New Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Footage

Transformers director Michael Bay was awarded the Vanguard Award for Excellence in Film Making at the ShoWest trade show this weekend, and to wrap up his acceptance speech he showed the assembled crowd some footage from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. As is the way of things, the footage found its way onto YouTube, so now we can all see what we're getting in our next installment of robot-on-robot violence.

Apparently, what we're getting involves angst, robot face kicking and Megan Fox. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon.

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Transformers' Megan Fox

Megan Denise Fox is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles on the television series Hope & Faith (2004) and in the 2007 live-action film Transformers.

Fox is of Irish, French and Native American ancestry. She grew up in nearby Rockwood, Tennessee, beginning her training in drama and dance at age 5, in Kingston, and attended a dance class at the community center there and was involved in Kingston Elementary School's chorus.

At age 16, Fox launched her career after winning several awards at the 1999 American Modeling and Talent Convention in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Fox made her film debut in the 2001 film Holiday in the Sun as the spoiled heiress Brianna Wallace and rival of Alex Stewart (Ashley Olsen). She then landed guest appearances on Ocean Ave., What I Like About You, Two and a Half Men and The Help from 2003 to 2004. In 2004, Fox starred in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen alongside Lindsay Lohan. She was subsequently cast in a recurring role on the television series Hope & Faith, in which she portrayed Sydney Shanowski from 2004 through 2006.

Fox's big break arrived when she acquired the lead female role of Mikaela Banes in the 2007live-action filmTransformers, based on the toy and cartoon saga of the same name. She played the love interest of Shia LaBeouf's character Sam Witwicky. In June 2007, Fox was cast in How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, starring alongside Jeff Bridges, Simon Pegg and Kirsten Dunst. The character Fox portrayed is that of a young Hollywood starlet getting her first taste of fame. The film premiered in October 2008, and she has signed on for two more Transformers sequels.

Warner Bros. chose Megan Fox as the clear front-runner replacement for actress Angelina Jolie in the third "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" franchise movie. Fox turned down the role.

Fox has nine tattoos, including a poem on her ribcage, a symbol for strength on her neck, Green's name on her hip, a pink flamingo on her upper thigh, and a picture of Marilyn Monroe's face on her right arm. She also has one on her right shoulder that reads, (a line from Shakespeare's play King Lear),

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This Is How You Get Me Interested In A Transformers Game

I didn't want anything to do with the last Transformers game, partly because I'd heard it was awful, but mostly because it featured "movie" Transformers. Which are terrible, spindly things.

Call me a purist, call me an asshole, I don't mind, but when a Transformer looks like a Bionicle with a bone disease, it's not really a Transformer. This ruined the last film for me, I wasn't going to work to unlock them in the last game, and it even ruined the 2004 PS2 game based on the "Armada" series, which part of me knew was excellent, but other parts reviled because it starred the "wrong" Optimus Prime.

So it's heartening to hear that the developers behind the second Transformers game - the one based on the second live-action Transformers movie - will be incorporating a wide range of downloadable characters into the game. Not "unlockable". "Downloadable".

Sure, this will include characters from the Michael Bay film, but it's interesting that publishers Activision refused to confirm with MTV that these would be the only ones. Leaving us with the very real possibility that there would be downloadable characters from other Transformers timelines/mediums.

Like, say, the original series. Or, in my dreams, multiple series, from which I can build a Prime menagerie like the one above.

UPDATE - Yes, you could unlock some skins in the first game. But they were just re-skins. This sounds more like the (downloadable) introduction of all-new characters, which if Activision know what they're doing, will include Soundwave, Huffer and Seaspray.

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Transformers 2: Two and a Half Hours of Awesome

A glimpse of the movie poster.

According to Michael Bay, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will be "four minutes longer than the last one," which means it should clock in at around 147 minutes or so. Bay had this to say about the duration of cinematic features:

"I don’t ever talk (to executives) about run times,” he grinned. “Studios always ask, ‘What’s the run time?’ And I’m like ‘If you enjoy the movie, do you care?"

While Bay's point of an enjoyable film's duration not being of great importance is a valid argument, if Revenge of the Fallen is anything like the original film then it probably wouldn't hurt to have some of the film trimmed down a bit. When people think Transformers, they think giant robots. So that's what they want going into the film and when the humans have been given more screen time than the robots have, it kind of hurts the film overall. I really enjoyed the first film, but there definitely could have been more of the Autobots and Decepticons, a little less of Sam's and other human's backstories, and/or some things being left out entirely. A few snips here and there would have made the film that much better.

Megatron is said to be back in Revenge of the Fallen, as well. Bay said this about Megatron returning:

“[Megatron would only be seen] from the long lost past. We go way back in time as this movie explains the mythology of the Primes. He is not a tank like everyone suggests, but an alien vehicle. But sadly he does not has much screen time.”

It seems as though Bay could have been trying to throw fans for a loop as Megatron's role may be larger than he's letting on. The information on the back of some of the new toys for the film hint that "Revenge of the Fallen" could be referring to not only the new character, "The Fallen," but also Megatron himself. Check out the full article over at ScreenRant for a glimpse at what Megatron will look like in the film along with what kind of capacity he'll appear in the film.

Bay also said that he invited Steven Spielberg to screen the film and Spielberg was quoted as saying, "It's awesome." You can read the full story to that over at ScreenRant, as well. The juiciest piece of information from that article is that we'll be getting the next full length trailer with X-Men Origins: Wolverine on May 1st.

Some footage of the film that was shown at ShoWest 2009 has surfaced online. I've embedded the video below. Enjoy.

EDIT: The Youtube video has already been taken down. I found another one, but it probably won't be up long. Watch it quick before it's pulled.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen hits theaters June 24th.

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‘Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen’ Cast Talks Optimus Prime, Demolishor And Devastator

Last we heard from Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), he’d just helped his Transformer buddies save the world. Now, as the much-anticipated sequel picks up, all Witwicky wants is to quit being a hero for a while and become a regular college kid. This being a Michael Bay film, however, don’t expect Witwicky’s hopes for peace and quiet to last very long.

How exactly that tranquility will be interrupted — and what exactly will transpire as “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” gets going — is anything but clear at this point. Plot details are still very much under wraps. But two of the film’s co-stars, Ramon Rodriguez and Isabel Lucas, gave MTV News some fresh insight into what we can expect when the film hits theaters June 24.

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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen "Making Of" Clips

MTV News has posted up a handful of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen interview snippets with Aussie beauty Isabel Lucas and Ramon Rodriguez rambling on about working on the film.

Both actors light up with energy when describing the dangers and awe of working on an explosive Michael Bay set. Lucas worked with Shia and Megan in a giant library set as Sam's college while Ramon was stuck in the hot desert dodging explosions.

With Transformers news at a crawl since the ShoWest footage briefly appeared last weekend, these "Making Of" clips (as labeled by MTV) don't offer anything we don't know but beat another day of nothing.

About this Blog Welcome to the MTV Movies Blog, updated throughout the day with exclusive movie news, trailers, interviews and more. Our team of film

Over the last few weeks, “Transformers” director Michael Bay has spent a considerable amount of time telling us about his favorite Earth-invading robots, and even revealed the Transformer he hated so much that he decided to kill it. But these days, he’s wrestling with the final touch: Who will voice his new “Transformers” robots, and will a “Star Trek” legend be amongst them?

“I’m still not done with all the voices,” Bay explained to us recently when we brought up “Revenge of the Fallen” robot casting for the film, which hits theaters on June 24th.

As loyal fans of the robots-in-disguise remember, Mr. Spock himself - Leonard Nimoy - was the voice of characters like Galvatron in the 1986 cartoon “Transformers: The Movie.” And “Revenge” writer Roberto Orci has said that he’d like to see Nimoy return for the summer blockbuster. Further clouding the issue, however, is the fact that Bay and Nimoy are…related?

You might think that their familial ties would make such a deal easier; Bay, however, told us it’s quite the opposite.

“You know, he’s related to me,” laughed Bay. “And now that you are filming this, maybe you can send it to him.”

“[Nimoy] is married to Susan Bay, who’s a cousin to me,” Michael explained, saying that he’s afraid of insulting his relative with the mere pittance allotted to pay his voice actors. “I just feel kind of bad about asking him. Like ‘I can’t pay you that much? But would you do this voice?’”

So Michael hasn’t worked up the nerve yet to ask his famous cousin – who appears in next month’s “Star Trek” – to lend him his vocal talents. Instead, the pair have been using a third relative as a go-between.

“Would he do it?” Bay asked. “He suggested to my mom that he might do it.”

Which new “Transformers” character would you like to hear Nimoy performing the voice of?

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Transformers 2: Michael Bay's Rejected Script

This fall Michael Bay's rejected Dark Knight script made the rounds and it turns out the same thing has happened with his Transformers 2 script. It's too bad we won't get to see the hot female robots explode on the big screen.

The Show Doesn't Stop For Shia LaBeouf

April 14) - Almost 9 months after Shia LaBeouf's hand was crushed in a late-night car accident during the shooting of 'Transformers,' the actor is still putting the pieces back together - literally. LaBeouf tells Entertainment Weekly that his partially-functional hand now contains surgically implanted screws, plates... and a piece of his hip bone. Still, LaBeouf is scheduled for his third reconstructive surgery - and he expects he will never regain full dexterity in his left hand.

While authorities determined that the accident was caused by the other driver, the actor's refusal to take a breathalyzer test at the scene resulted in a one-year suspension of his driver's license. Unfortunately, his punishment was the least of the damages. As LaBeouf tells EW, "My middle finger is still crooked as a f---ing noodle, so they've gotta straighten it out and put a screw in it."

I got a demo of the Xbox 360 and Wii version of Activision’s “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” video games today. I’ll have more details tomorrow. For now, let me share two topics that should excite current and lapsed (like me) Transformers obsessives.

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Here are the two things that came up during the “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” demo I got today that made me, a guy who used to get every Transformer that came out, excited:

There will be Protectobots in the game: When one of the developers of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” told me that some of the un-named extra Transformers in the upcoming movie game are based on some of the classic groups of Transformers that I played with when I was growing up, I had trouble remembering that I was a grown man. The developers behind the games are Transformers nerds themselves, I was told. They have used Aerialbots, Stunticons, Combaticons, Protectobots and Omnibots as inspiration for the unnamed robots players will encounter in the game. (I believe that’s a Combaticon on the left in the image above). There was no sign that these modern-day Protectobots will merge into the mighty Defensor. Instead they seem to be foot soldiers — extra robots to shoot and be shot by. The group names are classifications as these robots won’t have names. (I think the conversation I had with the Activision people about this was the first opportunity I had to say the word “Defensor” since I mentioned him to my brother when I was 11.)

Maybe multiple players can merge into Devastator? The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of “Revenge of the Fallen” include online multiplayer deathmatch and capture the flag modes. Up to eight gamers can play online. The new “Revenge of the Fallen” version of Devastator is, like his 1980s predecessor, a giant robot made up of smaller robots. So, I asked, can online players each play as one of Devastator’s component robots and then merge so that multiple players control a single, towering Devastator? The Activision reps gave me a stalling laugh and then one said: “We do have a lot of Transformers available [in the game.] Some that you play make up Devastator. That’s all I can say about that.” So… maybe?

I’ll have more on the “Revenge of the Fallen” in the coming days. The game ships for every major gaming platform this summer.

SHIA LABEOUF - LABEOUF ALMOST LOST HIS SIGHT IN TRANSFORMERS 2 BLAST

Actor SHIA LABEOUF has revealed he came an inch from blindness after a stunt went awry on the set of the TRANSFORMERS sequel.

The incident was played down when it took place last October (09), and LaBeouf was treated by military doctors on the set at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico - but now the actor has spoken out about the drama.

He tells Entertainment Weekly magazine, "I basically stuck a f**king sharp object through my eyelid.

"They stitched me up in a military hospital. The doctor looks at me and he holds his thumb and forefinger about an inch apart from one another. I said, 'What is that?' He said, 'Blindness.'"
LaBeouf tells the publication the shoot was a physical challenge for him - and not just because he crushed his left hand in a car accident just after shooting had begun.

He adds, "This movie was the most physical thing I've ever had to do, and I had to do it with a broken hand. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life.

"(I was) constantly having to take hits and fall and run through explosions and get hit and beat up all day. Aside from my hand, I also got 25 stitches making this movie, in various parts of my body - stuff that had nothing to do with my hand."

A soldier who was among the extras in scenes at Holloman witnessed the injury that almost cost LaBeouf his sight in one eye. He told WENN last year (08), "We were all pretty impressed. To get up from a movie explosion, which leaves you injured, and get back in there is cool. He's got broken fingers from his car crash this summer (08) and now his eyelid has been slashed open. He's lucky he still has his sight.

"He was treated at the clinic at the airforce base and then a local ophthalmologist came by to check on his eye. He was in the clinic for about four hours and then he returned to the set once the swelling had gone down."

Megan Fox Was Hot on Transformers 2 Set

Megan Fox “couldn’t wait” to take off her catsuit while shooting summer blockbuster Transformers 2.

The sexy actress, 22, says she was so hot on the New Mexico set of the movie she had to stop herself from peeling off all her clothes.

“I had this leather catsuit on for some of the scenes and it was so hot,” Fox dished. “I couldn’t wait to get it off but I wasn’t allowed.

“I had to stay in the shade as much as possible and people were standing around me

New Transformers 2 Standee Poster

If you’re like me, you’re sick to death of that black, vague, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen teaser poster Paramount has been using to promote the film. Well now we’ve got something else.

MTV debuted a new Transformers 2 theater standee today. It’s not a poster exactly, but you’re likely to see a big cardboard cutout version of the image below standing out in the hallway while you’re walking in to Star Trek next month. It may also be a clue as to what we can expect from the movie’s final, official poster whenever that’s finally released.
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We've seen the the Constructicon Devastator before, but never like this. Some new Transformers concept art explains why his face is glowing. Plus pictures of the Transformers' devil-bot Fallen.

Thanks to this beautiful concept art discovered by TFO8, we can now see that the Devastator's head opens up into a giant grinder vortex, naturally. So that explains everything, right?

Flashbacks My Ass...Megatron is Back and is Out for Revenge in TRANSFORMERS 2!

We finally have an inkling of what Megatron's role in TRANSFORMERS REVENGE OF THE FALLEN will be...he's back and not just in flashbacks the way director Michael Bay said.

After Megatron voice actor Hugo Weaving told the press he already finished the voice work for Transformers 2 confirming Megatron would indeed be back, Bay was forced to admit (after long denying it) that Megatron would in fact be in the sequel after his death in the first one. But, he said Megatron would only be seen, "from the long lost past. We go way back in time as this movie explains the mythology of the Primes. He is not a tank like everyone suggests, but an alien vehicle. But sadly he does not has much screen time."

Well, we've got some intel on what Megatron is actually doing in the film. He's out for revenge against Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) and is determined to see Optimus Prime crushed.

Megatron's bio from the movie based toy whose images are posted on TF08.net gives us a good chunk of info -

Trapped in the black, crushing depths of the sea, his mind inert in the grip of stasis lock, Megatron knew nothing of the desperate search mounted for his remains by the other Decepticons. When he was finally brought back online, their effort and sacrifice meant little to him. The only thing that had any meaning was revenge. He would have his vengeance against the human boy who cheated him of his prize, and he swore to celebrate over the smoking wreck of Optimus Prime.
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Tyrese tickets on sale today

The multi-platinum artist began his career as a 14-year-old talent show contestant.

The R&B singer has four CDs, including his debut album, “Tyrese,” follow-up, “2000 Watts” and 2006 release, “Alter Ego” that have earned the Tommy Hilfiger and GUESS model critical respect.

In addition to his recording success, Tyrese is also known for hosting “MTV Jams Countdown” and appearances on “Hanging with Mr. Cooper,” “Moesha” and “Martin.”

His film appearances include “Death Race,” “The Take,” “Transformers,” “Waist Deep,” “Baby Boy” and “Annapolis.”

This summer Tyrese will be seen in “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” He recently finished filming 2010’s “Legion,” and is set to star in has been announced to star in “Luke Cage,” slated for 2011.

Tickets for the 8 p.m. concert are $35 and $40, and are available through the casino box office, by phone and online.

Ticket holders must be 18 to attend the concert. Anyone 18 to 20 years old must be accompanied by someone 21 or older.

Steven Spielberg Tells Michael Bay ‘Transformers 2′ is ‘Awesome’ Oh, and the film is really long...

Slash Film points us to Michael Bay’s online forum where he has just posted the following message:

Steven Spielberg sat next to me in a big 100 person theater at Sony today. There were 98 empty seats. The lights came up after we just watched my cut of Revenge of the Fallen. He turned to me and said “It’s awesome”. He felt this movie was better then the first - and probably my best, who knows - at this point in a movie you start to lose your objectivity. I just hope the fans like it. I’m going to start putting it in front of audiences in a few weeks - no you are not invited, yet.

We have 60 days left. Let me tell you it will be a race to finish. It’s 12 at night and we are still working here in the edit room. Everyone at ILM and DD are killing themselves right now, they are doing a stellar job on the effects. We also just finished our trailer which is coming out with Wolverine. Talk to you soon.

Not to beat a dead horse, but to make a movie better than the first Transformers shouldn’t be too hard. However, despite Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I still think Spielberg knows what he is doing. So if he’s giving it the thumbs up that is saying something, and I have a hard time believing Bay would fabricate something like this.

On top of this news, and the trailer news I am sure you noticed in the above quote, Bay also revealed to MTV the final runtime of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will be “four minutes longer than the last one” putting it at approximately 147 minutes.

Even though I didn’t like the first Transformers all that much I continue to hold out hope Bay has something better for me the next time around, especially considering I am going to be sitting on my ass watching CG robots battle for damn near two-and-a-half hours. Yeesh!
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Transformers, G.I. Joe Set to Return on DVD

DVD distributor Shout Factory this week announced a new deal with Hasbro to bring back the original 1980s cartoon hits G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and The Transformers on DVD.

Under the multiyear agreement, Shout Factory will be the exclusive U.S. and Canadian home entertainment distributor for the original animated TV series that spawned two of this summer's biggest movies, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra. The Joe discs will include each of the classic instructional PSAs that ended every '80s episode (parodied above).

So as not to leave out the female children of the '80s, the Hasbro deal will include an animated, direct-to-DVD My Little Pony feature. New product for all three cartoon titles is expected later this year.

So, now you know -- and knowing is half the battle.

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Shia LaBeouf Talks 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' Injuries

Around two months before "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" hits theaters, its star Shia LaBeouf had a chat with Entertainment Weekly about how grueling the filming of "Transformers" sequel. "This movie was the most physical thing I've ever had to do, and I had to do it with a broken hand," shared the 22-year-old.

"It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life," he continued recalling the injuries he sustained during the shooting. "Constantly having to take hits and fall and run through explosions and get hit and beat up all day. Aside from my hand, I also got 25 stitches making this movie, in various parts of my body -- stuff that had nothing to do with my hand."

LaBeouf furthermore gushed that one on-set accident he experienced nearly cost him his vision. "I basically stuck a f---ing sharp object through my eyelid," he said of the incident. "They stitched me up in a military hospital. The doctor looks at me and he holds his thumb and forefinger about an inch apart from one another. I said, 'What is that?' He said, 'Blindness.' This is the most insane s--- I've ever been a part of."

On the occasion, the Mutt Williams of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" also shared more on how he felt when returning to film "Revenge of the Fallen" two weeks after smashing his fingers in a car accident late July 2008. "When I came back it was just out of the guilt that I had," he noted. "I pride myself on my professionalism, and this is the first issue I've ever had where I wasn't able to come to set, and it's f---ing heartbreaking when you gotta look at your crew."

"You know, what can you do? You just gotta grab your balls and move forward," he continued. "There's nothing else to do. The thing that cut deep to the core of me was knowing that there were 65 human beings [in the crew] who are like family to me, waiting for me to come back. They were sitting on their asses doing nothing because of my...you know, my situation. It's the most intense s--- I've ever dealt with, and am still dealing with."
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'Transformers' star Megan Fox: 'I'm not the marrying type'

Good news, guys: Megan Fox has no plans to wed ... in the foreseeable future.

"I'm not going to be married - I'm not the marrying type," Fox tells "Extra." "And I know what your next question is going to be - you're going to ask me, 'Why are you engaged if you're not the marrying type?'"

Her explanation?

"I am impulsive and I love my boyfriend, but I have no plans of getting married any time soon."

Fox sounded equally casual about the possibility of matrimony when she spoke with Us Weekly last fall.

"It's not going to be a big wedding," she said. "I'm not one of those girls. If it happens, it will be very low-key and quick and unplanned."

The 22-year-old "Transformers" star has been engaged to former "90210" actor Brian Austin Green since 2006, though their five-year relationship has had its fair share of strife, including a rumored break-up in February.

But relationship problems might not be the only thing standing in the way of a fully settled down Fox.

"I feel like I need to set my career and do a movie other than 'Transformers,' " she says. "Then I'll explore family."

Fox stars in "Jennifer's Body" later this year.
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EXCLUSIVE: Eli Roth Reveals Plans to Shoot ‘Transformers’-Like Blockbuster, ‘Thanksgiving’ Slasher Back-To-Back

Eli RothFilmmaker Eli Roth burst onto the scene a few years back with the gory, gruesome, great “Cabin Fever” and “Hostel” films, but has kept a relatively low profile ever since. Recently, he stopped by the MTV studio to tell us about his new top secret sci-fi screenplay, and the revolutionary double-barreled plan to finally film his “Grindhouse” trailer.

“I’m almost done with my new script,” revealed Roth, whose upcoming return to glory also includes his first major acting role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” this August. “I was actually almost done with it before ‘Basterds,’ but I had to put it down, and that was actually a good thing I took time away from it, but I’m going to finish that up and start shooting this fall.”

Although Roth couldn’t tell us the film’s name, he was enthusiastic about it being his first-ever big budget movie. “I don’t want to give away the title yet, because I have to make sure I own it 100%, but it’s going to be something that is really fun with lots of mass destruction,” he said. “I wanted to do something along the lines of ‘Transformers’ or ‘Cloverfield’ that was a little more science fiction-based, and with lots of chaos and mass destruction.”

“I don’t want to say what [the monster is] yet,” Roth added. “Once it gets set up, I will let everyone know. It is not aliens or robots or a virus - it’s a little more grounded. But when people hear it they are going to be like ‘That is going to be insane!’.”

If that doesn’t sound cool enough, here’s where Roth’s news gets really good: The filmmaker hopes to use the leftover budget from his blockbuster to finally shoot a low-budget, full-length version of his howlingly hilarious trailer from 2007’s “Grindhouse.”

“The plan is this: I want to do a huge budget movie, but tack on three weeks to the end of it and shoot ‘Thanksgiving’,” he revealed. “I want to do an $80 million dollar movie, and then schedule three weeks at the end to quickly shoot a $5 million dollar movie.”

Roth said that after he shoots his untitled sci-fi blockbuster, he’ll get back to his roots by filming “the sickest, bloodiest, most violent slasher movie,” he said of the “Thanksgiving” flick inspired by the holiday-themed horror classics of the ‘80s. “I want to make the highest body count slasher film I can.”

Once the sci-fi script is finished, Roth plans to shop the two movies around to studios, looking for an $85 million budget for the pair. “Yeah,” he explained of the plan. “You just do them both.”
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Earnings Preview: Toy Makers

NEW YORK (AP) — Mattel Inc., the largest U.S. toy maker, posts results for the first quarter on Friday. Hasbro Inc., the nation's second-biggest toy maker, reports on Monday. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.

OVERVIEW: Following the weakest holiday season in decades, analysts will be watching the toy makers' results from the first quarter — their least important season of the year — to see how they are handling the tough sales environment, cautious ordering by retailers and commodity costs that are higher than a year ago.

The stronger dollar is expected to hurt both companies' results, since both have a large portion of their sales in other countries — more than 40 percent for Hasbro and about 50 percent for Mattel.

Hasbro — which makes board games such as Clue and Scrabble — has products tied to three films coming out this spring and summer: "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "G.I. Joe," though few items have been shipped yet. A boost from those sales should show up later in the year.

Meanwhile, Mattel heavily promoted the 50th anniversary of its Barbie brand during the quarter, including a fashion show at Fashion Week in New York, limited-edition dolls and opening a flagship House of Barbie store in Shanghai.

BY THE NUMBERS: For Hasbro, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters, on average, predict a profit of 14 cents per share on revenue of $647 million. For Mattel, analysts expect a loss of 13 cents per share on revenue of $795.8 million.

ANALYST TAKE: "A key focus for both companies' earnings releases will be inventory levels, for both the companies and retailers," said Barclays Capital analyst Felicia R. Hendrix. "We will be interested to see if either of the companies was able to work through existing inventory during the quarter, how they are addressing the rest of the year and if retail demand for toys has improved."

Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Chris White said he expects Mattel to post a loss of 20 cents per share due to the stronger dollar.

"We believe the Street is underestimating the extent that negative (foreign exchange) translation will have on the company's revenue performance, and we do not believe that the easing of commodity cost pressures is flowing through the income statement as much as some expect," he wrote.

WHAT'S AHEAD: Analysts are looking for an update on sales trends and commodity costs when the companies report. Looking forward to 2010, Mattel's growth could be driven by new properties such as WWE and Thomas and Friends. Hasbro could benefit from sales tied to its three movie tie-ins, and in 2011 will benefit from product deals related to "Spider-Man 4" and "Transformers 3."

STOCK PERFORMANCE: Hasbro shares fell 4 percent and Mattel shares rose 24 percent during the quarter.

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Pc Cinematics and Game Screenshots Cinematics and Game Screenshots Luxo

Based on Hasbro's legendary TRANSFORMERS property and one of the most anticipated films of 2009 from Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures, TRANSFORMERS: Revenge of the Fallen thrusts players into a battle for supremacy across the globe as either AUTOBOTS or DECEPTICONS to drive, fly, fight and blast their way through intense, pressure-packed levels. Delivering more control than ever before, gamers can select from the largest, most diverse range of playable TRANSFORMERS – each with distinct personalities, abilities and weaponry – and jump straight into action as they instantly switch between robot, vehicle and weapon modes to fight for the preservation or annihilation of all mankind.For the first time in the TRANSFORMERS universe, players can also fight the epic war between AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS online in explosive multiplayer combat.

KEY FEATURES:

1. The Choice is Yours – Players can step into the shoes of their favorite AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS such as Optimus Prime, Starscream, Bumblebee and Ironhide, along with new characters making their first appearance in a game. With two distinct campaigns that allow gamers to save or destroy the human race, gamers will unlock missions and be able to play them in any order they desire and with different characters for a whole new experience.
2. Outmaneuver Your Opponents – Instantaneously convert from a colossal robot to a dynamic land or air vehicle such as a diesel truck, sports car, military chopper or fighter jet. New, ultra-fluid transformations can be performed in-motion anytime and anywhere, allowing players to strategically propel through and decimate hordes of enemies with incredible agility.
3. Take the Battle Online with Friends – For the first time ever in the TRANSFORMERS universe, gamers can engage in full multiplayer action, taking the epic war between the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS online to play with friends in a multitude of competitive game modes as they utilize their characters' unique weapons and abilities to lead their teams to victory.
4. Demolish Your Enemies – Each TRANSFORMER can unleash a unique array of assaults on its enemies ranging from powerful missile attacks and rapid-fire chain guns to explosive energy blasts and visceral melee strikes, allowing players to pick from a variety of weapons and moves in their character's arsenal that deliver diverse gameplay in every brutal encounter.
5. Intense, Heroic Missions – Every second is precious as players drive, fly, fight and blast their way through gripping, pulse-pounding levels straight from the film and beyond to determine the ultimate fate of the world.

Transformers 2 Spoilers

Transformers 2 Spoilers

This information about Transformers 2 comes to me from a trusted source that reveals what could be a very significant plot detail for the upcoming Transformers movie including some info on Rainn Wilson’s role, and why Sam goes nuts. Check it out… this information comes from the set of the film:

It happens that they were in the classroom scene that was being shot yesterday with Rainn Wilson. The shoot was to cover two separate days within the movie, the first day of classes for Sam, and the second day of class.

On the first day of class, Sam goes crazy just before getting to class for some reason. It seems there is some object that he was exposed to that affected him, our guess is the splinter from the cube. Anyways, Rainn Wilson asks the class to turn to the first page of the text book (which, apparently, Rainn Wilson’s character is the professor of the class AND the writer of the Astronomy text book that they are using in class). Wilson’s character’s name is Professor Colon (pronounced: koh - lawn). Everyone except Sam turns to the first page. Sam, instead, read the entire book in 5 seconds by just flipping through it, then starts telling Wilson’s character about what parts of his book are wrong. He also starts talking about how Einstein was wrong. Sam gets up from his seat and goes up to the chalk board and starts writing a lot of weird symbols on the chalk board (probably Cryptonian). Then he starts asking why nobody understands and then he leaves class. On the second day of class, he apparently returns, but acts less crazy.

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1st Look: Revenge of the Fallen Voyager Mixmaster

Thanks to TF08, we have our first look at the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Voyager class Mixmaster figure.

This figure is the non-combiner, transformable version of the character from the Devastator team.

Unfortunately, our view is rather limited, as it is sighted on the box of the Voyager class Megatron figure, but it gives us a pretty good idea.

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LG Transformers 2 Versa Phone

LG jumps aboard the Transformers bandwagon with its special edition Transformers 2 Versa handset which comes with the Decepticon logo for folks who root for the baddies. Looks like the Decepticons win this round, as LG has no plans to release an Autobot version, although we think it would be cool to do so as you never know where the merchandise line stops when it comes to Transformers collectors. If only LG could also work on an actual functional handset that can actually transform into a robot (sliders and clamshell don't count) - that would certainly show the stuck-up iPhone a thing or two about popularity.

GM's Troubles Deprive 'Transformers 2' of Crucial Horsepower

Detroit's not the only one reeling from the collapse of General Motors. There are a few executives bummed out on the Paramount Pictures lot as well.

Eleven weeks before the release of its expensive summer sequel "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen," the studio can't count on its key promotional partner to support a marketing blitz that helps drive mass awareness of Hollywood's big popcorn movies.

The struggling automaker, whose new Chevy Camaro is one of the stars of director Michael Bay's action film in which vehicles morph into giant robots, has sharply throttled back its contribution to the advertising campaign tied to the sequel's release June 24.

The reduced spending by GM comes at a tricky time for Paramount, which needs all the promotional backing it can muster for "Transformers" in what looks to be one of Hollywood's most competitive summers ever. A dozen big-budget "event" films, including "Star Trek" and sequels to "Harry Potter" and "X-Men," will be elbowing one another into theaters.
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TRANSFORMERS 2: Cast of Robots

Yes, I am totally excited again for the second Transformers movie to be released on June 26 of this year.  The line up of robots that are cast to make their on screen appearance was released to the public by Paramount Pictures a few weeks back. As I sat reading this incredible info on the Autobots and Decepticons to be shown, I sometimes found myself trying to regain composure after dancing around my living room with anticipation and excitement. May not be a big deal to most, but this was my holy grail of fantasy as a child.  Something to be said when you spent your allowance on 32 of the figurines all before High School.   So I was able to find the article and re-post what was said of the great line-up to the second Transformers movie due out this summer.  As was stated in the Article I read from Paramount Pictures and Michael Bay:

Autobots
Optimus Prime: The Autobots’ leader - alternate form: Peterbilt truck (see photo).
Ironhide: Weapons specialist - GMC Topkick.
Ratchet: Medic - Hummer H2.
Bumblebee: Friend and mode of transportation for Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) - 2010 Chevorlet Camaro.
Arcee: A female Autobot - Megan Fox’s hot-pink motorcycle.
Jetfire: A fighter plane crash-landed on Earth a long time ago, and he will become a reformed Decepticon now fighting for the humans. His alternate form is the SR-71 Blackbird, a sleek Cold War spy plane. “He’s old, craggy, forgetful … doesn’t work very well. Can’t transform very well, because he’s very geriatric. They get stuck with him a lot,” Bay says. “He knows the plan of the bad guys, but he forgets all the good parts of the plan.”
Sideswipe: A candy-apple red Lamborghini in the original, joins the cast this time as General Motor’s silver Corvette Stingray concept car.
Jolt: the original toy was a Decepticon, but in the movie he’s a good guy - Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid.
Skid & Mudflap: a.k.a. “The Twins” - Chevrolet Beat and Trax concept cars. “Some of the junior Transformers are just dumb,” Bay says with a laugh. “But it’s great for kids because they’re like the Little Engine That Could. They’re (screw)-ups, but they get really heroic at the end.”

Decepticons
Starscream: Formerly Megatron’s second in command, he escaped at the end of the first movie; F-22 Raptor jet.
Scorponok: The mechanical scorpion that attacked the American troops in the desert.
The Fallen: An ancient robot, sort of the Transformers’ version of Lucifer. He’s one of the original robot aliens, and his defiance and arrogance led to his banishment into another dimension. The  screenwriters call him “the most elemental bad guy” and say that The Fallen holds the key to life on both Earth and Cybertron, the Transformers’ home planet.
Sideways: The Audi R8 seen crashing through a building in the trailer.
Soundwave: A cassette player in the original toys. An evil communications expert but this time in the form of an orbiting space satellite.
Ravage: The ultimate spy. A four-legged, cat-like robot. Ravage doesn’t turn into anything. “In the spirit of ‘more than meets the eye,’ Ravage isn’t just lethal because of his sharp teeth,” says screenwriter Alex Kurtzman. “There’s actually another skill set Ravage has that didn’t exist before, so there’s going to be a surprise for fans.” He doesn’t talk like the other Transformers.
The Doctor: A spider-like droid that transforms into various implements of torture.
Wheelie: A small, radio-controlled truck.
Demolisher: One of the Constructicons that transform into construction vehicles.
Devastator: A giant robot formed by the Constructicons joining together; individually, they are: Scavenger, Scrapper, Hightower, Longhaul, Rampage, Overload and Mixmaster. “He’s made of vehicles designed to build, and he turns into is someone who loves to destroy,” Orci says. “He is an agent of absolute chaos.” Michael Bay says that when Steven Spielberg saw Devastator, he said “This is (expletive) awesome!’ ” Bay says, “It’s always nice when you can make him swear.”
Megatron (unannounced)
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‘Transformers 2’ Concept Art Collection

A large gallery of high quality concept images for many of the Transformers characters featured in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has been made available online and we picked out a few of them to show you.

The gallery of images includes new shots of many of the characters we’ve already seen and we also get a closer look at Megatron in addition to our first real look at Sideswipe in action.

Some of these may look similar to images we’ve seen before from other concept art and images we found on the official Revenge of the Fallen video game website, but most of them are new.


Check them out and see what you think:

Sideswipe shows off his roller feet and arm blades

The new Autobot Sideswipe rolls into action

The massive Devastator ready to devastate

Ironhide flexing his big guns

The Autobot Medic Ratchet returns for the sequel

Ravage showing off his second eye socket (in his mouth)

The Idiotic Autobot twins, Mudflap and Skids

The new (or old) Megatron

Megatron’s vehicle mode is a Cybertronian Tank

 Will Starscream lead the Decepticons?

The title character, The Fallen

Transformers 2's Megan Fox Fed Up of Sensuality Factor

American star Megan Fox raised temperatures on the set of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, due out in June. But the actress admits she is bored of being a sex symbol. She said: "You can't be a "hunkie" 24 hours a day. I can't be a professional lookerpot. I just want to develop as an actress."

Secrets Revealed in Transformers 2

If you were to say that "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" was the most-anticipated film of 2009, you likely wouldn't get much of an argument. But for such a high-profile movie, it's amazing how little we actually know about the blockbuster, due June 24.

Until now, that is.

With an enormous Bumblebee standing guard outside the entrance of the Paris Las Vegas hotel and casino, Michael Bay strode into a recent exclusive interview with MTV and began by venting about the Autobot whose performance disappointed him so much that he killed it. From there, things got even more spoiler-iffic.

"There's no car chase in this movie," the director began, speaking possible heresy for a film about sleek automobiles. "There's a lot of different types of action. In some movies, it's the same action throughout the entire movie. There's a lot of different types of action in this one, and that makes it interesting."

Another interesting element of the "Transformers" sequel is its preference of IMAX technology over the currently-in-vogue 3-D. Bay shot down rumors that the upcoming movie would be three-dimensional and instead revealed that one of the three scenes he shot with the big-screen technology will focus on the biggest of all Transformers.

"You will see Devastator in IMAX," Bay said of the massive Decepticon, glimpsed in the trailer and formed when several Decepticons come together. "You heard it here first."

"[Several scenes] are going to be on IMAX, which is awesome," Bay explained. "Some of our main scenes were shot with IMAX cameras, so the screen will pop wide [if you see the film in an IMAX theater]. It's the first movie to do serious digital effects in IMAX quality."

And if the thought of Devastator in IMAX doesn't have you already setting aside 10 bucks for a "Revenge of the Fallen" ticket, we also asked Bay about his other eye-popping special effect: Megan Fox.

"[Wait until you see] the very first shot in the movie," he replied when we asked whether Megan gets a moment as memorable as her hood-opening flirtation with Bay's lingering camera in the first film. "You'll see."

"It's better," he said of Fox's sexy re-introduction in the sequel. "[While filming] I was at a gas station buying ice cream bars, and these 15-year-old boys were looking at me. They were like, 'You're that dude that directed "Transformers"!' And I'm like, 'Yeah. Do you want to see "Transformers 2"? They were like, 'Yeah!' "

"I said, 'Why do you want to see it?' And together, in unison, they said, 'The hot chick!' " Michael Bay laughed. "It will be a good shot for them."
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The Release of TRANSFORMERS 3!

Yesterday, a rumor started making the rounds (via SlashFilm) about writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman not returning for Transformers 3. I wasn't sure of the news, but I got a confirmation today and it looks like they will not be writing that sequel. The decision was made by Kurtzman and Orci themselves, and not Paramount or Michael Bay. Orci was quoted as saying: "The main reason we would move on is because we risk getting stale and comfortable. If you only sing one song for too long, you miss the opportunity to sing news songs." No word on who will be brought on to now write Transformers 3.

Back in our interview with the writers in January, Kurtzman said that they brought on Ehren Kruger to help write Transformers 2 because, "it was nice to have a fresh perspective." He adds: "It was great, someone who kind of came in with fresh eyes and said 'All right, having nothing to do with the first movie, here's the kinds of things I'd like to see and write.'" I can imagine this is what they're hoping to achieve by letting some new writers take over on Transformers 3. Kurtzman and Orci have made quite a name for themselves in Hollywood recently, both as producers on Eagle Eye and writers for Transformers and Star Trek.

As we all know, Transformers 3 was announced a few weeks ago for July 1st, 2011. There's no question that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is going to be a huge hit this summer, so Michael Bay and company better get some new writers on board fairly soon, because if it's to be the grand finale that we're all hoping for (and is better than the first two), they better have a damn good script. Good or bad news?
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NO MEGATRON in Transformers 2?!

So far just about the only thing of robo-substance we’ve seen from Transformers 2 is some concept art showing off the new, tank-version Megatron. Except not so fast. Megatron isn’t even in the film.

The guys at JoBlo caught an interview with Transformers director Michael Bay in the latest print edition of Empire, in which Bay says of Megatron, “He's not in this movie. That's not misinformation. The tank design you may have seen is just Hasbro coming up with a new toy.” So there you go, no more Megatron.

Transformers 2: "Who's In It?"

The first thing you’ll notice is that Megatron is not listed but despite early denials of his inclusion in the film from director Michael Bay, it has been confirmed that Megatron will be in the film by writer Roberto Orci and actor Hugo Weaving who went in to do voice work for the character in the sequel.

Let’s talk a little more detail about what we know about the characters listed above [Warning: Possible Spoilers]:

The Autobots:

* Optimus Prime (Peterbilt Truck): The returning leader of the Autobots. In the trailers we saw him getting his face punched in by a mean Decepticon and it’s rumored he may combine with Jetfire in the sequel.
* Ironhide (GMC Topkick): The weapons specialist and veteran warrior for the Autobots makes a return as well
* Ratchet (Hummer H2): The Autobot medic who barely saw any screen time in the first film may not get that much in the sequel either if the online material for the movie is any indicator.
* Bumblebee (2010 Chevy Camaro Z28): The loyal soldier, Bumblebee, will ride in style as an even newer model of the Camaro this time around. Bumblebee’s job is to protect Sam Witwicki.
* Sideswipe (Corvette Stingray Concept): A new slick addition to the team, Sideswipe features wheeled feet similar to Bonecrusher from the first movie, and arm blades as weapons.
* Arcee (Motorcycle): Originally intended to appear in the first film but dropped due to gender issues, Arcee is apparently one of three motorcycles that are rumored to be able to combine into a single larger unit. Arcee is the only female Transformer that we know of in the movie.
* Jetfire (SR-71 Blackbird): Old and fragile, Jetfire is an ex-Decepticon who uses a cane to walk. Jetfire left Cybertron many years before to go to earth as he grew tired of the ongoing war on his home planet. There’s a rumor he may combine with Optimus Prime in the film – My guess is that he’ll act as Optimus’ jetpack.
* Jolt (Chevy Volt): A new addition to the Autobots, Jolt is a skilled fighter who’s always getting himself into trouble. Rumor has it, he may have electro whips as weapons.
* Skids (Chevy Beat): Twins with brother Mudflap, they can form together for another alternate mode.
* Mudflap (Chevy Trax): Twin brother with Skids, these characters are rumored to be unintelligent and childish (which we can see just from looking at their images)

* Sideways (Audi R8): A courier for the Decepticons, Sideways cowardly avoids combat and hides behind his larger teammates during battle. Some rumors point to the character being the re-incarnation of Barricade from the first film who by an obvious plot hole, disappeared during one of the scenes never to show up again.
* The Fallen: The title character of the film, The Fallen does not have a known vehicle mode and will most likely appear only in ancient Cybertronian forms. The Fallen is one of the original Transformers and he’s described as “apocalyptic” in nature, “elemental” in power.
* Scorponok (Large Robotic Scorpion): Scorponok makes a return in the sequel having disappeared in the first half of the first Transformers. Rumor has it that he may play a big part in the resurrection of Megatron.
* Soundwave: A fan favourite from the original cartoons, Soundwave finally makes his way onto the big screen and can transform into flying mode (and possibly a satellite mode). There’s no word on a earth object disguise mode but in the original cartoons, he was famous as turning into a Microcassette deck.
* Ravage (One-eyed robotic Jaguar): Partnered with Soundwave, Ravage is a new addition to the film and “is described as having a very raw beast mode.”
* The Doctor (Possible Insecticon): An unknown character before this list debuted but it’s rumored he is a small spider-like robot who transformers into different torture devices (see picture from Insecticons section below).
* Wheelie (Remote-controlled truck): Wheelie is a tiny and cowardly RC car who apparently will work for whichever side can scare him into doing what they want.
* Demolishor: A Constructicon that’s listed separately and who’s toy does not link with the others to form Devastator. Demolishor is featured in the trailers as the massive wheeled enemy fighting Optimus Prime. He’s an unintelligent but capable fighter who arrived on earth to find Megatron destroyed and now spends his time protecting some of the smaller Decepticons.
* Devastator: By far the largest Transformer we’ll see in this flick, Devastator is formed through the combination of seven other very large robots called the Constructcions.

The Constructicons:

• Scavenger: Red O&K/Terex RH400 Hydrolic Mining Excavator (torso)
• Scrapper: Yellow Caterpillar D9L Bulldozer (left leg)
• Hightower: yellow Kobelco CK2500 Truss Crane (left arm)
• Longhaul: Green Caterpillar 773B Dump Truck (right leg)
• Rampage: Yellow Caterpillar 992G Front Loader (right arm)
• Overload: Komatsu HD465-7 Articulated Dump Truck (possible lower torso)
• Mixmaster: Silver Mack Cement Mixer (head)

Check out pictures of the Constructicons to see the components that make up Devastator and click on the names of the transformers units that are linked to see articles focusing on them. You’ll notice that Scavenger and Demolishor are almost the same vehicles but only Scavenger plays a part in Devastator’s formation. My guess it that Demolishor won’t live through the entire movie so there won’t be any confusion between the two.

The Insecticons:

According to director Michael Bay:

“We have big guys, some little guys. We have a lot of littler ones, too. Little weirder ones,” Bay says. Like the Insecticons, which were giant bugs in the original series and Hasbro toy line, but are now tiny creepy-crawly infiltrators.

This helps explains the number 60 for the amount of Transformers characters in the sequel that was thrown out by the visual effects supervisors in our report discussing the insane special effects in Transformers 2.
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