Posts Tagged ‘Michael Bay’

Ninja Turtles Film Franchise in Platinum Dunes’ hands

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Since last fall’s purchase of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rights by Paramount, the future of the film series has been in the air.  Now we have some idea of where it is going, just not what it’ll look like when it finally hits the big screen in a couple of years or so.  Paramount made a first look deal with the partners in Platinum Dunes, a company created to generate genre films as well as expand their scope.

The most interesting part of the deal is who makes up the partners in Platinum Dunes: Brad Fuller, Andrew Form and Michael Bay.  Yes, the same Michael Bay who is busy working on Transformers 3.  Apparently there is a meeting set in the next few weeks with writers for the project.

I can see how Michael Bay and Transformers was a good fit, but Michael Bay and TMNT?  That’s a mystery that remains to be seen.  He’s not the likely candidate to direct the film, but there isn’t a director list put together yet, at least in the public.

What would TMNT look like with Michael Bay at the helm?  What concerns me is what would become of the character of April O’Neil.

Michael Bay on Transformers 3, Haiti

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Michael Bay is hard at work on Transformers 3, which is scheduled to go into active production this summer.  I’m excited for it, although I have some hopes that after Michael Bay’s Transformers 3, Hasbro pulls a Spider-Man and reboots the series.  I have a feeling that someone like J.J. Abrams would do a great job with it, though two of his writers were the primary writers of Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

The third film is written by the third part of the writing team from the second film.  Alone.  So who knows… Michael Bay fills us in on both the feel of the script for the third film, as well as his work to help out Haiti:

Hello everyone,

Busy scouting – Chicago, Detroit, and Washington D.C. for Transformers last week. Things are going well. The script is feeling very different from the other two. I ended my scout down in Miami this weekend to load my plane with 14 Florida Surgeons, specialists in various fields and flew them down to Haiti. We then returned with a planeload of a team of exhausted Miami Fire rescue. It is proving very difficult for these volunteers to get back home.

They say the news hardly gives the true scope of what really happened. They really feel about 500,000 probably died. One of the worst stories I heard from people down there – because of the huge lack of education in Haiti – when the earthquake struck – everyone ran inside buildings most likely to their graves. The state of Florida is really pulling their weight in this massive effort.

Michael

So, he’s scouted for locations in Chicago, Detroit and Washington D.C.  Nice.  I live about 3 1/2 hours from both Chicago and Detroit, so even though I don’t think I’ll have time, I’d love to try to be an extra in the film, if he settles on it.  He did shoot in Detroit on the first film, and I think Washington D.C.  Not sure about Chicago, though.

One thing that I really loved about it, though: “The script is feeling very different from the other two.”  I hope this is different in a positive direction.  For example: focus more on the robots.  It’s called “Transformers.”  Not “Humans, with special guests, the Transformers!”  I have heard that they’re cutting it back to a movie about a boy and his robot, which is fine with me, so long as Bumblebee can speak this time around.  I’m also hoping that they take the time to actually build up the Autobot characters as well as the Decepticons.

I’d also appreciate a less vulgar film than the second one.  It’s based on toys for kids, it should be MARKETABLE toward kids.  A film that full of innuendo, cursing and all that is not.

I have to hand it to Michael Bay for helping with Haiti, though, regardless of his sense of humor and swearing habits.

You can see pictures from Michael Bay’s trip on his blog.

Frank Welker to voice Soundwave in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

SoundwaveIn a turn of events that I had not expected, another Transformers veteran is set to return to the fold. Joining Optimus Prime’s voice actor Peter Cullen is Frank Welker. Frank Welker gave voice to Megatron and Soundwave among other characters in the original Transformers animated series. Fans have spoken up about bringing him on board and Michael Bay responded:

I think I’m going to pursue Frank on Soundwave.

Michael

A very succinct and exciting proposition. This movie just gets bigger and bigger all the time!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Shooting IMAX sequences

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

This is one of the most exciting things that I have heard in some time. My favorite movie of 2007 was Transformers, primarily because I grew up watching Transformers. That and Peter Cullen, the original voice of Optimus Prime, returned to reprise his role.

The movie was fun and, every time the Transformers appeared, I was blown away. There just wasn’t enough time with the Transformers. They were only on screen for about 25% of the film, if that.

For movie 2, I created a want list for the sequel that I’ll be posting again after seeing the sequel, along with my analysis of how I feel they did, and how much they may have met my expectations or not.

Now, thanks to the inspiration of The Dark Knight, Michael Bay is joining the crowd of those that are filming sequences with IMAX cameras. These are films that deserve to be seen on IMAX, and Michael Bay is the right man for the job.

Read the full press release after the break.

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