Ain't It Cool News Set Visit and Interviews

AICN.com has posted about a set visit by Quint. He previously visited the set several months ago when the shoot had just started. Once again it’s the Los Angeles, end of movie shoot that has been talked about in set visits by other sites. He was able to see a couple takes get filmed and sat down for an interview with various cast members. One thing though, the leaked February draft of the script is darn close to what they are using as the shooting script. They may have reworked some lines and maybe tweaked pacing but the main fight sequences and FX heavy parts, I think out of prep time necessity, most of the script was left mostly intact as written.

In the brief interview with Quint, Josh Duhamel claims to have been a TF fan as a kid, but I have my doubts based on the sum total of various interviews I have read. Not important but does make you wonder why bother to lie or at least exaggerate your interest. This is his chance to break out and join the movie big boys and leave his Las Vegas TV salary behind. Can't blame the man for being ambitious and the potentially certainly is there (if he chooses his projects carefully). Any case, I recommend he get someone to hook him up with some old eps, the cartoon movie, and a few toys. This way when on the promotional press tour next year, he will have some anecdotes to help sell his "childhood" interest in Transformers. He can then claim he still has some of those toys from his childhood and whatnot. Do a house tour and boom, instant props.

Michael Bay commented on his vehicle choice for Optimus Prime (which personally I don't see the problem), "The reason I went with the flames was to be able to define Prime's mid-section when he's a robot." The flames act as sort of the defacto grill/ribs for Prime while the long-nose truck was chosen for additional mass which I assume means he looks taller and a better match to Megatron. Additionally, the Skorpinok film opening sequence has been fully rendered. I am thinking that some of that will be used in the Thanksgiving trailer.

Bay also expressed that he is pleased with choice of Peter Cullen for the voice of Optimus Prime but that they plan on hiring actors to help create video reference for the animators to work with. He stressed it wasn't motion capture, and sounds to me more like how traditional cartoon animators, especially Disney, use to capture human expressions on their cartoons by often filming their voice actors while doing ADR and let the animators copy them as they saw fit or just using a mirror and so forth. Bay should pick of a few of the older Disney flicks and watch their making of bits to see how it was done.

The article picks on Megan Fox a bit (with reason I think, again based on sum of articles seen and read) and so I shall pass on the opportunity because she is hot and in our world that means everything (joking a little). Bay also expressed some concern over not having a bigger presence at the San Diego Comic-con, ala Spider-Man 3. Personally I don't think it mattered since the film is still a bit a ways and the true momentum doesn't really matter until about three months before opening cause of the ADD of the average consumer who don't even know what a comic-con is.

The article had no new information to reveal about the movie. It’s mostly just touches base with the set and gets a feel for things. Like AICN.com, I have high hopes for the movie and unlike most of fandom, I am mostly pleased with has come out about the movie. I hope the shooting script is more polished the February version as far a dialogue, humor and some of the setup. I also hope that this desire to emphasis the alien-ness of the Tranformers is lightened some. I understand where the Bay and co are going with it, but there is a reason Sci-Fi gives the aliens a touch of humanity visually. It’s not just to save money, its helps to create a connection (or disconnection) with the characters for the audience. Starscream and his sneer is a classic example. Show his face to anyone, fan or no fan, and once they see that smug sneer, they instantly know his character. The movie Megatron for instance, screams evil, but I am afraid that he will develop him into such an over the top evil that he becomes a characture. My point is to follow the Darth Vader and Sci-Fi Rule of Alien Characters - allow some humanity to leak out in words, actions AND visuals.

Full article here.

E! News Clip and Official Site Update

E! News ran a clip last week with Josh Duhamel and Tyrese as they talked about their joy etc about working on the Transformers movie. No spoilers but get to see a little set scenery.

In addition, the official movie website, transformersmovie.com has updated their site a bit with icons, wallpaper, and a message board. Click "Watch the Exclusive Announcement" to see and the menu is in the top right corner. May need to clear your cache to have the site load with updated flash code (which is a reason why flash is not used on most sites except those designed by or for Hollywood).

(source)

Bernie Mac and Josh Dumamel Confirmed

Don Murphy over at his board tossed up a variety article that confirms that Bernie Mac has signed on as the car salesman that sells a Transformer to Shia LaBeouf's character. Josh Dumhamel is a unidentified role but probably one of the military characters who gets the girl in the end. This had been basically confirmed already through other reports but always good for it get officialized.

Transformers Cast Announcement

IGN.com has a TF exclusive announcing most of the human side of the cast for Transformers the movie. The actual Transformer voices are still unknown.

April 20, 2006 - IGN FilmForce has learned which actors are poised to join the previously announced Shia LaBeof in the cast of the DreamWorks-Paramount live-action feature film version of The Transformers. (LaBeof will star as "Sam," the unlikely teen hero of the movie.) IGN has confirmed through multiple sources that Oscar winner Jon Voight is in talks to reunite with his Pearl Harbor director, Michael Bay, as "Keller." A casting notice online describes Keller as the U.S. Secretary of State. Voight and LaBeof previously starred together in Holes.

Another Bay veteran, Armageddon's Michael Clarke Duncan, is closing in on the role of "Figueroa." This character is described in a casting notice posted at Sneak Peek TV as being "Dominican by way of the Louisiana Bayou. Chief Warrant officer in the Army. Spirited fellow who loves to sing. Close team member of Lennox."

And who is Lennox? Sources indicated that Vegas star Josh Duhamel has a lock on the role of the young military commander.

Bernie Mac is the frontrunner for the role of "Bobby Bolivia." A casting notice said Bolivia "could sell ice to an Eskimo. Tries to get Sam to buy a car. Your typical wheelin' dealin' used car salesman."

IGN has also learned that the following actors are being lined up for roles: Tyrese as "Epps"; John Turturro as "Simmons"; Rachael Taylor as "Maggie," previously described as a super-hot and super-smart codebreaker for the government; Megan Fox as "Mikaela," referred to in a casting notice as Sam's love interest; Travis Van Winkle as "Trent"; and John Robinson as "Miles."

Source: filmforce.ign.com

Michael Duncan Clark - Know him as the massive black guy from Green Mile and Sin City
Bernie Mac - If don't know him you have been under a rock somewhere
Tyrese - Up and coming actor from Four Brothers and 2 Fast 2 Furious
Rachael Taylor - Beats me, never heard of her.
Megan Fox - Ditto
Travis Van Winkle - Shrug
John Robinson - No idea

Normally such a comprehensive list for a cast that is not yet announced would leave me skeptical, but so far all the leaked information has been on the nose and this list has so many "who?" on it that its become credible. Usually the made up cast lists have so many big names on it you can smell the BS after a quick scan.

Thanks for the heads up Bill. Above pic is Megan Fox.

Update:
Forgot about Jon Voight, who is the "Cowboys at Midnight" reference from previous post. He may be cast as the Secretary of State.

Josh Duhamel getting cast?

Apparently Josh Duhamel, of NBC's Las Vegas, admitted on the Ferrell Show on Howeard 101 that Michael Bay offered a role in the Transformers movie. This is from AllSparks.com which was accurate on the new regarding Shia as Spike.

Based on the human descriptions we have, whose reliability is unconfirmed, he sounds like he would fit the role of Cpt William Lennicks. After all on Las Vegas, he plays a guy with a military background and Hollywood is fond of pigeon-holing people.