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Michael Bay Movies

    • A Nightmare on Elm Street

      (2010)

      Directed by: Samuel Bayer

      Starring: Jackie Haley, Kyle Gallner, Katie Cassidy

      Overview: Razor-gloved killer Freddy Krueger (Jackie Earle Haley) hunts teenagers in their dreams.

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    • Friday the 13th

      (2009) R

      Directed by: Marcus Nispel

      Starring: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti

      Overview: Young revelers meet grisly ends at the hands of a hockey-masked killer.

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Michael Bay Movie News

Tuesday, November 3

  • Tron Legacy Writers to Pen Ouija Board Movie

    It's been over a year since we heard anything about Michael Bay's Ouija Board adaptation, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, his company Platinum Dunes has hired writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (Tron Legacy) to work on the screenplay.

    How Bay and Platinum Dunes plan to make a movie based on a board typically used to "communicate" with the spirit world is anyone's guess, but we're betting it will end up as some sort of supernatural action-adventure movie.

    Kitsis and Horowitz's work on the Tron game grid, coupled with their writing for the TV show Lost, should be good training for the unusual assignment. If anyone can write a movie about a ouija board, it's probably two people who work regularly with characters being sucked into computer games or time-traveling islands with creatures made out of black smoke.


    Posted 11/03/2009 by Ryan

    Related: Edward Kitsis | Michael Bay | Adam Horowitz | Tron: Legacy

Thursday, October 8

  • Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes Brings "Low Budget" Horror to Paramount

    Michael BayDirector Michael Bay is currently Paramount Pictures' golden boy, thanks to the incredible success of his Transformers movies. However, the filmmaker known for his over-the-top productions also runs Platinum Dunes, a production company responsible for reinventing and repackaging a number of classic horror movies where the key words are "low budget" — and Paramount wants in on the action.

    Variety reports that Bay's Platinum Dunes has signed a first-look production deal with Paramount Pictures' president, Adam Goodman. Platinum Dunes is responsible for the recent return of several big-name horror franchises to the box office, including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, The Amityville Horror, and the upcoming A Nightmare on Elm Street, all of which were made on comparatively modest budgets. Surprising no one, Goldman said that he's a fan of the company because they make money:

    What makes us so excited to have Platinum Dunes here at Paramount is how ... they have consistently created excitingly commercial movies that have proven to be a formidable force at the box office.

    Bay said that he is looking forward to taking a break from Transformers to work on some smaller-scale pictures:

    I found myself tossing and turning, and realized there was a reason I originally wanted to push [Transformers 3] until 2012, and do a small movie in between. This is hard, and I'm getting too old for this pressure.

    What that means for Bay, though, who can guess? Something tells us his "small movie" will still get a budget north of $100 million.


    Posted 10/08/2009 by BrentJS

    Related: Michael Bay | Adam Goodman | Friday the 13th | Transformers | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Transformers 3 | A Nightmare on Elm Street

Thursday, October 1

  • Michael Bay and Megan Fox to Reunite in Transformers 3

    Michael BayAfter the hugely successful Transformers: The Revenge of the Fallen hit theaters this summer, director Michael Bay said he wanted to work on a "small movie" before launching into Transformers 3. Bay was eyeing either the bodybuilding comedy Pain & Gain or an adaptation of the teen action/sci-fi novel I Am Number Four, a commitment that opened the door for a possible Bay-less sequel.

    Consider that door closed. Bay used his own website to announce that he is working on Transformers 3 next, and that it will appear earlier than anticipated.

    Well it's official: We have a great Transformers 3 story. The release date is now July 1st 2011. Not 2012.

    July 1 was the original release date Paramount gave Transformers 3, but it was Bay that said the movie was more likely to arrive in 2012. Bay says he will work on Pain & Gain after Transformers 3 is finished, but is already hard at work on "Trans 3."

    Today is Day One. This morning started with an ILM meeting for five hours in San Francisco. Currently I'm flying with writer Ehren Kruger to Rhode Island to talk to Hasbro about new characters.

    Megan FoxWhile Bay did not mention Shia LeBeouf by name, it is likely he will return for the sequel, and despite the antagonism between Bay and Fox that was chronicled by the press, Bay says Fox is returning.

    P.S. Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture. Please consult your Physician when working under my direction because some side effects can occur, such as mild dizziness, intense nausea, suicidal tendencies, depression, minor chest hair growth, random internal hemorrhaging and inability to sleep. As some directors may be hazardous to your health, please consult your Doctor to determine if this is right for you.

    Reelz Clip

    Interview: Megan Fox "On her attraction to working with Michael Bay"

    Posted 10/01/2009 by Ryan

    Related: Megan Fox | Michael Bay | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Transformers 3

Friday, July 24

  • Transformers 3 May Lack Michael Bay and Unicron

    TransformersWith the massive success of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, a sequel was certain to follow. Director Michael Bay, who worked on the Transformers movies back-to-back, has already said he wants to do a different movie before he does another tour in the robotic world. But would a Transformers 3 get made without Bay? Transformers producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura explained to IGN that a Bay-less sequel is possible:

    As the producer I'd certainly love to see him back. I can't imagine Transformers without him. I guess the studio will see it sometime as such a big asset that they are forced to do it, but Michael has never intimated anything like that — the timing is the big question for him, not whether he is going to do it or not.

    So it's less about Bay wanting to do another Transformers and more about whether Paramount wants to wait for him to be ready. Speaking of Transformers 3, isn't it time to bring out Unicron, the planet-morphing robot from the animated Transformers: The Movie?

    Unicron worries me because it's so big that it dwarves emotion. It's so hard, because when you're working to that scale, it sort of becomes outside any kind of human reality you have. It's obviously a great character, and one that we're definitely going to talk about, but for me personally — and I'm not the only vote here — that one scares me. Because of its size, it becomes sort of impersonal when it gets to that scale.

    I remember seeing the second Fantastic Four and Galactcus, and suddenly I was in another world and it took it away from the human characters. One of the tricky parts about Transformers is you've got these five-to-six foot things called humans, then you've got the 32-foot Transformers, then you come to Devastator and you've got 125-feet. You become increasingly small on a physical level, and I think that's true on a story level. I think if you go to Unicron, you're going to end up sacrificing your human characters. And for me that worries me because I like the human characters.

    But isn't a giant robot planet perfect for the IMAX experience?:

    Well, Devastator covered it from foot to top so I don't know what the hell else you'd do to tell you the truth. Don't get me wrong — Unicron is an obvious and great character, I just worry about it from the experience of the movie.

    No matter if Unicron makes into Transformers 3, his voice won't, since alas, Orson Welles won't be available. So what would Di Bonaventura like to explore in the sequel?

    I love the Mini-Cons actually — I think they're very cool.

    Mini-Cons? The human-sized Transformers? Hmm, Transformers 3: Attack of the Mini-Cons lacks a little punch, but their history in the cartoon series Transformers: Armada is tied to Unicron, so maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.


    Posted 07/24/2009 by Ryan

    Related: Lorenzo di Bonaventura | Michael Bay | Transformers: The Movie | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Transformers 3 | Transformers

Monday, July 20

  • Transformers Tops Titanic

    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen The above headline is true ... in China.

    China Film spokesman Weng Li recently announced that director Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is the new all-time Chinese box-office champion, soundly defeating James Cameron's Titanic. The first Transformers movie didn't come close to Titanic's $52.7 million record, with ticket sales of only $37 million. But its sequel earned $58.5 million, making it the new leader by a wide margin.

    To protect locally produced films, China has a quota system in place that limits the number of foreign-film releases to approximately 20 per year. Despite this, Hollywood films have already had a successful run in China, with Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian and Terminator Salvation already topping the $15 million mark this year — the Chinese equivalent of "blockbuster" status. China currently has approximately 4,100 screens, and Transformers: ROTF received a wide release because of the absence of any major motion picture competition.

    According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has earned $364 million domestically, with an additional $383 million earned internationally. This pales in comparison to the overall ticket sales for Titanic, which earned $600 million domestically and $1.2 billion internationally.


    Posted 07/20/2009 by BrentJS

    Related: James Cameron | Michael Bay | Transformers | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Titanic

Friday, July 10

  • Michael Bay Eyeing Four

    Michael Bay

    Despite saying in a recent article that he wanted to slow down the pace somewhat and do a more actor-driven movie after Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, director Michael Bay may have already signed up for another round of science fiction/action.

    DreamWorks is apparently finalizing a deal to acquire the screen rights to I Am Number Four, the first in a proposed series of six science fiction books by James Frey, the best-selling author who admitted on Ophrah that he had embellished parts of his addiction memoir A Million Little Pieces. The publishing rights to the series, about a group of alien teenagers who find refuge on earth after their own planet is destroyed, was supposedly involved in a bidding war, with Bay taking the series to DreamWorks for consideration.

    Though nothing's been finalized at this point, Bay added the article to his own blog page, so it seems likely that he will be on board — at least in some capacity.


    Posted 07/10/2009 by BrentJS

    Related: Michael Bay | Transformers | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Wednesday, July 8

  • Roger Ebert Hits Back at Transformers Fans
    Roger Ebert

    It's no secret by now that despite the massive financial success of Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the movie has been almost universally torn to shreds by critics. Among the detractors was Roger Ebert, who gave the movie only one star and was ruthless in last week's review.

    The public then struck back. Ebert received several angry responses from fans, many accusing him of being out of touch and, well, critic-y. Here's one example, which Ebert printed on his website:

    Roger Ebert is a moron! Transformers 2 is the best action movie ever. Don't listem to that moron! He is only into slow boring romantic movies. That is his type of movies. Michael Bay did a great good.

    And like a good critic, Ebert duly responded with a full-length article entitled "I'm a Proud Brainiac." In the article, he not only defends the idea that knowing a lot about movies is okay, but also talks about how critics should operate with respect to viewers. It's a very nice, thought-provoking piece that is well worth reading. Here's a little taste:

    So let's focus on those who seriously believe Transformers is one of the year's best films. Are these people wrong? Yes. They are wrong. I am fond of the story I tell about Gene Siskel. When a so-called film critic defended a questionable review by saying, "after all, it's opinion," Gene told him: "There is a point when a personal opinion shades off into an error of fact. When you say The Valachi Papers is a better film than The Godfather, you are wrong." Quite true. We should respect differing opinions up to certain point, and then it's time for the wise to blow the whistle ...

    ... Those who think Transformers is a great or even a good film are, may I tactfully suggest, not sufficiently evolved. Film by film, I hope they climb a personal ladder into the realm of better films, until their standards improve. Those people contain multitudes. They deserve films that refresh the parts others do not reach. They don't need to spend a lifetime with the water only up to their toes.

    Touché, Roger!


    Posted 07/08/2009 by Rich Z

    Related: Michael Bay | Roger Ebert | Gene Siskel | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

  • Michael Bay Filmed Megan Fox Washing His Ferrari as Audition for Transformers
    Megan Fox

    There's been a lot of talk recently about some verbal feuding between Transformers star Megan Fox and Michael Bay. Fox recently dissed the 44-year-old pyromaniacal director by saying that working with him was not an actor's experience. Bay responded by saying that Fox had a lot of growing up to do.

    But it appears that there is something to Fox's indication that Bay treats his actors as props — and she can apparently speak from personal experience. Several sources, including The San Francisco Chronicle, The London Free Press, and The National Ledger are making quite a fuss over the following quote from British writer Jason Solomons, published in this article for The Observer:

    [Fox] told me she went to director Michael Bay's house to audition and he made her wash his Ferrari while he filmed her. She said she didn't know what had happened to that footage. When I put it to Bay himself, he looked suitably abashed. "Er, I don't know where it is either."

    In Bay's defense, maybe he just really wanted a free car wash and knew an opportunity when he saw one.


    Posted 07/08/2009 by Rich Z

    Related: Megan Fox | Michael Bay | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Transformers

Monday, July 6

  • Michael Bay Calls Megan Fox Comments "Ridiculous"

    Michael BaySome people just can't catch a break. Take director Michael Bay, for instance. The oft-criticized director is hot off of a blockbuster opening, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, that saw the movie earn an estimated $201 million in its first five days, and he's already having to defend himself from another attack. This time, it's one of his "discoveries," actress Megan Fox, who played Mikaela Banes, love interest to Shia LaBeouf's Transformers character, Sam Witwicky, who is lobbing the criticism at Bay.

    In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Fox complained about Bay making the actors go through unnecessary training and said that Transformers was about special effects and not acting. When asked to comment on Fox's statements, Bay said:

    Well, that's Megan Fox for you. She says some very ridiculous things because she's 23 years old and she still has a lot of growing to do. You roll your eyes when you see statements like that and think, "Okay Megan, you can do whatever you want. I got it." But I 100% disagree with her.... Nobody in the world knew about Megan Fox until I found her and put her in Transformers.

    Bay also mentioned that his films helped the careers of Will Smith, Ben Affleck, Martin Lawrence and LaBeouf. Despite defending his use of special effects, however, Bay said that he's looking to switch gears with his next project:

    I've been talking to some big actors right now about something that is totally different. A small dark comedy, a true story, with actors just acting, no effects. I'm done with effects movies for now.

    Next Showing: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is in theaters now

    Posted 07/06/2009 by BrentJS

    Related: Ben Affleck | Martin Lawrence | Megan Fox | Will Smith | Michael Bay | Shia LaBeouf | Transformers: The Movie | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Wednesday, July 1

  • Michael Bay Doesn't Care What Critics Think of Transformers: ROTF

    Michael BayDespite receiving a critical drubbing, Transformer: Revenge of the Fallen soared to box office success over the weekend. While director Michael Bay is no stranger to hatred from the critics, the LA Times reports that Bay was not impressed with their lambasting this time.

    I think they reviewed the wrong movie. They just don't understand the movie and its audience. It's silly fun. I am convinced that [critics] are born with the anti-fun gene. The reviews are just so vicious. A lot of them are more personal than anything else.

    Transformers 3 has already been given a release date of July 1, 2011, though Bay says that Paramount was off by one year and the movie will arrive in 2012, not 2011. Bay told MTV that he needs some time away from the Transformers and would like to make a "small movie in-between [Transformers 2 and Transformers 3]."

    That "small movie" (for Bay that means a movie with only a $100 million dollar budget) is either the bodybuilding comedy Pain & Gain, based on a Miami New Times article, or I Am Number Four, an adaptation of an unpublished science fiction book about nine alien teens attending high school on Earth to hide from their home planet's enemy. The book is co-written by James Frey, who wrote the infamous autobiography of lies A Million Little Pieces.


    Posted 07/01/2009 by Ryan

    Related: James Frey | Michael Bay | Transformers 3 | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Tuesday, June 30

  • Old Freddy Endorses New Freddy in Nightmare on Elm Street Remake

    Freddy KruegerWith almost every horror movie franchise being remade recently — Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre to name a few — Nightmare on Elm Street wasn't far behind. Robert Englund has been the only actor to appear in the series as Freddy, the dream-wandering psycho killer until Jackie Earle Haley was cast for the remake. In an interview with FearNet, however, Englund seems perfectly content to not be involved with the new Elm Street and sounds pretty excited about what director Samuel Bayer has in mind:

    I really am looking forward to how they exploit the dreamscape with CGI and all of the new technologies that they have at their fingertips. That is something I think that is appropriate and that's what I'm looking forward to. My feeling is that [producer] Michael Bay — this guy has more money than God — would not put his name on this if he didn't have some real love for the franchise. He wants to reboot it and reimagine it, and I hope he wants to reimagine it and make it different.

    Englund seems pleased with Haley wearing the knife glove this time around and is very taken with Haley's interpretation of the character;

    I love Jackie's character. Jackie is not big, and I think that Jackie's size is gonna really work for him as Freddy Krueger. Because I've always in my mindset imagined… One of the metaphors or one of the images I've used for Freddy is a little rabid dog that just bites your ankle and holds on. A little yelping dog. And I think Jackie brings that, with his own physicality, to the role, without ever having to work it a little bit. He doesn't really have to work that. He brings that naturally with who he is, which I think is really part of the way I see it.

    Englund hope Haley will be allowed to make changes as well:

    I'd even like to see Jackie dressed a little differently. Jackie's a wonderful young actor. Let him make it his own. I always used to think of alternates to what I wore in that and I would say, after wearing that sweater for eight movies and a television series, "Maybe he would wear overalls, because he's a janitor." Maybe the hat could be different; maybe it could be a baseball hat or an old frayed baseball hat or something. Maybe the sweater is a vest or maybe it's an old thermal undershirt, those colors or something like that. I mean you've got to keep some of the mythology there. Obviously he's got to be burned and everything. But I sort of hope they avoid my silhouette, and I hope they alter the glove a little bit, rough it up a little bit or make it more [David] Cronenberg or something. I don't know. I just want them to liberate themselves.

    Remakes can often not live up to the original, and Englund is sensitive to that fact, but doesn't want that held against the Elm Street remake:

    The remakes are tricky. But it's something Hollywood's been doing since the 1920s. I mean they've remade A Star is Born six times. I'm in one of them for God's sake!

    Next Showing: A Nightmare on Elm Street opens April 16, 2010

    Posted 06/30/2009 by Ryan

    Related: Robert Englund | Michael Bay | Jackie Earle Haley | Samuel Bayer | Nightmare on Elm Street | Halloween | The Texas Chainsaw Massacre | A Star Is Born | Friday the 13th

Monday, June 29

  • Transformers: ROTF Tops $200 Million

    Despite the many trials and tribulations leading up to the release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – from star Shia LaBeouf's life-threatening injuries on and off the set during production to leaked emails from director Michael Bay to studio execs attacking their lack of marketing – the sequel to 2007's Transformers grossed an estimated $201 million in its first five days at the box office, the second best five-day opener ever after The Dark Knight. During the 3-day weekend alone the movie grossed an estimated $112 million.

    According to Box Office Mojo, those numbers make Transformers: ROTF the movie with the largest June opening and the highest-grossing non-holiday, non-Friday opening period. By comparison, the first Transformers movie grossed $70.5 million in its 3-day opener and took 12 days to reach the $200 million mark.

    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was also the highest grossing IMAX movie ever, opening to the tune of $11.7 million over the 3-day period ($14.4 million over 5 days), eclipsing the 3-day IMAX opening of Star Trek.


    Posted 06/29/2009 by BrentJS

    Related: Michael Bay | Shia LaBeouf | Transformers | Star Trek

Tuesday, June 23

  • Transformers: ROTF Dominates Internationally

    Transformers: Revenge of the FallenOpening a week ahead of its U.S. release date — and despite the recent news that director Michael Bay was very unhappy with Paramount for not marketing the film strong enough — Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has opened at the number one spot internationally, with $14.1 million in the U.K. and $5.8 million in Japan. According to Paramount, the sequel to 2007's Transformers defeated the original's opening in the U.K. by 71% and in Japan by 13%.

    Terminator Salvation, the franchise relaunch starring Christian Bale, formerly the number one film internationally, dropped down to second place, with box-office receipts totaling $18.4 million. The third place film, The Hangover, raked in $11.7 million, while the fourth- and fifth-place films, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian and The Proposal, earned $10.4 million and $10 million, respectively.

    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen stars Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, John Turturro, Rainn Wilson, and Josh Duhamel.


    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Trailer 2

    Shia LaBeouf & Megan Fox Star - Releases June 24, 2009

    Posted 06/23/2009 by BrentJS

    Related: Megan Fox | Michael Bay | Shia LaBeouf | Transformers | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Monday, June 22

  • Michael Bay Blasts Studio Over Transformers: ROTF Marketing

    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

    A scathing email from director Michael Bay to executives at Paramount Studios has leaked, complaining about the lack of marketing for this week's release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen:

    You all talk so glowingly about Transformers being the movie of the summer but unfortunately this has not gotten to the public. I still run into so many people even this weekend with kids that ask "is that movie coming out this year?".

    In the email, dated May 4, Bay goes on to speculate that the problem might be financial:

    I cannot figure if this is a cash issue with your company? Is there some clever idea why are we not spending? I'm not sure. I'm sure the movie will do fine, but not to your internal expectations because right now we are fooling ourselves by being cocky.

    In a second leaked email, dated June 6, Bay sounds conciliatory, but it's hard to tell the intended tone:

    I've been working a month and a half seven days a week and wonder why I bust my ass for Paramount??

    Why? Because you have treated me so well. Paramount is like family. Thank you all for busting your butts and bringing your 'A game' for the release of Transformers.

    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen stars Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, John Turturro, Rainn Wilson, and Josh Duhamel.


    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer

    Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox star - Releasing June 24, 2009

    Posted 06/22/2009 by BrentJS

    Related: Rainn Wilson | Megan Fox | Josh Duhamel | Michael Bay | John Turturro | Shia LaBeouf | Transformers | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Saturday, June 20

Thursday, June 18

Tuesday, June 16

Thursday, June 11

  • Transformers Robot Rundown: Autobots
    Transformers

    The first Transformers movie had a good cast of robots, but given the enormous size of the Transformers universe it only featured a fraction of who it could have. Luckily, its sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen attempts to rectify this problem, adding a whole slew of new robots looking to save, or destroy, the world. Want to know if your favorite Transformer will be featured? Check out the Transformers Robot Rundown to see which Autobots made the cut and come back on Tuesday for the Decepticons.


    Next Showing: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen heads to theaters June 24

    Posted 06/11/2009 by reelz

    Related: Megan Fox | Roberto Orci | Alex Kurtzman | Michael Bay | Mark Ryan | Shia LaBeouf | Transformers: The Movie | Transformers | Transformers: The IMAX Experience | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

  • Tony Scott Talks About His Warriors Remake

    Cinema Blend recently spoke with director Tony Scott and got some details about his remake of the 1979 movie The Warriors, which deals with gang violence on the streets of Coney Island, New York. Scott's adaptation, due sometime in 2010, transports the action to the streets of Los Angeles:

    L.A. is now the city of the future. If it's the Warriors, it's sunset and it's quiet. I've got a whole different feel. I'm letting it breathe in a different way.

    He then went into detail about the movie's opening, explicitly mentioning gang leader Cyrus, the protagonist:

    Then on the Vincent Thomas Bridge, which is Long Beach, you have a thousand gang members up there, then Cyrus goes "bang." It's almost like 9/11, bodies coming off, it just goes ballistic. Then these guys have got to get from the Vincent Thomas back to Venice, through all these different gang territories. And it becomes anarchy. The gangs are meeting, they're meeting for a truce. Just like they were in the original. But once that truce is broken, they go back to their turf. And our guys, the Warriors, they've got to get back to their turf, back to Venice.

    Sounds very Michael Bay-ish. Here's the trailer for the 1979 movie, which was directed by Walter Hill and based on the book of same name by Sol Yurick:


    Posted 06/11/2009 by Rich Z

    Related: Tony Scott | Walter Hill | Michael Bay | The Warriors | The Warriors

Wednesday, June 10

  • Guilt Drove LaBeouf Back to the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Set

    Transformers

    In his own words, actor Shia LaBeouf "kissed death on the face" when he was involved in a devastating car accident last July, nearly derailing the production of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. LaBeouf's left hand was severely damaged in the crash, but his concern for the cast and crew of the film drove him to return to the set a mere two weeks after his release from the hospital, rather than taking the recommended six months to heal.

    In a recent interview with Wizard magazine, LaBeouf said:

    The guilt...felt worse than any physical pain, to know that you got a whole crew of men and women, and the reason that they're not collecting a check is because of your situation—that's a f---in' hard thing to stomach. So, literally, the moment I had consciousness, it was 'Where's my call sheet?'

    LaBeouf credits his Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull co-star, Harrison Ford, with helping him through the injury:

    That man is a solid individual in more ways than just being a solid actor. I didn't need to hear 'How are you?' You need to hear Harrison Ford say, 'Get the f--- up, kid.' You need that and he knows that. And I needed it.

    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen also stars Megan Fox, John Turturro, Rainn Wilson, and Josh Duhamel.


    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Trailer

    Megan Fox, Shia LaBeouf star - Releasing June 24, 2009

    Posted 06/10/2009 by BrentJS

    Related: Megan Fox | Michael Bay | Shia LaBeouf | Transformers

Friday, June 5

  • La Beouf Calls Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen "Big, Bad, Sexy, and Fast"

    Transformers Revenge of the FallenThe summer movie season is the home of the biggest, the loudest, the most out-of-this-world films of the year, and when director Michael Bay is at the helm of one of those films, you can be sure that it will be over the top and in your face.

    With a worldwide gross in excess of $700 million, Bay's Transformers was a natural for a sequel. Despite this and other box office successes (Armageddon, Pearl Harbor), however, Bay often gets a bad rap from critics who dismiss his films as trifling "popcorn films" and from disgruntled extras who claim he is a tyrant on set.

    Bay explained his on-set behavior in an LA Times interview saying:

    My movies are a big canvas. A lot of stuff can go wrong. I also do a lot of dangerous stuff so we take things seriously. You have to run a real well-oiled machine.

    In an interview with the comic-centric Wizard magazine, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen star Shia La Beouf defended his new movie and Bay's particular style of filmmaking:

    The movie is (Bay's) best film. He's getting better as he goes. He is attempting to do different things. He sticks with the same formula, it's proven. He's not the only one to do that. The most important thing a director can do is establish a style. Michael Bay has a definite style.

    La Beouf called Bay's films "escapism" and boasted:

    I don't know of anybody that shoots action like Michael Bay. Nobody shoots women like Michael Bay. He is shameless about it. And the world wants that. Middle America wants the shameless, exploitive, escapism film. That's what they want. They want big, bad, sexy, and fast.

    Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Trailer

    Second trailer for this installment in the action film series based on the popular toy

    Posted 06/05/2009 by BrentJS

    Related: Michael Bay | Shia LaBeouf | Transformers

Thursday, June 4

Wednesday, May 20

  • 3 Transformers ROTF TV Spots

    Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is starting to inundate the airwaves with tons of TV commericals -- just like Wolverine did. By the time the movie's here, we'll have seen the whole thing in 30 second clips! Here are three new spots showing currently:


    Posted 05/20/2009 by Jim

    Related: Michael Bay | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Monday, May 18

Tuesday, May 5

Friday, May 1

  • Shia LaBeouf Tells Playboy He's Learned Much From His Past

    Shia LaBeoufIn a recent interview with Playboy, Shia LaBeouf spoke about his car accident last July and expressed contrition for his mistakes.  LaBeouf was driving while intoxicated, and his Ford F-150 collided with another vehicle, causing it to flip over.

    He suffered some injuries to his head and knee and had extensive surgery on his left hand, briefly curtailing his ability to work. He said that he still feels pain when performing some basic daily routines, but at the same time, he feels that the experience was a needed wake-up call:

    This accident is what I needed in my life. I'm not in control. For the first time, I can admit that and know that -- the hand is like a tattoo that says "Mistake."

    LaBeouf also talked about his childhood, when he starred on Disney's Evan Stevens. According to him, there might be footage in a Disney vault of him running naked around the set. He also talked about the permissive environment he grew up in, around LA's Echo Park area, as well as crushing on Lucy Liu, who he said "would play with my mind" on the set of Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle.

    He also gave a pithy description of director Michael Bay, who directed him in the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen:

    He'll blow things up for no reason, just to get a reaction. The guy's a maniac.

    Posted 05/01/2009 by Rich Z

    Related: Lucy Liu | Michael Bay | Shia LaBeouf | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

  • 2nd Official Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Trailer Debuts Devastator

    Paramount legal has been hard at work keeping unauthorized footage shown at ShoWest from being posted online, and now we know why. A bit of it is included in this new Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen trailer.

    The second official trailer started airing in theaters and on TV last night. Beyond the aforementioned scene between Sam and Bumblebee, the trailer is a veritable smorgasbord of transforming robot goodness -- including some awesome action with the super constructicon known as Devastator.


    Posted 05/01/2009 by Jim

    Related: Megan Fox | Michael Bay | Shia LaBeouf | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Wednesday, April 29

  • Terminator Salvation's McG Challenges Transformers' Michael Bay to a Manhood Contest

    In what's got to measure up as one of the strangest publicity stunts of the year, Terminator Salvation director McG has challenged Transformers director Michael Bay to a literal test of his manhood. He wants to see whose d*** is bigger. Seriously.

    How did it come to this? Well it all began with the giant robots. Earlier this year, Bay accused McG of stealing the idea of giant robots. McG responded by belittling Bay's robots, sneering that Transformers was

    a picture whose genesis is in a toy. They're sort of more colorful and optimistic and the pictures are sort of break dancing and flips and back-spins. But ours is a very different, real world.

    Hey, wait a minute, aren't these both still movies we are talking about here?

    Since then there has been some low-level sniping back and forth. But now there's this from McG:

    Michael Bay has a big c***. But I'd like to believe mine is bigger. If he's up for it, we can both reveal ourselves on the Spartacus steps at Universal and put the question to rest.

    No word yet on whether Bay will step up to this challenge. But audiences will be able to find out soon enough whose robots really measure up, with Terminator Salvation releasing May 21 and Tranformers: Revenge of the Fallen opening June 24. And size clearly isn't everything.


    Posted 04/29/2009 by Bill

    Related: McG | Michael Bay | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Terminator Salvation

Wednesday, April 15

  • Spielberg Screens Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

    Steven SpielbergTransformers ROTF director Michael Bay has given us the "head's up" on his blog that the latest trailer will be shown during previews before X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

    Also included in this news was the reaction of mega-director Steven Spielberg to a special screening of the movie where he commented that he felt it was Bay's best -- better than the first movie. Strong praise coming from Spielberg.

    This from Bay's blog...

    Steven Spielberg sat next to me in a big 100 person theater at Sony today. There were 98 empty seats. The lights came up after we just watched my cut of Revenge of the Fallen. He turned to me and said "It's awesome". He felt this movie was better then the first - and probably my best, who knows - at this point in a movie you start to lose your objectivity. I just hope the fans like it. I'm going to start putting it in front of audiences in a few weeks - no you are not invited, yet. We have 60 days left. Let me tell you it will be a race to finish. It's 12 at night and we are still working here in the edit room. Everyone at ILM and DD are killing themselves right now, they are doing a stellar job on the effects. We also just finished our trailer which is coming out with Wolverine. Talk to you soon. - Michael


    Posted 04/15/2009 by Jim

    Related: Steven Spielberg | Michael Bay | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Monday, February 16

  • 2nd Transformers ROTF Trailer Hits YouTube

    We don't know how long this will be online, since it hasn't been aired yet. But you can see the second trailer for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on YouTube, courtesy of some guy with a video camera. Looks like we can expect about 57% more explosions than the original.


    Next Showing: Transformers ROTF opens June 26

    Posted 02/16/2009 by Jim

    Related: Megan Fox | Michael Bay | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Thursday, February 12

  • Sneak Peek at Autos of Transformers ROTF

    Thanks to the wonder that is the web, we've found a sneak peak video showing the Autobots of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, including Optimus Prime (Semi-Truck), Ironhide (GMC Truck), Bumblebee (Camaro), Sideswipe (Corvette), Jolt (Chevy Volt), Skids (Chevy Beat), & Mudflap (Chevy Trax).

    You won't see any transforming going on in this clip. These sleek vehicles are just cruising down the highway like in some car commercial. And it's unclear whether this is a scene from the movie or not. But it's still sweet to see these awesome autos all together.


    Posted 02/12/2009 by Jim

    Related: Michael Bay | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Wednesday, February 11

  • Toys Spoil Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Characters

    Transformers 2You can't have a major blockbuster movie without the merchandising that goes along with it. And the toy companies are notorious for spoiling characters months before the movie.

    So, even though Michael Bay has kept a secure set on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, even planting false rumors early on, he still can't stop the action figure makers from advertising early.

    And if there was one Autobot or Decepticon that he wanted to keep under wraps, it was probably the title character The Fallen.

    Well, it ain't gonna happen. So, if you don't like spoilers. Be sure not to click on the next link. Behold The Fallen and Devastator in their full glory -- toy mode.


    Posted 02/11/2009 by Jim

    Related: Michael Bay | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Sunday, February 1

Friday, January 16

Tuesday, January 13

  • Giant Robots Galore at Terminator Salvation Screening

    Terminator SalvationAn online pissing match has broken out between Transformers director Michael Bay and Terminator Salvation director McG over who came up with the idea of giant robots first. Hasn't anyone every told them that it's not the size of the robots that matters? It's what you do with them.

    At least in the case of Terminator Salvation we are starting to get a clearer picture of what that might involve. MTV has a report back from Monday's New York screening of early footage from Terminator Salvation and the word is "It's a war film." They got an extended look at at the capabilities of the Harvester terminator, "a massive metal monster with a gun on its head and two legs that release mechanized motorcycles," as well as a glimpse of all new terminator bots, including underwater eels. The director also took time out to talk about the movie's development, explaining that in constructing the character of John Connor, he was influenced by Luke Skywalker, Neo from The Matrix and even ... Jesus Christ.


    Posted 01/13/2009 by reelz

    Related: McG | Michael Bay | Terminator Salvation | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Monday, January 12

Monday, June 2

  • It's About Time: Transformers on Blu-ray

    TransformersParamount Home Video today announced plans to release the summer 2007 blockbuster Transformers on Blu-ray. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a two-disc version of Michael Bay's alien robot epic will debut on the reigning hi-def DVD platform on September 2nd of this year -- more than six months after Paramount announced plans to release titles on Blu-ray.

    "It looks stunning and really allows you to engage with this movie in new ways," Bay raved to THR, unable to resist the urge to gloat. "Remember, I told everyone Blu-ray was best."  

    Bay is currently hard at work assembling the cast of Transformers 2.

    Source: THR


    Posted 06/02/2008 by reelz

    Related: Michael Bay | Transformers

Thursday, May 29

  • Michael Bay Making Ouija Board Movie

    Michael BayTransformers director Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes production company has inked a deal for a movie based on the Ouija Board, says The Hollywood Reporter. A fixture of tween slumber parties since the early 1800s, the game involves players placing their fingers on "a small planchette that mysteriously moves to letters and numbers in order to spell out messages from beyond the earthly realm."

    Script details are not yet available, but something tells me the story involves a Ouija game gone horribly, horribly wrong. Producers insist, however, that the movie will not be like Jumanji. Whew.

    Source: THR


    Posted 05/29/2008 by reelz

    Related: Michael Bay

Tuesday, May 13

  • Transformers 2 to be in 3D?!?

    Transformers 2 in 3D?The internets today are awash in speculation that Transformers 2 director Michael Bay is planning on making his much anticipated sentient robot sequel in sparkling 3D. The rumor caught fire when the folks at Comics2Film (who clearly have too much time on their hands) spotted a blurb in the Dolby News highlighting the film as one of the company's upcoming 3D projects. No official announcement has been made by Bay's camp, however, as the director is currently hard at work populating his ensemble cast with the requisite amount of eye candy.

    If true, the move to 3D is part of an ongoing trend (and a welcome one at that) in the movie industry, as studios look for ways to get people into theaters and off of their illegal-movie-downloading laptops. Hopefully, Mr. Bay also plans on making the story and characters of Transformers 2 multi-dimensional as well.

    Transformers 2 begins shooting in June.

    Source: Comics2Film


    Posted 05/13/2008 by reelz

    Related: Michael Bay | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Tuesday, October 16

  • Bay made Cullen audition three times for Optimus Prime role

    'til all are one!One of the more exciting portions of Paramount's recent Transformers HD DVD preview event was the opportunity to chat with Peter Cullen, the man who provided the voice of Autobot leader Optimus Prime for both the live-action film and the animated series that preceded it. Speaking during the luncheon afterward, Cullen revealed that his presence in the blockbuster flick was anything but a given. In fact, the legendary voice actor had to audition three times before finally landing the role.

    While Cullen himself dismissed the audition experience as "just part of the business" and had nothing but kind words to say about director Michael Bay, his stunning admission left most of the journalists on-hand dumbfounded. After all, in the minds of numerous Transformers fanboys such as myself, Cullen isn't simply the voice of Optimus; he is Optimus (albeit in the form of a kindly 63-year-old man). I can understand bringing him in for a tryout to ensure his vocal chords are intact, but three auditions seems a bit excessive. Would George Lucas have dared make James Earl Jones audition three times to voice Vader in Revenge of the Sith? Methinks he wouldn't dream of it.


    Next Showing: Transformers debuts on DVD and HD DVD today.

    Posted 10/16/2007 by reelz

    Related: Peter Cullen | Michael Bay | Transformers

Thursday, October 4

Thursday, July 5

  • Transformers Destroys Box Office Competition   

    News is a bit slow coming out of Hollywood this week unless you are a Paramount executive. In that case, you are probably too busy seeing dollar signs to notice that everyone is out of town celebrating our country's Independence Day.

    Wherever people are, they are finding time to make it to the movies. Transformers has been crushing competition all week, raking in an $65.7 million in its first three days. Along the way, the Michael Bay-helmed action flick has managed to set the new Tuesday and Wednesday all-time box office marks with $27.8 and $27.9 respectively.

    With the weekend still to come, Transformers will cruise past $100 million in its first week, virtually securing the likelihood of more Decepticons and Autobots in our future.


    Dailies Transformers Interview

    The cast of Transformers talks to ReelzChannel.

    Posted 07/05/2007 by reelz

    Related: Michael Bay | Transformers

Thursday, June 21

  • Turturro does his best Michael Bay impression in Transformers

    It's no secret that great actors often model their performances after various people they encounter throughout their lives. Take, for example, Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp, who famously based his Jack Sparrow character on swaggering Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards.

    In the case of John Turturro, who plays the overbearing head of a super-secret government agency in the upcoming alien robot epic Transformers, inspiration came from the unlikeliest of sources: director Michael Bay.

    "I kept looking at him, thinking, maybe I should do it more like Michael Bay -- at least a little bit," Turturro confessed last week at the Transformers press day. "Sometimes (after a take) I would tell him, 'I was doing you.' And he'd say, 'That was really funny.' 'Well yeah, just because I was doing you. You're such a narcissist. You're so in love with yourself, you're just seeing me through you. But you're better looking than me, so it's ok.' And of course he would like it."

    Given the chance to qualify his statement, Turturro held firm. "I don't care; I'll lay it right out there," he laughed. "He knows he's in love with himself."


    Next Showing: Transformers roars into theaters on July 3rd.

    Posted 06/21/2007 by reelz

    Related: Michael Bay | John Turturro | Transformers

Sunday, June 17

  • Early Reaction: Transformers

    Optimus PrimeSaw Transformers on Friday. It rocked. In a summer packed with big-budget tentpole flicks, this is the first among them that truly feels like an event.

    Director Michael Bay has raised the bar for the summer blockbuster, crafting a mind-blowing visual effects experience rivaled perhaps only by 300. But whereas Zack Snyder's film presented a hyper-stylized, heavily green-screened reality, Bay's version is firmly entrenched in the real world, with the computer animation integrated almost seamlessly into the live-action footage. Nary a single green-screen shot can be found in the film. When a giant robot collides into a freeway overpass or tumbles through the streets of downtown Los Angeles, it looks and feels authentic.

    Bay has had his share of critics (myself among them) who questioned several key departures from the original Transformers canon, but when Peter Cullen (who plays Autobot leader Optimus Prime) first speaks during the opening credit sequence, suddenly the fact that they gave Prime lips or turned Bumblebee into a Camaro seem entirely irrelevant.

    MegatronTo Bay's credit, it's obvious throughout the film that he did everything possible to stay true to the original TV series while making the movie as modern and believable (and relatable to non-fanboys) as possible.  

    The first two thirds of the film maintain a very tongue-in-cheek tone, an approach mandated by the inherently absurd premise. Several times the filmmakers wink at the audience, as if to say, "Yeah, we know this is ridiculous too, but just go with it." The last third of the movie, however, is all big-budget spectacle, with ample robot-on-robot action and tons of stuff blowing up (a Bay trademark).

    While the film is not without its glaring flaws (which I'll explore later this week in a more detailed review), it's the first movie I've seen in a long time that can honestly be labeled Spielberg-esque. (And when I say Spielberg-esque, I'm not talking about Amistad.) It's one of those movies that demands to be experienced in a theater; a 15-inch laptop screen will simply not do it justice.

    Transformers has the potential to be for adult and young-adult males what Titanic was for teenage girls: an experience warranting multiple repeat viewings. It's by far the most entertaining action film I've seen this summer.


    Next Showing: Transformers opens July 4th.

    Transformers trailer

    The Autobots and the Decepticons bring their battle to Earth.

    Posted 06/17/2007 by reelz

    Related: Steven Spielberg | Michael Bay | Transformers

Friday, May 18

  • Maybe Transformers won't suck after all

    You got the touch!I've been betrayed by the Hollywood Marketing Machine more times than I count -- whipped into a frenzy of anticipation by a flashy trailer, only to walk out of the theater on opening night feeling bitter and dissatisfied. Vowing never to be hurt again, I learned to watch movie previews with a skeptical eye.

    Then I saw the latest Transformers trailer (now available on Yahoo), and it rendered me utterly speechless. The sight of those sentient robots in all their HD glory instantly sent me back decades, to those halcyon days before cynicism took hold.

    Yes, I know Transformers is a Michael Bay movie. And I know they put lips on Optimus Prime and turned Bumblebee into a Camaro. But if the movie is half as cool as the trailer, all will be forgiven. Better not screw this one up, Bay. Thousands of overgrown adolescents are counting on you.


    Next Showing: Transformers opens nationwide July 4th

    Interview with Mega-Cam

    The would-be Transformer talks about being cut from the movie.

    Posted 05/18/2007 by reelz

    Related: Michael Bay | Transformers

Thursday, April 19

Tuesday, March 20

  • Team behind Transformers already planning next project

    Director Michael Bay and writers/producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are already lining up their next project.

    The three collaborated on Transformers, which is scheduled to hit theaters on the 4th of July. Now, Bay is attached to direct an upcoming sci-fi movie, 2012, for Warner Bros.

    It will be based on the book 2012: The War for Souls, written by bestselling author Whitley Striber, which won't even come out until next September. The story is about a researcher who makes contact with his doppelganger through a portal to a parallel universe in an effort to prevent an apocalypse predicted by the ancient Mayans.

    For more Transformers coverage, including exclusive pix of the cars from the ShoWest festival, click here.


    Posted 03/20/2007 by reelz

    Related: Michael Bay | Transformers

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