The Energon Pub

MTV caught up with Michael Bay,director of the live action Transformer films, on the red carpet for a quick interview about the third installment of the franchise Tansformers: Dark of the Moon. The interview can be found at MTV Movies Blog.

"We just have, I think, a better story," he said. "It's epic and it happens in a city, so it's more accessible because you recognize stuff; it's not in a desert. It's kind of like 'Black Hawk Down' with our small group of heroes in a city."

In a follow up article Bay gave away a couple of slightly spoiler-ish tidbits regarding two new characters. To view the original story at MTV News click here!

On the carpet, Bay also briefly touched on two new alien bots set to debut in "Dark of the Moon." "Sentinel Prime is great. He's great," he said. "I can't tell you anything else, other than he's great."

And about the villain Shockwave, Bay say, "He's bad," adding that compared to Megatron, "He's got a much bigger gun [and is] a little bit more vicious."

sure bay. im gonna wait for the reboot

his speech patter does not bestow confidence in this movie

Thats what he had to say about the movie?... Not much emotional attachment if you ask me....

So Shockwave has a bigger gun than Megatron? That doesn't seem quite right... Well I guess it doesn't matter so long as Megatron/Starscream don't get blown up/replaced. I'll be really mad if two major and favorite characters don't get their dues.

BATTOUSAI XD wrote:So Shockwave has a bigger gun than Megatron? That doesn't seem quite right... Well I guess it doesn't matter so long as Megatron/Starscream don't get blown up/replaced. I'll be really mad if two major and favorite characters don't get their dues.

the robots in these movies have character?

I'm a little cynical about the idea that it's more 'accessible' in a city, since I could elect to decipher that to mean that all moviegoers are stupid, and Rotf suffered for that reason...and of the very little I've seen so far, it's more reminiscent of Independence day than Black Hawk Down, tho it still looks like it will be good.

Good stuff. I truly hope everyone is not killed off, and that they leave the door open for a 4th movie. For all those fans crying about rebooting a movie - Get over it fast, because if you are indeed a Transformers fan as you claim to be you need to realize that rebooting this franchise will not happen in any near future. Franchises like this get this kind of attention and fanfare once a lifetime. Sadly when this is over so is the hope of seeing Transformers on the big screen. Embrace what we have and provide Michael Bay with positive feedback so he can give us what we want. He is obviously trying to do so. Obviously he cant please everyone because we all have different expectations.

I for one hate Transforming humans, Cybertron Robots & Alt Modes, and when generic Transformers are used as canon fodder (this obviously disconnects me from connecting with the robots and caring about them when they are shown to be killed so easily, and when there are countless versions of the same bot). They all need their own personalities so that when one dies it carries some emotional weight.

Outside of my critique I think everything else Bay has put out has been pure win! This is my favorite movie line of all time, and i wouldnt want anyone else except Bay to direct it. Please make a 4th!!!!

"we worked extra hard"

yeah right.

Lets be real. Before Transformers movies, I had no idea who Michael Bay was and neither did half of you guys on here. Im no movie buff. I care more about CG graphics, action, and senseless violence then I care about acting, storyline, or scripts. Just give me giant robots blasting each other to pieces for 90 minutes and Im good. I give Michael Bay his props. If he moves on to bigger and better things after this, I wish him well. If his future films flop, well all be right here waiting if he wants to pick up where he left off.

griftimus prime wrote:

BATTOUSAI XD wrote:So Shockwave has a bigger gun than Megatron? That doesn't seem quite right... Well I guess it doesn't matter so long as Megatron/Starscream don't get blown up/replaced. I'll be really mad if two major and favorite characters don't get their dues.

the robots in these movies have character?

No, they're mindless freaks.

Of course, they have damn character, why the hell else would it be called Transformers? Get over the bullshit that you want to see and recognise reality.

Rated X wrote:Lets be real. Before Transformers movies, I had no idea who Michael Bay was and neither did half of you guys on here. Im no movie buff. I care more about CG graphics, action, and senseless violence then I care about acting, storyline, or scripts. Just give me giant robots blasting each other to pieces for 90 minutes and Im good. I give Michael Bay his props. If he moves on to bigger and better things after this, I wish him well. If his future films flop, well all be right here waiting if he wants to pick up where he left off.

Thank You and Well Said.

Yeah, we as fans (especially myself lately) tend to dis on Hasbro for what they give us toy-wise but they've been doing it for 2 generation now with the Transformers and there are some of us out there who have the skills and money to do the job better. However, there is not a single person out there in the fandom who can do Bays job better than he can and who has the resources to do it on that large a scale, and who in all honesty has a clue as to exactly the full scope of what all he (and his team)does to make these movies a reality for us. There are, admittedly, several amongst the fandom who can surpass Bay in terms of arrogance and ego.

That aside, I do have to say that I have a nagging feeling that this 3rd and final installment (and I do believe it will be Final) is going to leave a lot of us fans in shock by the end of the movie. Just a gut feeling, but don't be expecting some of our most loved Giant F'ing Robots to survive this movie. I have nothing to support this, just a gut feeling that Jazz is about to have some company in the hereafter.

xtsaur wrote:Good stuff. I truly hope everyone is not killed off, and that they leave the door open for a 4th movie. For all those fans crying about rebooting a movie - Get over it fast, because if you are indeed a Transformers fan as you claim to be you need to realize that rebooting this franchise will not happen in any near future. Franchises like this get this kind of attention and fanfare once a lifetime. Sadly when this is over so is the hope of seeing Transformers on the big screen. Embrace what we have and provide Michael Bay with positive feedback so he can give us what we want. He is obviously trying to do so. Obviously he cant please everyone because we all have different expectations.

Well, not that I'm crying for a reboot, but for those that are - I say more power to ya! We as fans have so many Universes to choose from to be a fan of...so that is why we all have different expectations...so, I say, out of anything, it's one of the easiest franchises to reboot! Seriously, four different directors could easily choose (or even makeup) four very different Transformers movies. Plus, that would only lead to new toys for Hasbro, hence furthering or beloved Transformers. For crying out loud look what Spidey and Superman have just gone through - both reboots in a short amount of time (for Hollywood anyway). So I say not only should we cry about another reboot we should write in to Hasbro what are favorite reboot should be and keep on them until one is done in the near future just so WE CAN give our franchise the attention and fanfare it deserves!

I have a nagging feeling that this 3rd and final installment (and I do believe it will be Final) is going to leave a lot of us fans in shock by the end of the movie. Just a gut feeling, but don't be expecting some of our most loved Giant F'ing Robots to survive this movie. I have nothing to support this, just a gut feeling that Jazz is about to have some company in the hereafter.

Your right about that, two leaders on both sides of the fight, a bigger cast than the past movies (just look at all the characters we have seen so far)and from Bays mouth (I read somewhere) the soldiers are really going to kick butt in this final installment. Get ready to see characters dropped by soldiers with silly one liners. I just hope the twins and Bumblebee get killed off, but they will probably be the only ones to survive.

Megatron Wolf wrote:his speech patter does not bestow confidence in this movie

MINDVVIPE wrote:Thats what he had to say about the movie?... Not much emotional attachment if you ask me....

He was stopped on the red carpet for the Premire of "I am Four". This was not a sit down planned interview. Anyhow, i don't see anything to be so emotional about. He was asked a question and it was answered. Plain and simple.

"we worked extra hard"

yeah right.

You know, for all you haters out there that want a reboot, I hope they pick someone like Uwe Boll for a director. You guys would be on your knees at bays door step, begging him to come back.

I knew this thread would be filled with baseless accusations toward Bay the moment I saw the thread title.

Personally I think he did a great job with the Transformers universe. To me his words come off like he's barely holding back spoilers, like he's really excited to share what he knows but he can't. I gotta give him credit there, cause I'd have spouted off the entire story the moment I got the script.

Man, reading these comments... Its pretty brutal to say the least.
Like the Bay Universe, alright. Thats opinion.
But actually saying that you don't care if the movie has no characters or storyline that makes sense...
The movies didn't entertain me for a few reasons. I didn't care for any of the characters at all. Not a single bit, coz it was always clear that Bay was trying to appeal to a wide variety of people, and not just the TF Fans, to the extreme that he hindered the movie. Good example of just the opposite: "Tron"

They're just bad movies. as a MOVIE, they're both bad. Whether you like the action, and the explosions... and the TF designs (coz thats really the only good there is), thats fine. but as a TF fan, I wanted to see a movie where I could get into the characters (would have helped by seeing a lot more screentime of them, but that was CG budget + time + "uhh, I never liked G1, in fact I hate it... so lets just make these robots sound up to date with words like "my bad" and ...well.. all of the twin's dialogue)

Aaaanyway, I pretty much figure this movie is going to be a more action packed version of the others, with only small improvements to character development. The story might just make sense, but completely excluding the past movies in regards to a sensical timeline of actions. Yea, There might not be a reboot for a long time, but Thanks to the fans who loved the CARTOON movie (although the real reason might be that directors are just trying to reboot everything since they're all out of original ideas), there came a live action. You need to stop being satisfied with crap, raise the standards so we can see Transformers enter a realm worthy of being next to Aliens... or AT LEAST Predators, rather than pirates of the carribean.

MINDVVIPE wrote: You need to stop being satisfied with crap, raise the standards so we can see Transformers enter a realm worthy of being next to Aliens... or AT LEAST Predators, rather than pirates of the carribean.

Actually, i thought Pirates of the Carribean was far better than "Predators". So in that sence, i'm happy with were they stand! .

But as i've said before, i liked the past movies. they weren't perfect, but nothing ever is. The point some of us who like the movies are getting at is no one is "settling" for anything. For some all we want is a fun popcorn flick to laugh at and be entertained. Passing judgment that this is going to be horrible this early on IMO isn't fair.

5150 Cruiser wrote:

MINDVVIPE wrote: You need to stop being satisfied with crap, raise the standards so we can see Transformers enter a realm worthy of being next to Aliens... or AT LEAST Predators, rather than pirates of the carribean.

Actually, i thought Pirates of the Carribean was far better than "Predators". So in that sence, i'm happy with were they stand! .

But as i've said before, i liked the past movies. they weren't perfect, but nothing ever is. The point some of us who like the movies are getting at is no one is "settling" for anything. For some all we want is a fun popcorn flick to laugh at and be entertained. Passing judgment that this is going to be horrible this early on IMO isn't fair.

Its all opinion really, but there could have been one thing to appeal to me in the movies, and if they had done it, I could atleast put the movie on from time to time and get a kick... and that is MORE TRANSFORMERS. You never get to really enjoy the action before, in a blur, its over.... it had me tedious through each movie coz everytime they spliced in needly human parts, i was just going nuts sitting there, being teased.... It was like gettin a strip tease in complete darkness... with your hands tied behind your back... and more so, your not sure if its a good thing and the stripper is hot.. or nasty... or even a guy. Yea, thats the movies for me exactly. haha.

MINDVVIPE wrote:

5150 Cruiser wrote:

MINDVVIPE wrote: You need to stop being satisfied with crap, raise the standards so we can see Transformers enter a realm worthy of being next to Aliens... or AT LEAST Predators, rather than pirates of the carribean.

Actually, i thought Pirates of the Carribean was far better than "Predators". So in that sence, i'm happy with were they stand! .

But as i've said before, i liked the past movies. they weren't perfect, but nothing ever is. The point some of us who like the movies are getting at is no one is "settling" for anything. For some all we want is a fun popcorn flick to laugh at and be entertained. Passing judgment that this is going to be horrible this early on IMO isn't fair.

Its all opinion really, but there could have been one thing to appeal to me in the movies, and if they had done it, I could atleast put the movie on from time to time and get a kick... and that is MORE TRANSFORMERS. You never get to really enjoy the action before, in a blur, its over.... it had me tedious through each movie coz everytime they spliced in needly human parts, i was just going nuts sitting there, being teased.... It was like gettin a strip tease in complete darkness... with your hands tied behind your back... and more so, your not sure if its a good thing and the stripper is hot.. or nasty... or even a guy. Yea, thats the movies for me exactly. haha.

Fair enough. But one thing you have to admit is they did make inprovments fron the first movie to the second. More robots and more screen time. (may not have ben all the sceens you would have liked to see, but it was improved) And i still don't understand the point of everything being a big blur. Many scense were slowed down to show more detail. (forest battle as well as the desert battle) So i still don't get this complaint.

As far as strippers go; Wow, thats a new one. Comparing TF to lab dances. You my frined, need to get out just a little bit more. Ha ha!

5150 Cruiser wrote: Fair enough. But one thing you have to admit is they did make inprovments fron the first movie to the second. More robots and more screen time. (may not have ben all the sceens you would have liked to see, but it was improved) And i still don't understand the point of everything being a big blur. Many scense were slowed down to show more detail. (forest battle as well as the desert battle) So i still don't get this complaint.

As far as strippers go; Wow, thats a new one. Comparing TF to lab dances. You my frined, need to get out just a little bit more. Ha ha!

Haha, au contraire, I party a little too much, and rarely go to strip clubs... All though for the record, they're much better in Seattle than they are in Van

Yea they slow scenes down, and there was more action in the second. Which is why I will occasionally youtube the forest scene. The end scene sucks though, The Fallen dies so quickly, megatron and starscream get pwned way too easily.. etc. Blah, beating a dead horse. To make up for any hurt feelings, here is somthing you'll REALLY like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHhcb--H_us

Let's just hope that Bay's claimed extra work does pay off.

Cause that Superbowl trailer was calling to the 'piece.
But i've had such experiences with trailers...

MINDVVIPE wrote:Man, reading these comments... Its pretty brutal to say the least.
Like the Bay Universe, alright. Thats opinion.
But actually saying that you don't care if the movie has no characters or storyline that makes sense...
The movies didn't entertain me for a few reasons. I didn't care for any of the characters at all. Not a single bit, coz it was always clear that Bay was trying to appeal to a wide variety of people, and not just the TF Fans, to the extreme that he hindered the movie. Good example of just the opposite: "Tron"

They're just bad movies. as a MOVIE, they're both bad. Whether you like the action, and the explosions... and the TF designs (coz thats really the only good there is), thats fine. but as a TF fan, I wanted to see a movie where I could get into the characters (would have helped by seeing a lot more screentime of them, but that was CG budget + time + "uhh, I never liked G1, in fact I hate it... so lets just make these robots sound up to date with words like "my bad" and ...well.. all of the twin's dialogue)

Aaaanyway, I pretty much figure this movie is going to be a more action packed version of the others, with only small improvements to character development. The story might just make sense, but completely excluding the past movies in regards to a sensical timeline of actions. Yea, There might not be a reboot for a long time, but Thanks to the fans who loved the CARTOON movie (although the real reason might be that directors are just trying to reboot everything since they're all out of original ideas), there came a live action. You need to stop being satisfied with crap, raise the standards so we can see Transformers enter a realm worthy of being next to Aliens... or AT LEAST Predators, rather than pirates of the carribean.

They didn't entertain you, but they entertained alot of people. A billion dollar's worth nearly per film. The negative opinions are in the minority, however vocal they are. I'd go into another discussion at length about it, but I already did that in another thread.

MINDVVIPE wrote: Haha, au contraire, I party a little too much, and rarely go to strip clubs... All though for the record, they're much better in Seattle than they are in Van

Yea they slow scenes down, and there was more action in the second. Which is why I will occasionally youtube the forest scene. The end scene sucks though, The Fallen dies so quickly, megatron and starscream get pwned way too easily.. etc. Blah, beating a dead horse. To make up for any hurt feelings, here is somthing you'll REALLY like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHhcb--H_us

Ha ha! Classic TF decepticon trubite. Very cool! No hurt feelings here my friened. Just having a little debate like always.

MINDVVIPE wrote:Man, reading these comments... Its pretty brutal to say the least.
Like the Bay Universe, alright. Thats opinion.
But actually saying that you don't care if the movie has no characters or storyline that makes sense...
The movies didn't entertain me for a few reasons. I didn't care for any of the characters at all. Not a single bit, coz it was always clear that Bay was trying to appeal to a wide variety of people, and not just the TF Fans, to the extreme that he hindered the movie. Good example of just the opposite: "Tron"

They're just bad movies. as a MOVIE, they're both bad. Whether you like the action, and the explosions... and the TF designs (coz thats really the only good there is), thats fine. but as a TF fan, I wanted to see a movie where I could get into the characters (would have helped by seeing a lot more screentime of them, but that was CG budget + time + "uhh, I never liked G1, in fact I hate it... so lets just make these robots sound up to date with words like "my bad" and ...well.. all of the twin's dialogue)

Aaaanyway, I pretty much figure this movie is going to be a more action packed version of the others, with only small improvements to character development. The story might just make sense, but completely excluding the past movies in regards to a sensical timeline of actions. Yea, There might not be a reboot for a long time, but Thanks to the fans who loved the CARTOON movie (although the real reason might be that directors are just trying to reboot everything since they're all out of original ideas), there came a live action. You need to stop being satisfied with crap, raise the standards so we can see Transformers enter a realm worthy of being next to Aliens... or AT LEAST Predators, rather than pirates of the carribean.

I agree, well stated.