Transformers reboot

[ChrisIII]

Given the huge amount of money the "Bayformers" trilogy has made, another fourth or fifth (if you count the animated one) movie is probably assured. However "Dark of the Moon" was reportedly the last film with Lebouf and Michael Bay, and the next Transformers, like Amazing Spider-Man, will start with a fresh take.


But where to take the franchise? There were of course complaints about the Bay films. Too much offensive humor, overly complex Transformer designs, bad acting and lost looking actors and cameos (Just what was the point of Malcovitch in DOTM?) long and tiring battle scenes, and not enough emphasis on the Transformers themselves. Granted, the original 'toon and it's followups were mainly glorified toy commercials, but at least had a bit of charm.


One idea would be a film take on the war on the planet Cybertron, although that leaves us with no humans to really identify with, and such a project would probably be entirely CG and probably very, very expensive. However, it's a popular subject among Transformers fiction, with the well received War Within comics and of course the recent PS3/X360 game.

Any other thoughts or ideas?

[Minerboh]

Ι just hope that whatever plans they have in store for the movie franchise of the Transformers, they will feature more robots and less humans. It is called Transformers and not Sam's epic love trouble with explosions and giant robots! We have seen tons and tons of movies with romances menaced by something!

[Legato]

If humans had to be used use humans that are

1. Less annoying

2. Military personell

[Screaming4Blood]

I hate the Bay movies. It should have been called - Humans, featuring the Transformers.

No one goes to those movies to see the humans, we want huge robot battles and be mainly focused on, what?, the TRANSFORMERS.

I hate that. Lots of movies do it and it annoys the shit out of me.

I hope Peter Cullen returns as Optimus. Sentinel was the only good thing about DOTM, and that movie ended HORRIBLY. Megatron was killed like he was nothing, which makes NO SENSE. He was this huge, impossible to kill Decepticon in the first movie, and now Optimus swats him away like he's nothing.

I hope it gets the reboot it deserves.

[Legato]

The only good things about DOTM was the moon landing at the beginning and Sentinel. The rest was either average, mediocre, or pure crap

[Meadow]

I didn't really mind the fact they focused on the humans, the problem is that all three movies are a terribly written mess. There was just way too much random yelling, pointless characters, awful dialogue and dry humping the US military.

[Legato]

I didn't really mind the fact they focused on the humans, the problem is that all three movies are a terribly written mess. There was just way too much random yelling, pointless characters, awful dialogue and dry humping the US military.

I dont mind human characters either. One can use human characters in a Transformers film as long as they are well written

[Matt]

You'd have to redo the designs and bring them much closer into line with the original Generation 1 designs - and that can work. There are plenty of fan created designs on YouTube which shows that they work wonderfully with CGI. The Masterpiece TF designs also show that the G1 designs can work and work really well.

Like others have said, you'd have to notably reduce the airtime humans get. LeBouf, let's face it, is a bloody terrible actor and no one really gives a damn about what he's up to - they went to the movie to see giant robots beating each other up.

The most logical option to take would be a CGI affair. Start it off on Cybertron, have the story of the Autobots leaving and the Decepticons pursuing them. A running battle as the Autobots vainly try to lose the 'Cons, some smart manoeuvres and showdowns aboard the Ark ... and the movie could end with the Ark crashing to Earth.
Which sets it up for the sequel.

[JCAll]

Oh come on everyone, they need to make at least one more movie in the Bay series. So we can see Unicron murder everyone.

Anyway...no. No reboots. Screw that. Are we so bankrupt for originality we're remaking things from 4 years ago?

[1505627]

Here's how i would do it. I'd keep the movie design aesthetics, as i like them. however, unlike the actual movies, there'd be mass shifting. however for more blatant changes, we'd see them using a device onscreen to grow.

now the cast

Optimus Prime: New to being the leader, only taking over for alpha trion at the begining of the film. To reflect his more inexperienced leadership growing into a more experienced one, he's voiced by Kevin Conroy. For Altmode we go with the standard Truch

Ultra Magnus: Optimus' second in command. Very loyal and helps keep the others in line. Voice of Clancy Brown. Alt mode is an Armored hummer

Hot Shot: An over eager hothead. He is obsessed with speed. Altmode is a stock car. Voice of Dante Basco

Overide: forms a duo with hotshot, her being the more level headed one. altmode is a sports car. Voice of Scarlet johanson(to provide star power)

Cogimus: an elderly, semi-disgraced prime, now serving as a medic. Altmode is an osprey. voice of morgan Freeman

Megatron: The evil decepticon overlord. You all know what he's like. Altmode is a futuristic Paris gun. Voice of Tim Curry

The constructicons: Megatron's silent elite badasses. they are strong enough to keep fighting even after literally being ripped to pieces. they Consist of Mixmaster, Scrapper, Dirtboss, Rampage, Bulkhead, and Long Haul.

Decepticon drones: Mindless, nameless fighters who are basically canon fodder. however, we are shone in an early scene that if one of them becomes impressive enough, they are fed the sparks of fellow drones to upgrade them into full character status. we see this happen early in the film, with the creation of Long Haul.


As for the plot, we open on a space battle wherein alpha trion is mortally wounded. As he dies, he gives optimus the location of the matrix of leadership: Earth.

He goes to earth. The team starts looking for the matrix , using hard light, holographic human forms to make the search easier. They eventually find it, and defeat it's gaurdian to claim it. however they cannot activate it.

they then discover megatron has followed them to earth and is atteampting to smoke them out by attacking san francisco. this leads to the final battle against the decepticon army on top of the golden gate bridge. the constructicons are eventually defeated by and airstrike that destroys the bridge. except for bulkhead who survives and makes a Heel Face turn in time for the sequel

In the end Megatron fights the whole team at once before optimus upgrades to super mode with the matrix and defeats him. Optimus spares him and gives him an oppurtunity to flee, but before megatron can a drone flies up and consumes his spark. as his spark is being eaten, megatron says
"You worthless, nameless traitor!"

after he is finished eating megatron's spark, the drone quips as it flies away "Nameless? i'm not nameless. I! Am! Starscream!"

the film ends with the capture of the aforementioned bulkhead and optimus prime allying himself with the united nations

[Jared]

I doubt they will, and don't think they should, do a total reboot. Just make the fourth film where the principle human characters are the army guys. Maybe some computer techs too, see if Rachel Taylor will come back so there's still a hot chick But the human focus does need to decrease in comparison to the machines. I wouldn't mind a small role for Tuturro and the crazy German butler/assassin again, as they were actually quite funny in DOTF.

There's plenty of more bad guys to use, start hinting at Unicron, maybe teasing him at the very end as he resurrects Megatron into Galvatron.

[1505627]

I doubt they will, and don't think they should, do a total reboot. Just make the fourth film where the principle human characters are the army guys. Maybe some computer techs too, see if Rachel Taylor will come back so there's still a hot chick But the human focus does need to decrease in comparison to the machines. I wouldn't mind a small role for Tuturro and the crazy German butler/assassin again, as they were actually quite funny in DOTF.

There's plenty of more bad guys to use, start hinting at Unicron, maybe teasing him at the very end as he resurrects Megatron into Galvatron.

devastator melted a computer, who knows what unircron would do

[HardKore]

reboot is badly needed in my opinion.

Why?

The trilogy is one of the most successful trilogies of all time, Dark of the Moon is the fifth most successful movie worldwide of all time.

These movies are a huge success story, not that expensive to make, huge boxoffice smashes and lots and lots of merchandise.

If they had made these movies to appeal to G1 fanboys they would have flopped badly.

[Meadow]

These movies are a huge success story, not that expensive to make, huge boxoffice smashes and lots and lots of merchandise.

200 million is a huge budget any way you look at it. Few films cross that mark.

[Charles RB]

reboot is badly needed in my opinion.

Yeah. Screw Megatron, Megabyte's where it's at!

[StoneGold]

If they had made these movies to appeal to G1 fanboys they would have flopped badly.

That's not necessarily true, either. But you're right, the movies were ridiculously successful, and anyone who says otherwise is either wrong, lying or deluded. They weren't particularly good, but that in itself never stopped a movie from making money.

[Tazirai]

Why?

The trilogy is one of the most successful trilogies of all time, Dark of the Moon is the fifth most successful movie worldwide of all time.

These movies are a huge success story, not that expensive to make, huge boxoffice smashes and lots and lots of merchandise.

If they had made these movies to appeal to G1 fanboys they would have flopped badly.

I agree with this. G1 is done. Transformers by definition change. So no G1 movies for CGI unless on Tv. Besides G1 already had a movie in 86. Even a new TF trilogy, should keep SOME design aesthetics, and maybe humanize the faces more. But NO direct G1 counterpoint, to go from these designs to g1 would be a step backwards.

[Acecool]

I dont mind human characters either. One can use human characters in a Transformers film as long as they are well written

Humans are fine as long as there is actual character development of the transformers themselves. Plus megatron and optimus prime need to actually have plans and leadership skills that don't involve relying on a teenager's brillant ideas. They need to quit having some prize they are seeking and instead focus on actual military goals such as resources and stratigic locations.

In otherwords a lot more focus on the transformers and less on the reactions the people have around them.

Plus they should have less complex and frankly magical transformations and a setting with consistant rules.

[Acecool]

I agree with this. G1 is done. Transformers by definition change. So no G1 movies for CGI unless on Tv. Besides G1 already had a movie in 86. Even a new TF trilogy, should keep SOME design aesthetics, and maybe humanize the faces more. But NO direct G1 counterpoint, to go from these designs to g1 would be a step backwards.

All transformers since G1 are a reimagination of that series. I agree, they should not look identical to the 1980s version of the transformers, but at the sametime they need to have a more consistant transformation that doesn't look like a mechanical version of the T-1000.

That is I think they shouldn't toss out the baby with the bath water in terms of both designs. Keep the best of both. In my estimation, G1 had more baby than bath water than the new designs.