Transformers 3 Starts Filming In May?

Deadline Hollywood reports that Transformers 3 will start filming in May. The article covers Shia LaBeouf was leaving WME for CAA (both are talent agencies) and apparently the actor said that filming would start then. Considering the film's July 1st 2011 release date and the previous two films started filming in June, a year before intended release, a May start date is not unreasonable. It is also not officially confirmed.

Transformers Ongoing Preview

Newsarama has posted a preview of Transformers #3 that will be hitting comic store shelves this Wednesday. The storyline continues the opening arc of Optimus Prime quitting and allowing his capture by the government that now distrusts all Transformers and have the technology to destroy them. Meanwhile Bumblebee, elected new leader of the Autobots, decides what to do next. All three issue covers and first five pages can be found here.

War For Cybertron Optimus Prime Toy?

If this image is true, it appears that Activision's Transformers: War for Cybertron video game may have a toy line to go with it when released this summer. The image from S250 shows the vehicle mode of Optimus Prime from the game. Its potential class, release date and other specifics are unknown. Since Hasbro seems to want to treat the game as canon and the Revenge of the Fallen line will have run its course by summer, it does seem like a good way to fill the gap between now and whenever their next animated effort gets off the ground. Hopefully Hasbro will release something official soon to confirm what their future plans are for Transformers post ROTF.

Transformers Linkfest

More links to new Transformers related toy galleries.

New Official ROTF Toy Gallery
Hasbro has released a new crop of official images for their next wave of Revenge of the Fallen toys. Most we have seen here on this blog or elsewhere before but still good way to get the best look at new toys includes Breakdown, Bludgeon, Evac and more.

Transformers: Animated Japan Wave One
The first wave of Transformers: Animated toys for Japan have been announced. Apparently the new wave follows the USA mold of the figures but include a few painting tweaks such as colored faction symbols and metallic paint.

ROTF EZ Collection 2 Set
A set that is probably Japan only for now that has 8 Legend class figures all in one package. The figures included are battle damaged Megatron and Optimus along with Ironhide, Sideways, Skids, Grindor, Wheelie and Soundwave. Click the link for more images of the packaging and figures.

New Target DPCIs
New entries in Target’s product database suggest some new toys coming that we may not know about yet. A few are about exclusive Legends two packs and the like but some are unknown such as Cyber Ops Bumblebee for $60USD and a new 5pk combine for $20USD.

Auto-transforming Bumblebee
From Tformers, below is a video that shows Bumblebee knock-off that transforms itself and plays sounds and music. Not a toy I would want but still cute to view.

Transformers Device Label Coming Stateside?

Transformers gets a little love at CES currently going on at Las Vegas. In this report from TekZilla, it is suggested that the Device label line of Transformers may no longer be a Japan only exclusive with Toshiba releasing the mouse and thumb drives to the states for $40USD. Sadly no information on when and who might be carrying them.

ROTF Remains On Oscar VFX Shorter List

The number of movies still in contention for an Academy Award for Visual Effects has gone from 15 to 7 according to the LA Times. Fortunately Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen remains on the list. Some contenders removed include Watchmen, Sherlock Holmes, and A Christmas Carol. Remaining contenders:

- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
- Star Trek
- Avatar
- District 9
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Terminator Salvation
- 2012

The next step in the process is for the Academy's VFX panel to view 15-minute clips and vote on three as the official nominees for the award. The final three will be announced on February 2nd with the winner rewarded during the ceremony on March 7th. Avatar is a clear lock for one of the spots (and likely the award winner). My guess the final two spots are between Transformers: ROTF, Star Trek, and 2012.

Leader Class Bumblebee?

S250 has provided a new picture to TFW2005 that indicates that Bumblebee may be getting the Leader class treatment. This would be the fifth such toy after Starscream, Jetfire, Megatron and Optimus Prime. This version of Bumblebee has a battle mask (I assume slides back), blaster, shoulder mounted cannons and lots of details. If the picture is toy accurate it appears this leader version has the potential to be better than Ultimate Bumblebee which will probably annoy many that paid the higher price for the toy (such as myself). There has not been official confirmation from Hasbro for this toy (but then there never was for Starscream either), nor any hints on release date.

Update: It should be noted that it seems a consensus has been reached on multple Transformers sites (and here in the comments) that this may be a fake photoshopped effort. Sadly there is no definitive proof to prove how real or fake the image is. However, I figure give it a few weeks since usual the real toys get followed up with in packaging images and the fake toys just never get heard from again.

Tales Of The Fallen #6 Arcee Preview

The Full Mowery blog has posted a preview of the next issue of Transformers: ROTF Tales of the Fallen. Issue six focuses on the character of Arcee (the pink motorcycle) and takes place after Reign of Starscream, but before Alliance (which took place before the movie). It introduces a new Decepticon created by the writer Chris Mowry that is kind of the anti-Ratchet whose purpose is simply to get fallen soldiers back into the battle.

Click here for issue description and the five pages.

Happy New Year

It has been a great year for Transfans (maybe not so much in other areas). We had a successful new movie with Revenge of the Fallen, its toy line, and confirmation that a third is coming in 2011. 2010 will bring us a new video game with War on Cybertron, a new toy line and cartoon series, Botcon in Florida and who knows what great new toys Takara Tomy has in store for their Masterpiece, Alternity and other lines. Over all the future is bright for Transformers. I hope it becomes bright in all areas of your lives.Have a Happy (and safe) New Year!

W4C: Homeworld Design, Game Music & Discussion

Game Informer have posted their final two articles to their Transformers: War for Cybertron hub. The game's release is scheduled for summer 2010.

Tackling the Robot Homeworld
Click the link to view a video (embedding not working so well) as Game Director Matt Tieger discusses the game and creating Cybertron for the game. It is more or less a sales pitch for the game but the art is cool to look at.

Special Edition Podcast
At the link is 24 minute audio podcast with Game Informer's reporters as they discuss the game and some of what they saw when saw an early version of the game last month. In addition, the beginning and end (about 23:03 point) of the podcast has music from the game.

To sum it up:
- Hasbro considers the game "canon" as part of the origin story for Transformers' Great War.
- Game designs are inspired by Generation One
- Hasbro is very much part of the approval process for designs of the characters, Cybertron, etc
- The design and look of Cybertron is based on design from Transformers: The Movie (which carried over into season three of the G1 cartoons).
- "Very Gears of War-like" in play style but more mobile in part because of transformation ability but also jet and vehicle maps with multiple levels added additional game play elements.
- Has "gigantic bosses". An example for the Decepticon campaign is Omega Supreme.
- Noticed for background, Cybertron seemed like "a living planet" with parts moving around, energon being transported etc.
- Does have co-op and multi-player mode. A team might involve around three players.
- Vehicles fall into regular, tanks and jet types.
- Each character has two skills, on a timer with limited numbers of uses per round.
- Soundwave's alt mode is a vehicle.
- Decepticon campaign takes place first followed by Autobot one. Decepticon's is Megatron's plan and attempt to takeover Cybertron while the Autobot one focuses on stopping him.
- Lot of G1 voice actors is involved including Peter Cullen. Further announcements will be made next year.

W4C: Starscream And Optimus Primed

Game Informer has updated its Transformers: War for Cybertron hub with two new articles.

Starscream Profile
The last character profile focuses on Megatron's second in command. The game, for the first time ever, will show the first meeting between Starscream and Megatron during a mission onboard a space station in orbit around Cybertron. It will also attempt to explain why Starscream wants to rule the Decepticons and why Megatron keeps him around despite knowing his dangerous ambitions. As the image shows, Starscream's alt mode is once again a jet while his game special powers are Hover in robot mode and Shockwave which is useful for attacking groups of enemies.

Optimus Primed
Click the link for a time lapse look at the W4C version of Optimus Prime as he is drawn by Senior Concept Artist Billy King. Overall, the inspiration in the game character designs seems to be from the Generation One cartoons with a mix of the Classic toy line and The War Within comic series.

Four New ROTF Toy Reviews

After a slight detour to review Power Rangers and Beast Wars toys, Peaugh is back with four new reviews of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen toys. This time he reviews Deluxe class Ratchet, Lockdown and Brawn and also Scout Class Skystalker. All four are part of the new NEST Human Alliance toys coming out in the next few months. That sub-line has lots of repaints so it’s good to see some of the new molds.

NEST Shorts In 2010?

It appears that Tomy Takara plans to support the NEST sub line for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen toys with style. According to TFormers, there will be a series of short videos released to the web called "Transformers Cyber Mission" along with Toys R Us Japan exclusive NEST badge to first 4000 people that spend 2000 yen or more on ROTF products at their stores. The details on the videos (number, cgi, cartoon, voice, story, etc) have not been released.

Here is the translated text:

N.E.S.T. Enrollment Campaign
Get a Toys R Us exclusive N.E.S.T. tin badge by purchasing more than 2,000 yen worth ROTF products at TRU stores within Japan (except the online store) after Jan 23th 2010. For first 4000 customers only.

Transformers: Nafarious #1 Preview

Comic Book Resources has posted a first look at the first three pages of the next Transformers mini-series from IDW. Transformers: Nefarious starts were Transformers: Tales of the Fallen #5 (in comic books stores now) left off which tells the story of how Ravage was somehow revived by The Initiative.

The sequel to TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN starts here!

What is The Initiative? More to the point, why doesn’t the all-seeing SOUNDWAVE know anything about it? How did they come to reanimate/control RAVAGE? SOUNDWAVE must find the answers, and he’ll destroy anything in his path to get them!

The issue will hit comic stores in March. Story by Simon Furman who has written most American TF books over the years including almost all of the movie related material. The preview pages can be found here.

Things Learned From ROTF

It turns out that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen provided plenty of life lessons that can carry you through life. At least according to 100 Things I Learned. For ROTF, the list is currently at 63 things, most rather amusing. Some used it to vent about the movie but most got into the spirit of pretending to take the movie's "lessons" literally. The full list is here. (via Roger Ebert, nope not a typo)

Some favorites:
- Don't let your mom eat environmentally friendly brownies served by white kids in dreadlocks.
- The army will automatically fire a conveniently placed rail gun if you tell them you used to work with them.
- Mothers love hearing their children losing their virginity.
- If a hot girl is interested in a geek, she is probably trying to kill him.
- You can throw a high US government official appointed by the president, from a C17 with a parachute and get away with it.
- When someone you love is in peril, screaming their name apparently helps a lot.

Botcon 2010 Location Announced

In time for Christmas, the location and date of Botcon 2010 has been announced. The yearly Official Transformers Convention will be held at Walt Disney World's Dolphin Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida from June 24th-27th, 2010.

I have never been to Botcon so can't vouch if the convention is worth the $134USD per night hotel cost plus $5USD for parking. So far details on guests and panels have not been announced but as the name implies it is all about Transformers so typically guests are voice actors, Hasbro representatives, and lots of dealers with TF loot. Panels are usually about future TF plans with likely a look at Hasbro's next toy lines, cartoon plans and IDW's comic book plans.

Click here for more details.

W4C: Megatron, High Moon Studios, And Game Art

Game Informer has added additional articles to their Transformers: War for Cybertron article hub. Below are links to the latest updates about the game that is coming this next summer.

Megatron Character Profile
As the image shows, this isn't the Megatron of old but he shares a lot of features with his G1 incarnation such as the head shape, color scheme and large cannon. Ever since Generation Two, Megs' traditional alt mode has been a tank (due to US toy safety rules) and that hasn't changed here. Megatron's motivation remains the same, rule Cybertron, but for the game he is trying to find "Dark Energon" to achieve that goal. Meg's arm cannon is powerful enough to destroy city blocks, has Mark Targets (like Prime) and Drain abilities.

High Moon Studios Profile
Activision is the publisher, but High Moon is the one actually making W4C. Owned by Activision, located in Carlsbad, California, the company got its start in as part of Sega when called Sammy Studios. Their other games include Darkwatch and The Bourne Conspiracy.

Behind the Art of War for Cybertron
A behind the scenes look at the art that was created for the game as this is probably the first extensive look at Cybertron for a video game. The planet was previously explored in season three of G1 Transformers and Beast Machines but not much sense. Click the link above for a video that shows off some of the art and sources of inspiration.

Transmission Recovery Codes
TransformersGame.com has new content relating to War for Cybertron but it requires you to choose the right Coordinate (yellow) and Transmission (blue) combinations. Thanks to TFormers, here are the codes.

Coordinate: 40, Transmission: 120 (art also in art profile video)
Coordinate: 21, Transmission: 284 (art also at Megs profile link)
Coordinate: 30, Transmission: 007 (video of seeker flying)
Coordinate: 298, Transmission: 85 (video of Decepticon symbol)
Coordinate: 11, Transmission: 265 (art of Optimus Prime)

After using all five codes get "100% total recovered" and "3rd batch will be available in 6 hrs" (or around midnight EST).

War For Cybertron Interview, Details

TFW2005 has posted up a quick summary about Transformers: War for Cybertron and a quick interview with Game Director Matt Tieger. Below are highlights, the full article can be found here.

Also, TransformersGame.com has updated with the trailer. After the trailer plays a pretty click 3D view of Cybertron from space appears with what appears to be a blast coming from its surface (or engine?) with game to "locate a transmission". Click the "?" for instructions. The one I found was coordinate 011 and transmission 263 which switched and showed a still of Optimus Prime.

Highlights:
- Game not based on any generation or iteration of Transformers but uses elements, references, etc to create new cannon that Hasbro is considering using as the basis of new ongoing cannon for the franchise.
- Takes place on Cybertron, long before Transformers ever reached Earth.
- Familiar faces will be in game (Prime, Megatron, Soundwave, etc) with plans to use characters not seen for a long time (Omega Supreme) etc. Which will be playable, boss fights, etc was not indicated.
- "Character development is key", Cybertron will be expanded upon using past references from comics, cartoons, etc such as use of the city Iacon as Prime's home.
- Toys based on the game are under consideration but no firm plans yet.
- "I think there is a law against making a TF game without Peter Cullen."
- There will be online campaigns with co-op modes
- Confirmed game uses the Unreal Engine and will be 3rd person shooter. Not cover-based shooter but teamwork is involved, can transform anywhere, and each character has special abilities.
- There likely will be DLC packs but nothing specific planned yet.

Transformers: Tales Of The Fallen #5 Preview

Bzzurkk.com has posted the cover and first five pages to Transformers: Tales of the Fallen #5 that I believe hits comic stores next Wednesday. The issue focuses on Ravage, somehow rebuilt despite being rather effectively shredded by Bumblebee in the movie. The preview can be found here.

Transformers: War For Cybertron Dated, Cover Art

Amazon has posted their pre-order page for Transformers: War for Cybertron that reveals a release date of June 22, 2010 and a mock up of the cover art for the game. In addition is news that the game is also going to be coming to the Nintendo DS (oddly PSP isn't listed) in an Autobots or Decepticons version as the previous movie games were done for the system. The prices are the expected $60USD (PS3, 360), $50USD (Wii), and $30USD (DS). There will probably pre-order specials coming so I would wait on ordering (but if do use the link above so blog gets credit).

In addition, Activision issued its press release about the game but it did not include the info from the Amazon listing.

“For the first time, Hasbro is working with Activision to drive the TRANSFORMERS fiction forward into new story arcs, demonstrating pivotal moments in Transformers history that defined who they are,” said Aaron Archer, Senior Design Director, Hasbro. “This remarkable video game helps us to tell a critical event in TRANSFORMERS lore that will be used as canon for future storylines in a way we could have only dreamed of a few years ago. It is a testament to the success of the TRANSFORMERS brand and a key element to the story we look forward to telling in 2010 and beyond.”

Transformers: War for Cybertron features two distinct storylines: the AUTOBOT campaign tells a story of heroism to save their home planet against overwhelming odds, and the DECEPTICON campaign tells a story of an unquenchable thirst for power to control the universe. For the first time in a TRANSFORMERS title, fans will be able to play the game with their friends through team-based online co-op, or go head to head in a variety of intense, online multiplayer game modes. The game features a sci-fi art style that introduces to fans the entire living, metallic world of CYBERTRON, as well as all-new visualizations of the iconic TRANSFORMERS characters in their original Cybertronian forms.