Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action

Posted by El Duque Jun 21, 2012 at 11:45pm CDT 42,409 views

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Director Michael Bay recently shared some details about his upcoming fourth live action Transformers film with the LA Times. Bay reiterates that this will not be a reboot, though there will be an all new cast. He also hints that this film may see the action move off planet. The fourth film, which is currently being written by Ehren Kruger, will see a smaller budget than that of Transformers: DOTM, approximately $165 million.

“It’s not a reboot," Bay said, reiterating that the new film will have an all-new cast. "That’s maybe the wrong word. I don’t want to say 'reboot' because then people will think we’re doing a 'Spider-Man' and starting from the beginning. We’re not. We’re taking the story that you’ve seen — the story we’ve told in three movies already — and we’re taking it in a new direction. But we’re leaving those three as the history. It all still counts... We’re moving on to something different.”

"That feels like the way to go, doesn’t it?" says Bay. "I want to go a little off [the planet] but I don’t want to go too sci-fi. I still want to keep it grounded."

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Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by xyl360 Jun 21, 2012

Hmm...new planet, new cast, new takes on the appearance of the robots and the first three movies are in the 'history' of this new film?

I smell BEAST WARS!!! :twisted:

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by Seibertron Jun 21, 2012

Considering that we're a year or more away from filming, I'd take all of this with a grain of salt. Moving the story into space, and possibly toward restoring Cybertron, would be awesome.

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by Rated X Jun 22, 2012

Leave out the humans...

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by SKYWARPED_128 Jun 22, 2012

The mention of a smaller budget worries me. It won't be a problem if he saves some cash by going easy on the overseas locations (Egypt, China, Jordan, etc.) and superfluous explosions, but if he skimps on the CGI, that means less screen time for the bots.

On the other hand, if they're going to tell the story in space, then they can't possibly skimp on the CGI.

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by YRQRM0 Jun 22, 2012

I would prefer a reboot. I don't even know if Cybertron is still there, I had thought the first movie said it was destroyed and uninhabitable. So many characters have disappeared/reappeared without explanation, so many good namesakes have been used, Megatron's been revived/fixed/reformatted too much, etc...

I understand a lot of these things can be somewhat explained/patched with comics/novels, but they shouldn't have to be. If Bay didn't make awesome action sequences, I would want an entirely new director. I hope this movie, if not a reboot, will have some allmighty reviving mechanism or something, where they can basically give characters like Devastator the screentime they deserve.

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by T-Macksimus Jun 22, 2012

This kind of makes you wonder a bit whether or not someone may have been left behind to watch over the Nemesis and whether that someone is going to step up and fill the void now that every single main Decepticon is dead as a doornail.

This takes care of both the "off planet" aspect and the new enemy aspect.

Just please don't bring Uncron into the mix. This is going to be a suck-fest as it is without THAT lame storyline. It worked in 1986...ONCE! It should have stayed in 1986 where it was still cool. Now it's just freakin' old and so badly butchered that, for the life of me, I can't see why people get excited over it and want to see it bastardized yet again. :-x

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by Capt.Failure Jun 22, 2012

SKYWARPED_128 wrote:The mention of a smaller budget worries me. It won't be a problem if he saves some cash by going easy on the overseas locations (Egypt, China, Jordan, etc.) and superfluous explosions, but if he skimps on the CGI, that means less screen time for the bots.

On the other hand, if they're going to tell the story in space, then they can't possibly skimp on the CGI.

Bays an expensive director because he prefers to use actual locations and physical effects unless he can absolutely avoid it. A film set in the future would negate many of the travel costs of filming on location.

T-Macksimus wrote:This is going to be a suck-fest as it is without THAT lame storyline.

That's an amazing review of a film that hasn't even left the planning stages yet. :APPLAUSE:

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by Autobot Megatron Jun 22, 2012

xyl360 wrote:Hmm...new planet, new cast, new takes on the appearance of the robots and the first three movies are in the 'history' of this new film?

I smell BEAST WARS!!!

If it isn't, I will kill you for getting my hopes up.

Still not really excited, though. Way too early, and I'm busy being excited for FOC right now anyways.

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by guarayakha Jun 22, 2012

Calling it now, Optimus driven to insanity by his guilt for causing the destruction of Cybertron ends up being Nemesis Prime, and it is now up to the rookie Autobot Hot Rodimus to bring him to justice!

Turns out Optimus is his father....

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by Capt.Failure Jun 22, 2012

guarayakha wrote:Calling it now, Optimus driven to insanity by his guilt for causing the destruction of Cybertron ends up being Nemesis Prime, and it is now up to the rookie Autobot Hot Rodimus to bring him to justice!

Turns out Optimus is his father....

That's not true...that's IMPOSSIBLE!!! :sad:

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by SilverbeamPrime Jun 22, 2012

He killed Ironhide!!! who does that?! Which bot am i gonna be hopin to live now? He better bring bad ass character!! And keep Rodimus out. primus plzz no Rodimus o.o

Does that mean hes replacing Peter Cullen?! :shock:

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by Burn Jun 22, 2012

They're just going back to spend more time on the moon.

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by Seibertron Jun 22, 2012

Capt.Failure wrote:Bays an expensive director because he prefers to use actual locations and physical effects unless he can absolutely avoid it. A film set in the future would negate many of the travel costs of filming on location.

Bay's not an expensive director, these are just expensive movies. He's the business man's director. Gets things done on time, when he says he will, and on budget. He delivers.

TF3's budget: $195 million
http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=transformers3.htm

TF2's budget: $200 million
http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=transformers2.htm

TF1's budget: $150 million

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by zodconvoy Jun 22, 2012

Guys, guys! Smaller budget because no globe trotting locations, smaller cast, the war on Earth already happened, in space/other planet, Megatron already dead? Still packed with all the nameless deaths and Baysplosions? Sound familiar to anyone?

We are talking possible "Last Stand of the Wreckers" movie here!

:KREMZEEK:

All I ask is that Overlord be voiced by Clancy Brown. Whenever I read LSOTW, Overlord sounds like Animated Lex Luthor to me! =P~

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by LiKwid Jun 22, 2012

Yawn..Hopes will not be high for this release..You've fooled me 3 times Bay..

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by -Kanrabat- Jun 22, 2012

I hope this time it will be focused less on human shenanigans and more on robot shenanigans.

For now, things are looking good.
However, if the new human is Kicker and the whole movie is centered around him... I swear I'm going to KICK someone in the nuts!

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by Rodimus Prime Jun 22, 2012

T-Macksimus wrote: for the life of me, I can't see why people get excited over it and want to see it bastardized yet again.

For the same reason so many people saw the trilogy: because it's Transformers on the big screen, and it's FUN.

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by Gundamu Jun 22, 2012

"I want to go a little off [the planet] but I don’t want to go too sci-fi. I still want to keep it grounded."
He does know he's making a movie about giant, sentient, transforming alien robots, right? *facepalm*

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by griftimus prime Jun 22, 2012

it will be lame just like the other 3. they just keep getting worse and worse. and a beast wars movie would be lame. i would not be apposed to a new toyline though

Re: Michael Bay Shares Transformers 4 Details: Smaller Budget, New Cast, Possible Off Planet Action (view post)

Comment by Rodimus Prime Jun 22, 2012