Transformers 4 - ongoing news thread

[Megatron]

Just thought I'd make an ongoing thread for all interviews, news articles and (minor) updates for the upcoming movie, rather than spamming the forum with a million individual threads for each one.

So, here's the latest:


Ilt Jones, location manager for all three of the Transformers movies, has just wrapped up a tour of Thailand on behalf of Marvel, where he explored Bangkok as a potential shooting location for Transformers 4, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

From The Hollywood Reporter (14/11/2012): 'Transformers 4' Considering Shoot in Thailand (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/transformers-4-considering-shoot-thailand-390793)



Vulture has learned that Michael Bay’s rapidly coalescing but still-untitled fourth Transformers film, starring Mark Wahlberg, is likely to be set in mainland China... Filming in China and, even more ideally, working with a local production partner raises the odds that the fourth Transformers will get a wide release in China, a country with a massive potential box office.

From Vulture (15/11/2012): Paramount Hopes to Set Transformers 4 in China for Big-Money Reasons (http://www.vulture.com/2012/11/paramount-hopes-to-set-transformers-4-in-china.html)

[Defcon]

I actually like the idea to set it in China, if its for making more money well cool! It also helps me feel a bit better that this 4th movie, whilst not going to be a reboot will be somewhat refreshing... Im cautiously optimistic :o

[Megatron]

Mark Wahlberg Talks TED 2, TRANSFORMERS 4, and PAIN AND GAIN (http://collider.com/ted-2-sequel-mark-wahlberg-transformers-4/218011/) (Collider, 14/12/2012)

Short interview with Mark Wahlberg, includes video.

Only a few bits of info related to Transformers. TF4 starts shooting in May (which will likely last a few months), followed by Ted 2 right after.

Release date mentioned for TF4 is June 27, 2014.

[fatbot]

http://www.unleashthefanboy.com/movies/exclusive-transformers-4-script-leaked-villain-is-unicron/37339

are we getting a bayverse Unicron?

[theheretic]

I read this too and I'm not sure. It all sounds a little fake to me.

[Megatron]

http://www.unleashthefanboy.com/movies/exclusive-transformers-4-script-leaked-villain-is-unicron/37339

are we getting a bayverse Unicron?

As much as I may like some of the ideas in so called leaked script, I'm gonna call complete bs on this.

[Trent]

I too call BS. Sooooo many things wrong with that. Although I like the Exosuit idea.

[swoop]

Sounds like a fanboy wet dream, its fake

[Bidoofdude]

Looks good, but fake.

[kup]

Looks good, but fake.

That's the rule to all the leaked scripts from the last movie - If it's good, it's fake :)

[Megatron]

And of course, who didn't see this coming?

Leaked Script (http://michaelbay.com/2012/12/17/leaked-script-2/) from Mr Bay himself.

"Some Internet sites this morning reported that some document recovery guy has found a legitimate 120 page script of Transformers 4. I can absolutely 100 percent say this is completely false. The only two people in the world that have our unfinished script are Kruger and myself. Also we are only up to page 70 in our T4 script. Maybe this guy has a cartoon or something else – but definitely not our movie!"


Moving on, here's another (very) small interview with Mark:

Exclusive: Mark Wahlberg Updates on Transformers 4 (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=98056) (ComingSoon.net, 14/12/2012)

"I'm really excited about 'Transformers,'" Wahlberg says. "Michael Bay and I just did 'Pain & Gain' and we had such a good time making it. He came to me and said, 'I'm kind of doing a whole different reboot on 'Transformers.' Are you interested?' I said, 'Yeah, I'll do it!'. I loved the idea and I think we can make something really cool and kick-ass. This is not something where it's already established and I'm just in there to get a paycheck. I'm thinking this is the most important role of my career and I can do something really special."

[5FDP]

I still have the supposed leaked script from the third movie... I re-read it and it's actually better than how it turned out :p

[Megatron]

I still have the supposed leaked script from the third movie... I re-read it and it's actually better than how it turned out :p

So, all the main Decepticons DON'T die at the end? 'Coz that's what better would mean for me. ;)

[Megatron]

Leaked Script – Update (http://michaelbay.com/2012/12/17/leaked-script-2/)

Bay has added to his original blog about the leaked script, saying:

"P.S. I bet it is something from Hasbro. This time they are not doing a comic book of the movie because we want to keep our story under wraps. It must be their version of a comic themed Transformers story they are creating."


Maybe... maybe not. I still call bs on it.


And another interview... Broken City: Mark Wahlberg Teases New Movie, Transformers 4 (http://www.moviefanatic.com/2012/12/broken-city-mark-wahlberg-teases-movie-as-trailer-premieres/) (Movie Fanatic, 20/12/2012)

"I had a great experience working with Michael. We really hit it off. We complement each other so well on set and we took something that was really good and I think we made something special with. He said to me, 'What do you think about doing a Transformers movie with me?' I said, 'Well, what do you want me to do? He told me and I said, 'Absolutely!' I think it will be the most challenging role that I’ve played and it’s an opportunity for me to do something extremely different," Wahlberg said.

"It’s going to be very different from what the first ones were. I’m excited about it. I talked to Steven Spielberg and I talked to Brian Grazer and I said, 'Don’t worry guys, this is not me taking a paycheck and running with it.' We want to do something special with it."

[Megatron]

"Michael Bay" has put up a teaser pic for TF4 on his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-bay/147145218668742).

[kup]

Why is Optimus sad?

[Megatron]

Hmmm... apparently the Facebook account is fake? I'm not surprised. If so, I apologize for the false alarm.

[Bidoofdude]

So I'm rooting for Galvatron and Megatron wants Megs and the others? We're like opposites. If Galvatron was just Megs in purple, would you be happy?!?:D

[Megatron]

So I'm rooting for Galvatron and Megatron wants Megs and the others? We're like opposites. If Galvatron was just Megs in purple, would you be happy?!?:D

lol. Um, well let me put it this way; if Galvatron were a separate character (and not a reformatted Megs), I'd be happier. If he was just Megs in purple, then why can't he keep his name? I would love to see Megs and co return, but since the chances of that happening are slim, I think we might get a new main villain anyway. Besides, I wouldn't want them to return just so they can be killed all over again (even though it might be worth it just to see them again!). It really depends on the script.

[SkyWarp91]

Why is Optimus sad?

Is he sad or about to go into rage mode and stomp on all those humans?

[kup]

Is he sad or about to go into rage mode and stomp on all those humans?

Before Megatron (User) had a picture of Movie Optimus looking sad. He has since removed it.

[SkyWarp91]

Before Megatron (User) had a picture of Movie Optimus looking sad. He has since removed it.

The photo of Optimus in the white background staring at silhouettes of humans?

Or is there another photo? If so can I please have a link to it?

[Megatron]

The photo of Optimus in the white background staring at silhouettes of humans?

Or is there another photo? If so can I please have a link to it?
Yes, that's the one - there's no other photo. It's on their Facebook page, link is in my original post.

[kup]

To me the eyes of that white photo made him look sad. Maybe it's just me :)

[Bidoofdude]

On a side note, I am skipping ninja turtles or Retarded Alien Donkey F*%$, after seeing that pic. :mad: Right in the childhood.

[SkyWarp91]

Another thing I noticed about this facebook profile is that his surname doesn't start off with a capital - surely his ego would be enough to spell his own name properly or is he that 'special' that he spelled it wrong....

[fatbot]

http://michaelbay.com/2013/01/08/jack-reynor/

new bloke confirmed for TF4?

[Megatron]

http://michaelbay.com/2013/01/08/jack-reynor/

new bloke confirmed for TF4?

"I just hired a great new actor for Transformers 4 to star against Mark Wahlberg. Jack Reynor, he is an Irish kid that came to America with 30 bucks in his pocket. Pretty ballsy. Seriously who does that? Anyway I spotted him in a great little Irish movie WHAT RICHARD DID. This kid is the real deal.

Transformers 4, is not a reboot. That word has been floating around on the net.

This movie takes place exactly 4 years after the war in Chicago. The story makes a very natural transition, and reason as to why we have a whole new cast. This Transformers will feel very different then the last three. We are embarking on a new trilogy.

Michael"

I wonder what he means by "will feel very different"...

[Demonac]

Jack Reynor, he is an Irish kid that came to America with 30 bucks in his pocket. Pretty ballsy. Seriously who does that? [/I]


I remember an Irish character named Jack who did pretty much the same thing in this obscure film about a boat that sinks.

[Skullcruncher]

I wonder what he means by "will feel very different"...

Maybe its like Season 3 of the cartoon, more sci-fi - planetary travel etc or it would be even better if it was like masterforce with the humans being inside the bots! Maybe that will be the only way Megatron can still function... or perhaps Overlord..... :eek:....

I was going to try and avoid any possible spoilers but yet here I am reading the news thread for it! :o

[Megatron]

Maybe its like Season 3 of the cartoon, more sci-fi - planetary travel etc or it would be even better if it was like masterforce with the humans being inside the bots! Maybe that will be the only way Megatron can still function... or perhaps Overlord..... :eek:....

I was going to try and avoid any possible spoilers but yet here I am reading the news thread for it! :o

Ooh noo... I'd prefer Megatron was fully intact and functional... no humans inside pleazzz!!! :eek:

Overlord can have humans in him, though. :) (See, I'm willing to compromise. :))

[Skullcruncher]

Ooh noo... I'd prefer Megatron was fully intact and functional... no humans inside pleazzz!!! :eek:

Overlord can have humans in him, though. :) (See, I'm willing to compromise. :))

Ha I would love him to be like he was in the first film(or the cartoon) but hes taken a pretty good beating - how are they going to revive him this time?!?

[5FDP]

Ha I would love him to be like he was in the first film(or the cartoon) but hes taken a pretty good beating - how are they going to revive him this time?!?

Simple - a H2O2 bath :D

[Megatron]

Ha I would love him to be like he was in the first film(or the cartoon) but hes taken a pretty good beating - how are they going to revive him this time?!?

Hmm..


Simple - a H2O2 bath :D

Yay! :D

[Megatron]

From Wahlberg's latest interview, Mark Wahlberg on his new film 'Broken City,' bodybuilding, and 'Transformers 4' (http://www.examiner.com/article/mark-wahlberg-on-his-new-film-broken-city-bodybuilding-and-transformers-4) (Examiner, 17/01/2013):

Will you have to put more weight on for “Transformers 4”?

Wahlberg: Well I took a month off – I just started working out, I’m in my 4th week now – hopefully we’ll do “Avon Man” before “Transformers,” which is this comedy we have at Fox that we’ve been developing; it’s kind of like my first romantic comedy.

Can you tell us anything about “Transformers 4” or “Ted 2”?

Wahlberg: I could tell you that we’re doing “Transformers” starting at the end of May, and then “Ted” in September. You know I can’t give you too many story points or Michael will not be happy. But I can tell you that I’m very excited, obviously I had a great working relationship with Michael on “Pain and Gain”.


And recently, Mark Wahlberg says COMPLETE REBOOT (http://tformers.com/transformers-4-to-reboot-or/19302/news.html) when he appeared on Jay Leno's Tonight Show (16 January 2013):

"We’re doing a complete reboot of the Transformers. I did a movie with Michael Bay called Pain and Gain, which comes out in April. And we had an amazing time together and really hit it off, and he said ‘Hey, you want to do this other little movie I’m doing?’ Because that was a little movie, and I said ‘Yeah, I like doing little movies.' And he said Transformers. Whoa! You know what, we had such a great experience, I’m in."

Unfortunately, the actual video link (from the NBC (http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/wednesday-january-16-2013/n31697/) site) won't work for us here in Australia.

I don't think he actually meant it in the sense of a complete story reboot...

[BigTransformerTrev]

Well I only found out what everyone may have already known - that TF4 is going to be the start of a new trilogy, so we will apparently have TF 5 & 6 as well! Apparently Mark Whalberg says its a reboot, but rumor has it Michael Bay says it is a continuation of the last set of movies, and takes place 4 years after TF3 and will have a different feel than the last movies. As long as it has a different feel to TF2 I'm happy :)

Either way, my wife let out an exasperated sigh as it means she will keep getting dragged back to Melbourne to watch it in gold class and I will keep filling the house with movie toys ;)

[griffin]

Actors are the least reliable source of information, so he is either been told off-hand by his agent or Bay that the movie is all new (to encourage him to sign on), or he's misinterpreted someone who described something with the movie as being new and just assumed that it is a reboot.

It may well be a reboot too, but Bay is just denying it to prevent nerd-rage from fansites this early.

[griffin]

Looks like filming is from (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-4-filming-from-may-to-september/26589/) May (2013), and might be finished by September, again according to Wahlberg.

[RageOnTheRoads]

Wow, Mark is going to be a busy boy this year.

Does anyone know if Ehren Kruger will be returning to write the script for TF4? I am kind of/ really hoping they get a different script writer for the next few films.

Looks like Paramount have secured or at least approached ILM for the 4th movie. Though that's hardly surprising.

[SkyWarp91]

Wow, Mark is going to be a busy boy this year.

Does anyone know if Ehren Kruger will be returning to write the script for TF4? I am kind of/ really hoping they get a different script writer for the next few films.

Looks like Paramount have secured or at least approached ILM for the 4th movie. Though that's hardly surprising.

I can't source it exactly but I did remeber reading somewhere that Ehren was once again attached to write TF4....

[Megatron]

Again, no new info regarding TF4 but here's an excerpt from a recent interview with Jack Reynor.

'Transformers 4' Star Jack Reynor: It Was Intimidating Auditioning For Michael Bay (http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/102093/Transformers-4-Star-Jack-Reynor-It-Was-Intimidating-Auditioning-For-Michael-Bay) (Entertainmentwise, 21/01/2013):

Star speaks about big break at Critics' Choice Awards

Reynor told BBC Newsbeat: “I did [audition], which was an intimidating thing to do,” adding: “We sat down, we had a long chat one day, which was great. I felt totally comfortable with Michael, he’s a really nice guy, but, you know, in the back of your mind he is such a huge director and he does these really high scale type of films. It can be a bit intimidating, but I went for it as best I could and it came out alright.”


...

The actor will play Mark Wahlberg's character's daughter's race car-driving boyfriend, although he's not prepared to reveal much about the plot, however he is in training for the role.

Reynor said: “At the moment I am training a lot, trying to get myself ready for it and we will see how it goes. We are still waiting for our shoot date but it will be around May.”


***

Jack Reynor Talks TRANSFORMERS 4 Training And Audition Process (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/BatFreak/news/?a=72978) (ComicBookMovie, 21/01/2013) some more:

It was recently confirmed that Irish actor Jack Reynor (What Richard Did) would star opposite Mark Wahlberg (Broken City) in Michael Bay's fourth Transformers film, which the director calls the start of a new trilogy in the multi-billion dollar franchise. Speaking with BANG Showbiz at the London Critics Circle Film Awards, Reynor confirms that he is bulking up for Transformers 4. "I'm training very intensely at the moment. I'm going to keep that up until we shoot. I'm going to do some different courses, some different things I need to pick up for the film. My character seems to be a race car driver so I'm going to be doing a couple of driving courses and getting out on the track." He also briefly comments on his audition process and how he nabbed the coveted role. "It was after a film I was doing, 'The Delivery Man', with Dreamworks. I went through quite a rigorous audition process out in L.A., and after a certain amount of auditions and meetings with different executives, I managed to pull it off."

Concerning Wahlberg, Reynor says that he hasn't met him yet, but he's excited. "I haven't met him before, but I'm really excited. He's one of my favourite actors. I just think he's brilliant. I have a huge amount of respect for him as an actor so I can't wait to get on set with him." He also has this to say about director Michael Bay. "I think Michael Bay has his ideas about it and I'm going to go along with him. He seems to know what he's doing."

With production commencing this May, Transformers 4 is set to hit theaters June 27th, 2014.


***

Meanwhile, Shia LaBeouf Thinks Transformers 4 Will Be ‘Really Cool’ (http://www.accesshollywood.com/shia-labeouf-thinks-transformers-4-will-be-really-cool_article_75460) (NBC Universal, 22/01/2013):

Shia LaBeouf won’t be hanging with Optimus Prime anymore, but the actor thinks Mark Wahlberg, newcomer Jack Reynor and director Michael Bay will make a great fourth installment in the shape-shifting robot franchise

“There’s a lot of fun to be had there in terms of the action and what not,” the actor told Access Hollywood at the premiere of his new movie, “The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman,” at the Sundance Film Festival on Monday.

Adding, “I’m sure they’re going to make a really cool movie.”


***

And in case you were interested in what Shia's been up to these days, he's been dropping acid (http://www.christianpost.com/news/shia-labeouf-acid-trip-transformers-actor-admits-taking-drugs-in-interview-video-88760/) for his role in The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman...

[RageOnTheRoads]

I can't source it exactly but I did remeber reading somewhere that Ehren was once again attached to write TF4....

Cheers SkyWarp91. It does indeed appear to be the case: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/top-gun-tom-cruise-adam-goodman-transformers-shia-labeouf-315801 (Damn! I really want that prime statue he has in the background there. ) Though this article is a little old, and we haven't heard any confirmation since.

Funny, you never really hear much about the poor script writers. Equally as important as the director or any actor, yet receive none of the attention and about half the pay.

[RageOnTheRoads]

I know it's not the biggest news, but for those of you interested in the artistic side of film development, Josh Nizzi (http://joshnizzi.com/TF3.htm) has returned to do the concept art for TF4.

[Megatron]

Michael Bay On Doritos, Super Bowl Ads And 'Transformers 4' (http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2013/02/02/michael-bay-on-doritos-super-bowl-ads-and-transformers-4/) (Forbes, 02/02/2013). Excerpt:

Director Michael Bay got his start directing commercials and now he’s going to give another aspiring commercial director his big break. Since 2007, Doritos has allowed amateur filmmakers to offer up homemade commercials with the favorite airing during the Super Bowl. This year, two ads will air, one selected by the Doritos team and one by an America votes contest that ran on Facebook. Whichever filmmaker has the highest-ranking commercial on the USA Today Ad Meter ranking will get a job working with Bay on Transformers 4.

...

Will that change the way you do anything on Transformers 4?

We’re going to start off smaller. There’s a brand new cast. To freshen the franchise we’ve redesigned everything from top to bottom. The history of the first three movies is still there, we start four years later and there’s a reason why we’re meeting a new cast.

Mark is really excited about it and it’s a great redesign. I said that 3 [which grossed $1.1 billion] was going to be my last one. Paramount was letting me do Pain & Gain and the Transformers ride was opening at Universal and it was bittersweet to think of passing it off. I wanted to set it up on a really sure footing and to bring someone else in on that, it would have been overwhelming.

So is 4 a reboot?

No, that’s wrong. We keep the Transformers the way they were, it’s just four years later. There’s a reason the Transformers are redesigned. We’re trying to broaden the franchise and give it more places to go.

[Skullcruncher]

Redesigned into Pretenders and Action Masters! Oh I can see the hate now :D

[Trent]

There’s a reason the Transformers are redesigned. We’re trying to broaden the franchise and give it more places to go.
Translation:

"Hasbro have come to the realization that they just can't push anymore Primes and Bumblebees onto kids in their present forms. So they instructed me to come up with a whole new look so that Hasbro can start a whole new era of Prime and Bumblebee marketing"

[Autocon]

Bay has said the TFs will be redesigned. I think this is a ploy by hasbro to get new molds out, something different, in order to sell the line instead of repaints of BBs.

How do you think the bots will be redesigned? Will it be so they are easier to transform as toys perhaps.

[SkyWarp91]

Maybe Bay will ditch the alien look and go for blocky TFs. Oh primus imagine shiny chrome-plated face plates in a Bay film...

[VERT]

Well they did a big re design for the last movie. Optimus and Bee had alot of work done......And still looked the same. They had new CG models built from the ground up.

[Megatron]

I imagine it will mean a new look, due to a regular rebuild or upgrade. New alt mods, colour schemes, weapons, armour, etc. but the basic style/Bay design should remain unchanged, because otherwise how could that be explained into the story? It's only four years later, so why would their technology change so drastically all of a sudden especially after millions of years of evolution (unless Unicron shows up with magical reformatting powers for everyone, or some totally unexpected McGuffin makes them all look G1 again?). So I think it'll be akin to scanning for a new alt mode, getting repairs or an upgrade. Heh, can you imagine Bumblebee not being a yellow car this time??? :eek:

The other possibility is that it may follow the idea of "Beast Hunters," as this would "broaden the franchise and give it more places to go." I hope not, though. :(

[Megatron]

Next 'Transformers' Trilogy Will Be 'Completely Different' - Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura says he doesn't expect a Shia LaBeouf cameo (http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1701309/transformers-trilogy-michael-bay-lorenzo-di-bonaventura.jhtml) (MTV, 4/02/2013):

...

A few weeks ago, Bay enthusiastically revealed that the next movie kicks off a new trilogy, but did not comment on whether he will stay on to direct the last two installments. While excited about the prospect, di Bonaventura couldn't say what Bay's roll will be in the rest of the series. "I can't speak for Michael. I hope he would [direct the next two]. It would be great, but it's certainly something in our design of this," he said. "It's going to be an ongoing story, so the possibility, again, as long as the audience shows up for us, there's a lot of story still to be told."

Since studios toss the term "reboot" around with abandon, the extent of the reset on "Transformers" is still unclear. From how di Bonaventura describes it, the new films will introduce many new characters and settings, while staying true to the tone of the first trilogy. "There's a lot of new elements. I wouldn't say we've completely changed this world, and yet it's completely different," he said. "There are new characters, new situations. I don't think we revisit a single location. Michael really has a great way of approaching this thing."

But what about Sam Witwicky, the hero of every "Transformers" movie up until now? Di Bonaventura leaves the door open for a cameo, but he does not see it right now. "I don't believe that would be true. You never know. Things are not set in stone, and if something evolved and that came naturally. That wouldn't be the intention," he said. "The intention is this is new world, with new characters, with Mark Wahlberg leading us. It's a different movie, but a lot of the things that you love about the other ones are joining the ride."

...

To view the MTV video interview with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, follow the link above.


* * *

Here's an excerpt from an article about comments Jack Reynor made at the London Evening Standard British Film Awards recently, Transformers 4 Star Reynor Dazzled by 'Amazing Hero' Fassbender (http://www.kildare-nationalist.ie/2013/02/05/transformers-4-star-reynor-dazzled-by-amazing-hero-fassbender/) (Kildare Nationalist, 5/02/2013):

The up-and-coming actor also revealed landing the lead in Michael Bay's robot adventure 'Transformers 4' was a big thrill because the franchise taps into his boyhood fantasies.

Jack explained: "I'm nervous about it and I'm really excited. I haven't been in touch with [co-star] Mark Wahlberg yet, but I think its going to be a lot of fun.

"I was a big fan of it before - I mean, what young guy doesn't like watching things being blown up and really good looking girls and cars racing round the place?"

[Megatron]

Just another Wahlberg interview. Mark Wahlberg on screen violence, Seth MacFarlane and the next Transformers (http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2013-02/26/mark-wahlberg-broken-city-film-interview) (British GQ, 26/02/2013):

...

You've signed up to star in Michael Bay's fourth Transformers film. What do you think is the secret to a good sequel?
To make it better than the last one! My experience with Michael is fantastic - on Pain & Gain we had a blast and worked really well together. So when he asked me to come onto Transformers, once he told me the idea, I said, "Absolutely." It' s a completely different take on it, so I'm thrilled. We've just got to bring our A-game. There's no phoning it in when it comes to me or what Michael wants to do. And Ted 2 is in the pipeline too - they're writing it now, they've already done the deal and I'm excited about it. Seth [MacFarlane]'s idea is fantastic - and he comes from television, so he continued to write and take these characters further. People who make movies, if the movie is a hit they want to make another one and it's a scramble. But with Seth's background, he could do 50 of them and they would all be great.


***

Mark Wahlberg On Ted 2 & Transformers 4 (http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=36669) (Empire, 01/03/2013), (link includes a podcast of this interview):

...

On the Transformers 4 front, Wahlberg also explained how that gig came about.

"Michael and I had an amazing experience working together on [B]Pain & Gain. That movie is insane. It’s like Boogie Nights meets Pulp Fiction meets Fargo. Michael made that movie for $25m and then he asked me if I wanted to work with him again, told me his idea and I said, ‘I’m in’. It’s very different from the other three."

But who is his character in Transformers 4? "I play a man," comes Wahlberg's response. "Who has a child." And what about the stories of Michael Bay saying the film is going to be smaller than the other three? "It will [be smaller]," he explains. "It will just be a couple of people in a room talking."


...

[griffin]

Apparently some pre-production filming is now taking place. (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-filming-to-start-today-177020/)

[Bidoofdude]

Wait for an official source... yeah right...:p;)

[Megatron]

Prepare Yourself For A 'Dark' TRANSFORMERS 4 (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/GraphicCity/news/?a=75349#hGgHaoKbT7dEWAQ6.99) (ComicBookMovie.com, 07/03/2013):


So far, we know Transformers 4 will have a time-skip, picking up four (or five years depending on who you ask) after the events of Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Joining Mark Wahlberg will be relatively new Hollywood faces, Brenton Thwaites and Nicola Peltz in a film that's been described as being smaller than its predecessors. There's also unconfirmed talk from the Hasbro side of production that even the Autobots and Decepticons could undergoe slight redesigns. Besides these tidbits little else is known about the film. In the recent issue of Total Film Magazine, Mark Wahlberg reiterated some things that were previously known like the film is a reboot and that he's excited about it and that the film will be something special. But when the followup question was if the film will be darker and grittier, Wahlberg let slip, "Yeah...I don't want to get fired before I get started, but you're on the right track!" While I think a lot of moviegoers may be nearing "dark and gritty" fatigue, this might actually be a good development for a Transformers franchise that's given fans some pretty silly comic relief and one-punch humor. Is this the direction you'd like the Transformers franchise to go? Sound off in the comment section below. You can read more from Wahlberg in the latest issue of Total Film Magazine out now.

...

TF4 to be darker and grittier?

[SharkyMcShark]

Unfortunately for TF3 Bay seemed to interpret that as 'more slow motion robot cranium destruction'.

Which was fun and all, but it didn't really add much.

[GoktimusPrime]

Joining Mark Wahlberg will be relatively new Hollywood faces, Brenton Thwaites and Nicola Peltz in a film that's been described as being smaller than its predecessors.
That might be a good thing. ROTF and DOTM ended up getting too big for their own good (especially ROTF), biting off more than they could chew. TF1 was the smallest and simplest of the Bayverse TF films, but also the best IMO. I'd rather have a small good film over a big lacklustre one.

[Sinnertwin]

I'd rather have a small good film over a big lacklustre one.

Very true.
Im having a brain-melt. If the movie is set 4/5 after DOTM how does.it become a reboot? Wouldnt the previous films act as a reference of some sort?

[Megatron]

Very true.
Im having a brain-melt. If the movie is set 4/5 after DOTM how does.it become a reboot? Wouldnt the previous films act as a reference of some sort?

TF4 won't be an actual reboot, but will be going into a "full, new, different direction" (see below) so will acknowledge (or at least won't contradict) what has gone before.



***

“Transformers 4" one of a sci-fi trio to film here (http://reelchicago.com/article/transformers-4-summer-sci-fi-trifecta-film-here130314) (ReelChicago.com, 14/03/2013):

...

The biggest film of the futuristic trio is director Michael Bay’s “Transformers 4,” which is expected to return in June to the city the Decepticons had turned into rubble four years earlier.

Neither the production schedule nor cast has been completed, although Chicago location scouts have been hired and the L.A. production staff is expected to land here en masse in June and reportedly will shoot from July through October.

Executive producer/star Mark Wahlberg said he’ll be hunting for a house rental for four months, which suggests the production will be enjoying its entire summer here.

In earlier interviews, Bay promised that while “Transformers 4” would have “the same lineage, it’s going in a full, new, different direction” with a new cast and a new design that will feel natural as it moves on.

That might explain why Wahlberg (co-executive producer with Steven Spielberg on the movie) and Jack Reynor are the only two signed actors announced to date. There’s internet chatter, however, about Josh Duhamel returning to reprise his character.

“Transformers 4’s” budget is also subject to speculation, but since 2009’s “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” that filmed here had an estimated $200 million budget (and earned $836 million worldwide), the budget for the new film in the franchise should be comparable.

...

[Sinnertwin]

Cheers, Megatron :)

[colin78]

I found this on th bet this morning. It gives us a little bit of an idea but not a lot....

Transformers Returning to Michigan, Approved for Film Incentive
« Return to Press Releases
March 20, 2013
Michelle Begnoche
517-241-0251
LANSING – The Michigan Film Office announced today the feature film Transformers 4 has been approved for a film incentive from the state. Transformers 4, expected to film this spring in metro Detroit, opens soon after the end of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, where a great battle left a city torn – but with the world once again saved.

“It speaks volumes about all Michigan has to offer that Transformers is returning once again to our state,” said Margaret O’Riley, director of the Michigan Film Office. “This project will shine another bright spotlight on Michigan and provide tremendous opportunities for our cast, crew and support services.

Transformers 4 was awarded an incentive of $20 million on $81,933,992 of projected in-state expenditures. The project is expected to hire 368 Michigan workers with a full time equivalent of 339 jobs.

As humanity picks up the pieces, following the conclusion of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Autobots and Decepticons have all but vanished from the face of the planet. However, a group of powerful, ingenious businessman and scientists attempt to learn from past Transformer incursions and push the boundaries of technology beyond what they can control – all while an ancient, powerful Transformer menace sets Earth in his crosshairs. The epic adventure and battle between good and evil, freedom and enslavement ensues.

Transformers 4 is the third film in the series to use Detroit as a backdrop. The first Transformers, released in 2007, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, released in 2011, also filmed in metro Detroit.

In Fiscal Year 2013, 13 projects have been awarded a total of $30,962,806 on $120,172,305 of approved production expenditures for the year. These projects are expected to create 1,190 Michigan hires with a full time equivalent of 559 jobs.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Film Review Committee, comprised of senior MEDC staff including the Michigan Film Commissioner, reviews all completed applications using the statute to guide approval decisions.

The Michigan Film Office was created in 1979 to assist and attract incoming production companies and promote the growth of Michigan’s own film industry. The Film Office also administers the incentive program for film, television and other digital media production in Michigan. For more on the Michigan Film Office, visit: MichiganFilmOffice.org.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation markets the state with a focus on business, talent, jobs and helping to grow the economy. For more on MEDC and its initiatives, visit: MichiganAdvantage.org.

[Paul Agnew]

As humanity picks up the pieces, following the conclusion of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Autobots and Decepticons have all but vanished from the face of the planet. However, a group of powerful, ingenious businessman and scientists attempt to learn from past Transformer incursions and push the boundaries of technology beyond what they can control – all while an ancient, powerful Transformer menace sets Earth in his crosshairs. The epic adventure and battle between good and evil, freedom and enslavement ensues.


However, a group of powerful, ingenious businessman and scientists attempt to learn from past Transformer incursions and push the boundaries of technology beyond what they can control


powerful, ingenious businessman learn from past Transformer incursions and push the boundaries of technology beyond what they can control


powerful, ingenious businessman... beyond what they can control

http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/1/18/Lazarusdurr.jpg

Lazarus? Is that you? :eek:

[Megatron]

I'm really curious about this part:


– all while an ancient, powerful Transformer menace sets Earth in his crosshairs.

[Sinnertwin]

I'm really curious about this part:

Same here. Lots of potential there, hope that they dont rush through it though

[BigTransformerTrev]

opens soon after the end of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, where a great battle left a city torn – but with the world once again saved.

As humanity picks up the pieces, following the conclusion of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, all while an ancient, powerful Transformer menace sets Earth in his crosshairs.




Hmmm, seems to fly in the face of all we have been hearing about the movie picking up four or five years later. Or then maybe it will be a quick couple of minutes at the start of the film to remind us of what came before, before starting the new story.


Same here. Lots of potential there, hope that they dont rush through it though

Yeah, thats the problem with Bay's films - tries to fit too much in and rushes what could be great storylines and great fights.


An ancient, powerful Transformers menace? What could it be? We've already had Wheelie turn up was a damn menace in the cartoon :p and the twins were a menace to good cinema in ROTF :mad: So are we talking Galvatron? Unicron? Quintessons? Nemesis Prime? It's probably going to be Misfire riding another giant space worm or something :rolleyes:

[bassbot]

I could see them trying to stretch out Unicron over a few movies, the benefit could be if they do his reformatting of Megatron into Galvatron? A great connect to the old series, whilst bringing in new designs and characters.

Who knows though. If not Misfire why not Snapdragon?!?

[Demonac]

... while an ancient, powerful Transformer menace sets Earth in his crosshairs.



Kinda like Megatron in the 1st one, the Fallen in the 2nd & Sentinel in the 3rd?

[Megatron]

A few more tid bits.


'Transformers 4' crew scouts GM's Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center as a possible backdrop for film (http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2013/03/transformers_4_film_crew_scout.html) (Michigan Live, 21/03/2013):

Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots could be coming to Genesee County as part of the filming of "Transformers 4."

General Motors Co. spokesman Robert Wheeler confirmed a film crew has been on some scouting trips to the Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center for the fourth installment in the series of action blockbusters.

"Nothing has been committed to on either side," Wheeler said. "There are a whole lot of issues that have to take place before that works out."

Work at the plant is scheduled to cease in July, with the facility being shuttered.

There has been no announcement by GM of if or how the plant will be reused. Wheeler said the timing of film work would have to be worked out as part of any agreement to use the plant for the movie.

"There are some conversations that have taken place," he said.

...



***


Transformers 4 could end up in 3D when it's released; film to be produced in Metro Detroit (http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2013/03/transformers_4_could_end_up_in.html) (Michigan Live, 25/03/2012):

Transformers 4 could end up available in 3D once its released to theaters once it's expected to be released in 2014.

Michael Bay, the franchise's director, confirmed on his Twitter page that 3D is an option; (https://twitter.com/S4TE/statuses/315494287867539457) the film will be produced in Metro Detroit.

...



***


Transformers 4 film crew scouting of Genesee County location sparks pitch from Uptown Development in Flint (http://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/index.ssf/2013/03/transformers_4_film_crew_scout.html) (Michigan Live, 25/03/2013):

The possibility of "Transformers 4" film crews coming to Genesee County has sparked the interest of Uptown Developments in Flint.

A film crew scouting for locations to make the fourth installment in the Transformers film franchise has visited General Motors Co.'s Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center in Grand Blanc Township as a possible backdrop for the film, GM spokesman Bob Wheeler said Thursday, March 21.

The Flint-based real estate development company Uptown Developments is behind much of the investment in the downtown and has interest in reaching out to the film's production company to see if they would like to see other locations in Genesee County.

...



***


And as a follow-up, it now looks like Transformers 4 won't film at GM's Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center, says plant spokesman (http://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/index.ssf/2013/04/transformers_4_film_wont_be_co.html) (Michigan Live, 08/04/2013):

The chance that the Autobots of the Transformers movie series will film in Genesee County has gotten slim.

The film crew's schedule and the timeline for General Motors Co. to clear out the soon-to-be-closed Grand Blanc Weld Tool Center weren't compatible, GM spokesman Robert Wheeler said.

Wheeler confirmed in late March that a crew had visited the plant while scouting locations for the fourth installment in the Transformers film franchise.

While it would have been a very "positive" and "cool" opportunity, Wheeler said GM is in the midst of reducing production at the plant in preparation for its closing in July.

This conflicted with the needs of the film crew, he said, adding there was also some discussion about leaving some equipment behind for part of the film.

"We would have loved for it to happen," Wheeler said.

...

Hmmm, oh well...

[Megatron]

Official announcement:

Los Angeles, CA – April 2, 2013 – Paramount Pictures, China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises announced today that they have entered into a Cooperation Agreement regarding the production of “Transformers 4” in China. The Cooperation Agreement was signed on April 1, 2013 in Beijing and Los Angeles.

Pursuant to the agreement, China Movie Channel, under the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT), will cooperate with Paramount in broad-based support of the production of the film in China. “Transformers 4” is expected to be released in China on or about June 27, 2014. The parties also intend to cooperate in a number of other areas related to “Transformers 4,” including the selection of filming sites within China, theatrical promotion, and possible post-production activities in China as well as casting of Chinese actors and actresses in the film.

This agreement represents the first time that China Movie Channel will work with a western studio in the production of a major motion picture.

The unprecedented agreement followed a meeting with Mr. Tong Gang, Vice Minister of SARFT with the Transformers 4 production leaders including director Michael Bay, producer Lorenzo DiBonaventura and Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Moore, along with Jiaflix Chairman Sid Ganis and President Marc Ganis at SARFT’s official Reception Hall in Beijing. Minister Tong expressed support for the newly formed China Movie Channel/Jiaflix cooperation with Paramount.

The “Transformers” movies are among the most popular films ever released in China, and Michael Bay is among the most popular directors with Chinese audiences. Transformers 3, Dark of the Moon, released theatrically in 2011, grossed $165 million in China and over $1.1 billion worldwide.

“I’m proud and honored by how ‘Transformers’ has been embraced by Chinese audiences,” said Michael Bay. “I look forward to working with China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises to help reach more people here and deepen their passion for this ongoing story and its characters.”

“China Movie Channel and our official movie web site M1905.com have been long term trusted partners with Jiaflix,” said Yan Xiaoming, Chairman of China Movie Channel. “We have been working together in the field of importing Hollywood movies for Chinese television and internet, including Paramount movies, as well as introducing Chinese movies to the North American market and are very delighted with the results we have accomplished together.”

“This is the beginning of a new era of collaboration with the Hollywood studios,” Mr. Yan continued. “We are very confident that the China Movie Channel/Jiaflix cooperation with Paramount will result in the famous Transformers brand being an even bigger success.”

Jiaflix, through its partners, Sid Ganis, Marc Ganis and Kenneth Huang, was the driving force in bringing the new arrangement to fruition. Said Sid Ganis, Chairman of Jiaflix, “Paramount was the first major studio to officially join with us for the distribution of its films over the Jiaflix platform in China, so we are delighted to join our partners at China Movie Channel together with Paramount on this groundbreaking initiative. ‘Transformers 4’ are paving the way.” Jiaflix has recently entered into a long term agreement with Paramount, under which Paramount will supply more than 250 films a year to the new video streaming partnership between Jiaflix and M1905.com, a unit of China Movie Channel.

“We are excited by and grateful for the opportunity to work with China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises on the production and promotion of ‘Transformers 4,’” said Paramount Vice Chair Rob Moore. “We see this relationship as a reflection of the global power and appeal of both this unique franchise and Michael Bay’s talents as a filmmaker.”

[griffin]

Michael Bay is blaming Walhberg (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/michael-bay-and-mark-wahlberg-talk-transformers-4/27043/) for planning to do more than just one more Movie.

[bassbot]

We'll never be rid of him will we?!? Lol

[griffin]

TF4 will be in IMAX again (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-4-updates-filming-in-imax-using-new-technology-stanley-tucci-joins-cast/27079/)... looks like Bay loves his big bangs to be as big as possible.

Plus some guy called Stanley Tucci is said to be joining the cast.

[GoktimusPrime]

Chinese reality show helping with casting (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/18/transformers-4-chinese-reality-show_n_3110106.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false)

[Megatron]

Michael Bay's 'Transformers 4' sets up shop in Metro Detroit; Pontiac's Michigan Motion Picture Studios eager for workload (http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2013/04/michael_bays_transformers_4_se.html) (MLive, 17/04/2013):

Michigan Motion Picture Studios in Pontiac is preparing up for another Hollywood closeup.

The production venue that was home to the hit Sam Raimi-directed film "Oz the Great and Powerful" will also host crews for Michael Bay's "Transformers 4" this summer.

Set building for "Transformers 4" - expected to get an official title soon - has already begun at the 535,000-square foot facility and has Michigan Motion Pictures Studios chief operating officer Tony Wenson excited.

"They are in the process of pre-production right now," Wenson told MLive Detroit, when asked if Bay's film crew is in town. "They are filming in several other states, too. The majority of their shooting, I believe, will be done in the state of Michigan.

"In addition to working on our stages, they’ll also be working throughout the state at different locations. We’re really excited that they’re here. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to service another film.”

Wenson declined to say specifically when filming for "Transformers 4" will begin, but disclosed it will happen "early" this summer.

That appears the earliest time when Bay and film cast members are expected to be in Metro Detroit for work.

Set building for "Transformers 4" comes at a time of good PR for the Michigan Motion Picture Studios because Raimi, a Royal Oak native, recently praised the facility as being one of the most state-of-the-art the film industry has ever seen.
...



***


Mark Wahlberg on wearing Calvins again, being in the next Transformers and producing ‘Entourage’ the movie (http://entertainment.inquirer.net/90119/mark-wahlberg-on-wearing-calvins-again-being-in-the-next-transformers-and-producing-entourage-the-movie) (InquirerEntertainment, 18/04/2013):

...

He also sounded excited to be in the untitled “Transformers” sequel to be released in the United States summer next year with a new cast and with Michael back as director. “Shooting starts next month in Austin, Texas, Chicago, Detroit, maybe Utah, Arizona and possibly in China,” Mark said. “If I say anything else, I’m in trouble.”

...

[griffin]

I thought this was an interesting article (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/michael-bay-talks-transformers-movie-franchise-177277/), in which Bay once again confesses to not following scripts when he gets visual inspirations while on the sets... mentioning that Speilberg even tried to tell him to stick to the script, but stubbornly rejected the request, claiming that even if 80% is screwed up by improvising the script during filming, at least there is 20% that is "gold".

(yeah, that's a good performance requirement there... aim for a good 20% of "gold" instead of, you know, 100%)

[SharkyMcShark]

Was DotM even 20% good? Was it?

[crankcase76]

So pretty much we get 80% of non related transformers story, just so this guy can go off on his tangent of how this movie is going to look cool.:( With a movie that probably is going to go for 3HRS and have about 45Mins of a story line.:confused: I'm in the wrong business.:eek::D

[griffin]

Michael Bay has come out saying (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-9/michael-bay-says-transformers-4-will-be-shorter-177293/) that the fourth movie will be shorter than the previous ones, claiming that it will be 2 hours and 7 minutes.

Filming hasn't even started yet, so there's no way he'd know how long it will end up being (to the minute) after editing... especially with his improvised filming style that adds things as he goes along.


He's also mentioned his partnership (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/michael-bay-discuss-his-transformers-4-detroit-filming-plans-177294/) with General Motors will continue into the fourth movie, so we are likely to see more fancy sports cars again.


Can't get enough of Michel Bay? Well Miami Florida mustn't, as they are proposing a Michael Bay day on June 5th (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/mark-your-calendars-michael-bay-day-is-june-5th/27127/). :confused:
And it doesn't appear to have anything to do with the upcoming opening of the Transformers Ride at Universal Studios in Florida, as the themepark is near Orlando, a long way away from Miami.

[GoktimusPrime]

I really wish Bay kept his promise of not making any more Transformers films after DotM so they could give someone else a turn. :( He clearly doesn't give a flying Rattrap's tail about making a decent story. :(

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/jaam_shoulders.gif

[Sinnertwin]

On the plus side, i don't have to sit through a 3 hour rehash of an episode i saw in 1985. Only 2, which hopefully means more focus on the bots. Less humans, more bots please

[griffin]

More discussion from Michael Bay about TF4 from Moviefone (http://news.moviefone.com/2013/04/26/michael-bay-pain-and-gain-interview_n_3163480.html), with some highlights mirrored here (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/michael-bay-talks-transformers-4/27172/). He talks about becoming a fan of Transformers (or at least, his version of the Brand), redesigning the robots for the fourth movie, and him wanting to protect (his version of) the Brand from anyone else "f***ing it up".
He's quite excited about having a big star in the lead (human) role, which could be bad news for us *Transformers* fans, as that will mean more screen time for him to make the most of his hefty fee.


It's also been noted by Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/dwayne-johnson-was-offered-the-transformers-4-lead/27170/), that he was originally offered the lead role, but had to turn it down due to other commitments... so Mark Wahlberg was second choice.
I guess if he had been able to do the Transformers movie, it would have pretty much ruled out a cross-over with GIJoe, after he played a leading character in the second GIJoe movie (a crossover movie would have had to avoid using both of their characters... that is, if Bay worried about plot inconsistencies between his movies.)


A casting call has been put out (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-4-casting-call-for-extras/27149/) for 35 supporting roles and extras (in America), paying about $800 for those parts.


One of the actors, Jack Reynor, who has one of the main roles in TF4, has given up some vague comments (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/jack-reynor-talks-transformers-4-from-tribeca-film-festival/27148/)... in that he doesn't know much of what the movie is about, but is excited about getting the role.


And, another location being scouted for filming (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/michael-bay-is-looking-at-sham-shui-po-for-transformers-4/27157/) of the fourth movie is in Hong Kong.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

mentioning that Speilberg even tried to tell him to stick to the script, but stubbornly rejected the request

lol. Perhaps Mr Bay should compare Mr Speilberg's accomplishments to his own and then go for the 20% gold. you know, I wouldn't really class any of the TF movies as having 20% gold. Maybe 20% bronze? Probably closer to 20% Participant actually.

And I doubt bay isnt stopping others from mesing it up. He just doesn't want someone doing any better with it;)

I am curious to know, did people go to the movie because it was a Transformers movie or because it was a Michael bay movie?

I think we all know the answer to that one

[griffin]

Texas is going to be another film location (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-4-will-be-filming-in-texas-starting-in-june/27177/), starting in June.

[griffin]

I think this was mentioned as a possible TF4 location, but it looks like Bay and his scouting team were spotted in Chicago (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-location-scouting-in-chicago-177363/), looking at potential filming sites.

[Sky Shadow]

I've worked out how Transformers 4 could be good. Bay needs to constantly ask himself "is there a robot in this scene?" If the answer is "no" he should scrap it.

[Megatron]

:eek:

I found this article, I don't know if what it's saying is what I think it's saying and if it is if it's at all true... but... :eek: but I'm hoping... could it be?? :eek::

Transformers Round Four: Frasier Crane Vs. Megatron (http://www.toonzone.net/2013/05/transformers-round-four-frasier-cram-versus-megatron/) (toonzone, 03/5/2013):

From the article:

Let’s get ready to ruuuummmmble!!! For the upcoming “Transformers 4” film, in this corner, at 6-1 and weighing in at 236 pounds is Frasier Crane – AKA Kelsey Grammer – and in this corner, at 22 feet 11 inches and weighing in at a svelte 106,295 pounds – MEGATRON. Actually, the pair will probably only face off if Grammer gets an extra feisty case of megalomania while playing bad guy Harold Attinger, a counter-intelligence human who may be part of a group of baddies looking to contain the Decepticons and control Earth. Grammer joins a cast that already includes Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci.

Is this a hint, or am I reading too much into this too soon... ??

[CHILENO20]

Here's some else joining the franchise - http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/176711-sophia-myles-joins-transformers-4

Thoughts?

[Megatron]

Here's some else joining the franchise - http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/176711-sophia-myles-joins-transformers-4

Thoughts?

Check the TF4 Casting news (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=15017) thread in this section for all TF4 casting specific news!

[colin78]

Found this little bit of info on move site joblo.com...like most of mr bay's 'leaks' we'll just have to wait and see.

SPOILER WARNING: The below scoop, while a "rumor," contains potential spoilers for TRANSFORMERS 4. If you read on, know that you've given up the right to bitch and moan about spoilers, as you've been justly warned. Now, let's get on with it, shall we?
So, today we have a bit of a scoop explosion, which comes from a reliable source who relayed a hefty amount of info on some big upcoming projects, gleaned from a recent marketing event. One of those projects is TRANSFORMERS 4, which entails some information that, if true, will likely alter the perception of many who are fatigued with the franchise.
Your first hint is below:

That's right, folks, our source has confirmed that TRANSFORMERS 4 will feature none other than the famed Dinobots, including fan favorite Grimlock. No word on whether he'll retain his neanderthal voice, but one can only hope he does as that's a true staple of the character. One of the villains of the film will be a character named Lockdown, who has a ship full of decommissioned Transformers, including the dinobots, which are somehow brought back to life by a captured Optimus Prime. Prime is joined by returning autobot Bumblebee and at one point both characters (and potentially others) will "ride" the Dinobots into battle in Hong Kong (which fits well within the announcement that the film would film partially in China), with Prime on Grimlock and Bumblebee on a Pterandon, presumably Swoop.

Additionally, the autobot Hound will make his debut, as well as a former "Samurai" Decepticon that wants to regain his honor and become an Autobot. And what about Megatron, who is presumed dead after the last film? Well, fans of TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE will be happy to know that not only will the dinobots be making their debut, but also Galvatron, who is basically Megatron "reborn" (and originally voiced by the first Spock, Leonard Nimoy).

If it checks out, then I think having both the Dinobots and Galvatron in TRANSFORMERS 4 will likely sway a lot of folks back into the fold. There are already plenty of naysayers who will no doubt guzzle the Baytorade and that's fine. It's kind of expected. However, for those who want to see these classic characters grace the big screen this could end up being a righteous development.

[Megatron]

..oh I really hope the rumour about Galvatron is not true... :(


For those who missed this little clue from Mr Bay himself: Michael Bay Says Transformers 4 is a 'Chase From Hell' (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=102887) (ComingSon.net, 13 April 2013).

[Trent]

..oh I really hope the rumour about Galvatron is not true... :(

So do I. But probably for different reasons than you Megs.

If they bring back Megatron AGAIN, it's basically turning the movies into a very high budget bunch of G1 episodes. You know, Decepticons are winning until Megs cops a glancing blow that simply causes him to fall down. All of a sudden its "Retreat!!!".

My point is that to continuously kill characters off and then bring them back cheapens the series. Megatron has died twice already. He needs to stay dead in all his forms. There are plenty of other Decepticons that can fill the evil leader role.

[Megatron]

So do I. But probably for different reasons than you Megs.

If they bring back Megatron AGAIN, it's basically turning the movies into a very high budget bunch of G1 episodes. You know, Decepticons are winning until Megs cops a glancing blow that simply causes him to fall down. All of a sudden its "Retreat!!!".

My point is that to continuously kill characters off and then bring them back cheapens the series. Megatron has died twice already. He needs to stay dead in all his forms. There are plenty of other Decepticons that can fill the evil leader role.

Yeah, I'm caught between a rock and a hard place here...

*sigh*

I still want me back, though, even if it does look cheap... :o

[colin78]

Found this on seibertron.com...two possible new characters.

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-4-autobot-vehicles-revealed-bugatti-grand-sport-vitesse-and-2014-concept-c7-corvette-stingray/27395/

[Sinnertwin]

Yeah, I'm caught between a rock and a hard place here...
*sigh*
I still want me back, though, even if it does look cheap... :o

Look on the bright side, Megs, at least you got a you ;)
That Bugatti does look nice.

[Sky Shadow]

SPOILER WARNING: ...

a former "Samurai" Decepticon that wants to regain his honor and become an Autobot.

...

Wow. Michael Bay and Drift. If I were actually trying to make the worst Transformers franchise ever, those are the two ingredients I'd start with.

[Megatron]

Look on the bright side, Megs, at least you got a you ;)
That Bugatti does look nice.

Yeah, I guess so... thanks... lol.

I reckon if we get Galvatron for the Decepticons, then we should get Rodimus Prime for the Autobots. Fair's fair, right? :p

[fatbot]

http://comingsoon.net/nextraimages/optimusprimetf4small.jpg

The all new Prime?

http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/177183-the-newly-designed-optimus-prime-for-transformers-4-revealed

a C7 Corvette Stingray, maybe Tracks?

http://comingsoon.net/nextraimages/Corvette-Stingray-1-jpg_224049.jpg


Bugatti Grand Sport Vitesse. Unkown character
http://comingsoon.net/nextraimages/Bugatti-1-jpg_224049.jpg

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=104842

[Trent]

Yeah, I guess so... thanks... lol.

I reckon if we get Galvatron for the Decepticons, then we should get Rodimus Prime for the Autobots. Fair's fair, right? :p

I agree. I wasn't picking on Megatron alone by any means. I'm sick of 2 dimensional movie Prime. I'd love to see a new Autobot leader as well. Dai Atlas would be cool.

[ILikeSoundwave]

That new prime almost made me cry:(

[SharkyMcShark]

New Prime looks interesting. Perhaps not as many straight hard edges as I'd like but we can't have everything.

[Sinnertwin]

I don't mind the revamped Prime.

[GoktimusPrime]

The smokestacks bug me. Has anyone here ever seen a truck IRL with smokestacks like that? Chopper flames I can accept, but at least the movie OP from the previous films had a realistic looking truck mode (Peterbilt 379 (http://www.collectiondx.com/gallery2/gallery/d/480653-1/Peterbilt+379+truck+_2007+model_.jpg)). Does anyone know exactly what kind of Western Star truck this is? Cos I'd like to see a picture of an unmodified one for comparison. I'd like to hope that this Optimus Prime looks pretty close to the real life version (perhaps it's just model of Western Star that I haven't seen or is uncommon on Australian roads).

On the plus side, I'm kinda stoked that they've chosen to use a Western Star, which (to me) feels like a homage to G2 Laser Optimus Prime (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/e/e7/G2toy_laser_optimus_prime.jpg) who's a Western Star 4964EX (http://www.usfarmer.com/fetch_file/?id=1364894). :)

[i_amtrunks]

Wow. Michael Bay and Drift. If I were actually trying to make the worst Transformers franchise ever, those are the two ingredients I'd start with.

Cannot express my joy at this comment enough.

[Sinnertwin]

Does anyone know exactly what kind of Western Star truck this is? Cos I'd like to see a picture of an unmodified one for comparison. I'd like to hope that this Optimus Prime looks pretty close to the real life version (perhaps it's just model of Western Star that I haven't seen or is uncommon on Australian roads).

According to some, a heavily modified Western Star 4300SB (http://www.e-freightliner.com/gt/20402/2013-western-star-4900-4900sb)

[griffin]

Sorry... when I hear "Western Star", I automatically think of butter... and get hungry. :p

[SharkyMcShark]

The Bugatti has been confirmed as having the production name Drift, and the Corvette the production name Slingshot.

There's potential for Drift, if he is as he is in the IDW verse, to be an interesting character, as long as we avoid the Mary Sue issue and he gets actual development. Realistically I'm expecting basically Sideswipe.

[griffin]

I think Drift will remain (because the "action" swordsman-type character would have Bay salivating at the visual possibilities), but Slingshot might end up being something else (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/robot-names-of-the-two-new-transformers-4-autobots-revealed-177576/) in the final version.

[doublespy]

Optimus Prime 2.0 is rad!:D

Everytime I thought my passion for a new Bay movie has worn off, I can't help but look at these early pictures and start to get excited...I really hope they are giving TT enough references this time. Could be some freaking awesome toys.

[griffin]

The three vehicles have been added to the TFMovie facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/transformersmovie), with this...


Check-out the re-envisioned and remodeled Autobots on Highway 163 in Monument Valley near the border of Arizona and Utah. New vehicles include a completely upgraded, custom-built Optimus Prime from Western Star (a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America) plus two completely new characters: a special race-inspired C7 Corvette Stingray, based on Chevrolet's upcoming 2014 production car and a classy 1,200-horsepower Bugatti Grand Sport Vitesse worth more than $2.4 million!He certainly knows how to go for the most expensive vehicles he can find.

[griffin]

Two more vehicles have been spotted at the Arizona filming....

One that looks to be a black 60s Camaro (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-on-set-bumblebees-new-mode-revealed-177578/) (Bay seems to be a big fan of that car type).

AND... one that looks to be a nod to Gen1 Optimus (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/new-transformers-4-set-photos-reveal-a-possible-new-robot-177577/) (like there was a nod to Bumblebee in the first movie), being a square cab truck, which is too "old" looking to be just a crew vehicle. (and it kinda looks like an Autobot symbol on the front) Maybe it's Ultra Magnus... which would pair up with Galvatron (if he is actually in this movie), and gives Bay another chance at doing a super-powerful-awesome-explosive powerup scene as Ultra Magnus merges with his armour.

[Trent]

He certainly knows how to go for the most expensive vehicles he can find.

If you had the cash those Veyrons are worth every penny. Especially in blue.

Fun Fact:

I dont know if its still the case but VW (who owns Bugatti) used to take a loss on every Veyron made. Back in 2007 they cost close to $10 million each to make and were being sold for $2 million. They were prepared to take the hit purely so they could say that they produce the worlds fastest street legal production car (which it still is). I assume now that they have managed to get the cost down but I can't find any recent info on what they cost to make.


Hey I just realized, if we're getting an Autobot Bugatti (which is owned by VW), it stands a good chance that we may see MP Jazz and Bumblebee (whose alt modes also reside under the VW umbrella)

:)

[SMHFConvoy]

Two more vehicles have been spotted at the Arizona filming....

One that looks to be a black 60s Camaro (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-on-set-bumblebees-new-mode-revealed-177578/) (Bay seems to be a big fan of that car type).

I like the look of that Camaro, interested to see how much the robot mode has changed (if at all)

[drahsrebu]

Is anyone else thinking Stunticons??

[GoktimusPrime]

The 1967 Camaro has been confirmed as Bumblebee apparently.
http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-4-bumblebee-confirmed-as-vintage-1967-camaro-ss/27408/

[Sinnertwin]

The 1967 Camaro has been confirmed as Bumblebee apparently.
http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-4-bumblebee-confirmed-as-vintage-1967-camaro-ss/27408/

Don't mind the black. I wonder what the storyline reasoning was behind the choice of the '67?

[GoktimusPrime]

Michael Bay =/= storyline reasoning :p

[M-bot]

More photos have emerged (sorry, no link) of a large military style truck with the Autobots - rusty/beaten up looking Megatron in DOTM, but much beefier - speculation is that this might be Grimlock. Maybe no robot mode for him if so? Truck/Dino modes only? Why on Earth am I speculating? No idea.:cool:;)

[M-bot]

Michael Bay =/= storyline reasoning :p

+1. There were good things about the movies IMO but storyline coherence and a strong sense of internal logic was not among them.:)

[Shirokaze]

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/new-transformers-4-set-images-featuring-new-vehicles-177588 (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/new-transformers-4-set-images-featuring-new-vehicles-177588/)/

The military truck seems to have the perfect stance/shape to be Bulkhead, but rumour has it that Hound will be making an appearance? It would definitely make sense for them to be using Bulkhead what with Transformers Prime and all, but I suppose time will tell.

As for the other vehicles, I'm kind of on the fence;

Love the modded Camaro, hate the fact that Bumblebee is returning. Though I guess there was never a chance of him not being in it.

I'm really glad they've got the Veyron in to break up the General Motors flavour, but I don't agree that it should be Drift. The Bugatti is the furthest away one could possibly get from a drift car, being that the all-wheel-drive, straight-line monster is built almost exclusively to GRIP. The green Corvette would actually make much more sense as Drift; rear wheel drive, lightweight, and smokes up tyres easily right off the showroom floor. It wouldn't surprise me if JoBlo.com who confirmed these names has gotten them wrong, and I do hope that is the case.

[Starscream77]

Surely that military truck is Bulkhead, if so it is actually quite a good choice

[Omega Metro]

If you had the cash those Veyrons are worth every penny. Especially in blue.

Fun Fact:

I dont know if its still the case but VW (who owns Bugatti) used to take a loss on every Veyron made. Back in 2007 they cost close to $10 million each to make and were being sold for $2 million. They were prepared to take the hit purely so they could say that they produce the worlds fastest street legal production car (which it still is). I assume now that they have managed to get the cost down but I can't find any recent info on what they cost to make.


Hey I just realized, if we're getting an Autobot Bugatti (which is owned by VW), it stands a good chance that we may see MP Jazz and Bumblebee (whose alt modes also reside under the VW umbrella)

:)

Fun Fact 2: (my fact):)
The Bugatti Veyron is the ugliest super car to ever be made.
I wish they could do a Lamborghini Aventador Transformer, that would be sexy.

[Trent]

Fun Fact 2: (my fact):)
The Bugatti Veyron is the ugliest super car to ever be made.

It was never made to be 'sexy' (But I think it looks awesome). Every inch of that car is designed for practicality. It's shape is basically determined by the laws of aerodynamics. All the air that touches it serves a purpose. Whether it is used for aerodynamics or cooling.


I wish they could do a Lamborghini Aventador Transformer, that would be sexy.

FansProject Car-Crash is an Aventador. ;)

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

. Dai Atlas would be cool.
And appropriately action-y for Bay's movies

Maybe it's Ultra Magnus... which would pair up with Galvatron (if he is actually in this movie), and gives Bay another chance at doing a super-powerful-awesome-explosive powerup scene as Ultra Magnus merges with his armour.
Sadly he had thawt opportunity in DOTM with optimus and missed it. We got 15 minutes of people sliding around a building instead... :p

I actually quite like the look of the Bugatti. Make me want to play with my Cybertron and Shattered Glass Jaz toys... Gotta wait till I finish work now... :p

Little bit disappointed that Optimus looks much the same as he did before and curious to see why Bumblebee has gone back to an old clunker vehicle mode. And now I await the robot modes, hopefully less sinew-looking of the other movies and more panelly ala Prime.

[griffin]

Hasbro are going to have trouble selling yet another red/blue truck Optimus... even if the truck mode is slightly different... regular parents buying these things as presents will see it as a toy their kid already has from the last movie. A lot of the third movie toys shelf-warmed because kids (or their parents knew they) already had toys of most of the main cast from the last four years of movie toys.
They do have a better chance with Bumblebee, if they get the darn character to talk this time, as the car mode (and hopefully the robot mode) is significantly different... which is how it will look on shelves.

[doublespy]

It's shape is basically determined by the laws of aerodynamics. All the air that touches it serves a purpose. Whether it is used for aerodynamics or cooling.


+1, as opposed to say Countach, which was a pain in engineers' tail pipes.

[M-bot]

The big military vehicle (that I thought may be Grimlock) is apparently confirmed as being Hound. So no jeep then.

[griffin]

Link here for Hound (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-4s-green-truck-revealed-as-hound/27429/).

[Megatron]

Film company president: "Transformers 4" to center on China (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/entertainment/2013-05/31/c_132422967.htm) (Xinhua, 31/05/2013):

The head of a Hollywood production company said "Transformers 4" will not only be set in China, but will also feature a China-centric theme.

"The film has a great deal to do with China. Effectively, China is a character in it," said Marc Ganis, president of Jiaflix Enterprises.

Paramount Pictures, the China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises announced in April that they had entered into an agreement regarding the production of "Transformers 4" in China.

The three agreed that the movie will feature a number of Chinese actors and actresses, with a public casting competition launched to select potential stars. Well-known actress Li Bingbing has already been confirmed to play a significant role in the film.

"So much of the movie takes place in China and the character she plays is a Chinese national. So it's a very natural position for her to have," Ganis said.

"Transformers 4" will take a different approach than "Iron Man 3," which had a special Chinese version featuring extra footage starring Chinese actors. However, many Chinese felt that the extra parts were too contrived.

"There is going to be a single version (of the film) worldwide with a very significant Chinese component," Ganis said.

The Transformers franchise has been highly successful in China. The third film's earnings surpassed 1 billion yuan (163 million U.S. dollars). The fourth installment is scheduled to be released next summer.

China's film industry has been growing rapidly, becoming the world's second-largest movie market in 2012. With traditional movie funding sources drying up, Hollywood studios increasingly see China as a destination of choice.

In order to truly tap into the Chinese film market, Hollywood studios and filmmakers should tell stories that are more culturally connected to Chinese people and culture, Ganis said.

"Work on story lines. Work on demonstrating what Chinese culture is like, what the Chinese people are like and show that to the world as part of the natural art of the story," he said.



***


Cine Gear: 'Transformers 4' Taps Palm-Sized Novo Camera (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/cine-gear-transformers-4-taps-561633) (The Hollywood Reporter, 02/06/2013):

Michael Bay’s Transformers 4 is among the latest productions to use Radiant Image’s palm-sized Novo action camera. The Novo and Novo 2K -- a newly-unveiled model of the camera that supports uncompressed 2K Raw -- were both on display this weekend at Cine Gear Expo.

...

He added that in addition to Transformers 4, the original Novo -- weighing just 3.2 oz -- was also used for the upcoming film Need for Speed directed by Scott Waugh and lensed by Shane Hurlbut.

Co-created by View Factor Studios and Radiant, the Novo cameras are built with the GoPro sensor and designed for "cinematic" use, said Mansouri. The Novo includes a C-mount lens system plus a PL mount adapter. The auto exposure function can be disabled, permitting cinematographers to use the lens to manually adjust the aperture.

[Omega Metro]

Ugh! So I guess TF4 will have English subtitles and get a showing on SBS in 3-4 years time.

[gamblor916]

I thought it was supposed to be a film about robots, transforming ones at that :rolleyes:

[Sinnertwin]

Any word of budget yet?

[Autocon]

China is creeping into everything.... Changing whole story lines just to appease the Chinese market pffft:rolleyes:

Not excited for this film zzz:(

[griffin]

Paramount is going where the money is... they've pretty much tapped the western markets, and big-action movie budgets are just too huge now to be content with those countries. They need the billions of dollars potential of Asian countries that they haven't yet tapped into fully. And what better way to get the next big market interested than by making most of the movie featuring their country.

[Demonac]

Weren't the first 3 films written to appease GM & the US army?

[Megatron]

Thanks to the Transformers Live Action Movie Blog, More Possible Transformers Vehicles Spotted in Texas (http://transformerslive.blogspot.ca/2013/06/more-possible-transformers-vehicles.html) (03/06/2013):

Below are two new images of potential Transformers 4 vehicles thanks to site reader Erik W. Last weekend, while in the Pflugerville and Manor area (in Central Texas), he and his son spotted the big semi truck hauling three black off road looking cars that are not identical but similar looking to each other. He was able to spot them turn at a yellow sign that said E7 with arrows and other markers. The "E7" signs (http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2013/03/transformers-4-production-spotted-in.html) have been used in the past to identify Transformers production's base camp for whatever location they happen to be at and sometimes shooting locations. The location beyond the suburbs of Austin so can't help but wonder if related to the TF4 farm set (http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2013/05/images-from-possible-transformers-4.html).

So what are the vehicles for? A few possibilties come to mind. Since black SUVs tend to be Hollywood short hand for government, these could be off road version, possibly part of Harold Attinger's (Kelsey Grammer) crew. When not goverment, black vehicles just means bad guys so Decepticon alt modes? Or they simply serve the practical purpose of being rigged for the camera crew to film action scenes. I guess NEST is another possibility but I don't think they have a part in this movie. However I have no info to back that idea up. As always time will tell.

Update: Two things: 1) corrected the location typos (no clue how managed to screw up both of them) and 2) from the comments it appears on the vehicles is nearly identical to one used in Revenge of the Fallen and the other has been ID as a Rally Fighter.

[tinyJazz]

Yes! Hound gets a movie-version. I'm hoping the robot designs are more refreshing this time around, but we'll have to see. And I'm not buying into this "riding dinobots and Galvatron" business until there's something more solid to support it. Although I think Galvatron on the big screen would be pretty awesome.


I thought it was supposed to be a film about robots, transforming ones at that :rolleyes:

It's about making money. :p



I wish they could do a Lamborghini Aventador Transformer, that would be sexy.

welll

Straight from michaelbay.com via Planet Iacon a picture of a Lamborghini Aventador (http://michaelbay.com/2013/06/07/lamborghini-aventador/).

What does it mean?

[Defcon]

I don't mind a new film set in China, or have heaps of Chinese actors. The problem I had with the other films was they all seemed to be so focused on America, like other parts of the world were not important, go figure and have plenty of US Army focus as well. When really the whole movie should of been global, like planet Earth, and feature a coalition of Armed forces.

[SharkyMcShark]

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-set-photos-featuring-the-lamborghini-aventador-rusty-cab-old-optimus-prime-and-bee-177670/

Aventador.

Start the reactor, I love that car.

[drahsrebu]

That Aventador would be a great alt mode for breakdown/wildrider. Im sticking with my Stunticon theory:p

[griffin]

A random movie-related news item - a billboard in Texas where they are filming, has a subtle TF3 reference that probably only TFs fans will get (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/remember-chicago-transformers-4-billboard/27508/)... but people are thinking that with the high "illegal alien" population in Texas (from Mexico), it could be misinterpreted by non-fans as something to do with immigration.

[griffin]

Sounds like Bay's obsession with pyrotechnics, stunts and special effects has caused yet another accident on set (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-9/fire-breaks-out-on-set-of-transformers-4-177711/) (his movies seem plagued with them, from pushing the envelope all the time).
This time it is a 100-year old house that caught fire, with some injuries including a broken ankle.

[Cat]

..oh I really hope the rumour about Galvatron is not true... :(


For those who missed this little clue from Mr Bay himself: Michael Bay Says Transformers 4 is a 'Chase From Hell' (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=102887) (ComingSon.net, 13 April 2013).


China is creeping into everything.... Changing whole story lines just to appease the Chinese market pffft:rolleyes:

Not excited for this film zzz:(

People said the same thing about Iron Man 3.

Those 'additional Chinese scenes' were less than 3 minutes total, and mostly amounted to him drinking a Chinese milk.

Every film has stakeholders to be appeased, whether product placement or storyline 'morals', films always bend to the whims of those other than the director.

[griffin]

Someone at TFW has snuck a quick video of some filming (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/tfw2005-exclusive-video-from-transformers-4-filming-in-taylor-tx-177713/), featuring the newly revealed race car.

[Megatron]

First Look at Mark Wahlberg on Set of TRANSFORMERS 4, Plus Vintage Vehicles and the Film’s Newest Autobot (http://collider.com/transformers-4-mark-wahlberg-images/) (Collider, 12/06/2013):

In addition to a latest Autobot to appear in Michael Bay’s Transformers 4, we get a first look at Mark Wahlberg on set of the new film. It looks like Wahlberg has kept in shape from his previous collaboration with Bay (Pain and Gain) and has brought along some vintage vehicles for the latest Transformers installment. We get looks at an old Chevy pick-up, a rusted-out big rig and a throwback firetruck from these images taken on set in Texas. There’s no indication of whether these autos are robots in disguise or merely good old fashioned set dressing, but a new vehicle from Bay’s blog will surely be doing some transformin’. Which Autobot it may be is anyone’s guess. Hit the jump to check it out.

Also starring Nicola Peltz, T.J. Miller, Sophia Myles, Li Bingbing, Jack Reynor, and Kelsey Grammer, Transformers 4 opens June 27, 2014.

Here’s what Bay has to say about the new car:

The Ultimate Sonic RS, just pure fun. (http://michaelbay.com/2013/06/12/sonic-rs/)

...

Click on the article link above to see pics.

[Jinto]

Has anyone seen the Dodge Challenger (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-filming-mysterious-dodge-challenger-177723/) pic yet? Looks like there are going to be some sweet figures as far as alt modes are concerned.

[griffin]

I saw on one of the more recent photos of the white truck cab, that it has some faint flame decos on it. Not something that would be seen on any other Autobot, so maybe it's Optimus. Since Bumblebee is sporting an old 60s mode, maybe Optimus had to resort to hiding himself as a similarly old vehicle as well.

[Sinnertwin]

Thanks to Gyazo.com
White rescue vehicle (http://tformers.com/transformers-4-mystery-ambulance-vehicle/20356/news.html) spotted on set, again.

[Sinnertwin]

Care of jasonbo's flickr, we have some on set images featuring (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/new-photos-from-the-set-of-transformers-4/27573/) Mark Wahlberg,TJ Miller, Lucas Black, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, and a few others.

[Shirokaze]

Care of jasonbo's flickr, we have some on set images featuring (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/new-photos-from-the-set-of-transformers-4/27573/) Mark Wahlberg,TJ Miller, Lucas Black, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, and a few others.

The first thing to cross my mind while scrolling through those pictures was, 'why does the rally car have back seats?' :p

[Megatron]

First up is an update on the recent TF4 set fire, 'Transformers 4' fire no big deal, says Michael Bay (http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/06/14/transformers-4-fire-michael-bay/) (Entertainment Weekly, 14/06/2013):

When news broke that there was a fire on the Texas set of Transformers 4, visions of disastrous pyrotechnic mayhem immediately came to mind. After all, this is a Michael Bay movie about ginormous alien invaders.

But Tuesday’s blaze, which scorched the attic of a 100-year-old house in Pflugerville where the production was filming and sent one injured person to the hospital, was nothing spectacular or dangerous, according to Bay (http://michaelbay.com/2013/06/14/transformers-4/), who blogged about the media’s breathless coverage of the fire.

I’m reading how the news makes everything more dramatic than real life. I guess the truth was just too unexciting. Yes there was a small smoldering fire at a house and no, no one was injured during the fire. And no, no one “just narrowly escaped” as the news dramatically states. A crew member though twisted his ankle after falling in a gopher hole on the ranch.

The fire was put out in a brief 15 minutes by a great fire crew on set. It was an attic fire and cause is unknown. No we were not shooting in the attic, we were shooting outside on the ranch.
...

Curiously, the aforementioned blog post on Michael Bay's web site no longer exists...



***



Michael Bay's 'Transformers 4' expected to build 'small town' set within downtown Detroit (photos) (http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2013/06/michael_bays_transformers_4_ex.html) (Daily Telegram, 15/06/2013):


...


The Michael Bay-directed film 'Transformers 4' is expected to be shot this summer in Detroit and appears to already have crews working hard on set building downtown.

View MLive Detroit's photo gallery above of what appears to be set construction work along Washington Boulevard at Clifford.

A guard watching the site, representing Wolverine Security, told me last week the Transformer's crew is building a town, surrounding existing buildings like the old United Artists Theater and David Whitney, that will be a part of the film.

The security guard, who declined to identify himself, said work on the "town" is expected to be complete by crews sometime in July.

Bay and his crews are expected to have a busy summer in Detroit before the films scheduled June 27, 2014 release.

A bulk of the film is expected to be shot at Michigan Motion Picture Studios in Pontiac. (http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2013/04/michael_bays_transformers_4_se.html)

...

Continuing from the previous article, TFW2005 gives us Transformers 4 Set Images And Information From Detroit (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-set-images-and-information-from-detroit-177703/):

2005 Boards Member tonyformer is bringing us some cool info and images from the Transformers 4 Set in Detroit.

According to our member, Detroit is not actually Detroit in the movie; it will be standing-in for China itself. Clearly, it can be seen thanks to the images provided, which clearly identify buildings with Chinese architectural influence.

But the "biggest" revelation (pun intended) comes from the info our member is providing us. Let us take a look at it from his own words:

"I was told that the set will indeed sub as "Somewhere" in China. She did not or would not give me an exact city name. She did however say that the set will be comprised of around 6 to 7 standing structures that will be of an older Chinese design and around 4 or 5 destroyed buildings that will have crushed in walls and so on. There will be piles of debris and this set will be part of a "Major" battle scene.

I asked her if she could elaborate any and was told that there would be "many" Transformers "good and bad" involved as well as humans fighting. She also said that there would be a few particularly "larger" Transformers that will crash through buildings while fighting each other.

I asked her if that meant like large human looking Transformers or more animal looking and she said, "All I can say it maybe both" with a smile.

So with that being asked, I asked her if she could tell me anything else and all she would tell me is this movie will blow all the others out of the water and will be darker than the last. And then said this particular set will be filmed on in July."

This description may very well be a confirmation of a certain rumor (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-9/transformers-4-rumored-character-roster-additions-177514/) we've heard before. Check out more info and images at the thread associated with this news post.



***


Here's more filming news: ‘Transformers 4’ to shoot scene in Fairfield Twp. (http://www.lenconnect.com/article/20130615/NEWS/130619674/1001/NEWS#axzz2WP9YcibR?refresh=true) (Daily Telegram, 15/06/2013):

Quiet wheatfields along M-52 are to become the backdrop for a spectacular action scene in the new “Transformers 4” movie later this month.

“It’s quite the deal,” said Fairfield Township Supervisor Curtis Emmons.

Representatives from Paramount Pictures Corp. contacted the township office about three months ago to say they might be interested in shooting a movie scene in the rural area, he said.

Just recently they said a section of M-52 between Weston and Mulberry roads was picked for the shoot, he said.

They asked to avoid publicity, but the movie company visit has become a hot topic of conversation in the township.

“They wanted to keep everything as quiet as they could, for the most part,” Emmons said. Uninvited spectators who could be endangered during the filming are something they hoped to avoid.

“That was their main concern, safety,” Emmons said.

People who live along the two miles of M-52 where the filming is to occur have been visited by Paramount representatives, Emmons said.

“They’ve been in contact with everybody in that stretch,” he said. “For the most part it seems like they had pretty good conversations with everybody.” No one is objecting to the action on the way, he said.

An agreement was made to have the Fairfield Township Fire Department on site during some of the four days of shooting. Emmons said he was asked not to talk about why they might need the fire department. He was also asked not to talk about what stars from the movie might be at the location.

A publicist for “Transformers 4” said in a June 13 email to The Daily Telegram that nothing is definite yet.

“We are still in the process of finalizing our plans in Lenawee County,” Gabriela Gutentag wrote.

The Michigan Department of Transportation has authorized closing M-52 between Weston and Mulberry roads from 8 p.m. on June 25 to 9 a.m. on June 29, said MDOT spokeswoman Kari Arend.

The Lenawee County Road Commission agreed to using county roads to detour traffic around the movie site, using Weston Road and Lyons Highway. The detour route continues into Ohio using State Route 120.

“Not many movies are being shot in Lenawee County,” said Scott Merillat, road commission managing director. Cooperating with a temporary detour was an easy decision, he said.

Merillat said he has also been in contact for several months with Paramount representatives as they were searching for a site.

“Initially they were searching for a four-lane highway,” he said. They settled for the wide two-lane stretch of M-52 after no four-lane roads were available that could be closed for four days. The M-52 site also has the wheatfields they wanted for background, he said.

The shooting was scheduled for the last week of June to stay ahead of the harvest that normally begins in early July.

Paramount representatives also approached the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Department for help with traffic control during the movie work.

“We’re working with them to provide them some help,” said Sheriff Jack Welsh. An agreement for cost reimbursement is being completed, he said.

Paramount started production of “Transformers 4” last month in Monument Valley, on the Arizona-Utah border, according to its website. Scenes were also reported being shot earlier this month at a stone quarry in McCook, Ill. The movie is scheduled for release on June 27, 2014.

[griffin]

On a side note, I tried to register at shootfortheedit last night to post up a couple things and they've stopped registrations... and only in the last couple days because the last registration was on the 13th. (unless it is just blocking certain countries)
I didn't think there were too many haters this time... most of the haters just don't even bother keeping track of the Movies now after the last two.

[griffin]

Just found out why (http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?10883-UPDATE-Purging-the-forums-PLEASE-READ) - Nelson has closed registrations while purging unused ones.

Apparently he will delete anyone that doesn't post in that topic to prove they are still active... which seems a bit excessive, as there are less than 50 replies in the two weeks he posted that notice.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I saw on one of the more recent photos of the white truck cab, that it has some faint flame decos on it. Not something that would be seen on any other Autobot, so maybe it's Optimus. Since Bumblebee is sporting an old 60s mode, maybe Optimus had to resort to hiding himself as a similarly old vehicle as well.

I picked up on that too. I wonder if they are going to do some 'flashbacks' of the Autobots in earlier times. Which despite being cool, would conflict with them arriving in the first movie.

[griffin]

Or maybe Bay is borrowing from RID, with Optimus and Ultra Magnus being brothers... and his little bro Magnus is copying some of the paint decos, like a family trait.

But then, even that would conflict with the second movie, in that Optimus was supposed to be the last descendant of the Primes.

Not that conflicting plot-devices would be new to the TF movies... :p

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Or that Bay cares about continuity.. :p

[Sinnertwin]

Pagani Huayra now featuring at michaelbay.com (http://michaelbay.com/2013/06/25/pagani-huayra/)

[Sinnertwin]

Some more images of the Pagani (http://tformers.com/transformers-4-michael-bay-reveals/20499/news.html) via tformers, michaelbay.com, caranddriver.com

[Sinnertwin]

And here's another. michaelbay.com brings you Freightliner. (http://michaelbay.com/2013/06/28/freightliner/) A 2014 Argosy cab-over truck.


http://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w661/sinnertwinsphotos/Freightliner-980_zps1885d468.jpg (http://s1335.photobucket.com/user/sinnertwinsphotos/media/Freightliner-980_zps1885d468.jpg.html)

[XMan]

Loving the look of that truck!

[lj7369]

Motor master would be a welcome addition. Menasor would be awesome if done correctly. Still scarred from devastator.

[Sinnertwin]

Via Instagram user Becker1241 & Seibertron, on set images of Leadfoot and Bumblebee (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/leadfoot-sighted-on-location-of-transformers-4/27740/)

[lancalot]

that what optimus should been !! well hopefully he be more faithfully to Mensor and make him look good! and not an animal thing with balls like dev ...:rolleyes:

[Megatron]

'Transformers' Go To Battle In Set Videos: Watch Now! (http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1709820/transformers-4-set-video.jhtml) (MTV, 01/07/2013):

Explosions rang out on a small rural road just outside the town of Adrian, Michigan, this weekend, which can only mean one thing: the Autobots and Decepticons were battling it out for cosmic supremacy.

New videos from the set of "Transformers 4" surfaced this weekend, and they've got our hearts racing just thinking about next summer.


On the set of Transformers 4 near Adrian, Michigan: Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4n3eqszkkE)

Director Michael Bay took several of the movie's new vehicles out for a spin down the road in some Michigan farmland, including a revamped Optimus Prime. The leader of the good space robots can be seen speeding down the highway in the first video uploaded to YouTube over the weekend. Things seem to be going smoothly until a series of explosions go off on either side of Optimus.

It isn't until the second video that we see what may have caused the blasts. During another take with Optimus, a second semi-truck follows closely behind. The black 2014 Freightliner that drives behind Optimus is the same model that was announced on Friday, but we do not know yet what character that vehicle is standing for.


On the set of Transformers 4 near Adrian, Michigan: Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlTjH4nHOpI)

A writer at /Film (http://www.slashfilm.com/new-transfomers-4-big-rig-teases-ultra-magnus-or-motormaster/) theorized that the Freightliner could either be a friend — possibly Ultra Magnus — or a rival of Optimus Prime's like the evil Motormaster, a character who has previously appeared as a black semi.

A third video shows two more cars battling it out from a distance. A black vehicles in another sending it spinning off the road.
...

[Sinnertwin]

Concept Camaro Bumblebee revealed (http://tformers.com/transformers-4-michael-bay-reveals/20596/news.html)
Via Michael Bay & TFormers


http://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w661/sinnertwinsphotos/Transformers4-MichaelBayRevealsBumblebee2014ConceptCamaroimage1_ _scaled_600_zpsd1814f35.jpg (http://s1335.photobucket.com/user/sinnertwinsphotos/media/Transformers4-MichaelBayRevealsBumblebee2014ConceptCamaroimage1_ _scaled_600_zpsd1814f35.jpg.html)

[Sinnertwin]

Voting has begun for your favourite character from the new TF movie at Michael Bay.com! Yay.

You get to choose from:
Optimus Prime
Hound
Bumblebee
another Bumblebee
a big black and silver truck
a black car
a red and black car
a green car
a black and blue car
a white and purple car


Click here if you'd like to cast your vote (http://michaelbay.com/news/)

[1orion2many]

I actually voted:eek:, I went hound but what a surprise it's Optimus all the way:rolleyes:. I must admit I wouldn't have picked that vehicle for hound, Maybe trying to use him for a Ironhide :( replacement type:confused:

[MayzaPrime]

I actually voted:eek:, I went hound but what a surprise it's Optimus all the way:rolleyes:. I must admit I wouldn't have picked that vehicle for hound, Maybe trying to use him for a Ironhide :( replacement type:confused:

I actually think that the vehicle would suit Bulkhead more than Hound...

[GoktimusPrime]

I actually think that the vehicle would suit Bulkhead more than Hound...
The G1 fanboy in me is hoping it'll be Tacker. :o

[kup]

The G1 fanboy in me is hoping it'll be Tacker. :o

It will be Larry.

[griffin]

So I heard that Michael Bay, with all his excessive power, is going to be renaming this next Transformers Movie, "Transformers 5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraphobia)", as one of his strategies to target the Asian market with this one... in addition to the all the Chinese stars, filming locations and the reality promotion earlier in the year.




:p

[griffin]

Just to prevent anyone going off and posting this as news, this is not true... I just remembered how much China avoids the number 4 (due to it using the same word as "death")... but in all seriousness, this movie will most likely avoid using the number 4 in all promotional material in China. And since this fourth one is targeting China more than the West, Bay or Paramount would do whatever it takes to make it succeed (and not give people the idea that it will be cursed with death).

[Ravagecat]

Voting has begun for your favourite character from the new TF movie at Michael Bay.com! Yay.

You get to choose from:
Optimus Prime
Hound
Bumblebee
another Bumblebee
a big black and silver truck
a black car
a red and black car
a green car
a black and blue car
a white and purple car


Click here if you'd like to cast your vote (http://michaelbay.com/news/)

I so want a Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Coupe in the movie :D:D:D

[Megatron]

Just to prevent anyone going off and posting this as news, this is not true... I just remembered how much China avoids the number 4 (due to it using the same word as "death")... but in all seriousness, this movie will most likely avoid using the number 4 in all promotional material in China. And since this fourth one is targeting China more than the West, Bay or Paramount would do whatever it takes to make it succeed (and not give people the idea that it will be cursed with death).


Hmm, you bring up an interesting point. I wonder how the Chinese will deal with this ..dilemma.

Or if there will be some truth to this superstition... :p

[BigTransformerTrev]

Just to prevent anyone going off and posting this as news, this is not true... I just remembered how much China avoids the number 4 (due to it using the same word as "death")... but in all seriousness, this movie will most likely avoid using the number 4 in all promotional material in China. And since this fourth one is targeting China more than the West, Bay or Paramount would do whatever it takes to make it succeed (and not give people the idea that it will be cursed with death).

Well technically, going by the christian calander, it should be 2011 since the years 666 and 1666 were skipped as it contained the number of the devil :p

[Demonac]

Well technically, going by the christian calander, it should be 2011 since the years 666 and 1666 were skipped as it contained the number of the devil :p

This 666? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/666)
And this 1666? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1666)

[griffin]

The smilie suggested that he wasn't being serious...

[Ploughmans Lunch]

Has there been any news on whether this film will be any good?

[Trent]

Has there been any news on whether this film will be any good?

Out of curiosity, where would that info come from?

:confused:

[Skullcruncher]

Out of curiosity, where would that info come from?

:confused:

Well I checked it out last time I time traveled. It pretty much runs along the same lines as the others as good way to waste just over 2 hours of your life on mind numbing entertainment. Along with plenty of fanboys crying into their popcorn, piles of money made at the box office and numerous more bumblebee toys. :D

[BigTransformerTrev]

This 666? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/666)
And this 1666? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1666)


The smilie suggested that he wasn't being serious...

This is the second time in 2 months Griff has had to point out to someone I was not being serious, maybe I need to throw a cream pie while sitting on a whoopie cushion when I write these things so they are more obvious as subtle does not seem to fly. Maybe I could put in 5 :p 's in a row or something

[Megatron]

Has there been any news on whether this film will be any good?

Not yet. ;)

[klystron]

This is the second time in 2 months Griff has had to point out to someone I was not being serious, maybe I need to throw a cream pie while sitting on a whoopie cushion when I write these things so they are more obvious as subtle does not seem to fly. Maybe I could put in 5 :p 's in a row or something

Yeah coz 4 smilies would be a bad omen.

[kup]

Well technically, going by the christian calander, it should be 2011 since the years 666 and 1666 were skipped as it contained the number of the devil :p

I thought we used the reformed Roman Julian calendar :rolleyes:

A few changes by some pope don't make it Christian. Not enough lions I tell ya....:p

[Lint]

I'm so dissapointed in the lack of actual news in the last dozen or so posts :p

[Megatron]

Speaking of which, here are all the latest bits and pieces to keep you busy reading :p:



From the Transformers 4 Action Movie Blog:

Transformers 4 Smoke Stack Explosion Images (http://transformerslive.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/transformers-4-smoke-stack-explosion.html), 28/07/2013

Transformers 4 Street Closure Timeline (http://transformerslive.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/transformers-4-street-closure-timeline.html), 26/07/2013:



Starting Monday, Transformers 4 production will be filming in downtown Detroit at the China Set from July 31 to August 10. Located on Washington Blvd near Grand Circus Park, that means that streets will have to be closed to accommodate the production. According to MLive.com, a letter sent from Paramount to residents in the area warns that "During our filming please expect to experience simulated gunfire, controlled pyrotechnic explosions, precision driving potentially involving squealing tires, controlled vehicle crashes and smoke." The Detroit People Mover will also be impacted with "occasional three- or four-minute delay due to 'pyrotechnic effects in close proximity'." Below is a summary of street closings.


...
Transformers 4 Starts Filming at Detroit's China Set on Monday (http://transformerslive.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/transformers-4-starts-filming-at.html), 26/07/2013:



After over a month of building, Transformers 4's China set is about to get used and abused as filming at the site begins on Monday. As the pictures from Jerry show, the set seems to be the aftermath of a battle that eventually be edited with actual footage filmed in Hong Kong. In an an interview with TF4 producer Ian Byrce to the Detroit Free Press, a little bit more info was provided on what the set will be used for.



“Next week, we begin in Detroit on the big set we’ve built underneath the monorail,” says “Transformers 4” producer Ian Bryce, referring to the Asian-style structures that have been constructed next to Grand Circus Park — near the People Mover.

Detroit will be portraying Hong Kong for the shoot, which is expected to run through the second week of August.

Work continued Thursday on the large outdoor set, which stretches from Washington Boulevard to Bagley. Signs and decorations have been installed on some storefronts to create the look of Hong Kong streets. According to Bryce, the sequences being done there are for the climactic third act of the film.

“There’s a lot of control for cars and street action that we can’t get in other places,” says Bryce, who also has been here for filming on the first and third “Transformers” and “The Island.”

Production in Michigan on “Transformers 4” started in late June. Locations have included Fairfield Township, the Michigan Motion Picture Studios in Pontiac, Milford, Warren, Troy and, this week, River Rouge. Filming also is set to happen in Lansing.

Supervising location manager Ilt Jones says the Detroit filming will involve some pyrotechnics and “the usual ‘Transformers’ crash, bang, wallop.”

Jones describes the Grand Circus Park location as an example of how a movie set can work well within a city.

“The People Mover runs right in the middle of our set and they’re being great,” says Jones, explaining service will continue through filming with only occasional interruptions of a few minutes. The “Transformers 4” crew is working to ensure the filming involves as few disruptions as possible to the city.

“We do our homework before we come anywhere near a place,” he says.
Transformers 4's Detroit China Set Nearly Complete (http://transformerslive.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/transformers-4s-detroit-china-set.html), 24/07/2013

Transformers 4 Filming at US Steel Site, Bramble Update, Story Tidbit (http://transformerslive.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/transformers-4-filming-at-us-steel-site.html), 19/07/2013:



Preparation continues in Chicago for Transformers 4 which plans to film in the city from August 18 to September 27. With those plans comes choosing site locations and bureaucratic hurdles to clear. A potential new location (http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2013/7/16/chicago_girds_for_transformers_4_film.htm) is a US Steel site in the Southeast Side of Chicago.




"They want to do some takeoffs and landings at the former U.S. Steel" site, said Ald. John Pope, 10th, who in true Chicago tradition is asking for some consideration in return for his permission. That would take the form of some sort of "community benefits" or perhaps an opportunity for local kids to be allowed to get a close-up of the filmmaking, he said.

Today The City Council Committee on Transportation and Public Way have agreed (http://www.redeyechicago.com/news/local/redeye-transformers-movie-clears-hurdle-to-filming-in-chicago-20130718,0,3323188.story) to discuss an ordinance to allow use the use of helicopters at the site when they meet on July 24th. Considering Chicago was ok with sky divers and explosions going off on various building for Dark of the Moon, this request seems like an easy one to get passed.

In addition, it seems TF4 production decided to pass (http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20130718/NEWS01/307180030/-Transformers-4-producers-pass-Bramble) on filming on the retired Coast Guard ship USS Bramble in Marine City, MI. It was revealed (http://transformerslive.blogspot.com/2013/06/transformers-4-filming-in-marine-city-mi.html) last month that it was being looked at for the film. With that decision, the owner revealed an interesting story tidbit.


“The ship itself would emulate the exact look they wanted, a Russian waterfront, dark, mysterious underworld environment,” [Robert] Klingler said. “We more or less auditioned for the part at their request.”



The Bramble’s star turn, Klinger said, would have been in an action scene with people searching the ship for the good-guy Autobots.

“I think the big guy chose to go a different direction, but we met all of the criteria they wanted,” Klingler said. “The Bramble has the look. It looks very industrial and very busy. It had a really, really good chance.”
I assume the "big buy" is Michael Bay. Bay does like to watch his budget so he may have figured out a way to get the same scene using a location they are already using. Thanks to Wynton R. for the links.


***


Myles: Transformers 4 is a dream (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/myles-transformers-4-is-a-dream-29435989.html) (Belfast Telegraph, 21/07/2013):

Sophia Myles has revealed she still can't believe she has a role in the next Transformers film.

The British beauty is to play a scientist in Michael Bay's fourth instalment of the giant shape-shifting robots franchise alongside Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci.

"We've been on it for a couple of months now. It's so exciting and so thrilling. I love working with the whole cast and Michael Bay is just an incredible director. I feel so privileged, I'm still pinching myself," she said.

"We're still shooting right now. We've been all over the world: we've been in Detroit, Chicago, Washington, Texas and a lot of it in Hong Kong and maybe parts in China."

Sophia remained tight-lipped about her character but admitted she hasn't filmed with Mark yet.

"I haven't actually worked with Mark yet but I have lunch with him and his entourage whenever we're on set. They're the most hilarious people I've ever met," she continued.

"A lot of my work is with Stanley Tucci and he's just so funny. He's so talented and I have to not laugh at him being incredible, and that's one of the hardest things I've had to do on the film."

The former Spooks star did admit that the forthcoming film will be "even better" than its predecessors, which starred Shia LaBeouf.

"I think it's going to be even better than the last ones and they were pretty great," she said, adding: "We've all been sworn to secrecy. I'd love to tell you more but I can't."

Kelsey Grammer, TJ Miller and Li Bingbing will also star in Transformers 4, which is set for release in summer 2014.



***


Historic Boblo boats land role in Transformers 4 (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2013/07/26/wdr-boblo-boats-transformers-four.html) S.S. Columbia and S.S. Ste. Clair are docked in Michigan and await restoration (CBCNews, 26/07/2013):

Two Boblo boats have landed a role in Transformers 4.

The S.S. Columbia and her sister the S.S. Ste. Clair, both docked in River Rouge, are being used as props.

The Columbia ferried people to the island amusement park from 1902 to 1991. The Ste. Clair did so from 1910 to 1991.

Filming of the movie began across Metro Detroit earlier this year.

The Columbia's ship keeper, Sam Buchanan, said the St. Clair has "a prominent role" in the movie while the Columbia's appearance is "minor."

"When the movie folks are in town, they’re always looking for unique place to shoot so these boats came into play," Buchanan said. "They’re moving right along. They’ve been shooting primarily at night. I don’t know how much more is going to be going on there but they’re not nearly finished."

The City of River Rouge confirmed filming took place Wednesday and Thursday night.

"There were a lot of helicopters flying around," city clerk Sue Joseph said.

The steamships were put on the U.S. List of National Historic Landmarks in 1992.

Producers have added a second smokestack to the Ste. Clair.

"It was unique looking because both Boblo boats only had one smoke stack. They added a second one for some sort of explosion in the movie," Buchanan said. "It won’t harm the boat any. The boats won’t be harmed in any way, but they’re making their big Hollywood debute."
...



***


‘Transformers 4’ scene on M-52 finished; producer thanks community

By Dennis Pelham
Daily Telegram Staff Writer
Posted Jul. 27, 2013 @ 3:00 pm

FAIRFIELD TWP. — Robots from other worlds have finished battling on M-52.

Paramount Pictures officials have assured local officials that they are done using a two-mile section of the state highway in the production of “Transformers 4.” The movie company wrapped up work on a scene of the movie on July 22 after delays caused by almost daily rain and thunderstorms in late June.

The public will get a look at what movie crews did with the local landscape when the movie opens in theaters. The scheduled date is June 27, 2014.

“You can certainly say that the sequence we shot was for a significant scene in the movie, but that’s about all the info I can give you,” said an email from Transformers 4 spokesperson Gabriela Gutentag.

She included a comment from producer Ian Bryce:

“Although the weather might not have cooperated as well as we would have liked, filming in Fairfield Township went off without a hitch. The hospitality and cooperation we enjoyed from everyone in the area, authorities and public alike, was truly remarkable and much appreciated. We hope the folks in Jasper and Adrian enjoy seeing their scenic countryside portrayed in the film when it opens next summer.”

Original plans were to film on M-52 between Weston and Mulberry roads starting June 25 and finishing the morning of June 29. Persistent storms allowed only one day of work that week, on June 28. The movie crew returned the week after the July Fourth holiday with star Mark Wahlberg and his stunt double working on the set.

The movie crew tied up loose ends after a morning of rain on July 22.

“No parking” signs were posted along Weston Road near M-52 after the first day of movie work drew a crowd and traffic congestion. The signs were removed by Thursday, said Scott Merillat, Lenawee County Road Commission managing director. The cost of posting and removing the signs and other expenses were all reimbursed by Paramount, he said.

There was no damage to county roads used to detour M-52 traffic during the movie work, he said. Gravel roads near the area were used heavily by movie crews and those wanting to watch them, he said. Those roads are being inspected for damage, he said.

The Lenawee County Sheriff’s Department had five to six deputies on duty to help with traffic control and security during each day of the filming, said Undersheriff James Anderson.

“But the production company reimbursed us, so it didn’t cost us anything,” Anderson said.

No problems occurred related to the movie production, he said, except for some congestion on the first day of filming. People drawn to the location were unable to get close enough to see what was happening, he said, and few returned after the initial excitement.



***


Transformers 4 Action Goes On View Downtown Soon (http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/5788/let_the_gawking_begin_transformers_4_action_goes_o n_view_downtown_soon?section_name=cityscape) (Deadline Detroit, 27/07/2013):

Noisy, flashy movie special effects start in a few days on Washington Boulevard in Detroit, where fanciful sets have been under construction since late May for the final act of the fourth "Transformers" film.

Director Michael Bay brings production crews and some cast members downtown for post-battle scenes set in Hong Kong, the Detroit Free Press reports. Julie Hinds quotes producer Ian Bryce.


“Next week, we begin in Detroit on the big set we’ve built underneath the monorail."

Though access likely will be limited directly around that area at Clifford Street next to Grand Circus Park, it's clearly visible from nearby offices, Detroit City Apartments and to passersby through chain-link fences. Expect to see lots of snaps and vids on social media.

Shooting is scheduled to begin Wednesday and last until Aug. 8, says to a letter distributed to nearby residents and businesses. "This is gonna be awesome to see from the roof," says Catherine Sung, a Detroit City Apartments resident who posted the July 19 letter on Instagram (http://www.5thvillage.me/transformers4/).

Hinds writes:


Signs and decorations have been installed on some storefronts to create the look of Hong Kong streets. According to Bryce, the sequences being done there are for the climactic third act of the film....



Supervising location manager Ilt Jones says the Detroit filming will involve some pyrotechnics and “the usual ‘Transformers’ crash, bang, wallop.”
The passing People Mover will be halted at times, the Free Press reporter notes.

The letter to neighbors advises them of noise ahead. “During our filming please expect to experience simulated gunfire, controlled pyrotechnic explosions, precision driving potentially involving squealing tires, controlled vehicle crashes and smoke,” the advisory says, according to an online news site.

Set images have been posted online in recent weeks, including the accompanying ones and others by a fan identified as Jerry B.

Actors include Mark Wahlberg, spotted around Metro Detroit repeatedly this summer, and Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer. Nicola Peltz and Sophia Myles.

Dramatic explosion scenes were filmed Wednesday and Thursday night on the Rouge River using two former Boblo steamships, the Columbia and the St. Clair, both docked in River Rouge. Four dramatic photos, including one below, are posted here (http://theshadycity.com/2013/07/26/detroit-transformers-4-x-boblo-boat-explosion-shooting-scene-pics/) without credit.

The Columbia ferried visitors to the island amusement park from 1902-91. The Ste. Clair did so from 1910-91.

Indoor shooting takes place at the Michigan Motion Picture Studios in Pontiac, where set construction began early this year.

Plot details haven't leaked yet, nor has the title -- so it's referred to as Transformers 4. It's scheduled for release next June.

The blockbuster series, based on toys from Hasbro and Tomy. began in 2007 with "Transformers," which also had scenes shot in Detroit. The sequels are "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" (2009) and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (2011). The third film also came to the city.

[1AZRAEL1]

I haven't really kept up to date with the new movie, but here are some pictures and videos.

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/nailbiter111/news/?a=84762

Gotta laugh at some of the comments on this website, or of some real idiot fanboys...


Michael Bay literally slaughtered my childhood. He needs to pay restitution for the emotional pain he's caused me.

[Sinnertwin]

I haven't really kept up to date with the new movie, but here are some pictures and videos.

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/nailbiter111/news/?a=84762

Gotta laugh at some of the comments on this website, or of some real idiot fanboys...

Slaughtered my childhood... I like that one. I smiled and scoffed at the same time.

[Lint]

This one's way better


Half the people saying this is crap will be in line on opening day

With the bankruptcy of the city, Detroit is fast becoming a giant urban movie set!

[griffin]

For anyone wanting to see some scenes being filmed, some clips taped by people looking on (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-on-set-videos-7-8-august-2013-178188/).

[Megatron]

Detroit Morphs Into China in New Transformers 4 Set Photos (http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/178687-detroit-morphs-into-china-in-new-transformers-4-set-photos) (SuperHeroHype, 08/08/2013)




***


Autobots from Michael Bay's 'Transformers 4' to take over Detroit; public encouraged to see stars (http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2013/08/autobots_from_michael_bays_tra.html) (MLive, 08/08/2013):

DETROIT, MI - Fans of Hollywood director Michael Bay's 'Transformers' series are expected to be in for a treat Friday afternoon in downtown Detroit.

The film's "Autobots," including the 2014 Bumble Bee Concept Camaro and Optimus Prime truck, are expected to be on public display from 2:30-5:30 p.m. Friday at the corner of Clifford and Adams streets.

News of the car displays was confirmed Thursday in a press release sent to MLive Detroit and comes at a time when crews appear to be wrapping up some "Transformers 4" filming downtown.



***


'Transformers 4' ends filming in downtown Detroit with one last glimpse for fans (http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130809/METRO01/308090132/1032/ent/-Transformers-4-ends-filming-downtown-Detroit-one-last-glimpse-fans) (The Detroit News, 09/08/2013):

Detroit-- Hundreds of adults and children milled about the Grand Circus Park area downtown Friday afternoon to watch the last day of “Transformers 4” filming.

As a special treat, nearby Optimus Prime, the 2014 Bumble Bee concept Camaro and three other Autobots were on public display.

“It’s so cool,” said 12-year-old Colt Griest after looking at the five brightly painted vehicles in a gated lot at the corner of Clifford and Adams. “The shininess of the cars, I don’t know how they got them this clean.”

Colt and his parents, Mike and Angela Griest of South Lyon, made a day of their trip into downtown Detroit. They had lunch at Niki’s Pizza before heading over to the Transformers set on Washington Blvd. near Clifford.

“It’s nice they let people get this close,” Angela Griest said.

Mike Griest said he was impressed with the set created to look like a destroyed Hong Kong with crumbled buildings and Chinese billboards.

“The way they could transform a block into another country, it’s crazy,” he said.

The blockbuster movie, which stars Mark Wahlberg, began shooting in the Grand Circus Park area July 31. Filming now moves Chicago.

Most of the filming has taken place in Michigan, said Gabriela Gutentag, publicist for Bay Films. Filming, which also took place at the nearby Rosa Parks Transit Center, has drawn moderate-sized crowds each day, Gutentag said. Some spectators Friday inquired about the whereabouts of Wahlberg, hoping to see the actor on set.

Gutentag said having the Autobots on display for three hours Friday keeps in line with the desire of producers Michael Bay and Ian Bryce to do things for the communities where they film.

“It’s a way of saying thank you,” she said.
...



***


Red Carpet News TV (09/08/2013) brings us an interview with Transformers 4 star Mark Wahlberg from a recent press event for 2 Guns. Wahlberg briefly discusses the relationship between his character and Jack Reynor's character as well as some mishaps with a new camera rig. You can watch it here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hRIH7JFEi5U).



***


New Transformers 4 Set Clip Shows Bumblebee & The Twins Ready For Action In Michigan (http://hwhills.com/new-transformers-4-set-clip-shows-bumblebee-the-twins-ready-for-action-in-michigan/) (13/08/2013):

New Transformers 4 set clip shows Bumblebee & The Twins ready for action in Michigan. Recently, this new Transformers 4 set clip (below), hit the net,and it looks pretty interesting as we see a new glimpse at autobot Bumblebee,along with the Twin autobots in car form on the set in downtown Detroit,Michigan this past Thursday,August 8th. The clip serves up about 2 and a half minutes of footage. It’s sort of boring to be completely honest, but the cars look really cool. Check it out, below
...
Mark Wahlberg’s character, Flynn Vincent, is a young, single dad, who has a teenage daughter. He’s trying to make it as an inventor, and provide for his family. Then, all hell breaks loose.
...

[griffin]

(moved robot cast news & rumour posts to the robot cast thread)

[Megatron]

Michael Bay has recently revealed the first official promo photo of Just Another Day On The Set Of Transformers 4 (http://michaelbay.com/2013/08/23/just-another-day-on-the-set-of-transformers-4/) (23/08/2013):

Pictured left to right: Jack Reynor; Mark Wahlberg; 2nd Assistant B-Camera Casey “Walrus” Howard; 1st Assistant B-Camera John Kairis with back to camera; B-camera Operator Lukasz Bielan; Director Michael Bay; and Director of Photography Amir Mokri. High resolution photo: http://bayhem.com/1c0euov



***


Video: 'Transformers' returns to Chicago with explosions (http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/celebrity/aboutlastnight/chi-mark-wahlberg-transformers-20130824,0,6594444.column) (Chicago Tribune, 24/08/2013; check out the short video with some 'splosions at the link above):

Michael Bay didn’t wait long to break out the special effects during Transformers 4 filming.

The action director delivered explosions and flipped cars on Friday, which was the first day of filming in Chicago. The scene was shot on the plaza in McCormick Place but was set in Hong Kong. The taxis, buses and Coca Cola truck parked on the streets had Chinese writing, as did the signs and advertisements in the area, including one for a Hong Kong Opera.

“Part of the movie is set in Chicago, and some of what they’re filming here is supposed to be Hong Kong,” said Chicago Film Office director Rich Moskal by email.

The many extras involved in Friday’s shoot were repeatedly asked to scream and run through the plaza at full speed. From what exactly? I’m not sure, but I’m guessing it involved destruction and was big, judging by the way some of the crowed looked up.

The best stunt, however, was saved for last.

Bay had two cars flip over and catch fire in unison as a series of explosions went off around them in the grassy area of the plaza, much to the delight of the small crowd watching from the lobby of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place hotel.

Filming on Saturday and Sunday will take place in the Near East Side neighborhood. There is no word on whether star Mark Wahlberg, who didn’t appear to be on set Friday, will take part in the weekend shoot.



***


Video: Mark Wahlberg visits Transformers set (http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/celebrity/aboutlastnight/chi-mark-wahlberg-transformers-20130824,0,6594444.column) (Chicago Tribune, 24/08/2013):

What was mostly a quiet day of "Transformers 4" filming in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower Saturday, at least by director Michael Bay's standards, momentarily picked up when star Mark Wahlberg visited the set.

Wahlberg, who took over for Shia LaBeouf in the Transformers franchise, drew a crowd when he pulled up in front of the building at Randolph Street and Columbus Drive. Not surprisingly, he was greeted by an even bigger one when he exited the building 20 minutes later.

Because filming took place inside on the 50th floor — according to a building employee, who said shooting would return Sunday and again next weekend — fans and passersby were unable to watch any of that shoot. There were no signs of the live stunts and pyrotechnics mentioned in fliers passed out to local businesses and residences last week.

There was, however, an assortment of impressive sports cars parked outside the building, guarded by security and a velvet rope — and understandably so. One of the cars, a blue Bugatti, is worth well over $1 million. The yellow Camaro (or as its known to Transformers fans, Bumblebee), green Corvette and silver Lamborghini parked next to the Bugatti were nothing to sneeze at either.

...

Filming of "Transformers 4" began in Chicago Friday and is scheduled to wrap Oct. 2. The Uptown Theatre in the Uptown neighborhood will be the sight of filming on Wednesday and Thursday.



***


And finally, just for the fun of it, here's what Simon Pegg ("Scotty" in the last two Trek films) had to say about Transformers recently:

...Even Transformers in 2012. I think science fiction's kind of lost its way over the years, in that people suddenly think it's about the robots. It was never about the robots. It's always been about the people. And robots have been a metaphor for something. And there doesn't seem to be a metaphor now. It's literal destruction....

If you look at Transformers, Transformers is a movie version of a toy, which came out of a series about robots, which was aimed at children, and then suddenly it's a thing that's skewed towards adults, but it is just toys fighting. It's all it is. And it doesn't really say anything about us or the world. And in my experience of it, it's just mind-numbingly dull.

(If you feel so inclined, you can read the rest of the interview here (http://www.vulture.com/2013/08/simon-pegg-nick-frost-the-worlds-end-interview.html).)

This was all after attendees ranked "Star Trek Into Darkness" as the worst of the Star Trek movies, during a Star Trek fan convention in Las Vegas earlier this month (link (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/21/simon-pegg-the-worlds-end_n_3787056.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment)). Talk about lashing out... :rolleyes:

[DELTAprime]

New article on Seibertron (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/new-transformers-4-color-logo-features-claw-marks-another-hint-at-dinobots/28220/) looks like we have a new logo for the movie.

Anyone else thinking Shattered Glass looking at the logo?

[kaiden]

New article on Seibertron (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/new-transformers-4-color-logo-features-claw-marks-another-hint-at-dinobots/28220/) looks like we have a new logo for the movie.

Anyone else thinking Shattered Glass looking at the logo?

that would be interesting. but they could never do that right? just make optimus and bumblebee the bad guys... seriously how messed up is shattered optimus? O_O

[Megatron]

New article on Seibertron (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/new-transformers-4-color-logo-features-claw-marks-another-hint-at-dinobots/28220/) looks like we have a new logo for the movie.

Anyone else thinking Shattered Glass looking at the logo?

Dude.. if that was true, that would be sooooooooo.... f-COOOL! :eek::cool::eek:

...

So anyways...

Mark Wahlberg films 'Transformers 4' at Uptown Theatre (http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/celebrity/aboutlastnight/chi-mark-wahlberg-filming-transformers-4-uptown-theatre-20130828,0,4649406.column) (Chicago Tribune, 28/08/2013, includes short vid):

One week director Michael Bay is turning the plaza at McCormick Place into Hong Kong for Transformers 4 filming, the next he's turning North Broadway Street in the Uptown neighborhood into Texas.

The Uptown Theatre, where actors Mark Wahlberg and T.J. Miller filmed indoors Wednesday, was decorated with posters that read “SXSW Music Fest Jun 8, 2002.” (South By Southwest is the annual music festival that takes place in Austin, Texas.)

On one side of the Uptown Theatre was a fake liquor store called “Star of Texas Liquor & Wine.” On the other side was Crew Bar & Grill, which was open during filming but decorated with the Texas state flag and the University of Texas Longhorns flag.

The public was unable to go inside the Uptown Theatre during filming, but a security guard described the scene indoors as “dusty.”

"This location use will help the building with some things that need to be done and is contributing to ongoing maintenance and stabilization," read a message on the Uptown Theatre's Facebook page. "Maintenance, insurance, taxes and utilities at the building are significant annual expenses even in stasis. Every film shoot and special event at the building has helped in some way."

When he wasn’t filming, Wahlberg could be seen sitting on a cooler in front of the Uptown Theatre’s entrance. Wahlberg dined Sunday at Chicago Cut Steakhouse and Monday at Centro. Bay hung out Sunday at The Underground and had dinner Monday at Tavern on Rush.

“Transformers” will continue filming in the Uptown neighborhood Thursday.

[Sinnertwin]

On set with Kelsey Grammer as Harold Attinger.
(http://tformers.com/transformers-4-first-look-at/21136/news.html)

[Megatron]

STERLING HEIGHTS: Artist leaves mark on 'Transformers 4' (http://www.sourcenewspapers.com/articles/2013/09/08/news/doc52265be3b2a3f854885191.txt) (Source Newspapers, 8/09/2013):

Wildlife artist David Bollman of Southpaw Studio in Sterling Heights recently finished work on the filming of the science fiction action movie "Transformers 4" in downtown Detroit in a career that has him going from taxidermy to the movies.

"Overall I am really thrilled about working with the production crew," Bollman said of his role with the movie. "It was filmed in several locations but Detroit is a major setting for a bigger part of the film."

Bollman, 57, worked on painting most of the sets that were built in "Transformers 4."

"We built a set downtown, but mainly I did a lot of finish painting," he said. "I painted specific props. And even some of the really cool props and weapons in the movie."

Bollman said much of his work during the filming in downtown Detroit in July was on various cars in the movie.

"I did Chinese lettering on the cars; hand lettering; vinyl graphics; and of course we made everything look like it's been through the mud," Bollman said. "In specific settings, the areas are dirt and muddy."

Bollman said he conducted "a lot of research to get stuff very accurate."

"There is always something that goes into making things look authentic and real," he said. "The director (Michael Bay) loves to have an explosion, so there's a lot of action in this movie.

"Mark Wahlberg is just dynamite," Bollman noted about the star in the movie. "He's going to be a phenomenal asset to the movie."
...



***


"Transformers' blows up on LaSalle Street (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-09-08/entertainment/ct-ent-0909-luis-20130908_1_michael-bay-transformers-sons-co) (Chicago Tribune, 8/09/2013):

Some people will do just about anything to get a photo of "Transformers: Age of Extinction" filming, as proven by one double-decker tour bus driver Saturday in front of the Chicago Board of Trade building. The driver pulled out her camera phone while slowly passing the set on South LaSalle Street in the Loop and held up traffic as she tried to snap a photo.

A select few — such as Cincinnati Bengals players, in town for their Sunday matchup with the Bears at Soldier Field — used their clout to get on the set and snap photos. Former Pro Bowler Terence Newman posted photos of himself with director Michael Bay and actor Mark Wahlberg on Twitter Saturday and tweeted that he played catch on the set with Wahlberg.

"Transformers 4 being shot outside our hotel in Chicago," Newman tweeted. "The cars out there are insane!!"

Most spectators, however, had to settle for listening to much of the action rather than watching it due to the barricades set up to keep people blocks away. Explosions could be heard echoing through LaSalle, but it's unclear what exactly was exploding. One production assistant claimed a Bud Light delivery truck was blown up during one scene, sending beer flying out onto the streets, but the Chicago Film Office was unable to confirm it.

Those more interested in the cars than the explosions had better luck. Several vehicles — including the semi known as Optimus Prime, a blue Bugatti and green Corvette — raced down LaSalle at high speeds for one scene Saturday. During another scene that day, the yellow Camaro known as Bumblebee sped off as terrified extras ran for their lives. The extras continued to get a workout during Sunday's filming, which featured pyrotechnics.

Chicago was well represented on the set Saturday: Abandoned Chicago taxis and Chicago police cars were on hand, as was a CTA bus featuring a very visible Blue Cross Blue Shield ad (Transformers filmed at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower in the Near East Side neighborhood the previous two weekends). Also on the set was a crushed vehicle that was trapped under a robotic-looking hunk of metal.

When he wasn't filming Transformers, Bay was spotted hanging out Friday and Saturday at the Underground and Aug. 31 at the newly-opened Parliament. Wahlberg had lunch Wednesday at Michael Jordan's Steak House in the Intercontinental Hotel.



***


Mark Wahlberg Channels His Inner Peyton Manning On Set Of Transformers: Age of Extinction! (http://perezhilton.com/fitperez/2013-09-09-mark-wahlberg-plays-football-on-the-set-of-transformers-4#sthash.WFvbgyF9.dpbs) (Yeah... not really news, just some sillyness. Warning: don't click on the link.)

Mark Wahlberg has been hard at work, filming the latest installment of the Transformers movies in Chicago!

But he recently got a little break in the action and decided to put his 2 Guns to good use as he treated the set like his own personal football field!

Marky Mark looked like a natural as he tossed the pigskin around and did his best Peyton Manning impression!

That is, of course, if Peyton Manning was way more attractive and had a short-live hip hop career!

Oh, wait. He did! LOLz!


:rolleyes: Yeah, sorry about that one. Quickly moving on...



***


‘Transformers 4’ Set Footage Shows The Autobots In Chicago [Video] (http://www.inquisitr.com/941906/transformers-4-set-footage-shows-the-autobots-in-chicago-video/) (The Inquisitr, 9/09/2013, video also here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=psJnTWok62A), courtesy of Seibertron.com):

A new behind-the-scenes Transformers 4 clip gives fan a chance to see the Autobots on the move.

Although the video embedded above was clearly put together by an amateur photographer, interested parties can still glimpse several vehicles from director Michael Bay’s upcoming sequel.

The footage from the set of Transformers: Age of Extinction was captured on August 26 in Chicago, Illinois. Judging from the clip, quite a few people turned up to see Optimus, Bumblebee, and their friends roll down Columbus Drive.

Try as they might, the folks at Paramount Pictures are having a tough time keeping a lid on things. Not only did a leaked call sheet reveal some closely-guarded secrets, information regarding the official title (http://www.inquisitr.com/931047/transformers-4-official-title-possibly-leaked/) was widely discussed online ahead of its official release.

Since there clearly seems to be quite a bit of interest in next installment of the his franchise, Paramount will have to work overtime to keep this stuff off the internet. Although the clip is available as of this writing, the studio could yank the video at any moment.

Shortly after news that the Dinobots would appear in Transformers: Age of Extinction (http://www.inquisitr.com/932089/transformers-4-producer-dinobots/) started spreading like wildfire around movie-oriented websites, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura confirmed that the characters would make an appearance in the sequel.

Although he dropped this nugget of knowledge on the folks at TFW2005, the producer didn’t give fans any concrete details. Given the amount of info that’s already found its way online, it’s only a matter of time before these secrets go public.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura also confirmed there will only be one version of the film available to the world when it hits theaters next year. Although Bay and Paramount Pictures are shooting a significant portion of the flick in China, moviegoers in the country won’t get any exclusive footage.
...



***


'Transformers': Mark Wahlberg Confirms Two Big-Name Cameos (http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1713842/transformers-mark-wahlberg-talks-dinobots-kids.jhtml) (MTV, 10/09/2013):

With high-profile movies like "Transformers: Age of Extinction," Internet rumors are usually ignored by the filmmakers, but for the latest adventure of the Autobots, whispers of an appearance by the fan-favorite Dinobot* got an official confirmation from producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura.

But when MTV News' Josh Horowitz spoke with the star of "Age of Extinction," Mark Wahlberg, he wasn't quite ready to talk openly about the secret. "You can't say that, dude. Did you leak it? Did you leak it? You leaked it," he said. "Somebody leaked it, dude. Somebody was on the set leaked it, and it is not OK. It's not cool."

So is that a confirmation of the Dinobots from Wahlberg? Not quite. "I don't know," he said. "I haven't seen no Dinobot, so don't put that on me."

There is, however, a new cameo that Wahlberg is happy to talk about. His kids will make a brief appearance in "Age of Extinction."

"My kids just did a cameo, just scared people in the street looking up, but they did a great job. I was so nervous because Michael doesn't have time for bad performances," he said. "You have to understand; you're shooting a $300 million movie. You've got a lot going on. He's got five, six takes. If you ain't got it, you're done. I didn't want to see my kids get clipped. They were excited about, but they started to get mad at me because I'm trying to over-direct them. It went great."

Wahlberg really appreciated the lengths that Bay went to to make the cameo happen, and as he learned, the actor doesn't just text his thanks. He hugs them out.

"For him to take the time to set up the specific shot that he actually wants to put in the movie for my kids. I don't like asking for those kinds of things," Wahlberg said. "I was going to send him a text, but I just wanted to wait and thank him in person. I gave him a big hug yesterday."

*I think this is a typo and is meant to have an "s" at the end.



***


Mark Wahlberg and Jack Reynor Film Scene for Transformers: Age of Extinction in Bumblebee's Chevy Camaro (http://au.eonline.com/news/457112/mark-wahlberg-and-jack-reynor-film-scene-for-transformers-age-of-extinction-in-bumblebee-s-chevy-camaro-look) (EOnline, 11/09/2013):

Forget Shia LaBeouf. Bumblebee's got a new buddy and his name's Mark Wahlberg.

The 42-year-old Hollywood star is getting in gear for his role in Michael Bay's Transformers: Age of Extinction as he and costar Jack Reynor were snapped Sunday in Chicago shooting a scene while riding inside the yellow-and-black Chevy Camaro that transforms on the big screen into everyone's favorite Autobot Bumblebee.
...

Not much else, click on link to see one pic.

[SkyWarp91]

My fan-film is meant to be a What If situation for the Transformers movies series and would act as a fan-fic TF4. I should really get on to finishing it and maybe release it around the same time as the official TF4

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

***


And finally, just for the fun of it, here's what Simon Pegg ("Scotty" in the last two Trek films) had to say about Transformers recently:

...Even Transformers in 2012. I think science fiction's kind of lost its way over the years, in that people suddenly think it's about the robots. It was never about the robots. It's always been about the people. And robots have been a metaphor for something. And there doesn't seem to be a metaphor now. It's literal destruction....

If you look at Transformers, Transformers is a movie version of a toy, which came out of a series about robots, which was aimed at children, and then suddenly it's a thing that's skewed towards adults, but it is just toys fighting. It's all it is. And it doesn't really say anything about us or the world. And in my experience of it, it's just mind-numbingly dull.

(If you feel so inclined, you can read the rest of the interview here (http://www.vulture.com/2013/08/simon-pegg-nick-frost-the-worlds-end-interview.html).)

This was all after attendees ranked "Star Trek Into Darkness" as the worst of the Star Trek movies, during a Star Trek fan convention in Las Vegas earlier this month (link (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/21/simon-pegg-the-worlds-end_n_3787056.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment)). Talk about lashing out... :rolleyes:
Oh man. is he having a laugh or something? The concept that makes Transformers different from pretty much all other form-changing robots is that they ARE the personalities. Not the squishies. WHat a silly sausage!:rolleyes:

[Megatron]

Oh man. is he having a laugh or something? The concept that makes Transformers different from pretty much all other form-changing robots is that they ARE the personalities. Not the squishies. WHat a silly sausage!:rolleyes:

Nope, I think he was serious... :rolleyes:



***


Chinese e-car set for 'Transformers' movie debut (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/13/entertainment-us-china-autos-transformer-idUSBRE98C06V20130913) (Reuters, 13/09/2013):

A Chinese-made car is set to make its international movie debut in the fourth "Transformers" film next year in a product placement aimed at raising the profile of Chinese models abroad.

The Trumpchi E-jet, a sleek, plug-in electric hybrid developed by state-owned Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd (GAC), will feature in "Transformers: Age of Extinction", the fourth in the popular movie franchise due for release in mid-2014, said two people close to GAC, based in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.

The "Transformers" series has previously featured other Chinese brands, including PC and TV makers Lenovo Group Ltd and TCL Corp, and Meters/bonwe, a leading leisurewear brand. The movies are among the most popular to be released in China, with "Transformers 3, Dark of the Moon" grossing $165 million in 2011.

"Product placements with "Transformers" would boost the profile of GAC's car brands both at home and abroad," said one of those close to the carmaker, which has local joint ventures with Fiat SpA, Honda Motor Co Ltd, Toyota Motor Corp and Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

Neither source wanted to be named due to confidentiality agreements they signed in connection with the upcoming film. A spokesperson for Paramount Pictures, the movie's distributor, said the company wouldn't confirm specific brands until nearer the release date. Paramount's local partner, China Movie Channel, declined to comment.

The new movie is being filmed in both the United States and China, with Chinese singer/actor Han Geng making his English-language debut, according to a blog posted on Paramount Pictures' Facebook page.

The film's producer, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, told the Beijing News earlier this month the movie would feature locally-made cars. "The world's coolest, most exciting cars will appear in the film, including Chinese vehicles, so whether you're a car enthusiast or not, it will be a feast for the eyes," he said.

It wasn't clear if the Trumpchi E-jet would be cast as an heroic 'autobot' or evil 'decepticon' - humanoid robots that turn into familiar machines and mechanical objects - or have a more limited non-transforming, drive-on role.

One of those close to GAC said the firm wouldn't want the E-jet to be cast in an evil role. Ultimately, casting will be down to the movie's director Michael Bay.

Previous "Transformers" movies have featured an 'autobot' called Bumblebee based on the Chevrolet Camaro, prompting the company to bring out a Camaro Transformers Special Edition in 2011, which sold more than 1,500 globally, said Michael Albano, a Chevrolet spokesman in Detroit, adding: "We very much look forward to Camaro reprising its role in the upcoming film."

The E-jet, which GAC showed off at the Detroit auto show in January, is a concept car, which the company currently has no plans to commercialize.

As growth slows in the world's largest auto market from break-neck speeds over the past decade, GAC aims to have exports of its Trumpchi brand account for a fifth of total sales in five years. It currently sells just a few hundred cars overseas. Last year, GAC earned a profit of 1.1 billion yuan on sales of around 13 billion yuan ($2.12 billion).

Other Chinese carmakers such as Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd, Beijing Automotive Group and Warren Buffett-backed BYD Co Ltd are stepping up their export efforts. After years of partnerships with foreign automakers, Chinese firms are promoting their home-grown brands under President Xi Jinping's "Chinese Dream" campaign.

GAC Vice President Xiangdong Huang said this year his company would target emerging markets in Southeast Asia and the Middle East with a line-up of no-frills, gasoline-fuelled cars, while pushing its "new energy" models at developed markets such as the United States.

China last year opened its market to more U.S. movies, and the country's box office grew by 36 percent to $2.7 billion, making it Hollywood's largest international market. Also last year, China's privately-owned Dalian Wanda Group, the world's biggest owner of movie theaters, bought U.S. theater chain AMC Entertainment Inc for $2.6 billion.

($1 = 6.1185 Chinese yuan)

(Link shows a small pic of a Trumpchi E-jet car displayed at an auto show in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, November 14, 2012.)



***


‘Transformers 4′ filming in South Loop (http://voices.suntimes.com/arts-entertainment/the-daily-sizzle/transformers-4-filming-in-south-loop/) (Chicago Sun-Times Voices, 14/09/2013):

"Transformers 4: Age of Extinction" is filming in the South Loop until 9 p.m. tonight.

Lots of action-movie fans are catching glimpses of “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” which is filming in the South Loop today and into the night.

The Chicago shooting makes for some neat still images and surely a fun diversion if the film happens to be bad when it’s released next summer. Fans have already been treated to explosions at the McCormick Place plaza (itself a building in disguise, made to look like Hong Kong) and low-flying helicopters over the Chicago River.

You might also be lucky enough to spot stars like Kelsey Grammer and Mark Wahlberg, who has been seen around the city and even had dinner with Mayor Rahm Emanuel two weeks ago. No word on whether Wahlberg’s staying with his man crush while he’s in town, but he did get to hoop it up this week with Jimmy Butler of the Bulls:
...

Click on the article link if you wanna see a few pics of vehicles on set in the South Loop, the film crew, and uh.. some wardrobe detail. Oh and a pic of Wahlberg and Jimmy Butler.



***


Oh and, Paramount announced yesterday (confirmed) that Transformers: Age Of Extinction will open on June 27, 2014.

[BigTransformerTrev]

And finally, just for the fun of it, here's what Simon Pegg ("Scotty" in the last two Trek films) had to say about Transformers recently:

...Even Transformers in 2012. I think science fiction's kind of lost its way over the years, in that people suddenly think it's about the robots. It was never about the robots. It's always been about the people. And robots have been a metaphor for something. And there doesn't seem to be a metaphor now. It's literal destruction....

If you look at Transformers, Transformers is a movie version of a toy, which came out of a series about robots, which was aimed at children, and then suddenly it's a thing that's skewed towards adults, but it is just toys fighting. It's all it is. And it doesn't really say anything about us or the world. And in my experience of it, it's just mind-numbingly dull.

(If you feel so inclined, you can read the rest of the interview here (http://www.vulture.com/2013/08/simon-pegg-nick-frost-the-worlds-end-interview.html).)

This was all after attendees ranked "Star Trek Into Darkness" as the worst of the Star Trek movies, during a Star Trek fan convention in Las Vegas earlier this month (link (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/21/simon-pegg-the-worlds-end_n_3787056.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment)). Talk about lashing out... :rolleyes:


Oh Simon, I thought you were great until now. Now you are just another person who was really cool and creative, until you got too big, inflating your ego, and now is bitter that the populace is not in love with your latest work because you think that should now happen as a matter of course, so you are rubbishing the work of others. Sigh, it was bound to happen. So many of these guys are great until they make the big time.

[Megatron]

Here's the latest on-set movie news. More 'splosions!



***


‘Transformers 4′ is expected to blow up a building in Chicago this weekend (http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2013/09/20/transformers-4-is-expected-to-blow-up-a-building-in-chicago-this-weekend/) (onlocationvacations, 20/09/2013):

A couple of weeks ago we started hearing reports that the Transformers: Age Of Extinction crew was dressing an old building on Damen Ave in Chicago with Chinese characters and were planning to blow it up.

Now, according to a recent press release, it looks like the explosion will be filmed this weekend.

The notice reports a Paramount movie will be using an exploding fireball and other pyrotechnics for a scene that will cause traffic disruptions around 29th and Damen, the Stevenson Expressway and along Ashland Avenue in Chicago.

“Stunts involving pyrotechnics including controlled explosions and a visible fireball will be part of several scenes,’’ the release reads.

The action is set to take place on Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to midnight.

You can read all of the details below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 19, 2013

IDOT: Filming of Major Motion Picture near 2900 S. Damen Avenue in Chicago September 21- 22

Chicago- The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that weather permitting,

Paramount Pictures will be filming scenes for an upcoming motion picture on the following dates at the following locations:

FILMING LOCATION: DAMEN SILOS, 2900 S. DAMEN AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL (Abandoned Silo site)

DATES: SATURDAY/SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 & 22, 2013

During filming a helicopter will be traveling in the vicinity of the filming area for aerial photography throughout the filming days. Stunts involving pyrotechnics including controlled explosions and a visible fireball will be part of several scenes. Illinois State Police will intermittently control traffic on I-55 (Stevenson Expressway) for large effects taking place at the silo site. During filming the Chicago Police Department will intermittently control traffic on the surrounding streets for special effects activity. The surrounding areas of control are as follows:

INTERMITTENT I-55 (Stevenson Expressway) TRAFFIC PACING

Saturday/Sunday September, 21 & 22, 7 a.m. – 12 p.m.:

· Intermittent traffic pacing of I-55 northbound and southbound in the vicinity of Damen Avenue.

INTERMITTENT TRAFFIC CONTROL

Saturday/Sunday September 21 & 22, 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.:

· Damen Avenue between Blue Island Avenue and Archer Street. Through traffic will be detoured. Local traffic is subject to intermittent delays.

· Ashland Avenue between Blue Island Avenue and Archer Street. Through traffic will be detoured. Local traffic is subject to intermittent delays.

· 29th Street between Damen Avenue and Ashland Avenue is subject to intermittent delays.

IDOT is working closely with The Chicago Police Department, The Chicago Fire Department, Illinois State Police and The Chicago Film Office to ensure a safe and cooperative filming event.

Drivers are urged to pay close attention to the signs, obey the posted speed limits, be on the alert for workers and equipment, expect delays and be prepared to stop.



***


Yep, it just wouldn't be a Bay film (or a Transformers film, to be fair) without the 'splosions. As reported by Hollywood Hills (http://hwhills.com/new-transformers-4-set-clip-shows-new-major-loud-explosion-scene-in-chicago-yesterday/) (22/09/2013):

New Transformers 4 set clip shows new major loud explosion scene in Chicago yesterday. Yesterday afternoon, this new clip (below) from the upcoming “Transformers 4: Age Of Extinction” hardcore action flick, showed up online, and it totally looks wicked as hell,serving up one of the biggest explosion scenes they’ve done so far. At first, the scene looks really quiet,and then between the 20 and 30 second mark, BOOM! And the onlookers were quite mesmerized to say the least. Check it out,below.
...

Here's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSeui_lq_mA&feature=player_embedded) the direct Youtube link to the clip, courtesy of Project Fandom.



***


And lastly, a murky glimpse of the Dinobots?? Or something else? Tell us what you think.

From Seibertron.com, First Look at Dinobots? (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-age-of-extinction-first-look-at-dinobots/28412/)

Click on the link to see the pics... then post your thoughts!

Courtesy of Flickr user cmraseye we have a couple of shots showing off two items on set: a clapper board and (possibly) Bay's laptop. What's so special about these two items? The board has some robot CGI art on it, and the laptop appears to show some images which may or may not be a Dinobot. The images are not particularly clear, but we have been able to enlarge and magnify them - so feel free to speculate in the Energon Pub: dinobots, yay or nay?

[Sinnertwin]

I think regardless of what & how good it may turn out, if it isn't a T-rex with a distinct speech pattern, some fanboy's out there are going to have a keyboard riot.

[Megatron]

Transformers 4 - filming on Roosevelt, Chicago, IL (14 Sept 2013) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5crGqJsgNdU). This shows filming with the bright green 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and the rare blue on blue carbon fiber Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse.

...And more filming (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qx98C4KPA-U).

Next one is Transformers 4 - Mark Wahlberg Filming a Scene in Chicago (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rvn4jPli5wU) (15/09/2013). It shows filming in Chicago with the star’s lead-actor Mark Wahlberg being filmed on set behind the wheel of the new Camaro Concept serving as Bumblebee.

First he warms up. The tall guy in the red shirt at 00:20 is Chicago Bulls basketball player Jimmy Butler. In the scene, you will see Mark Wahlberg and his co-actor Jack Reynor jumping out of Bumble Bee. It is shot by a helicopter. The white round ball in front of the helicopter is a camera. Later, at 02:13 you will see the same scene being shot close up from the ground. You will see the director Michael Bay at 02:18 [wearing all white]. After the scene, the actors hand out their microphones and leave.



***


'Transformers' filming in the Loop this weekend (http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/celebrity/aboutlastnight/chi-transformers-filming-loop-20130925,0,7254433.column) (Chicago Tribune, 25/09/2013):

This is going to be one of your last opportunities to watch “Transformers: Age of Extinction” film in Chicago.

The robotos-in-disguise sequel starring Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci and Kelsey Grammer will be shooting around the 111 S. Wacker Drive building from 7 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Monday. According to a letter sent out to businesses in the area, “Filming will involve the use of live stunts and large pyrotechnics.”

And now for the boring part: Street closures will take place on Wacker Drive from Washington to Adams, Franklin Street from Madison to Adams, Monroe Street from Canal to Franklin and Madison Street from Canal to Franklin.

“Age of Extinction” began shooting in Chicago in late-August and is scheduled to wrap here the first week of Oct. The movie has already filmed at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower in the Near East Side neighborhood, the Uptown Theatre in the Uptown neighborhood, the plaza in McCormick Place and “The Bean” in Millennium Park, among other places.
...

Click on the link above to see some videos of Transformers 4 filming in downtown Chicago (including some 'splosions), courtesy of Luis Gomez and Chicago Tribune.



***


From MichaelBay.com, we have two new official movie photos.

The first one is of Bay behind a camera, surrounded by debris in front of some old buildings. Michael Bay on the Set of Transformers 4 The Age of Extinction (http://michaelbay.com/2013/09/25/photo-michael-bay-on-the-set-of-transformers-4-the-age-of-extinction/). Dolly grip John Murphy. Photo by Andrew Cooper. Hi res version: http://bayhem.com/183KxTi (25/09/2013)

And the second one is of Whalberg, Peltz and Reynor looking kind of lost in front of a run down Gas Station in what looks to be the middle of nowhere... Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz and Jack Reynor on the set of Transformers 4 (http://michaelbay.com/2013/09/27/photo-mark-wahlberg-nicola-peltz-and-jack-reynor-on-the-set-of-transformers-4/) The Age Of Extinction. Photo by Andrew Cooper. High resolution: http://bayhem.com/1beWtCP (27/09/2013)



***


The Dreads To Return In "Age of Extinction"? (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/the-dreads-to-return-in-age-of-extinction/28464/) (Seibertron, 29/09/2013):

Thanks to some Instagram users and other sources, we have several images from the Age of Extinction set that features a black, law enforcement-themed Chevrolet Suburban driving alongside the red Pugani Huayra and the Freightliner Argosy long believed by fans to be either Ultra Magnus, Nemesis Prime, or Stunticon leader Motormaster. Usually, we'd write this off as belonging to human law enforcement, however one detail prevents us doing so: the very same vehicle was used to represent the Decepticon troopers, affectionately called the Dreads for their dreadlocks, in the last Transformers film, Dark of the Moon. Could this mark the return of the Decepticon cannon fodder, or is it just pure coincidence that the vehicle is on the set?...

Click on the link above to see 3 pics.



***


'Transformers' to set off 'mother of all bombs' during filming (http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/celebrity/aboutlastnight/chi-transformers-filming-damen-20130929,0,51162.column) (Chicago Tribune, 30/09/2013):

The “Transformers: Age of Extinction” director and his crew are scheduled to wrap in Chicago this week, but not before filming what one source with the production called the “mother of all bombs.” The source said the explosion will take place Wednesday afternoon around the silos on S. Damen Avenue and W. 29th Street in the Pilsen area. This is the same site where “Transformers” recently blew up a bridge, while at the same time setting off an impressive fireball.

Bay has been spoiling onlookers with explosions ever since the robots-in-disguise sequel began filming in Chicago, including this past weekend in the Loop.

One stunt Saturday on S. Wacker Drive saw a car flip twice in the air and then crash into the upper level of a double decker bus. Another stunt Sunday on W. Monroe Street featured two cars slamming into each other as pyrotechnics went off around them.

The scenes were set in Hong Kong, just like the filming that took place in the plaza in McCormick Place in late August, and included Hong Kong flags, Chinese street signs and advertisements, and red and white taxis with Chinese writing on them.

And as is common during a “Transformers” shoot, there were plenty of extras running and screaming for their lives.

[Megatron]

Photos And Video: 'Transformers 4' Sets Off More Explosions At Abandoned Chicago Grain Silos (http://chicagoist.com/2013/10/03/photos_transformers_4_wraps_chicago.php#photo-1) (chicagoist, 3/10/2013, click on link to view the photos and video):

Film director Michael Bay returned to the abandoned Santa Fe grain silos along Damen Avenue on the Southwest side Wednesday for filming of Transformers: Age of Extinction. The site, long a favorite of filmmakers, is being used as a stand-in for Hong Kong in the upcoming film.

Bay promised to bring "the mother of all explosions" to the site but filmgoers familiar with his work know to expect a lot of flash and noise with little in the way of substance.
...



***


‘Transformers 4′ filming moves to Washington State; Extras Needed (http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2013/10/09/transformers-4-filming-moves-to-washington-state-extras-needed/) (OLV, 9/10/2013):

This week Transformers: Age of Extinction has moved to Washington state and they’ve posted several recent casting calls looking for extras.

According to various sources, they are currently filming in the Satsop Business Park in Grays Harbor County, just west of Olympia, WA.

If you’re interested in being an extra, email your contact info and personal details to trans4washington@gmail.com.
...



***


URGENT casting call for Paramount Pictures feature film: 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' extras southwest of Seatle, WA (http://www.extra-casting.com/2013/10/urgent-casting-call-for-paramount.html) (10/10/2013, scroll down to read)

The production sent out a request for extras for the two-day shoot in Elma, Washington on Oct 8th and 9th, specifically looking for “clean cut, athletic, military, business types”.



***


Kelsey Grammer Talks Transformers 4 (http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=38670) (Empire, 6/09/2013):

...
"Malevolent" is the word Grammer uses to describe his big bad, Harold Attinger. "He’s a no-nonsense guy," he told Empire. "He’s lived his life in the shadows for 30 years in the service of his country, and he likes to be unremarkable yet very efficient."

What of his first collaboration with the ringmaster? "I don’t know if Michael has seen Frasier," laughed Grammer. "He’s been very respectful and funny. He’s a terrific guy and quite a filmmaker. He just said to me the other day, 'You’re Kelsey Grammer - you can do whatever you want to do.' So I guess he at least has some acquaintance with my work."

So what would Frasier Crane make of all the Bayhem? "Well, you know what? I think he might find it offensive in some ways, but there was always a bit of Frasier that wasn’t completely a snob. He always liked blowing up things, too, if he could! When he would discover his inner child, he would revel in it, and I think Transformers is one of those things."
...

[Megatron]

'Transformers 4' Movie Spoilers: Filming in China; New Locations and Plot Reveals (http://www.enstarz.com/articles/27064/20131016/transformers-4-movie-spoilers-filming-in-china-new-locations-plot-reveals.htm) (EnStars, 16/10/2013):

New filming locations, set in China, for Transformers: Age of Extinction were revealed in a recent report via Oriental Daily.

The report states that the Tsing Ma Bridge, Lyndhurst Street, Bank of China Tower, and the Legislative Council Plaza are potential locations for filming pending approval of applications by the Chinese government.

Tformers.com translated the news to reveal the details. The Legislative Council Plaza is going to be a key location for the film. According to the report by the Oriental Daily, in a story line that employs some political intrigue the Autobots will be there not to defeat the Decepticons but to get the consent of the Legislative Council Secretariat for something. The report also revealed that one of the scenes being shot in China will involve Mark Wahlberg's character giving a reluctant farewell to his daughter Napee Si (Nicola Peltz), so she can be sent to a safe location.

It was also suggested that while the filming will not involve any explosion scenes, about 75 crew members will be involved and that the producers have purchased public liability insurance worth 10 million in Hong Kong dollars.
...



***


Here's a YouTube video uploaded recently by user Gil Jimenez that shows an up-close look at Optimus Prime and a new autobot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLCf12n5R84&feature=player_embedded) whilst Transformers 4 was filming in Chicago...



***


Meanwhile in unrelated news, in case you've been wondering what Shia has been up to... well, maybe you shouldn't.

Transformers Star Shia LaBeouf Kicked in Groin for Filming Vomiting Woman (http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/513343/20131012/shia-labeouf-groin-films-girl-vomiting-london.htm) (International Business Times, 12/10/2013):

American actor/director Shia LaBeouf has been beaten up for filming a woman vomiting in a street in London.

According to The Sun, the 27-year-old Transformers star was with a friend walking through Leicester Square when he came across two sisters, Ash and Isis Nawaz, one of whom was unwell. LaBeouf started filming her throwing up in the street using his camera phone, even after they objected. A stranger intervened, punched LaBeouf in the face and kicked him in the groin. According to multiple reports, security guards from a nearby club separated the two men before the actor and his friend left the scene.

The police were not called to the incident.

"I only realised it was Shia after he'd been beaten up. If I'd known, I'd have let him film me as much as he liked. I have a massive crush on him," Nawaz said.

This is not the first time LaBeouf has got into a scuffle in London. Last year, he got into a fight with a student who snatched his baseball cap, a souvenir from Laos in Asia, at the Hobgoblin in New Cross. He was with his Nymphomaniac co-star Mia Goth when the incident occured.

"The scrap all started when this guy took his hat. I think he was just joking, but Shia didn't like it," a source had said then. "The guy just took it off him and wouldn't give it back. He tried to get it back and they ended up tussling. It was handbags really. But it shows that even Hollywood stars can't avoid grief down this way."


Yeap.



***


And also... for an in depth interview and look at Rosie Huntington-Whiteley: the face that launched 1,000 bras (http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2013/oct/06/rosie-huntington-whiteley-lingerie-model?CMP=twt_gu) (Guardian/Observer, 6/10/2013):

...
The Daily Mail runs a story on her every day – some are positive, some scathing. Her performance in the Transformers film was ridiculed, scene by scene. A critic for Empire magazine wrote: "Michael Bay introduces [Huntington-Whiteley] with a self- parodying shot of her barely clad bottom and it's all downhill from there. You'll believe a robot can fly, but you won't believe a Huntington-Whiteley can talk." Does she read Mail Online? She sighs, and half-smiles. "I'd be lying to say I didn't. I have a much healthier relationship with it now than a few years ago. It was very upsetting for me – there was this other Rosie that was becoming famous and it was quite an out-of-body experience. I didn't know how to handle it. I cut myself off from everything. I wouldn't go on the internet. I hid for quite a while. I got very nervous in public, actually." Of the reaction to her film debut she says: "There was… not a lot of support for me during that time." One minute she was "trundling on" as a model, "then all of a sudden I'm on the biggest movie of all time. I'm on set as a lead role, but with no idea what I'm doing." She takes a deep breath. "I took the opportunity, because how was I supposed to say no?" "[But] people want to see you fall. Your fans want to see you fall. Everyone wants to see you fall."
...


That's about it for now.

[GoktimusPrime]

Michael Bay attacked by Triads demanding bribe in Hong Kong! (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/transformers-director-bay-attacked-hong-kong/) :eek:

[kup]

http://michaelbay.com/2013/10/17/hong-kong-incident/

Hi, it’s Michael.

Yes, the story is being passed around is not all true! Yes, some drugged up guys were being belligerent asses to my crew for hours in the morning of our first shoot day in Hong Kong. One guy rolled metal carts into some of my actors trying to shake us down for thousands of dollars to not play his loud music or hit us with bricks.

Every vendor where we shot got paid a fair price for our inconvenience, but he wanted four times that amount. I personally told this man and his friends to forget it we were not going to let him extort us. He didn’t like that answer. So an hour later he came by my crew as we were shooting, carrying a long air conditioner unit. He walked right up to me and tried to smack my face, but I ducked threw the air unit on the floor and then I hit him with a grenade and he fucken' exploded! I took the other guy in a headlock and popped his shit like a grape.

Im fucken' AWESOME!! You fuck with me, you get the boom by the hornz!

Then it took fifteen Hong Kong cops in riot gear to deal with these punks. In all, four guys were arrested for assaulting the officers. Last time, some black guy tried to tell me how to do my job. I said, "I created this brand". I showed that bitch whos boss. I had 5 goons take him out back and beat him like Roots.

After that, we had a great day shooting here in Hong Kong.

Wow, there is even product placement in his BS stories.

[Paulbot]

Um, there's an extra paragraph or two quoted not at the link. Where'd that come from?

[kup]

Um, there's an extra paragraph or two quoted not at the link. Where'd that come from?

lol the source where I got it from must have changed just before I copied and pasted the quote as it was accurate to the link when I first read it. Should have double checked as I was getting it from DM.Net. Still, that new version sounds more exciting and the 'real' linked one has product placement :)

[KaRNiV8L PRiME]

I haven't seen this yet

https://pbs-0.twimg.com/media/BXDLQXrCAAAt9oE.jpg

[griffin]

Some random photos during filming in HK here (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/more-images-from-transformers-4-age-of-extinction-hong-kong-principal-photography-178630/) and here (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/images-from-transformers-4-age-of-extinction-hong-kong-principal-photography-178625/).

[maxirod]

Another attempted blackmail. They need better protection detail.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/triad-trouble-for-transformers-4-in-hong-kong-as-second-extortion-attempt-reported-2013-10

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=4&art_id=138832&sid=40700293&con_type=1&d_str=20131024&fc=4

[griffin]

Is Michael Bay trying to do a Transformers movie, or a Fast & Furios movie?
Several expensive sports cars have been showing up at the HK filming set (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-age-of-extinction-new-super-cars-spotted-in-hong-kong-178653/), and unless there is a huge cast of Autobots in this movie, the plot device of Mark Walberg's character being a race-car driver looks to be giving us some high speed car chase scenes to pad out this movie.


Imagine the amount of insurance they must have paid out to borrow all of these cars...

[Deonasis]

I haven't seen this yet

[IG]https://pbs-0.twimg.com/media/BXDLQXrCAAAt9oE.jpg[/IMG]And I am not liking it. Cool find though!

[BigTransformerTrev]

Is Michael Bay trying to do a Transformers movie, or a Fast & Furios movie?
Several expensive sports cars have been showing up at the HK filming set (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-age-of-extinction-new-super-cars-spotted-in-hong-kong-178653/), and unless there is a huge cast of Autobots in this movie, the plot device of Mark Walberg's character being a race-car driver looks to be giving us some high speed car chase scenes to pad out this movie.


Imagine the amount of insurance they must have paid out to borrow all of these cars...

That's why hoping to Unicron that they are putting the Stunticons in, as I thought that the chase between BBee and Barricade in the first movie was particularly fine. The sports cars are probably not indiciative of the Stunticons though and it's probably waaay too much to hope for. And after what they did to the Constructicons in ROTF (besides Long Haul - he rocked!), do we really want them touching the Stunticons anyway?

[kup]

Is Michael Bay trying to do a Transformers movie, or a Fast & Furios movie?

Are you baiting for troll posts? ;)

[Cat]

That poster of Op at the top of the pages matches the models that are floating around the net at the moment.

Here they are, it's a full-body model, but much simpler, so for animation, or simply earlier on in the process? Or entirely fake? I tend to think it's just a prelim model, but I guess we'll see.

Linked, in case you consider it a spoiler.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m80/KJ_81/FmHhpIl_zps3143987c.jpg

[VERT]

Looks like Prime is wearing Fairy wings. :rolleyes:

[Cat]

Just learnt that the poster at the top of the page is just fanart based on the toy we saw.

Just a coincidence it ended up looking so close to these renders (assuming they're legit).

[Cat]

Here's some more of those leaked renders (or whatever they are):

Linked, again, in case you consider Op's possible robot design a spoiler:

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m80/KJ_81/27399303d1382687053-some-detail-movie4-optimus-prime-41_78621_52d40cba9296f22_1382724807_zpse1aa91bc.jp g

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m80/KJ_81/27399298d1382685627-some-detail-movie4-optimus-prime-41_78621_0e93f1960d36373_1382724827_zps87879fe8.jp g

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m80/KJ_81/27399302d1382687053-some-detail-movie4-optimus-prime-w41_78621_a585c5f33beb907_1382724866_zps43b9dba6.j pg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m80/KJ_81/27399300d1382685627-some-detail-movie4-optimus-prime-41_78621_c3098c74aa7d665_1382724846_zpsc851a400.jp g


Enjoy!

[griffin]

Looks like the final scene was being filmed (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-age-of-extinction-optimus-prime-speaketh-178672/), and included the voice of Optimus narrating the conclusion (for the actors to respond to)... so be aware of major spoilers, if you can make out what is being said in the video.


(the building behind where they are filming gives me a major Omega Supreme vibe with the yellow, brown and beige colours, and the sculpting)

[WeallscreamforStarscream]

That was 5 from 6 mins wasted from my life.. The pics below in that thread.. Like griffin said look very omega supreme. Looks like the building in the back is his head..

But rest assured I'm sure Michael bay will make a mess of this movie as well. Yes I'm a hater and all the movies have been shit.:cool:

[liegeprime]

that arched building at the back at the start of the video just reminds me more of the Legion of doom headquarters :p. The yellow and cream building does have an Omega vibe to it that but has a Trypticon shape to it though. :D

[GoktimusPrime]

This has been around for a while, but for those who may not know, the Japanese title will be Transformers: Lost Age (http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%8 2%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC/%E3%83%AD%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%82%A8%E3%82%A4%E3%8 2%B8).


But rest assured I'm sure Michael bay will make a mess of this movie as well. Yes I'm a hater and all the movies have been shit.:cool:
The first movie was alright. It captured the spirit of the G1 cartoon reasonably well, keeping in mind that the G1 cartoon was never a terribly in-depth story, unlike say the G1 Marvel comics. Although there were some elements from the movie that drew from the comics too -- Sam Witwicky and his more similar to Buster Witwicky than Spike from the cartoon (re: high school boy who brings Bumblebee home, as opposed to a post-school youth already working in an oil rig who's rescued (along w/ his father) by Optimus Prime).

Revenge of the Fallen was a complete mess of a story, no doubt's there. Dark of the Moon was a significant improvement over ROTF (though admittedly that's not hard :p), and had some really interesting story elements (e.g. NASA/Moon missions, Sentinel Prime's betrayal etc.). But ultimately none of the movies are great and really lack this thing called character-drive! They tend to be more like "The Adventures of Sam Witwicky and his Robot Buddies," instead of allowing the Transformers to become the core characters. The Autobots are more too often accessories for Sam (or NEST). <sigh>

This is what was so great about Beast Wars... no stinking humans so the story had to solely focus on the Transformers as characters (and it did so spectacularly well! :D).

[griffin]

Apparently all (planned) filming has now been done (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-age-of-extinction-principal-photography-its-a-wrap-178711/). The movie is now in the post-production stage.

[Bartrim]

Revenge of the Fallen was a complete mess of a story

Not defending Revenge of the Fallen as they should of waited but due to the writers strike it was made on about 40 pages of script. I have a copy of the leaked script for the first movie (titled Prime Directive) and its around 160pages long.

Plus there were extra things like Cheverolet wanting the volt in the movie so they had to create Jolt and throw him in there.

Overall they should of taken a big step back and waited but ultimately they were trying to cash in on the success of the first movie.

[bassbot]

A brief and not very revealing Entertainment Tonight video: some on set explosions
http://www.etonline.com/movies/140985_Transformers_Age_of_Extinction_Set_Visit/index.html

[griffin]

I saw that on ET on TV today... and they said there will be more tomorrow (or this week).

[griffin]

A brief and not very revealing Entertainment Tonight video: some on set explosions
http://www.etonline.com/movies/140985_Transformers_Age_of_Extinction_Set_Visit/index.html

The second part of ET's feature on TF4 (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/michael-bay-reveals-a-plot-secret-from-transformers-4-age-of-extinction-178804/), which should be on our TV screens today.

[MrsOptimusPrime]

Can't wait to see Optimus Prime on the big screen again!

http://www.bantertoys.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/optimus+optimus.jpg

[M-bot]

Can't wait to see Optimus Prime on the big screen again!

http://www.bantertoys.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/optimus+optimus.jpg

I'm tipping he won't look much like that ^. :p

[griffin]

More of the behind-the-scenes clips by ET coming this week (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/et-canada-transformers-4-set-visit-set-for-next-week-178856/).

[Megatron]

The following stories may have already been posted, and I do apologise if the same links have been provided already, but I couldn't find any from the original news source, so I've posted them here for anyone who may be interested. I also like to copy and paste the relevant text from the articles here, just in case they get removed or deleted from the source site in future, that way there is some kind of a record here as to what was reported.

NOTE: As always, there may be spoilers, so read at your own risk.



***

Here is the link to the exclusive Empire article, New Transformers: Age Of Extinction Images (http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=39488) (28/11/2013):

The new issue of Empire is out today, and we have gone big rather than home with our cover movie, Transformers: Age Of Extinction. Yes, Michael Bay's back, but this time he's accompanied by Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Jack Reynor, Sophia Myles and Nicola Peltz. Oh, and some gigantic robots. Check out our exclusive stills and from behind-the-scenes images below.

...

This fourth film in the franchise is something of a fresh start, and sees an Earth scarred by the events of the last three films but moving on after the disappearance of all giant robots (although we're guessing that everyone gives their car a suspicious look in the morning, lest it suddenly turn into a giant mechanoid). In particular, Shia LaBeouf and family have moved on and we have some new leads.

When Mark Wahlberg's inventor, Cade Yeager, discovers a buried Transformer, the stage is set for the return of the giant beasties. There will also be some business with Cade's daughter Tessa (Nicola Peltz); her secret racing driver boyfriend Shane; Stanley Tucci's Joshua; his geologist assistant Darcy (Sophia Myles); "the CEO of the Chinese Transformers", played by Li Bingbing; and Kelsey Grammer's Harold Attinger, the film's non-robot big bad.

"I'm feeling really good about this one. I love my cast," Bay told us. "There's a huge scale to this, but also huge soul."

Mark Wahlberg also seemed to be enjoying the experience when we visited the set. "Ted was a good tool to prepare me for this," he said. "Having to identify with things that aren't there. The bear prepped me for that. And as embarrassing as doing things like the fight sequence with him were - just throwing myself around a room for 12 hours while the crew just sat eating sandwiches and watching - it taught me how to do this shit."

It also looks like this will not be the last instalment of the series, with Bay open to continuing the franchise, it seems. "Well, it's a director's world... It's a franchise world at the moment. You know, Peter Jackson is still in Middle-earth..."



***


'No goofiness' in Transformers 4, says Michael Bay (http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/-no-goofiness--in-transformers-4--says-michael-bay-075202717.html) (Yahoo! Movies UK, 29/11/2013):

Director speaks to Yahoo from the set of new robot movie.

We’ve seen a rejigged Optimus Prime and the promise of some Dinobot action, and Michael Bay tells Yahoo that 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' will also be an altogether “more cinematic” movie than the ones that have come before.

“I wanted the first Transformers to be very suburban and less cool,” Bay told us from the Detroit set of this fourth chapter. “This is a much more cinematic one. I focused on keeping this one slick. There won’t be any goofiness in this one. We went a bit too goofy [on the last one].”

But despite Optimus’s updated design, Bay is quick to point out that this really is the fourth in an ongoing series – “reboot” is a dirty word here. “It feels like a new chapter, this movie,” he says. “But it’s not a reboot. This movie lives in the history of the 'Transformers' movies, and this one starts three years after the last. It feels fresh.”

Yahoo is navigating a maze of debris in a mocked-up version of Hong Kong as Bay rushes around the set, directing shots and acting as our tour guide. We’re pieces to be moved on the director’s chessboard - as with the rest of the crew, we go exactly where he tells us and he makes sure we have more than we could need.

Few directors have this level of control, and you get the sense that nothing happens on a Michael Bay set without him knowing about it.

We start by his personal monitor, where a small metal model of Bumblebee’s head sits standing guard. Immediately, Bay cues up five or six explosive shots taken earlier from the scene being shot on this set - the film’s last stand battle.

“I do big setups,” he says, with some understatement. “I like to do ‘runners’, where [the cameras are] with the characters in the war. We’re in the thick of it with Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci, and we’ve got all these things going off.”

The human cast totally replaces the first trilogy’s top-liners, and Bay leads us to a Chinese noodle shop, where a giant monitor has been erected, to show us 15 minutes of character and action culled from the first month of shooting.

Wahlberg plays a wacky inventor – think Doc Brown, but with firmer abs – and overprotective father to Nicola Peltz’s Tessa. We watch as he discovers a Transformer and gets drawn into a conflict that has taken its toll on Earth – a sign saying 'Remember Chicago' hints at the destruction at the end of the last film. And then we see Wahlberg get distracted by the arrival of his daughter’s race driver boyfriend, played by Jack Reynor.

“The human element really attracted me,” Wahlberg tells us. He signed on without reading the script, off the back of his conversations with Bay.

“I had a great time working with him on 'Pain & Gain', and he asked me to come back, so I said, ‘Absolutely.’ The idea of playing a dad to a teenage girl – those are issues I’ll be having to deal with sooner rather than later, whether I like it or not.”

As for the action: what’s most remarkable about what we see is that we can see anything at all. Bay’s special effects guru, John Frazier, has worked on movies like 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Spider-Man', and he says the Transformers films, despite being full of CG, are at least 50% practical.

During the Bayhem in the sizzle, made of pre-CG shots, it seems as though the only element missing is the Transformer itself – cars flip, buildings crumble and the city explodes, all for real.

So is it essential to Bay that as much is practical as possible? “Yeah baby,” he says. “It’s kind of a dying art in Hollywood – nobody does anything for real. John’s one of the grand masters of physical effects.

"He can’t hear right because he’s done so many explosions. We still hold the Guinness World Record for Pearl Harbor: John rigged 350 bombs in seven seconds. Nowadays I think you would fake a lot of it.”

A round of applause rings out as the sizzle ends, and we turn to find the cast admiring Bay’s handiwork. Peltz and Reynor say they’ve never seen sets of this scale, and both went through a rigorous audition process to get their parts.

After watching Reynor drive Wahlberg and Peltz in a beaten-up Toyota backwards through streets littered with flaming rubble, we ask about their preparations for the film. “Jack and I did boot camp, which involved boxing and sprinting,” says Peltz, “We had to get in shape.”

Reynor went through two months of precision driving training to feel comfortable behind the wheel and to “learn how to throw the car around”. After auditioning for the part, he remembers receiving an email from Bay. “It said, ‘It’s Bay. Call me.’ So I did.”

Bay appears behind him to pick up the story. “I said to him, ‘I just saw you in Delivery Man. You were great. So anyway, on this movie… it’s not going to work out.’ And he said, ‘Oh. OK, OK.’”

“And then he just goes, ‘Nah, I’m just f—king with you,’” laughs Reynor. “I fell to the ground right away.”

It’s not as though the cars had an easier ride. “When car makers heard we were making this fourth one, they’d literally drive cars to my office,” Bay laughs as he leads us to meet this movie’s cast of vehicles.

After coming bumper-to-bumper with the full-size versions of Bumblebee and Optimus Prime (a Chevy Camaro and a Western Star 4900 truck respectively) we say hello to pair of new beauties debuting in 'Age of Extinction': a blue-and-black Bugatti Veyron and a red-and-black Pagani Huayra. “I’ve driven the Veyron – it’s pretty cool,” says Bay. “They all want to be Autobots, too – no one wants to be a Decepticon.”

What brought Bay back for a fourth Transformers movie, after vowing he wouldn’t return? “It was the Transformers ride,” at Universal Studios, he says. “It was seeing this two-and-a-half hour line, with all these kids lined up.”

That experience must come close to the rollercoaster of a Michael Bay set. Before the end of the day, we’re in yet another part of this decimated Hong Kong (which covers more than an entire Detroit city block) whilst Bay shows off another toy: an extensive pre-visualisation sequence of a key part of the film.

“We started on this movie in August [2012], and while in the writing process I’m conceiving the action. We come up with shots like this and start figuring out the rigs to make it happen. It’s a lot of fun.”

It certainly looks that way.


***


Michael Bay has posted all the latest images for Transformers 4: Age of Extinction (amongst others) on his Flickr account, here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelbay/).

[griffin]

News out (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-9/transformers-age-of-extinction-first-film-to-be-shot-in-full-imax-digital-3d-cameras-178880/) claims that TF4 will be the first movie to be filmed entirely in IMAX Digital 3D.

Which means that if you want the full intended visual effect, try to catch a screening of the movie on IMAX in 3D. (if you have an IMAX theatre near you)

So instead of "retrofitting" the film into 3D or IMAX (that films have done in the past, and sometimes not very well), Bay is filming it for IMAX and 3D, and would be "reverting" it for screening in regular theatres' size and screen dimensions (and maybe even 2D if he feels like it).

[Megatron]

Michael Bay made a post last week on his web site, which is now Not Found, Error 404 (http://michaelbay.com/2013/12/05/i-do-not-apologize-for-any-transformers-movies), but here's what had been posted:

I Do Not Apologize For Any Transformers Movies (michaelbay.com, 5/12/2013)

It is a drag talking to reporters on sets. Why? Because often times they take your words and skew things to their liking? Then the crazy, lazy game of reporting on what other writers story’s reported me saying and then suddenly it becomes skewed Internet truth. So I waste my time to restate exactly what I did say, again.

No I did not ‘apologize’ for any Transformers movies. I did not say I shot the last three movies “less cool” then the new fourth installment. I was talking specifically about camera style and tone, of the first movie compared to how I shot the new installment with a very big scale, cinematic style. I was very specific in saying the first Transformers was shot in a ‘generic suburbia’ area, not trying to be cool with any cinematic flashes. I wanted it to feel like this could happen in any backyard in the United States.

So that brings me to letting Transformers fans know that we have completed our five and half month shoot. We got back from a month long shoot in China. My crew and I had a fantastic time shooting in Hong Kong and Mainland China. It was an amazing experience, and I love the country. My cast was absolutely fantastic, and a very fun group to work with. We are working hard cutting the movie right now. I think the first piece comes out for the Super Bowl and a teaser right after that.

And yes, I’m very excited about this new movie.

Now saved here for posterity. :D



***


Transformers 4: Age of Extinction - Bay, Di Bonaventura, and Cast Members Reveal Movie Details SPOILERS AHEAD (http://tformers.com/transformers-4-age-of-extinction/21966/news.html) (Tformers.com, 10/12/2013):

Just in from asian video site M1905* we have lots of spoilers from video interviews with director Michael Bay, Producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, and with cast members Mark Wahlberg, Jack Reynor and Li Bingbing. Watch the videos below to see the players in the forth Transformers movie give us the low down on details from the movie. We have also posted the main quotes from the vidoes below. NOTE: SPOILERS AHEAD, proceed at your own risk.


There is a robot who speaks Mandarin all the time. He's Cybertronian in origin.

Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) is very protective of Tessa Yeager (Nicola Peltz) because of the loss of his Wife.

Shane (Jack Reynor) is an Irish Race Car Driver and is Tessa’s Boyfriend despite the "No Dating" rule by Cade.

Shane saves both Cade and Tessa's lives very early in the movie and gains the trust of the Yeagers.

Cade Yeager and Optimus Prime become best friends. They both live with their own code of ethics.

Cade must make a choice between his life and his daughter's where Optimus must make a choice between doing the right thing what must be done and the safety of his own life.

Li Binbing's character is an owner of a very special "Factory" in China.

Third act of the movie takes place entirely in Hong Kong.

A conference is attacked and the Officials call for help from a special group of individuals.

*t4.m1905.com (http://t4.m1905.com/Report/position/id/80)



***

Edit: Further confirmation of the TF4 Super Bowl XLVIII teaser trailer (http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/super-bowl-xlviii-movie-studios-buy-in-local-tv-markets-ask-unprecedented-numbers/), (Deadline exclusive, 11/12/2013):

...
Last year, Paramount snuck trailers for Star Trek Into Darkness and World War Z. This year, It bought one :30 spot and will use it to debut the first footage from its highly anticipated Megatron sequel Transformers: Age of Extinction. Thanks to director Michael Bay for spilling those beans.
...

[griffin]

TFW still has the link and quote (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/first-transformers-4-age-of-extinction-trailer-with-superbowl-2014-178889/) in case anyone doubts you.

Also, a close image of the Cybertronian Sword (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-age-of-extinction-a-close-up-look-at-the-cybertronian-gunblade-178899/) that looks to be a prop in TF4.

[griffin]

Mark Wahlberg in an interview (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/mark-wahlberg-explains-the-backstory-of-his-character-for-transformers-4-age-of-extinction-178977/), talking a little about his character's back story.
Apparently he injured his neck a bit while filming in Hong Kong.

[GoktimusPrime]

AoE merchandise sneak peek
http://moviepilot.com/articles/1208346-grimlock-teased-in-new-tranfomers-age-of-extinction-merchandise

[Sinnertwin]

I forgot how much garbage gets released with these movies.

[kup]

I forgot how much garbage gets released with these movies.

And the stores sees all that garbage as 'Transformers' and then when the movie line is over and it's time to stock better stuff like Generations toys, they refuse it due to all the shelfwarming Transformers junk that may not even be proper toys.

[Sinnertwin]

And the stores sees all that garbage as 'Transformers' and then when the movie line is over and it's time to stock better stuff like Generations toys, they refuse it due to all the shelfwarming Transformers junk that may not even be proper toys.

Neither side can get it right. Not Hasbro or the retailers. Nobody.

[Megatron]

Mark Wahlberg Swears Transformers 4: Age Of Extinction Will Be More Than Meets The Eye! (http://perezhilton.com/2013-12-27-mark-wahlberg-transformers-4-age-of-extinction-powerful-shia-labeouf-michael-bay#sthash.SkIcWkrs.e4NdiiyG.dpbs) (PerezHilton, 27/12/2013):


"It was a tighter script, and its own stand-alone thing. I think the emotional core of it, the human element, is going to be extremely powerful. It’s an ordinary man trying to do extraordinary things to save his daughter and keep her alive—and this boyfriend he didn’t know anything about. He’d had a child when he was in high school and his wife passed away, and the promise he’d made to her was that she wouldn’t date any boys until she graduated and that she’d be at the graduation—because we weren’t due to the pregnancy. So there’s an anchor to it and a realness to it that I like a lot."


"Well, it was exciting because it was the first time my kids were really interested in a movie I was doing. Any time they see me with a gun, like Contraband or Pain & Gain, they want to see that, too, but they can’t because of the language and all that stuff. But I loved working with Michael Bay, and I thought he had a really interesting way to make it new, different, and fresh. Plus, being in movies that have the potential to be hugely successful allows me to make smaller movies that I’m really passionate about."




Can't wait.

[griffin]

Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing how this new chapter is handled (ends up)... preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best. :p

[Megatron]

Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing how this new chapter is handled (ends up)... preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best. :p

Yep, I hear you. I'm actually looking forward to the movie, especially with the return of the greatest Decepticon leader that has ever lived and will ever live*, but I really hope that the human element part of the plot (that is, extraneous human filler which is totally unrelated to the main theme, or "realness" as Wahlberg likes to call it) isn't given more than 20 minutes screen time all up. I mean a little bit of that is fine... as long as it doesn't take away from the real story - the Trans(Bay)formers.


*;)

[Paul Agnew]

POTENTIAL SPOILER:

















Drift? Is that you?

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-toys-products-30/first-look-at-transformers-4-age-of-extinction-drift-robot-mode-sort-of-179077/

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/attach/1/Amscan-Drift_1389843011.jpg

Now, I want to see shipping (and no doubt 34) of him and Windblade. This could seriously become a thing. Make it so in 3... 2... 1...

[Sinnertwin]

Drift? Is that you?



Mimics a race of Eastern Warriors
Transforms into a European vehicle
Well done, well done.

[Sinnertwin]

AoE not a reboot according to Di Bonaventura
http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-age-of-extinction-not-a-reboot-says-producer/29174/

[griffin]

"Recent script alterations (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-movie-just-movie-31/transformers-4-age-of-extinction-back-to-china-for-reshoots-179128/)"???

As in, the script (plot/story) has changed AFTER filming was done... probably because Michael Bay had a new idea during post-production?

The thing that was said to pull down his movies in the past is an incoherent plot - by impulsively featuring high-impact shots (visually), and then having to bridge them together mid-project by rewriting the script to match.
This is not a good indicator for TF4... or any movie.
Even if it happens in other movies, or he's putting together a post-credits scene to lead onto TF5, a movie producer or director shouldn't publicly admit to "script changes" this late in production. It suggests that there is a hole in the story that wasn't picked up by the director during filming... or the director made the hole by not following the script.

[millhouse]

Reshoots are common, particularly in summer films. Unless it's extensive, I don't think its anything to be (more) concerned about. It can come from an audience not getting a plot point, or a scene being deemed as too slow (and being cut/replaced), or designed to enhance something that already exists to give it more of a punch in that moment of the film.

This doesn't sound anything out of the normal for a film that is in post-production. Now, we might not be knowing the full extent, but based purely on that article, I wouldn't stress about it.