The Energon Pub

[D-Maximal_Primal]

I again stress that I am loving this movie. I keep watching the trailers, and it keeps looking so good!

I have nothing against the movie, I just think the Cybertron scenes look very out of place, but that does not dampen my excitement in the slightest.

less than 3 months to go!

[notsoalex]

Were all of you excited out the new Bumblebee trailer? Well Travis Knight has done an interview with Empire Online on the trailer, revealing some behind the scenes as well as some insight on the movie to come.

Some highlights is the character of Memo (played by Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) who is Charlie's new neighbor.

"Memo is new to town, he's Charlie's next door neighbour and someone who we get to know as she gets to know him at the same time. We see their relationship bloom and grow and be challenged; they have a lovely friendship in the film but the core of the movie is the relationship between Charlie and Bee."

We also get confirmation Starscream will appear, possibly as a background character.

We're swiftly disabused of that notion thanks to a barrage of familiar faces including Decepticon premiereship players Shockwave, Starscream and Blitzwing, all in their original, first generation forms.

We also get a little heartfelt speech about Transformers to Knight.

"I grew up with these Transformers and the story that I wanted to tell was something that was resonant and evocative of those original wave of Transformers stories. I loved those things so much. They were new, they were magical, they were wondrous. They connected with me emotionally and they were exciting to watch. That's the kind of film I wanted to make here."

Knight also heavily implies Wheeljack is going to make an appearance in a G1-esque body.

"There's a lot going on," laughs Knight. "If I was going to make a Transformers film I wanted to give nods to some of the things that I loved most about the series to begin with and for me seeing those original designs on Shockwave and Soundwave and Ravage and Wheeljack and all those different characters was a really exciting opportunity to take the audience back to that initial wave of Transformers and to evoke the same feeling that they evoked in me. I was pretty giddy bringing those guys to life."

You can read the full interview here.

So thoughts? Comments? Well you know where to say 'em, the Pub forums below!

[Autobot_Benz]

Love this, Travis Knight is a fan of transformers and actually wants to make the fans happy. A total 180 of the franchise killer Micheal Bay

[Quantum Surge]

Meh. Wheeljack being in a G1 styled body wasn't so bad since that was in the comic tie-ins. And part of me feels that the Shockwave design was also referencing when Shockwave was more G1 inspired and less monstrous.

Still doesn't defend how out of place everyone is on Cybertron. I can imagine myself wanting to tune out if we see Megatron having a Walther P38 trigger between his legs instead of having the same 2007 design that was shown in a Cybertron scene and when he was discovered by Archibald. But hey, Travis Knight can just go ahead and rip off his suit while showing that he wears an I heart G1 shirt. But that's none of my business.

[william-james88]

But none of the robots in these films are live action either, they are all CGI. The fight between Bee and Optimus in TLK is all CGI until cade yeager shows up. So this is the same thing but devoid of any BS.

Come on Will, let's not start one of these conversations again. You know what I mean.

Not really. We had a similar cybertron only scene before in the trilogy.

(go to the 2:45 mark)

Plus there was this completely CG scene.



Its all CG, there is no live action element to it. If you find that these above look live action while the new stuff doesnt, then Michael Bay was right in saying that G1 designs are unadabtable to this format and our beloved autobots and decepticons should look like a pile pf scrap metal with no smooth surfaces. I personally find these new scenes of cybertron far more appealing than that scene of Megatron meeting the fallen

[Sabrblade]

^ That second one isn't Cybertron. It's the Nemesis, crash-landed on some far off place out in space.

[william-james88]

Still doesn't defend how out of place everyone is on Cybertron. I can imagine myself wanting to tune out if we see Megatron having a Walther P38 trigger between his legs instead of having the same 2007 design that was shown in a Cybertron scene and when he was discovered by Archibald. But hey, Travis Knight can just go ahead and rip off his suit while showing that he wears an I heart G1 shirt. But that's none of my business.

If they wrote a tie in comic that showed Optimus in this same body on cybertron during the war millions of years ago would that change your mind?

[D-Maximal_Primal]

But none of the robots in these films are live action either, they are all CGI. The fight between Bee and Optimus in TLK is all CGI until cade yeager shows up. So this is the same thing but devoid of any BS.

Come on Will, let's not start one of these conversations again. You know what I mean.

Not really. We had a similar cybertron only scene before in the trilogy.

Holy mother of shite.

Live Action CGI is still live action. That's basically saying most of the MCU is not live action because of how much is CGI. This means there is no MCU Hulk according to your logic.

Smooth out the Cybertron scenes and call it something else, another continuity. Not the movies.

The Earth scenes are showing how good Knight has chosen to show these bots, the Cybertron aesthetic is no where near compatible with those Earth scenes

[notsoalex]

Meh. Wheeljack being in a G1 styled body wasn't so bad since that was in the comic tie-ins. And part of me feels that the Shockwave design was also referencing when Shockwave was more G1 inspired and less monstrous.

Still doesn't defend how out of place everyone is on Cybertron. I can imagine myself wanting to tune out if we see Megatron having a Walther P38 trigger between his legs instead of having the same 2007 design that was shown in a Cybertron scene and when he was discovered by Archibald. But hey, Travis Knight can just go ahead and rip off his suit while showing that he wears an I heart G1 shirt. But that's none of my business.

I kinda hope this movie is the beginning of the reboot instead of the end of the original timeline. Because while the G1 designs don't look nearly as out of place as I thought, it doesn't fit with any of the IDW comics or the movies.

Then again, I am a bit of a continuity nut that way, and this franchise is a headache to swallow as one big timeline.

[william-james88]

But none of the robots in these films are live action either, they are all CGI. The fight between Bee and Optimus in TLK is all CGI until cade yeager shows up. So this is the same thing but devoid of any BS.

Come on Will, let's not start one of these conversations again. You know what I mean.

Not really. We had a similar cybertron only scene before in the trilogy.

Holy mother of shite.

Live Action CGI is still live action. That's basically saying most of the MCU is not live action because of how much is CGI. This means there is no MCU Hulk according to your logic.

Smooth out the Cybertron scenes and call it something else, another continuity. Not the movies.

Why not? Why cant we call those scenes live action CGI as well. What makes them different than what I showed you? is it the fact that you never see those models interact with humans? I really dont get it. Its in a live action film, its live action CGI.

And please do not put words in my mouth, I did not say there was no such thing as an MCU Hulk. I can seem him plain as day, just as I do that Soundwave releasing Ravage.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

But none of the robots in these films are live action either, they are all CGI. The fight between Bee and Optimus in TLK is all CGI until cade yeager shows up. So this is the same thing but devoid of any BS.

Come on Will, let's not start one of these conversations again. You know what I mean.

Not really. We had a similar cybertron only scene before in the trilogy.

Holy mother of shite.

Live Action CGI is still live action. That's basically saying most of the MCU is not live action because of how much is CGI. This means there is no MCU Hulk according to your logic.

Smooth out the Cybertron scenes and call it something else, another continuity. Not the movies.

Why? Why cant we call those scenes live action CGI as well. What makes them different than what I showed you? is it the fact that you never see those models interact with humans? I really dont get it. Its in a live action film, its live action CGI.

You literally started this nonsense thread by saying they were not live action!! And then just asked why we can't call these scenes live action as well??? What, the actual, hell.

It does not fit. It is WFC gameplay as a prelude to Prime. I am not saying it is not live action, I am saying it is live action that does not fit in the aesthetic and should not be live action, it should be simplified and made a new WFC game, not a live action movie.

holy crap. I cannot believe that the one nitpick I have with this entire really good looking movie has been reduced to ridicule on level with when there was the talk of Optimal Optimus not being Optimus Primal.

[william-james88]

It does not fit. It is WFC gameplay as a prelude to Prime. I am not saying it is not live action, I am saying it is live action that does not fit in the aesthetic and should not be live action, it should be simplified and made a new WFC game, not a live action movie.

I can understand that. I disagree with it, but thats fine. And I can see how what I said was confusing, I just meant I see it as all the same. If someone sees the CGI only scenes as not live action, then that was also the case before, and vice versa if we consider it all live action. I personally think it all fits ok. Bumblebee himself is much rounder now with more curves rather than jagged edges. Makes sense for Prime to have a similar aesthetic (from an aesthetic point of view only, I can see how it doesnt make sense continuity wise, but I dont care about that since the creators clearly never did either)

And my comment is not just towards your personal nitpick, its towards that issue which a lot of others share. You just expressed it very well, and were the latest to do so.

I am just as excited as you about this and cant wait (especially since I really like those cybertron scenes).

[Prime Target]

D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Bee's adorable!

[Carnivius_Prime]

Its all CG, there is no live action element to it. If you find that these above look live action while the new stuff doesnt, then Michael Bay was right in saying that G1 designs are unadabtable to this format and our beloved autobots and decepticons should look like a pile pf scrap metal with no smooth surfaces. I personally find these new scenes of cybertron far more appealing than that scene of Megatron meeting the fallen

I far prefer that scene right there AND it actually looks realistic (despite being all CGI and on Cybertron) I could believe that those are actually sentient metal beings and such whereas the Cybertron scenes in the Bumblebee trailer simply look like polygon models from the PS3 era Transformers video game cutscenes. It just doesn't work at all and is incredibly jarring from the live action scenes with or without the Bumblebee cgi model. This is just such a mess and those G1-style bots look like boxy shite and way too similar to the WfC-type models I absolutely loathed in those games and toyline. If this was a seperate movie all on it's own I could ignore it but that's bayverse Bee in there with a new alt-mode and such so it's like it's just twisting the hell out of the movieverse I fell in love with back in 2007 which brought me back into being a Transformers fan after nothing else since the very early toys and Marvel comics appealed to me. Why would I want any of it to start resembling the G1 cartoon I so very hated even as an 80s kid (even then I thought it was one of the most badly made action toons with some of the dumbest plots ever... way more illogical and just plain idiotic than anything people claim from the bay movies). I love the 2007-2017 of Transformers designs so much more than any other robot style in any other fiction. It's given me what I wanted since I was a kid and getting frustrated with how boring the cartoon models looked in comparison to the early much more detailed toys and how simplified the toyline itself got as it moved away from realistic alt-forms and turned into super blocky **** that barely transformed at all.

Now I'm just worried the Studio Series I enjoy collecting will get contaminated by G1-style toys that won't look much different to what's been happening in the Power of the Primes or the new Seige stuff or whatever. Keep these things seperate and in their own lil space of fandom.

Hey maybe it's all for the best and I may finally grow up and get rid of all my toys and be a proper adult. Though maybe a bit late for that. Oh I definitely feel like parting with my original 1988 Powermaster Optimus Prime now. Always thought the toy was a bit crap anyways but kept it cos nice birthday memories. Don't need it now though cos it's absolute bricky garbage on my shelf next to my awesome movie Prime toys.

[Va'al]

With all the trailer news and toy news and various interviews - read the latest with director Travis Knight here, on his breakdown of those very same trailers we've seen over the weekend - we also have the launch of a new Transformers Bumblebee Movie website!

The page, which sports the 'Who is Bumblebee?' slug, brings us into Charlie Watson's Garage, where the 1980s are loud, and Bumblebee waits, to let viewers explore this new iteration of the Paramount Transformers franchise, the trailers, various clips, and a most definite favourite in the blue sphere of energy in the 360° look at the garage. Check it all out by clicking on the image below!

[Deadput]

Ohhhhhhhhhh, what if they try to do a homage to the very first G1 Episode with Bumblebee and Wheeljack at the start of the movie?

Now that would be G1 pandering that would be really good and brilliant.

[Burn]

I am so incredibly over this movie. For years anyone who reacted negatively to a trailer were shouted down and told to wait until the movie was released before judging.

But this is the complete opposite, just because of a few seconds of G1-esque designs and suddenly it's the greatest movie ever. ugh ... my expectations were low, but given how people have peed their pants over this trailer I feel like logging off for a few weeks until the over-hype dies down until December.

[X3ROhour]

Shatter and Dropkick are literally just FANTASTIC! Love 'em! They literally shows on why I was into the TF live-action films in the first place. Just amazing. Blitzwing is totally awesome too! The fight scenes between Bee and those cons are just WOW!
Really hoping there's gonna be Barricade there.

As for the G1-esque bots, I personally feel that this don't mix well with the awesomeness Bee and the cons have brought. Don't get me wrong. They look pretty nice. But they don't seem to belong in this continuity. I would be really impressed had they been introduced in another installment (could be a new series, or a game), but in this movie? That feeling is kinda stamped out.

Thankfully, the stuff that's on earth is amazing enough to still get me hyped for this movie.

Just my two cents.

i feel that they take everything we love about movie verse bots
(not a ton, but still something),
and melded it, quite nicely, with the G1-ishness we were sad to be missing.

the mashup aesthetic
is WORKIN 4 me!

[X3ROhour]

Shatter and Dropkick are literally just FANTASTIC! Love 'em! They literally shows on why I was into the TF live-action films in the first place. Just amazing. Blitzwing is totally awesome too! The fight scenes between Bee and those cons are just WOW!
Really hoping there's gonna be Barricade there.

As for the G1-esque bots, I personally feel that this don't mix well with the awesomeness Bee and the cons have brought. Don't get me wrong. They look pretty nice. But they don't seem to belong in this continuity. I would be really impressed had they been introduced in another installment (could be a new series, or a game), but in this movie? That feeling is kinda stamped out.

Thankfully, the stuff that's on earth is amazing enough to still get me hyped for this movie.

Just my two cents.

now
if can pull their collective...
cranial modules...
from their... um...
rear axle assembly,
and produce these beauties of a triple-changers
into descent figs.

oooooo, boy!
i'd bee the happy happy joy joy!

ooo, ding-dang-doo!

[Sabrblade]

I am so incredibly over this movie. For years anyone who reacted negatively to a trailer were shouted down and told to wait until the movie was released before judging.

But this is the complete opposite, just because of a few seconds of G1-esque designs and suddenly it's the greatest movie ever. ugh ... my expectations were low, but given how people have peed their pants over this trailer I feel like logging off for a few weeks until the over-hype dies down until December.

You must be referring to elsewhere, since on this site in this very thread the most vocal reactions have been criticizing the G1-based designs, not loving them.

[Big Grim]

I am so incredibly over this movie. For years anyone who reacted negatively to a trailer were shouted down and told to wait until the movie was released before judging.

But this is the complete opposite, just because of a few seconds of G1-esque designs and suddenly it's the greatest movie ever. ugh ... my expectations were low, but given how people have peed their pants over this trailer I feel like logging off for a few weeks until the over-hype dies down until December.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm loving the more G1 inspired designs but I'm still only cautiously optimistic. Believe me, not all of us drink the kool aid.

[william-james88]

Now I'm just worried the Studio Series I enjoy collecting will get contaminated by G1-style toys that won't look much different to what's been happening in the Power of the Primes or the new Seige stuff or whatever. Keep these things seperate and in their own lil space of fandom.

Well that Studio Series Dropkick looks very G1 styled, with those smooth rectangular limbs being solid pieces of the alt mode. Looks like how I wish Generations Whirl would have turned out.

And yeah, as I told D-Max, I get where you are coming from. But I dont feel that way, simply because I never liked the overcomplicated designs, they always felt more alien than robotic, especially the decepticons. I really love this Blitzwing face, wow.

As for Bee being Bay-verse Bee, I feel thats only because of his face. Of course, a head is a big deal, it totally defines you. But for this Bee, its all thats left. The rest of the bot feels very G1 styled (not necessaily G1 Bee,but G1 in general), with all the smooth surfaces. I think if his head was made more G1 ala Soundwave and Prime in this film, it would truly reveal just how different this been design is compared to the established Bay look.

[Deadput]

Now that I think about it the only design that strikes to me as non fitting with the Bay Aesthetic is Soundwave outside of his head, he's pretty darn smooth even in comparison to Prime and Bee who are quite the smooth fellas themselves.

I am so incredibly over this movie. For years anyone who reacted negatively to a trailer were shouted down and told to wait until the movie was released before judging.

But this is the complete opposite, just because of a few seconds of G1-esque designs and suddenly it's the greatest movie ever. ugh ... my expectations were low, but given how people have peed their pants over this trailer I feel like logging off for a few weeks until the over-hype dies down until December.

I'm personally less excited for the designs and such and more so for the fact that at the very least this movie seems to be trying to have a soul and be a family film.

They already seem quite better then Bay's run just for that, and honestly that's all I'm personally looking for.

Alas I'm personally waiting for the movie to come out to make my final decision.

[Deadput]

As for Bee being Bay-verse Bee, I feel thats only because of his face. Of course, a head is a big deal, it totally defines you. But for this Bee, its all thats left. The rest of the bot feels very G1 styled (not necessaily G1 Bee,but G1 in general), with all the smooth surfaces. I think if his head was made more G1 ala Soundwave and Prime in this film, it would truly reveal just how different this been design is compared to the established Bay look.

I actually feel like Bee's head here looks very well, it's cute and more like what I think his original Bay verse head was supposed to invoke to the audience. (the whole puppy like behavior)

I honestly don't know what I prefer I like Bee's G1 face and it's probably easier for talking but I think it's just pretty generic like all the non face plated Autobots (not that there's anything wrong with normal generic mouth faces but for someone as significant as Bumblebee)

[Combat Zero]

Ha, took them 11 years to finally get the designs right. Maybe I might see some potential on how this turned out after all.