Michael Bay returns for TF5 as director

[Bladestorm]

For those who missed the news two weeks ago, Michael Bay has confirmed in a Rolling Stones interview that he is directing Transformers... and has said that there will be some filming in Chicago again.

I'll be interested to see how he makes Trump Tower look like it's on Cybertron! Given he did so well *choke* making Chicago look like Hong Kong.

But honestly... is anyone REALLY surprised by this?
Transformers has been as cash cow for him and he gets to play with all the latest in big boy vehicular toys (and I ain't talking about the plastic crack we all love to collect). What's not to love about directing Transformers if you are Michael Bay?

[griffin]

I'll be interested to see how he makes Trump Tower look like it's on Cybertron! Given he did so well *choke* making Chicago look like Hong Kong.

Actually, that was Detroit which he turned into Hong Kong.... complete with a monorail that Hong Kong doesn't even have anywhere.

[Bladestorm]

Actually, that was Detroit which he turned into Hong Kong.... complete with a monorail that Hong Kong doesn't even have anywhere.

My bad - I thought the scene in Central with the Victoria Secret Tram was Chicago because of the overhead traffic lights and ornate sidings...
What were the towers you can see in the scene behind the Wan Chai "concrete factory" where Optimus fights Lockdown?

Anyways, at least we know Bay can re-use footage from his previous films to cut costs.

I was really hoping for a space based adventure following Optimus but I guess as Bay likes his motorway chases and real pyrotechnics we are going to end up with more of Bumblebee and his Earth adventures with his new buddy Cade... fingers crossed they kill off his daughters boyfriend in the first 5 minutes... I'd pay to watch that in 3D.

Bay would be silly not to pander somewhat to the Chinese & Asian audiences because their inherent love of giant robots and Transformers is always going to make them an easy market, but I really think he could do that without BEING in China (although as Galvatron and the Knight ship are in Hong Kong I guess it does make an interesting starting point... I'd swear 1/2 the taxi's here are Decepticons already).
Personally I think he under-utilised Hong Kong (I'm happy to consult for you Michael!!) as it has some wicked roads with sharp hair pins and routes so windy you become nauseous along with the numerous tunnels including a few that go through buildings you could destroy quite spectacularly.
Honestly I wish someone would have the balls to use Australia. I think it lends itself nicely to Transformers in terms of wide open space for insane desert battles and a selection of both rural and urban cities just ripe for some catastrophic destruction while still looking like true gems of beauty to entice potential tourists. And with those long stretches of road you find almost everywhere imagine the road train battle scenes you could do with Optimus/Ultra Magnus/Nemesis Prime/Motormaster/etc.

[griffin]

My bad - I thought the scene in Central with the Victoria Secret Tram was Chicago because of the overhead traffic lights and ornate sidings...
What were the towers you can see in the scene behind the Wan Chai "concrete factory" where Optimus fights Lockdown?

Anyways, at least we know Bay can re-use footage from his previous films to cut costs.

It's possible that some scenes were filmed in Chicago like when they are out by the water in "Hong Kong", but the main battle scene was filmed in Detroit.

If you are referring to the recycled footage in TF3 on the highway (with the Dreads chasing Bumblebee), apparently that was slotted in to replace a scene that was filmed, due to a significant injury to one of the stunt-drivers.

• Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011). An extra was seriously injured during a stunt in Hammond, Indiana. Due to a failed weld, a steel cable snapped from a car being towed and hit the extra's car, damaging her skull. The extra, identified as Gabriela Cedillo, had to undergo brain surgery.[148] The injury has left her permanently brain-damaged, paralyzed on her left side and her left eye stitched shut.[149][150] In May 2012, it was revealed that a $18 million settlement had been reached between Paramount and the Cedillo family.[151] As a result of this accident, recycled footage from one of Michael Bay's previous movies, The Island, was used instead with CG robots inserted into the footage.[152]

[Magnus]

I don't mind the fact that Bay's returning; after all, as an action director, he's up there with the best of them.

I'm more concerned/curious about Akiva Goldsman delivering on the script front, although that writer's room he and Steven Spielberg set up sounded encouraging.

[Bladestorm]

It's possible that some scenes were filmed in Chicago like when they are out by the water in "Hong Kong", but the main battle scene was filmed in Detroit.

If you are referring to the recycled footage in TF3 on the highway (with the Dreads chasing Bumblebee)

I was thinking of the footage in TF4 with the battle of Chicago re-visited. Although if memory serves they also re-used "moon" footage and some of the computer tracking of Autobot footage from one of the earlier movies in TF4 too...

I remember reading one of the scenes from the original TF movie was also used somewhere else (another movie completely) so I guess it isn't unusual to re-use stuff. Even Disney was guilty of it back in the 60's with Jungle Book, Robin Hood, etc.

At the end of the day I guess Bay has to re-use scenes to help cut costs or meet his time constraints... at least I hope that's the reason behind it.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Yeah, the scenes where Bumblebee, Crosshairs, Wahlberg and Lucky Charms are being chased in a drop-fighter and flying through Chicago just looked way to familiar to the Chicago sequences in DotM. Almost as if they were using unused aerial footage from DotM. I swear the drop-fighters were the same as well.

I give it to Bay that he knows how to make good use of a location. Whenever he was shooting in Hong Kong, he made great use of the vertical shots and captured the unique density of the city. My family are from there so it was cool to see.

But this whole propaganda Chinese Govt buttkissing with lines like "We must call the Central Government for help!" and "The Central Government will defend Hong Kong at all costs!" just made me cringe.

[GoktimusPrime]

The Chinese military sure didn't seem to do much. (-_-)

[Megatran]

But this whole propaganda Chinese Govt buttkissing with lines like "We must call the Central Government for help!" and "The Central Government will defend Hong Kong at all costs!" just made me cringe.

We must be 2 peas from a different garden patch. It was reassuring to hear that a superpower defending its territory. In contrast, I'll gladly sacrifce Tassie in order to save the mainland.

[Jetfire in the sky]

But this whole propaganda Chinese Govt buttkissing with lines like "We must call the Central Government for help!" and "The Central Government will defend Hong Kong at all costs!" just made me cringe.

As opposed to all the US flag waving crap from every other US made action film?