action figures that double as vehicles.
The first generation of Transformers revolved around 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.
Tom DeSanto wrote the screen story that will serve as the basis for the script.
Kurtzman and Orci have a two-year, first-look deal to write, direct and produce films for DreamWorks, where they rewrote "The Island." They also rewrote "The Legend of Zorro" and recently finished working on "Mission: Impossible 3."
Before their feature careers hit high gear, Kurtzman and Orci were best known for their work as writer/exec producers of ABC's "Alias."
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Where Do Transformers Come From?
 |
Where Do Transformers Come From?
by Dave Coustan
FROM : http://stuffo.howstuffworks.com/transformers-origin.htm
9/29/2004
It all seemed so natural and believable -- a complete universe that made sense as a whole. Everyone could transform from a vehicle -- or cassette tape or gun or dinosaur, in some cases -- into a robot. The rules were clear. Decepticons hate Autobots. Optimus Prime, the heroic red Mack truck, led the Autobots and wished one day the Decepticons would cease their evil ways. Megatron, the fancy pistol, was the leader of the Decepticons, and he cursed the goody-goody Autobots and their constructive outlook on life.
But as it turns out, the Transformers had a checkered past before they were introduced to America. They were a ragtag bunch of toys from different product lines, brought together by Hasbro and Marvel Comics and given a quick facelift and a story line. In 1984, Hasbro bought the licensing rights to various unrelated Japanese Takara toys from the Microman and Diaclone lines and wove a melodramatic story around them about a civil war between good and evil robot factions. They created a comic book series and TV show to add richness to the story line and make the toys more desirable.
And it worked. The Transformers toys were wildly successful in the United States. As Hasbro sought new ways to expand the U.S. toy line, it continued to take pre-existing Japanese toys from companies like Bandai and weave them into the Transformers universe.
 Photo courtesy Transfan Asylum Optimus Prime puzzles at his own origins. |
Here are some of the differences between the original Japanese toys and the Transformers:
- Tiny Pilots: Initially, Diaclone transforming vehicles came with tiny humans who "drove" them, as in the Robotech and Macross stories. Hasbro made the vehicles themselves sentient beings with souls and personalities who didn't need pilots. Once they had souls, the Transformers could be larger-than-life heroes and villains who kids could love and hate.
- No Faces: Since they had no feelings or personalities, many of the original Japanese Tankara robots had blank metal faceplates and visors. When they became Transformers, each robot was given a full face with eyes, nose and mouth. Strangely, while most of the mouths resembled organic lips or at least an opening, a few of the mouths remained nothing more than flat metal plates. Optimus Prime, for example, had a single angled plate where his mouth should be. No opening. When he spoke in the cartoon, the plate just moved up and down a little. We don't know whether this was a conscious decision on the part of Hasbro or a happy accident that made animating Optimus Prime easier. Other characters, like Megatron, had a crease for a mouth and the suggestion of lips. His mouth moved in sync with his dialogue.
Photo courtesy Transfan Asylum
Mouthless Optimus Prime is on the left, lippy Megatron on right. - Working Weapons: The original Japanese toy that would eventually become Megatron the transforming gun could actually shoot plastic pellets. This was removed from the American version. Hasbro apparently decided that America wasn't ready for ultra-realistic gun replicas that could fire small plastic projectiles.
Photo courtesy Jesse Chen and TF Association
What every kid needs. - "Cool" Names: Before his gig as a Decepticon, Megatron was part of a line of gun replica toys called GunRobo. They were named after the type of gun they were, so he was "Walther P-38 UNCLE." The fighter jets Starscream and Thundercracker were Diaclone JetRobos, and had unimaginative names like "F-15 Eagle." By giving them cool names, Hasbro and Marvel took toys that appealed mostly to model builders and niche anime nerds and made them much more approachable. Not every kid would be interested in a highly detailed model of an F-15 fighter jet, but who can resist a conniving evil robot named "Starscream" who also just happens to transform into an uber-cool fighter jet?
Related Stuffo
Transformers Philippines March 2005 MEET-UP
When: 20 March 2005, Sunday
Where: Moon Base 2 aka #27 Salgado ST. cor. Kamias Road Q.C.
Time: 2PM-5PM
Screening of the latest Galaxy Force series as well as previous re-run of episode from last February.
New and less frequent members who recently did not attend the meets will get a special treat this month.
Agenda:
- Continuation screening of the latest Transformers
series in Japan --Galaxy Force!
- Rerun Request for Newbies & new attendees
alike who wants to watch there favorite TF
episodes!
OUR SPECIAL FOR THIS MONTH:
For the first person either newbie, first time attendee or a member, and also members who has not went to the recent meet-ups from the past 3-5 months will get a special treat. Plus! He or she will also get our monthly SILVER DISC giveaway.
Fore more in info and details email us at:
transformersph@gmail.com
We'd like to hear your feedback and suggestions.
Phil. TV Premiere Transformers Armada discussions can be found....
posted by: Mark Cerbo
Well so far news about Transformer Armada going to be shown locally
in our Kapuso network... Namely GMA 7 can be found and discuss your
comments or reactions here...
FORUMS:
Trans Fans Philippines
TFORMERS.com
TOY REPUBLIC PHIL
TFANS.com
Enjoy the weekend folks and check out the premiere of Transformers
Armada on GMA 7 if your just going to stay at home.
TFPH Collections 2005 Preview
Name: Nightscream R
Faction: Destron
Series: Super-Link
Assortment: Deluxe
Alt Mode: F-22 Raptor Fighter Jet
posted by: Mark Cerbo
more pics here
Name: Inferno
Faction: Predacons
Series: Beast Wars
Assortment: Mega
Alt Mode: Fire Ant
More pics here
TF Pirated Cassettes Collections
TF Pirated Cassettes Collections
Type: Transformer "Pirated Cassettes"
Altmode: Robot, Lion, & Jaguar
Faction: Unknown
Manufacturer: "Toys" Made in China
Did they have an official release of this bootleg versions?
Officially there's going to be a reissue of TF Collection #18 that would have Sound Blaster (Black Soundwave Remold) that has Ravage & Buzzsaw (Lazerbeak redeco) as its cassettes.
Plus! e-Hobby exclusive release of Cobalt Sentry which is redecos of a Blue Ravage & Blue Lazerbeak.
These are unofficial released cassettes namely knock off or fakes made by an unknown company in China, though they're the correct size of the originals.
The difference of this Yellow Jaguar has small hold that probably wont fit with Soundwave or Sound Blaster. So far we only saw a few handful of these KOs but its a good buy for PhP 10.00 pesos only
Discuss it here now!
Philippine Premiere of TransFormers Armada
by: Mark Cerbo
We at Transfomers PH wasn't sure about the petition if it went through during January/Early February, but I guess we are fortunate to hear this good news.
If its true give our thanks to your brother Joe.
This is a first since Beast Wars & Beast Machines in the mid and early 90's, that we will be able to see another TF series go on air in the Philippines.
Yes. Transformers Armada goes on-air!
When: March 12, 2005
Time/Day: Saturday & Sunday, 7:30AM
Channel : GMA Channel 7
Dont expect on the english dubbing, but we have TF on the local channel.
Hooray para sa mga kids!
Discuss this now in the TFPH Forums
