The Energon Pub

The sadder side of the Transformers fanbase has come to light in a short comment Transformers Movie director Michael Bay gave to Starpulse News Blog. According to Bay in that article, he has received death threats from "fans" while working on the movie.

"I did get a lot of flak from fans on the internet. They'd be like, 'Michael Bay wrecked my childhood. Michael Bay, you suck. We're gonna protest this at your office.' Some did - they protested at my old office, apparently. But it was the death threats that really freaked me out".

Guess he'd best go End of Evangelion on 'em in the next movie: print the messages on some screens just before Unicron turns everyone to Tang...even though that would make a second sequal kinda' hard

We've heard this before, and I don't really know how to take it. First, I find it hard to believe that anyone could be that ignorant to do something like this. Second, if they did, they deserve to be banned from every convention and/or TF-related function for life (oh, and a good punch in the nose, couldn't hurt )!

Even if the movie bombs, this is uncalled for. It's not funny and it makes the fan community look like a bunch of jackasses. No wonder Bay didn't listen to the fans. True, he did a little, but we still may have gotten more!

These people are a stain. Granted, the TF fanbase has seen its share of irate opinions lately, but this is f***ing overboard. I may want to vomit looking at "Transformers Animated" Optimus, but I REALLY don't think it's something worth risking imprisonment and/or possible capital punishment over.

This is honestly pathetic. I understand if you don't like what he did; for a while, I was suspicious too. However, the reasonable course of action is to not watch the movie. You don't go and threaten the man's life! This is a stinking movie about a toy franchise! These idiots need to grow up.

what a bunch of losers.
Michael Bay did a fantastic job on the movie. People were cheering and applauding at the sneak previews and early screenings.
The changes he made were necessary and the designs of the robots kick as$.

Truth be told - if you really let these losers have their way and get what they want in a Transformers movie - the movie would probably suck.

Passionate or not, dedicated or not, nobody has the right to threaten a man's life and livelihood over something this trivial.

We should actually start a public apology thread. Bay may be a jerk some (if not all) of the time, but he's handled the fandom and the material decently well to the best of my knowledge, and as a group we could at least be gracious enough to apologize for the life-leeching losers that would stoop to such degrading behavior.

That's a pretty good idea, Asderiphel.

That is truly pathetic. Is this how we as a fanbase want to be seen? It's hard to believe that there those among us that are so immature as to volley death threats at someone who is genuinely trying to make a kick @$$ live action TF movie. If someone doesn't like the movie then don't go see it. Don't but the toys or merchandise. Don't support the movie. But to make death threats towards Bay? Whoever is making the death threats should be shot and is a waste of space!

Mr. Kemp wrote:That's a pretty good idea, Asderiphel.

I second that! (or is this thirding it?)

I reserve my death threats to those making the next animated series if they look like that horrid 'hero optimus' picture. Bay and co. have brought Transformers back into the mainstream moreso than anything else in the past 20 years since the last Transformers movie, and maybe more than that did. How can that be a bad thing?

You guys do realise you're condemning some of your own fellow Seibertronians right?

Yeah, that's right ... people posted such things about Bay right here in these forums.

Sorry but a public apology would serve what? I for one am not going to apologise for the comments of an idiot.

thats rediculous

Death threats are the work of a bunch of interent tough guys.

This is just stupid. Death threats won't get the man to change anything. I mean really, this is what will give TF's a bad reputation, if the fans are threatening his life. Really, it is stupid. This makes no sense at all & is quite embarassing for us. Whatever.

Yeah Death Threat are a bit harsh. And they didnt work so it was pointless. Protesting yeah ok. Bashing bay on forums, thats ok too but sending a death threat is frakin retarded. Bay did kinda mess up TF (God damn ugly ass heads and scrap pile megatron) but this movie has helped alot more than hurt it. Look at all the TF crap thats out now. remember how hard it was to find things that had TF stuff on it. And we once again got complex figures and objectformers. I dont think that the ones who sent the threats should be banded form TF relate events and sites because they were standing up for what they belive in but they do need to see that sending death threats is way out of line and uncalled for.

Thanks alot guys. Now the TF comunity is gonna be looked down upon. But then again I bet lucas may have gotten a few death threats too

Burn wrote:You guys do realise you're condemning some of your own fellow Seibertronians right?

Yeah, that's right ... people posted such things about Bay right here in these forums.

Sorry but a public apology would serve what? I for one am not going to apologise for the comments of an idiot.

Such a thread would only be for those who wish to particpate, so no rights are being condemed.

But, I will admit that you're right in way. I don't think it would do much good.

I've read some posts on the forums as well. Saying it here and sending it directly to Bay is another thing altogether. Though, this does bring up a good point. Where did these threats come from? Were they delivered to him directly or did he just read some crap in some of the forums? If it's the latter, then I think he's making a bigger deal than it really is (besides the fact that no one would enjoy reading bad comments about themselves).

I believe he received death threats because there are some over the top fans. People have received them for less. If they know who did it they should be banned from any convention and legal action should be looked into.

Probably more common in all fan bases than is usually published. We know Bob Skir got some threats for his work on Beast Machines, Bob Foreward and Larry DiTillo probably got a few as well. This is, sadly, not surprising.

I do certrainly object the choise of some of the designs and I will never be satisfied with the live movie, but death treads are way out of line.

First, they won't change the way the movie is going to be (specially when we're 12 days away from the release date and having already a plethora of products on the market already) and second, that can land the person(s) maiking the thread in really hot water (think of the scene in the original TF:TM where all the robots were thrown on that coldurum inside of unicron to be melted) with authorities.

And I admit I have criticized the choices Bay had made based on the designs the robots that but I would NEVER take things THAT far! I just don't need sany more heat on my life, specially from Big Brother's helpers.

OK now that's just a little uncalled for. I'm not that fond of the movie designs, but by no means has he or anyone wrecked my childhood over this. Seriously some people need to stop, take a deep breath and get a life. This is just one take on Transformers and there will be many more. If you don't like what's going on with Transformers at the moment just take a time out beacause there's always a next season of new stuff. This by no means is the end!

Augh, fans that actually stooped that low...

They really, REALLY need to sort out their priorities in life. Death threats over a cartoon? Just... wow. *shakes head in disappointment*

Back when I used to hang out at Don Murphy's board there was a real nutjob on there that made some death threats against him and some of the other members. These kooks are out there...

Gives the rest of us a bad name. If you really want to consider them part of "us", which I don't.

I issue death threats all the time. I give them to my mom, I yell them at the cat, I even muttered a death threat at the lady behind the counter today when she gave me the incorrect amount of change. Sounds stupid doesn't it. That's because a death threat is never a laughing issue. Sure, maybe between close friends or in a movie, it's funny. But when a complete stranger wants him and his family dead because he was making a movie people want to see, it is by and far the most psychotic and socially belittling thing someone could ever do.

I really hope Bay meets one of those wack jobs face to face and gets a good, long look at the person who threatend the safety of the family... and I hope he has the film rolling.