Transformers Live Action Movie from Dreamworks in 2006

[Clint DeBoer]

The Transformers, the shape-changing robot toys that were a craze in the 1980s, are to be made into a live-action film by studio Dreamworks. The Steven Spielberg-founded studio plans a summer of 2006 release. "Steven and everyone at DreamWorks are very excited about the prospect of expanding the world of Transformers into the live-action feature film arena. The possibilities for a thrilling action adventure are virtually endless, and a film holds the definite promise of expanding an already worldwide fan base to new audiences," Adam Goodman, DreamWorks head of production, said in a statement Friday.

[Read More About It] [Get a 'Sneak Peek'' - not really] [Yet Another "Peek"]

my friend has the episodes on dvd, and man that takes me back. i was waiting for a game to come out, nad it has, and now a movie.

i hope they start producing action figures again....that would rule so hard.

sheep

as we speak they are making new figures they never stopt

[WmAx]

Warning: This reply is chock' full o' speculations. I will not applying my usual standards to this reply. It is just a discussion of an old kids cartoon, for goodness sake. :-)

I was a big fan of the show when I was a kid, and still have found memories of the mid 80's show, movie and action figures. However, I have doubts this movie will remain true to the established mythology of the tv show/movie that was so popular in the 80's. Hasbro(I see is a consultant) has continually destroyed it's own storylines, mangling them to the point of non-reognition. It's kind of funny that they should be a consultant after this established failure or regulation of their own property. But I suppose t his may be part of the agreed license rights terms to use the Tranformers in the movie.

Examples:

Beast Wars Transformes TV show is released in mid to late 90's. This show actually did not go against any established history as put forth in the U.S. TV show/movie. It supported certain history in some of the later episodes, even though the show was a bit cheezy.

Beast Machines Transformers TV show is releases where Beast Wars left off. The writer of this show(Bob Skir, I believe) was specfically told to do something different with TF by Hasbro. So, with none of the old writers/producers left(that BTW respected the original history), Skir proceeded to make a show that at first seemed very interesting, and with great potential(very little 'cheez'). However, about 1/3 into his season he manages to mangle pre-established TF history into unrecognizable form.

The 'other' shows: Since BM, two cartoons have been released about Transformers. Neither one being true to the original stories, furthe distorting TF history(though perhaps not nearly to the degree of Meast Machines).

Now, comes the question of this new movie. Will this be targeted primarily to the original audience, now in their late 20's to early 30's, or to the 'current' kid audience? I really don't see how it can be optimized for both. In order to be P.C. and marketed to current kid audience, it would be a dumbed-down, with cheezy standard kid content, no realistic violence, etc. Also, the current generation would not recognize the original mythology, if it was used in detail. If actually targeted at former fans, then it certainly should be created/written for that target age group. I don't see any clear way to make it ideal for both.

A further concern: the producer of the movie stated elswhere in interview that he was more or less going to follow the comic book mythology(from the 80s). This is perplexing: The comic book history is not compatible with the 80's TV show/movie(which were the main driving forces of the product) history. Why would a history be chosen in which is not popular with the original viwers or new viewers???? I can only assume this is due to movie producers being used to trying to remain somewhat consistant with the comic book versions of this type of movie. The movies of Spider Man and X-Men for example(while I'm sure were not as close to the comics as they should have been) were based on comics. The comics were the main driving forces of those entities. But this is not true with Transformers. It is a different situation. The comic book was essentially a spin on the show, that was a secondary money-maker. It's hard for me to believe the producer does not recognize this issue.

Any thoughts? Corrections? :-)

-Chris

Originally Posted by hawke

The Transformers, the shape-changing robot toys that were a craze in the 1980s, are to be made into a live-action film by studio Dreamworks. The Steven Spielberg-founded studio plans a summer of 2006 release. "Steven and everyone at DreamWorks are very excited about the prospect of expanding the world of Transformers into the live-action feature film arena. The possibilities for a thrilling action adventure are virtually endless, and a film holds the definite promise of expanding an already worldwide fan base to new audiences," Adam Goodman, DreamWorks head of production, said in a statement Friday.

[Read More About It] [Get a 'Sneak Peek'' - not really]

[WmAx]

A while back, Toys R' Us was carrying a special 'vintage' reproductio line of the original 80's toys. You may want to check to see if it's still available.

Also, a special anniversary edition of Optimus Prime was released. It's called 'Masterpiece' Optimus Prime, I believe. Wal-Mart had it for about $55 USD. It appears to be a collector intended item, that is not based on the current TF stories, but on the original 80's one. It appears to be manufactured with superior detail/quality than I have ever seen on a normal TF toy from any era.

-Chris

Originally Posted by Unregistered

my friend has the episodes on dvd, and man that takes me back. i was waiting for a game to come out, nad it has, and now a movie.

i hope they start producing action figures again....that would rule so hard.

sheep

[cyiu23]

I have the masterpiece Prime. It is truly that, a masterpiece. It's alot bigger than the original toy, mostly made out of metal. So it's quite nice and heavy. The chest also opens up, to reveal the matrix, and the coolest thing. The chest lights up. It's one of the best made toys I have ever seen. The bad part is that I think Hasbro is slutting him, making way too many of them. Probably not going to worth much, but if you are a fan you got to get it.

i have been watching tramsformers for years from the oringal to beast wars to armanda to energon this live movie could do this a world of good more figures and more gear

[Clint DeBoer]

Monday, April 4, 2005: News of the new Transformers Movie has gone mainstream--stories can be found in such media outlets as CNN and AOL. A few updates worth noting here:

Michael Bay in talks to direct the DreamWorks/Paramount film. Bay's past works include the two "Bad Boys" movies, "Pearl Harbor," "Armageddon", "The Rock", and upcoming film "The Island".

Marc Haimes and John Fox are overseeing for DreamWorks.

A Nov. 17, 2006, release date has been set.

But unfortunately, "Catwoman" screenwriter, John Rogers, has signed on to write the script to DreamWorks' live-action "Transformers" movie... Why is that guy still employable?

[nick_danger]

If you could see my face right now, you would see the happiest look ever. YES!

[Shadow_Ferret]

Live action Transformers?

So it'll probably look like the Power Rangers?