New info Transformers: Robots in Disguise

[KaRNiV8L PRiME]

Source (http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/hasbro-to-launch-transformers-robots-in-disguise-series-in-spring-2015-exclusive-1201219103/)

https://pbs-0.twimg.com/media/Bp9aSRlCEAA7e2t.jpg


“Transformers: Robots in Disguise” will be the name of Hasbro’s new animated series starring its shape-shifting characters.

The Hasbro Studios-produced series, which will bow on The Hub kids channel in spring 2015, will feature the voices of Darren Criss (“Glee”), Constance Zimmer (“House of Cards”), Mitchell Whitfield (“TMNT”) and Ted McGinley (“Married with Children”).

Hasbro is revealing new details of the project, first announced in March, as the company is about to head to the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas. Event takes place June 17-19 from the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Hasbro has long seen animated series as a way to keep and grow a young fanbase around its Transformers outside of the megaplex and fuel interest in a merchandise program beyond just action figures.

Series will introduce a redesign of Bumblebee and introduce new Autobot characters Sideswipe and Fixit (see above).

Criss will voice Sideswipe, while Whitfield will bring Fixit to life.

Show takes place years after “Transformers Prime,” when Bumblebee is summoned to save Earth from a new faction of Decepticons and assembles a rogue team of young Autobots that includes a rebel bad boy bot, an elite guard cadet, a bombastic Dinobot and hyperactive Mini-Con to capture their new enemies.

Each new bot is a fully capable action hero but inexperienced in working together in a team, forcing Bumblebee to become both squad leader and coach, Hasbro said.

“Robots in Disguise’s” creative team includes kids programming vets Jeff Kline (“Transformers Prime”) as executive producer; producer Adam Beechen (“The Adventures of Chuck and Friends”); and Steven Melching, a writer on “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” who will serve as the show’s story editor.

[Omega Metro]

Sounds very 'kiddie'. I don't have high hopes for this at all. :(

[Sharky]

Enough with bumblebee... he is not the main character and looks like they are ditching the traditional leaders...

[Verno]

Why do I get the impression that in order to avoid confusion Hasbro will have had IDW wrap up their RID title by the time this starts?

[BigTransformerTrev]

Enough with bumblebee... he is not the main character and looks like they are ditching the traditional leaders...

I don't mind them not having Optimus as the leader for a season but I'd love to see Rodimus be the leader instead as he seems perfect for the role they have described.

Yep - enough with fricken Bumblebee! To think all those years ago during the first RID cartoon (why not name it MTMTE instead of using an already used name?) and the subsequent Unicron Wars trilogy I kept thinking "It'd be nice to see Bee back on the scene :rolleyes:

Sideswipe coming back is cool, it'll be interesting to see if Fixit bears any resemelence to his G1 origins.

[griffin]

Another TF-RID series? Hasbro are certainly making it tough for us to refer to different series... by recycling the name.

[Jinto]

I'm a little suprised they're having a shiny red 'bad-boy' robot and making him Sideswipe instead of Knockout. I would have thought that flows on from TFPrime more logically.

[SMHFConvoy]

I'm a little suprised they're having a shiny red 'bad-boy' robot and making him Sideswipe instead of Knockout. I would have thought that flows on from TFPrime more logically.

Because Knockout wasn't a "bad boy" also takes place years after prime.

It's only just been announced and look at all tthe negativity :rolleyes:

[UltraMarginal]

I read the synopsis and thought "shit, I was hoping not to be overly interested in the next series so I could save some money on toys"

I like the sound of the concept, bumblebee being a leader of a small team does flow from his role towards the end of Prime Beast hunters. The "team that's not a team yet" idea has been done before but I like it, it helps to make the character interactions more interesting and the production crew they've announced sounds like there is a fair bit of good experience in there.

[i_amtrunks]

I don't mind the stylised version, Animated was brilliant. This has more of a Ben 10 vibe to it, I hope the designs translate to toys alright.
Good to See Swipe getting some loving, and I suppose we will be getting Grimlock as the Dinobot.

It seems like a strange design in terms of story and setting, following the quite dark and 3d animated Prime with a cartoon style (bet it is still a 3d program) follow up in the same universe.

Time will tell if this was a good move or not, but I do hope the comic RiD is not affected and I wonder why they are re-using the Robots in disguise moniker again?

[Lint]

The 'Optimisation of Bumblebee' (Trademark Pending :p) process Hasbro have been undertaking across all media since the first live action film sure is interesting. He's gone from 'small guy with a big heart' to a 'reliable medium sized warrior' to 'leader of the Autobots'. Heck he even looks like TF Prime Bee with Animated/Prime Prime's face stuck on top now.

[Bidoofdude]

I think it looks pretty good. I like Sideswipe, but I have no clue how they're going to make transforming toys out of these guys.

[griffin]

The back-up yellow guy stepping in to fill the leader role? Yep, that worked well for Beast Machines and IDW's comic.
(it just felt like something was missing... like, they were just there to keep the "throne" warm for the return of the real leader)

[Shirokaze]

Better buy any outstanding figures from the original RiD series now because searching for them on eBay is going to be BS after this series begins :p

[griffin]

Better buy any outstanding figures from the original RiD series now because searching for them on eBay is going to be BS after this series begins :p

It was the same when TFPrime had named its main series after "First Edition" as "Robots in Disguise"... it was difficult to look up anything on ebay because if you used "Prime" you got mostly Optimus results, and if you used "Robots in Disguise" or "RID" you got a lot of 2001-2002 toys.

This is just going to be a whole new level of pain if searching for anything from either of those three series.


BTW, the new series logo has been unveiled by Hasbro (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=661224943947703&set=np.460208295.620085102&type=1), to reinforce the new name as being definite.... and a lot of comments are about them already using that name for a series.

[Paulbot]

Prime and Rescue Bots both didn't interest me, but I'm looking forward to giving this cartoon a go. Like the look of the new Sideswipe a lot.

[DELTAprime]

OK, what are we going to call this series when talking about it? We already have a TV series called RID and a comic series called RID. Not to mention the Prime RID toy line and the AOE RID toy line. Plus lots of secondary market sellers list their AEC toys as RID.

[DELTAprime]

The back-up yellow guy stepping in to fill the leader role? Yep, that worked well for Beast Machines and IDW's comic.

I hope thats sarcasm, I hated Bumblebee as the leader in Ongoing and RID. Spoilers for Dark Cybertron: I'm glad he's dead now and hope he stays dead.

[griffin]

Yes... that is sarcasm.


OK, what are we going to call this series when talking about it? We already have a TV series called RID and a comic series called RID. Not to mention the Prime RID toy line and the AOE RID toy line. Plus lots of secondary market sellers list their AEC toys as RID.

Similar to the second Universe line being referred to as Universe 2.0 or Universe 2008, we could refer to this one based on when it comes out - RID14/RID15.
I'll see what other ideas come up as a shortening of the line before I pick one for topic titles and archives (which need short reference terms).

[Omega Metro]

I loved the 'Prime' toys but the show itself was boring. Hopefully it may be the other way round with this new show.:confused:

[i_amtrunks]

OK, what are we going to call this series when talking about it? We already have a TV series called RID and a comic series called RID. Not to mention the Prime RID toy line and the AOE RID toy line. Plus lots of secondary market sellers list their AEC toys as RID.

RID for the 2000 series, RiD for the comic and rid for the new show? :confused:

I wonder how long we will go into the new rid series before Prime comes back from the dead?

[Sinnertwin]

I think it looks pretty good. I like Sideswipe, but I have no clue how they're going to make transforming toys out of these guys.

They'll design them with computers first, then move onto plastic prototypes to check transformations & paint apps etc before beginning mass production

*badoom-tish* :p

[griffin]

RID for the 2000 series, RiD for the comic and rid for the new show? :confused:

Because when referencing, or needing a short topic title, "RID Optimus" (even with different capitalisation that you will only see in text, IF the poster was being accurate) can now mean five different things - 2000 series toy, IDW comic appearance, TFPrime toy, Movie toy, and a 2014/2015 series toy (because you know that there will be an Optimus eventually).

And it can get very wordy when discussing things to say 4 words everytime when one can do.

We aren't looking for alternate ways of referring to each different version to create work for ourselves or debate, we are just looking for new abbreviations to go with things like Gen1, BW, DOTM, BWNeo, MP, SWTF, etc. Many are undisputed by the fandom, but that's generally if they are from a uniquely named series, and are thrown out there early for others to adopt and filter out among the fansites.

[DELTAprime]

I entered the collector fandom in 2007. I hardly remember it but about that time TFA went from being an abbreviation for Armada to Animated.

[morg176]

I propose the term 'RID15' as a shorthand for the robots in disguise 2015 cartoon/toys :D

All in favour ?

[GoktimusPrime]

Or just RD, since prepositions aren't meant to be included in acronyms anyway (that's why USA isn't TUSOA, UK isn't TUK, FIFA isn't FIDFA etc. ;)).

I was going to suggest TFPRiD, but that's already used to describe the Transformers Prime Robots In Disguise toy line, which will be different from the Transformers Robots In Disguise Which Is The Sequel To Transformers Prime But Isn't Called Transformers Prime franchise. :D excuse me while my shift key recovers... :p

also, does anyone else think that fixit looks silly/ reminds me of beast machines rattrap. ;/

[Jinto]

I said I was "a little surprised", there was no negativity. Dont be such a drama queen.
Because Knockout wasn't a "bad boy" also takes place years after prime.

It's only just been announced and look at all tthe negativity :rolleyes:

[Jinto]

I think it'll be ok. We will just have to get used to putting the year in our search. RID 2015, etc.
It was the same when TFPrime had named its main series after "First Edition" as "Robots in Disguise"... it was difficult to look up anything on ebay because if you used "Prime" you got mostly Optimus results, and if you used "Robots in Disguise" or "RID" you got a lot of 2001-2002 toys.

This is just going to be a whole new level of pain if searching for anything from either of those three series.


BTW, the new series logo has been unveiled by Hasbro (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=661224943947703&set=np.460208295.620085102&type=1), to reinforce the new name as being definite.... and a lot of comments are about them already using that name for a series.

[Oberon Sexton]

New promo trailer up on Hasbro's Tansformers facebook (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=683133768423487)

Found this when reading TFW2005, discovery credit to them.

[kurdt_the_goat]

Visuals looks good but someone in audio needs to be fired for ripping off The Prodigy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTw2YvutJRA), and badly too!

[griffin]

One of the bonus features on one of the American releases of the TF4 movie was a look at the design process of toys... and it included a Grimlock-styled toy (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-prime-39/first-look-at-robots-in-disguise-grimlock-toy-181239/), that looks new enough to maybe be an RID toy.

If it is RID Grimlock, it looks a bit Animated-ish.

[FruitBuyer]

One of the bonus features on one of the American releases of the TF4 movie was a look at the design process of toys... and it included a Grimlock-styled toy (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-prime-39/first-look-at-robots-in-disguise-grimlock-toy-181239/), that looks new enough to maybe be an RID toy.

If it is RID Grimlock, it looks a bit Animated-ish.

I'm all up for another Animated-ish Grimlock. Outside of the movie figures, Animated Grimlock is my second-favourite Grimlock behind MP-08

[Paulbot]

Another trailer. Looks good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KjHtPfhHCg

I'm looking forward to watching this (something I never felt about TF Prime)

[Verno]

Armada might have been known as Pokeformers, but only in RID do you have to catch 'em all!

[Shirokaze]

Will definitely check it out, looks pretty interesting :)

[Gofigure]

ooooohhh i like that

Need more autobot reveals.....please....can we have Jazz? Prowl? Return of Wheeljack?

Sideswipe's haircut looks less prominent i think :)

[Sky Shadow]

Looks fun. Fingers crossed.

[GoktimusPrime]

BWTF's analysis of the trailer (http://bwtf.com/articles/rid-trailera/)

My thoughts:
RE: 1) I don't mind Prime communing with Bumblebee from beyond the Matrix, but I don't want to see him return. That would just be far too cliché and cheapen his sacrifice from Predacons Rising.
RE: 3) I don't know if I'd like a TF without a robot mode. I personally was never a huge fan of the Mutant Beasts.
RE: 4) I hope not. This is what G1 fans didn't like about Rodimus Prime from the G1 cartoon series. I'd like to see Bumblebee actually grow into becoming a _competent_ leader who doesn't need to be constantly compared with Optimus Prime, much like what Cheetor became in Beast Machines.
RE: 5) I totally agee that this is very cool.
RE: 7) Surely that would make the Decepticons easier to hunt down. It'd make more sense if they had vehicular modes or realistic organic looking beast modes to become robots in disguise (as the show's title suggests, unless it only applies to the Autobots... except the dino-guy :p).
RE: 8) Good! I also noticed that Sideswipe has the Kanji for "speed" (速) on his bonnet!
RE: 9) That's just silly... unless the Decepticons have somehow decided to give up using firearms too. Which makes no sense. Guns > melee weapons, as demonstrated by Indiana Jones against that dude with the swords.
RE: 10) Also agree, I would have loved to see the TF Prime kids grown up. The fanboy in me would've also liked to see Fowler marry June Darby and become Jack's step-father, then mentor him in joining the military and becoming special ops. Cos a _soldier_ is a more useful human companion for an Autobot than ... ya know... children. :p

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I hope Grimlock there doesn't feel the need to hide on earth :3

That is a good trailer for the show. I would dislike it if Bumblebee ends up being a whinge-leader like the way Rodimus Prime was portrayed during his reign of the Autobots.

[Paulbot]

Need more autobot reveals.....please....can we have Jazz? Prowl? Return of Wheeljack?


I hope not. Transformers biggest problem is rehashing in a line that's all about change. (maybe that's change back? :o )

One of the things that I like about this ad is all the new characters. Only BB (and kinda Prime depending how much of a presence he has) is a carry over from the last show, and just by speaking BB is a lot different.

This type of Sideswipe hasn't been a character in a cartoon since the 80s, and sure Grimlock's familiar too, but everyone else is new. None of those Decepticons look like a rehash of the same old villains.




RE: 3) I don't know if I'd like a TF without a robot mode. I personally was never a huge fan of the Mutant Beasts.

You don't like Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Ratbat, Steeljaw, Ramhorn, Trypticon, Sky Lynx, etc either? No robot mode can be a bad thing when they end up with nonsense vehicle modes ROTF Ravage, and two beast modes aren't great either, but don't see a problem with a car turning into a beast (looking at Alternator Ravage).

(Also doesn't BWTF have a comments section? :P)

[GoktimusPrime]

One of the things that I like about this ad is all the new characters. Only BB (and kinda Prime depending how much of a presence he has) is a carry over from the last show, and just by speaking BB is a lot different.
Agreed. Some people are complaining about how they're sick of Bumblebee, but it's understandable, but as you said, this is a different Bumblebee. He doesn't seem to be the rash/impulsive digitally farting try hard that we see in the live action films and most of TF Prime. Aside from being able to speak, this Bumblebee seems more mature and level headed, which he also was at the end of Beast Hunters after falling into the magical goop. :p Bumblebee here has the potential to actually become a good leader and decent character in his own right. I hope that they'll run with that.


You don't like Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Ratbat, Steeljaw, Ramhorn, Trypticon, Sky Lynx, etc either? No robot mode can be a bad thing when they end up with nonsense vehicle modes ROTF Ravage, and two beast modes aren't great either, but don't see a problem with a car turning into a beast (looking at Alternator Ravage).
Heh, Ben Yee pretty much said the same thing to me about that too, and yeah, it's a good point and I'll concede to that. :)

[holygrail_4]

The only part that irritates me about these shows is the cast keeps getting smaller and smaller. Look at G1 and the huge cast it played with - sure some characters appeared more than others (Prime, BB etc) but entire episodes centered around 'fringe' characters like Powerglide or Hoist.

Nowadays, the move seems to be 'less is more'. Prime had 5 key Bots (eventually expanding) while this RID now looks to be 3 or 4. Now I get that it makes story telling better/easier, but in a property as big as Transformers, this feels a little, underwhelming...

The writing will still be the key but is it too much to ask for more Transformers in my Transformers show? :p

[griffin]

Unless there are specific plots derived from TFPrime or they are hunting down Decepticons from TFPrime, I think it might just be a marketing thing to have it promoted as being related to the previous series. A ghost (dead) Optimus seems to be the only carry-over plot device so far, and unless it is mentioned how he died, even that could be explained away from any other series that he's died in (or a new universe that we've never seen before).

It is also worth noting for Non-Americans, that Hasbro's HUB cable channel in America has been rebranded as Discovery Family, and Hasbro have sold off some of their share, to become a minor shareholder. It will still feature some of Hasbro's shows, but the interesting thing is that this new series is going to be on Cartoon Network instead of the rebranded HUB channel.
That will mean more exposure to the brand and cartoon, and better success with the toyline (because there are a lot more viewers of Cartoon Network than the HUB ever had).

[Bidoofdude]

Unless there are specific plots derived from TFPrime or they are hunting down Decepticons from TFPrime, I think it might just be a marketing thing to have it promoted as being related to the previous series. A ghost (dead) Optimus seems to be the only carry-over plot device so far, and unless it is mentioned how he died, even that could be explained away from any other series that he's died in (or a new universe that we've never seen before).

It is also worth noting for Non-Americans, that Hasbro's HUB cable channel in America has been rebranded as Discovery Family, and Hasbro have sold off some of their share, to become a minor shareholder. It will still feature some of Hasbro's shows, but the interesting thing is that this new series is going to be on Cartoon Network instead of the rebranded HUB channel.
That will mean more exposure to the brand and cartoon, and better success with the toyline (because there are a lot more viewers of Cartoon Network than the HUB ever had).

I agree. Bumblebee seems to be entirely new to the whole Earth thing. Prime dying seems like the only carryover.

Grimlock was pretty cool, but very Godzilla-esque. I wouldn't mind a repaint into Trypticon at some point.

[bassbot]

Put me in the same group of those lamenting the small cast of actual CHARACTERS. Though I believe it is a cost cutting route, such as with TF Prime not having a buttload of designs and cg stuff. I could be wrong on that but that's what I reckon.

[Verno]

Prototype toys (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-rid-titans-prototypes-bumblebee-optimus-prime-wolf-character/31448/) and guess who's got one? :rolleyes:

[MayzaPrime]

Put me in the same group of those lamenting the small cast of actual CHARACTERS. Though I believe it is a cost cutting route, such as with TF Prime not having a buttload of designs and cg stuff. I could be wrong on that but that's what I reckon.

Add me to this group as well... I loved how Beast Wars had a small cast.

I love G1, its what got me hooked on TFs as a kid, but I really don't want to go back to the 'toy of the week' episodes

[5FDP]

Just watched the trailer this morning. It's a bit 'meh' but I'll reserve final judgment until I see the finished product.

[Sky Shadow]

Put me in the same group of those lamenting the small cast of actual CHARACTERS.


Add me to this group as well... I loved how Beast Wars had a small cast.

http://s17.postimg.org/qlkbklxlr/inconceivable_means_02.jpg

[Sharky]

Prototype toys (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-rid-titans-prototypes-bumblebee-optimus-prime-wolf-character/31448/) and guess who's got one? :rolleyes:

Steeljaw

pics of toys from NYCC are surfacing Linky (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/nycc-2014-transformers-robots-in-disguise-pics-181298/) (Thanks Krayt)

there is also more awesome toy images of the more awesome Combiner Wars (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/nycc-2014-generationscombiner-wars-figures-leader-class-thundercracker-181297/)

[Paulbot]

Steeljaw

pics of toys from NYCC are surfacing Linky (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/nycc-2014-transformers-robots-in-disguise-pics-181298/) (Thanks Krayt)

there is also more awesome toy images of the more awesome Combiner Wars (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/conventions-15/nycc-2014-generationscombiner-wars-figures-leader-class-thundercracker-181297/)

I want to buy Steeljaw. I think he looks great. I've been very disappointed/bored with AOE but am greatly looking forward to the neoRID line

(and also the combiner wars stuff but I'm sure there'll be another thread for those reveals)

The scannable code isginia (to unlock something in another new App game) as seen on Steeljaw is an interesting new gimmick

[Sky Shadow]

Steeljaw is definitely the chrome of the crop.

[i_amtrunks]

Two things immediately come to mind:
1. For a show that seems to be selling itself on being "Prime-less" there sure are a lot of Prime toys being released.
2. They are persisting with the Titans figures... for reasons.... The AoE Titans are possible the biggest shelfwarmers in TF history, and they have some good competition in the field.

The tiny deluxes look alright, the series aesthetic seems to transfer well into plastic.