Why can't we have another animated or FoC-style Transformers movie?

[BigTransformerTrev]

I was just reading all the comments in another thread about the announced Transformers 4. Many, many of the collective groans and apprehensions about it of course are to do problems with the last 3 films. The most popular ones include:

* Transformers having no character development and being used as big props
* Awful human acting
* Convuluted plots and too much emphasis on explosions and special effects

Then I was thinking of the reaction so many of my friends - even non-TF or gaming friends - had when I showed them the first promo clip of Fall of Cybertron. Nearly the universal reaction was 'Why don't they make a movie like that?' As the resident expert in my circle they expected a lengthy and detailed answer and all I could say was "I don't know - I wish they would!'

Well, why in the name of Primus could we not have another animated movie? Wouldn't that solve all our and the studios problems?

Examples:
Transformers having no character development and being used as big props
There would be absolutely no extra expense with having the majority (if not all - please let it be all!) of the action and scenes be full of Transformers rather than humans, thus the extra screen time being used to flesh out the characters

Awful human acting
No humans! Or at least just as cannon fodder (maybe then I would not mind them having Daniel heh heh) Hell, the whole movie could be on Cybertron or in outer space!


Convuluted plots and too much emphasis on explosions and special effects
Make the plot fit the bots in question, not the other way around and not with half of it being about a boys romance or his nutty mother. And the explosions would take a hell of a lot less effort being drawn or done with CGI then Michael Bay spending months figuring out how to make a street blow up, therefore may be treated with less vital importance. (The entirity of Moon Base 1 blowing up was a matter of seconds - not minutes, in the 86 movie)


Now this is not to say they still could not do another live-action movie. Personally I loved the 1st, didn't mind the 3rd and just tried to think of the Optimus/Megatron forest fight scene of the 2nd and how cool I thought Ravage looked. So I'm happy for them to make a 4th (though if Bay falls in the shower and can't do it himself between now and then I wont complain) and considering the last one was the 4th highest grossing movie ever made it's inevitable. But think of how well Hasbro and the studio's could shut up us annoying, whinging fans if they gave us a G1 or FoC styled animated movie to be going on with! Every time we complained they could go 'Well, we gave you what you wanted in an animated movie - just go watch that!'

So what do people think - could the powers that be be convinced to go down this road? And is it a good idea in general?



(P.S: As usual I will put in the apology if this thread has been done before )

[Sky Shadow]

Why can't we have another animated or FoC-style Transformers movie?

Because life is unfair? Yeah, I would prefer animated over live-action any day. There's no limit to what can be done and no real need for humans.

[Starscream77]

Great idea, though i would go with an FOC style and leave G1 alone as that was what it was and IMO should not be touched.
I am not a hater of the live action movies (well except ROTF) and welcome a 4th but hell yeah would love an animated FOC style movie as well

[kup]

They could certainly do it but they don't seem to care enough to do it.

[UltraMarginal]

I think it's a great idea. though realistically, the FOC game in pretty much an interactive movie. if they released video media of that right now it might get lost in the noise, they'd be better off releasing something in 12 months or so, halfway between this game and it's sequel.

As for an animated movie of either G1 or Prime or Animated, or even Beastwars. There's a fair bit of potential there for that too, but again, now probably isn't the right time. we've just had 3 live action films which like the common consensus seems to be, I liked most of the first and third and not so much of the second, though it had it's moments.
We're heading towards a 4th live action film. and there will probably be a 5th. doing an animated feature right now would fairly well muddy the waters I think, or it would get lost amongst all the other media.

We are in a media rich time for transformers at the moment. Live action movies, a second excellent computer game, a great Computer animated TV series, a second tv series specifically aimed at younger children, two comic series with other one-shots or mini series popping up on a semi regular basis. Also, a MMORPG going live some time this year, maybe. And 3 novels in the last couple years.

That's a lot of stuff.

The original animated movie happened between seasons of the tv show, and the only other media available that was transformers related was the comic.

I think the main reason we shouldn't have another animated movie right now is because there isn't room for it. But in the future, when there is a little less media about, it would be a great thing. maybe as a tie up to the Prime series. either way, give it time, at some point the live action movies will stop making as much money as Hasbro wants and then they'll have to give it a rest and think of something else.

If we get everything now, there won't be anything awesome to have in two years or whenever.

{my 2c} which kind of applies to toys also.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

So what do people think - could the powers that be be convinced to go down this road?

Fairly unlikely for reasons noted by UltraMarginal, and a few besides. For example...
Bay keeps raking in the money with his boobs+butts+toilet humor+US Army+explosions=success formula, so the films are succeeding in every way save actual artistic merit...and to be fair, that's always been a minor consideration (if even that) in Transformer animated media. To be even more fair, I like boobs and butts and explosions, so I'm not totally opposed to the formula - except for the satire-, style-, and strong-female-leads- parts Bay could probably do a big-screen Western version of Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt quite well.
Similarly, animated movies just don't seem to be as big a drawcard as 'live-action' stuff. Aside from a few Disney and/or Pixar works I'm hard-pressed to think of one animated movie that's been 'big' in a cultural sense, there seems to still be a mainstream idea of animation automatically = 'just for kids'.

And is it a good idea in general?

Yes, it really is. For starters, the heavy lifting is already done. The character models and a hefty amount of the background design is already planned out and/or made, the basic plot is already done (with plenty of room for standard episode spin-offs/subplots should the movie be successful), there's a tie-in game and toyline already there - it's pretty much a no-brainer. The possible benefits far outweigh the effort involved, even allowing for a less-than-best-case scenario.
But then again, there's already a heap of media out there, and that big 4th movie coming up, and everyone knows that kids are too dumb to maintain awareness of more than one variant on the same media franchise at the same time and that 'the fans' aren't really worth catering to in any big way (and to be fair there's a certain amount of truth there), and there are all those other franchises to worry about as well, so maybe don't hold your breath while you wait.

[theheretic]

I love the live action movies but the original animated movie is far better than those. First time I saw it has a kid (and possibly a few more screenings) I cried web Optimus died. I still get shivers when OP says "Megatron must be stopped, no matter the cost" and then the music starts and he beats down ALL the decepticons! So good. I'd love a FOC movie like this!

[SuspectimusPrime]

There's no limit to what can be done and no real need for humans.

Agreed. Given the breadth of today's sci-fi culture, there need not be a reset to remind new generations of viewers the purpose of Transformers transforming. Humans were originally necessary to justify that Transformers transformed into something. Big robots pew-pew-PEWing each other or other aliens in space with multi-toned lasers should suffice as appeal (or at least to my limited intellect ).

The original animated movie happened between seasons of the tv show, and the only other media available that was transformers related was the comic.

I wonder how today's kids will take it if Hasbro out of nowhere makes a movie that brutally kills off 80% of the TF Prime characters kids love and force introduces a whole new crew & set of toys.

[GoktimusPrime]

No humans...

A story driven by developing Transformers characters...

That settles it, looks like this coming holidays I'm just going to have to watch all my
DVDs.

[Megatron]

...
I wonder how today's kids will take it if Hasbro out of nowhere makes a movie that brutally kills off 80% of the TF Prime characters kids love and force introduces a whole new crew & set of toys.

Haha... not just the kids that would take it badly though... *points to self as example*

Ok, here's my 2c regarding live-action vs animated TF movies. I'm going to go against the grain a bit and say that another live-action TF movie, with humans, is a big "Yes" from me. I wouldn't mind seeing an animated one too, but there's things that a live-action can do that no other format can. For example, the real human actors is a great idea and the way they interact with live action Transformers in a real world setting, to me just can't be beat. If anything, the previous 3 Bay TF movies proved that. BUT... it can be difficult to appreciate that unique sense of real world Transformers in Bay's movies, simply because the screenplay, over the top humor and bad characterizations, for both humans and TFs, gets in the way. However, I cannot fault the visuals/CGI as it really does look outstanding (not necessarily the robot designs - that's a mixed bag for me) and the unique sense of greatness and awesomeness that a TF live-action movie can bring. If only it can be made with an outstanding script, no shaky, confusing camera work, and no silliness from humans (though we need humans in it because it opens up a whole new dimension to the movie that you just wouldn't get otherwise - only give them more important roles to justify their existence!), then I think we'd really have something.