Notes from TRANSFORMERS Production Kickoff Virtual Event Confirmation including character reveals

Earlier today, Paramount held a virtual event for the upcoming Transformers 7 film. They revealed the title as Transformers: RISE OF THE BEASTS during the event and via this press release. Attending the virtual event were Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Producer), Steven Caple, Jr (Director), actors Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback along with moderator Anthony Brenzican (from Vanity Fair). Here are my notes from today's exciting TRANSFORMERS Production Kickoff Virtual Event Confirmation with Paramount:

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Transformers 7 Production kick-off event

Director: Steven Caple, Jr
Moderator: Anthony Brenzican
Producer: Lorenzo di Bonaventura

• Caple talked Beast Wars.
• Title of next movie is Transformers Rise of the Beasts
• Prehistoric, Predacons
• Moderator mentioned Maximals, Predacons and "Terrorcons"? Not sure if he misspoke on Terrorcons.
• Lorenzo talked about finding a new set of priorities with this direction.
• Going to see new villains and Autobots we've never seen before.
• Mentioned that Transformers has a lot of "tribes" and this movie is going to bring a lot of these "tribes" together.
• Director mentioned Terrorcons again, so apparently not a mistake earlier. Terrorcons will disrupt the movie.
• Difference between Predacons and Terrorcons. Predacons are more reptillian. Building a backstory to Predacons.
• Predacons are the natural enemy of the Maximals.
• Terrorcons are in opposition to the Autobots.
• There will be some Decepticons in the movie.
• 5 factions mentioned so far.
• Terrorcons will threaten everyone.
• Rise of the Beast time period will place around 1994.
• Sounds like it will still be in the Bayverse. Intentionally setting it in 90s so that it doesn't cut into time period of Bay films.
• 90s are rich in texture, mentioned music, and energy from the 90s. Director used the word "grit" to describe this era.
• Drawing some inspiration from popular 90s films.
• Will be a journey!
• Lorenzo discussed how they are privileged to be part of this franchise. Access point are the human characters to get access to the Transformers characters.

Locations discussed:

• New York City (Brooklyn) ... travel through New York, but Brooklyn is main area.
• Peru, jungle, Monchu Pichu (sp?), beautiful landscapes, beautiful people. Incan traditions and how it impacts storyline.

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Characters in Transformers Rise of the Beasts

Transformers characters discussed:

• Main robot character ... is Optimus Prime, has a much more G1 flair. Cleaner look. Steven: "We are going G1 with Optimus Prime". Bringing the story back to see how (why?) Optimus Prime becomes the leader that we know. He's "new" to Earth. This film is forming why he wants to protect humans. Peter Cullen is returning as Optimus Prime.
• Bumblebee as a Classic Z28 Camaro, but with an offroad kit on it. Literally called it Offroad Bumblebee.
• Another Autobot ally ... Mirage is a silver Porsche 911 with blue detailing. Why not Jazz??? Rebel of the group. Anti-authority character. Lorenzo said Mirage has always been able to transform into other vehicles. Not sure what he was talking about? Mirage takes a prominence that is significant to the movie.
• Arcee is 4th Autobot mentioned. Loyal soldier to Prime. Voice of reason. She transformers into a Motorcycle. Dakatti 916?
• Another female Transformer is Nightbird. Vehicle form reminds me of Cybertron Runamuck. Transforms into a GTR. Still a ninja. Looks really cool. She's a Terrorcon. Lorenzo stated that she has had flexible allegiances in the past?
• Different villain than Megatron. Big bad this time around is Scourge (but a different version than we've seen before). Leader of the Terrorcons. Looks like it might have a truck form or something. Large crane claw on left hand. Smokestacks behind shoulders with black smoke coming out of them. Sounds like a bounty hunter of sorts. Loves to collect Autobots and Maximals and tears off their faction symbols and wears them. Character design art by "Del Rio".
• Beast Wars characters: Airazor. She's the heart of the Maximals. Rustic in design. Aged texture. Looks a bit rusty. Realistic mechanical beasts. Kind of gives me a Beast Machines vibe.
• Rhinox is here as well. Looks like Headstrong. Likes to ram things. "Wants to use that horn!"
• Optimus Primal as a gorilla. Has a traditional Maximal symbol on his chest. Not sure if that's final or not. Has hair on back of forearms and back of shoulders.

Human characters discussed:

• Actors brought into conversation: Anothony Ramos and Dominique Fishback.
• Dominique's character: playing Elena, works at a museum, trying to get a leg up in life, boss keeps taking credit for work she does. Intelligent person. Artifact researcher. Sophisticated thinker. New Yorker. If I recall correctly, she mentioned that she got into Transformers because of Shia and the first Michael Bay Transformers film.
• Anothy's character: Noah, is from Brooklyn. Sort of like a father figure to his brother. All about taking care of home and family. Ex-military. Trying to find his way after came back home. Lower income. Hustling. Amazing with electronics. Anything electronic can fix. One thing he loves about Noah is his tenacity, heart, and will to never quit. Amazing to see his journey as humans meet Transformers in film. Anthony said Beast Wars was his Transformers.

Recap of characters discussed during today's event:

• Anthony Ramos as "Noah"
• Dominique Fishback as "Elena"
• Optimus Prime
• Bumblebee
• Arcee
• Mirage
• Nightbird
• Scourge
• Airazor
• Rhinox
• Optimus Primal

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Questions from the audience:

Are there practical elements to the film? Practical versus digital elements. Lorenzo says most of these movies are practical with digital effects enhancing the practical. The more you create "real", the more real the CG effects look. Steven: Cheat code for visual is partly the locations / scenery.

Daniel Cribb: What was some of main concerns coming into the legacy of Transformers?
Steven: balancing out what has come before and what he's going to bring to the table. Making sure people are feeling something new / fresh to the table. Something honest. Finding a relatability, a way to connect. Listens, close ear to the ground to hear what people are saying.

Rise of the Beasts will be more of a larger spectacle and not a smaller initimate film like Bumblebee.

Will there be rap music involved in the film? You will feel '94. Hip hop culture. You will feel Brooklyn. Will have a great soundtrack.


Who is your favorite Transformer and why?

Lorenzo: evolved over time. Ironhide originally because his son's favorite character. Bumblebee has been his favorite.

Steven: you haven't met his favorite character yet because it's in Rise of the Beasts. Loves Prime. Ironhide is a cool character. Of course 'Bee. Gonna be some dope characters he's going to introduce in this film.