Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room

Posted by Va'al Jul 29, 2015 at 1:45am CDT 68,456 views

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Fellow Seibertron.com user SlyTF1 has alerted us to a new article discussing the goings-on at Paramount, and specifically in the writers room for the extended Transformers universe, as IGN caught up with Daredevil's Steven DeKnight on the current situation with Akiva Goldsman's project, and the surprise visit from Steven Spielberg! Read more below, and head here for the full piece.

Taking a page from how a TV show is run, Paramount assembled a big group of experienced writers to help chart out the future of the Transformers film series, under the guidance of Akiva Goldsman, as the studio looks to build more of an expanded Transformers movie universe. I asked DeKnight what the experience was like taking that TV dynamic and using it in film, and he had an enthusiastic reply.

“It's that wonderful thing where features are now taking a page from television and getting people together to really try and plan things out. It was a wonderful experience. Akiva Goldsman was fantastic and Jeff Pinkner, who's co-writing the fifth [Transformers] movie with him was phenomenal. Zak Penn... It was just a room full of brilliant, funny, amazing people. And we spent two and a half weeks in physically the best writers room I've ever seen in my life. Paramount pulled out all the stops. It was phenomenal! We laughed and joked and told stories and plotted out...”

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Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by Windsweeper Jul 29, 2015

Didn't Akiva Goldsman write Batman Forever and Batman & Robin?

How is his involvement a good thing? Bad enough Bay is still around

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by Madeus Prime Jul 29, 2015

Windsweeper wrote:Didn't Akiva Goldsman write Batman Forever and Batman & Robin?

How is his involvement a good thing? Bad enough Bay is still around

Yeah, and Lost in Space. If he's writing TF5, maybe it'll kill the franchise like the two Batman movies did, only to be properly done 8 years later!!

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by YRQRM0 Jul 29, 2015

Can't wait til the whole thing gets rebooted. It'll only be a matter of time. I'd like to see someone like Brad Bird helm the TF franchise (after what he did with Iron Giant).

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by fighterknight Aug 5, 2015

MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Whether it would be a good or bad film, I'd love a Beast Wars adaption regardless of if the characters are slandered

I'd love for a big screen adaptation of Beast Wars. I don't see it happening though. All the movies thus far have been more human centric then focusing on the Transformers themselves.

I could see it getting rebooted sooner rather then later. I think they will finish out the story they started in AoE, but then reboot it due to the writers room and wanting to make a bigger universe.

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by Cmdr. Trailblazer Aug 8, 2015

Um...well, I have conflicting opinions on this. On the one hand, I really like where this is going. Expanding this universe is just plain awesome. It could turn into what Marvel is doing with its cinematic universe. I.E., very good. However, I'm iffy about it as well. I think this is going into the same path as other franchises, franchises that started really good. Michael Bay, and whoever else that is doing this is gonna milk the heck out of this, to the extent that the movies will go stale, with good movies going bad, like the X-Men franchise. Also, what about the comics? Will they be tossed out the window?

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by DedicatedGhostArt Aug 8, 2015

fighterknight wrote:
MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Whether it would be a good or bad film, I'd love a Beast Wars adaption regardless of if the characters are slandered

I'd love for a big screen adaptation of Beast Wars. I don't see it happening though. All the movies thus far have been more human centric then focusing on the Transformers themselves.

I could see it getting rebooted sooner rather then later. I think they will finish out the story they started in AoE, but then reboot it due to the writers room and wanting to make a bigger universe.

Me too, and I think AOE Scorn would be a perfect figure to remold into Beast Wars Megs! I actually haven't gotten Scorn because I don't really care for the AOE Dinobots, but if they remade it into Megatron then HOLY CRAP I would definitely keep my eye on it!

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by Stuartmaximus Aug 9, 2015

Cmdr. Trailblazer wrote: Also, what about the comics? Will they be tossed out the window?

Maybe they'll go all Star Wars on this! & only stories after a certain point will become Canon! & all others before....are obviously not part of the TCU(Transformers Cinematic Universe)YES! I know the original TF Movie was the exception! as it had comic tie-ins, but for the new & upcoming expanded cinematic universe!......that'll be a whole new ballgame.

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by King Kuuga Aug 10, 2015

The movies have never given any regard to the comics before, I doubt they'll start now. Didn't Sabrblade say that Age of Extinction nullified a lot of the stuff the comics did that tried to explain the plot holes in the movies?

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by Sabrblade Aug 10, 2015

That Bot wrote:The movies have never given any regard to the comics before, I doubt they'll start now. Didn't Sabrblade say that Age of Extinction nullified a lot of the stuff the comics did that tried to explain the plot holes in the movies?

I wouldn't say "nullified" so much as "ignored" or "potentially contradicted" things the comics did. All it would take would be a competent writer like John Barber to patch things up again with some more Movieverse comics, since there's still some room in the greater Movieverse timeline for such patch jobs to be done. The only problem with that solution is that IDW currently doesn't have any plans for further Movieverse comics to be done at this time.

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by JazZeke Aug 10, 2015

Sabrblade wrote:The only problem with that solution is that IDW currently doesn't have any plans for further Movieverse comics to be done at this time.

Is that really so unfortunate? Is the movieverse really worth salvaging with comics?

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by Sabrblade Aug 10, 2015

JazZeke wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:The only problem with that solution is that IDW currently doesn't have any plans for further Movieverse comics to be done at this time.

Is that really so unfortunate? Is the movieverse really worth salvaging with comics?

Well, the Movieverse comics are probably the best Movieverse fiction there is, with several (but not all) of them being pretty cool in their own right.

And that a lot of them were able to fix many of the continuity and overall storytelling problems of the films was a delicious icing on the cake.

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by JazZeke Aug 10, 2015

Sabrblade wrote:
JazZeke wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:The only problem with that solution is that IDW currently doesn't have any plans for further Movieverse comics to be done at this time.

Is that really so unfortunate? Is the movieverse really worth salvaging with comics?
Well, the Movieverse comics are probably the best Movieverse fiction there is, with several (but not all) of them being pretty cool in their own right.

And that a lot of them were able to fix many of the continuity and overall storytelling problems of the films was a delicious icing on the cake.

I enjoyed many of them myself, but when the comics are so busy just trying to patch continuity, story often takes a back seat.

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by D-Maximal_Primal Aug 10, 2015

Still would be pretty cool to have a live-action beast wars movie...

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by Sabrblade Aug 10, 2015

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Still would be pretty cool to have a live-action beast wars movie...

Yeah, cuz CGI Maximals and Predacons in a live background is that much different that CGI Maximals and Predacons in a CGI background. >:oP

Don't get me wrong, I love Beast Wars, but it's because I care so much for it that I'd much rather Hollywood leave well enough alone, lest we end up with a film featuring a freakishly hideous Optimus Primal that eat bugs picked from off of his back and throws his own poop at the audience in 3D. :SICK:

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by D-Maximal_Primal Aug 10, 2015

Sabrblade wrote:
D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Still would be pretty cool to have a live-action beast wars movie...
Yeah, cuz CGI Maximals and Predacons in a live background is that much different that CGI Maximals and Predacons in a CGI background.

Don't get me wrong, I love Beast Wars, but it's because I care so much for it that I'd much rather Hollywood leave well enough alone, lest we end up with a film featuring a freakishly hideous Optimus Primal that eat bugs picked from off of his back and throws his own poop at the audience in 3D.

Well, believable realistic looking looks, not necessarily live action. And personally if they got the right people they could make it a hit. I for one would like to see our beast wars guys get a good modern spotlight

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by Sabrblade Aug 10, 2015

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:I for one would like to see our beast wars guys get a good modern spotlight

Beast Wars: Uprising is a good modern spotlight if you ask me.

And IDW's probably got something going down with that colony world Eukaris.

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by Zeedust Aug 11, 2015

Sabrblade wrote:
D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Still would be pretty cool to have a live-action beast wars movie...
Yeah, cuz CGI Maximals and Predacons in a live background is that much different that CGI Maximals and Predacons in a CGI background.

Don't get me wrong, I love Beast Wars, but it's because I care so much for it that I'd much rather Hollywood leave well enough alone, lest we end up with a film featuring a freakishly hideous Optimus Primal that eat bugs picked from off of his back and throws his own poop at the audience in 3D.

Yeah, do we really want a Beast Wars movie where Cheetor can't talk? ...Wait, that's probably a bad example.

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by D-Maximal_Primal Aug 11, 2015

Sabrblade wrote:
D-Maximus_Prime wrote:I for one would like to see our beast wars guys get a good modern spotlight
Beast Wars: Uprising is a good modern spotlight if you ask me.

And IDW's probably got something going down with that colony world Eukaris.

Having just read the preview, I am excited for Eukaris!

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by Indess Aug 21, 2015

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
D-Maximus_Prime wrote:I for one would like to see our beast wars guys get a good modern spotlight
Beast Wars: Uprising is a good modern spotlight if you ask me.

And IDW's probably got something going down with that colony world Eukaris.

Having just read the preview, I am excited for Eukaris!

What was your first experience with Eukaris when you came to know about it first time?

Re: Steven DeKnight on Paramount Transformers Universe Writers Room (view post)

Comment by D-Maximal_Primal Aug 22, 2015

Indess wrote:
D-Maximus_Prime wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
D-Maximus_Prime wrote:I for one would like to see our beast wars guys get a good modern spotlight
Beast Wars: Uprising is a good modern spotlight if you ask me.

And IDW's probably got something going down with that colony world Eukaris.

Having just read the preview, I am excited for Eukaris!

What was your first experience with Eukaris when you came to know about it first time?

Eukaris was an interesting colony world and a cool take on the classic beast wars. I like that all the guys are split into tribes based on beast mode, almost like functionalism for beasts. I also liked that Tigatron and Airazor were outcasts to be with one another. I look forward to what they will do with the beasts and what kinds of characters will spring up there

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