Transformers 4

Ehren Kruger Returns to Write TRANSFORMERS 4; Shia LaBeouf Definitely Out

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 26th, 2012 at 7:13 am

If you were hoping the script for Transformer 4 would be better than the previous movies, it’s time to let that hope go.  THR reports that Ehren Kruger, who co-wrote Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and took sole credit on Transformers: Dark of the Moon, will once again be breaking out his cocktail napkins for Michael Bay‘s reboot of the series.  Paramount Pictures’ President of Production Adam Goodman also confirmed that Shia LaBeouf will definitely not return for the franchise’s next installment.

Hit the jump for a recap on what we know about Transformers 4, and click here for Goodman’s updates on other Paramount projects.  Transformers 4 is slated for June 29, 2014.

TOP 5: GHOST RIDER SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE, 21 JUMP STREET Set Visit, ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER Trailers, TRANSFORMERS 4, 2012 Toy Fair

by Jason Barr    Posted: February 18th, 2012 at 1:33 pm

I generally don’t like to check out extended clips of footage from films ahead of their release. Call me old fashioned but, similar to how I try and avoid cherry picking music singles before listening to the entire album, I like to think of records and movies as complete bodies of work. Of course, I say all of this only to preface breaking my own general rule. I implore you to watch the first 12 minutes of writer/director/actress Brit Marling’s Sound of My Voice. I did, I don’t regret a single moment of it, and now I can’t wait to check out the entire film as soon as possible.

All self-contradiction aside, in this week’s “Top 5″ installment you’ll find Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance interviews with talent like Nicolas Cage, Idris Elba, Johnny Whitworth, and directors Neveldine/Taylor, a recap of our 21 Jump Street set visit, trailers and a featurette for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Transformers 4 news, and Avengers, Star Wars, and G.I. Joe: Retaliation toy images from the 2012 Toy Fair. Check out a brief recap and link to each after the jump.

Rumor: None of the Original Cast Returning for TRANSFORMER 4 [Updated with New Details]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 16th, 2012 at 10:07 am

Earlier this week, we reported that Michael Bay would be rebooting his own damn franchise with Transformers 4, an idea so stupid that it’s truly fitting of these movies.  In a recent interview with E! Online, Josh Duhamel says he’s not coming back for the sequel and neither is anyone else:

“I don’t think anybody’s doing it. I know Shia [LaBoeuf]‘s not doing it. I don’t think Tyrese or Rosie [Huntington-Whiteley] or anybody else is doing it.”

Take this with a grain of salt.  Actors are the last to know anything regarding a movie’s production.  LaBeouf previously stated Transformers: Dark of the Moon was his last one, but then again, so did Bay.  Either way, it’s not like the cast makes much of a difference in these movies.  Transformers 4 opens June 29, 2014. [Update: Some new and more reliable rumors have surfaced regarding the film.  Hit the jump for more.]

Michael Bay Is Directing TRANSFORMERS 4; Film Will Be a Reboot [Update: Release Scheduled for June 29, 2014]

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 13th, 2012 at 5:26 pm

Well that was fast. Earlier today we reported that Paramount was eyeing a 2014 release date for Transformers 4. It wasn’t exactly shocking news, as we new the studio was keen on continuing the Transformers franchise, but there was no update on whether or not Michael Bay would be returning to direct or what the story would entail. What a difference a few hours makes, as producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura has now not only confirmed that Bay will be returning to direct, but Transformers 4 is going to be a reboot of the franchise. Hit the jump for much more.

[Update: Paramount has confirmed in a press release that Bay will return.  Additionally, they've scheduled the movie for June 29, 2014.  The press release is added to the bottom of the post after the original story.]

Paramount Eyeing a 2014 Release for TRANSFORMERS 4? [Updated with Details]

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 13th, 2012 at 12:50 pm

While a fourth entry in the Transformers franchise is all but inevitable, the question as to who will be directing/starring/writing has yet to be answered. Despite previous comments to the contrary, Michael Bay was rumored to be returning to the destruction robot series back in December. The director quickly responded to the rumors, saying “I’m not sure what I’m doing,” adding that the only solid film on his schedule was the small budget crime comedy Pain and Gain. We’ve heard nothing affirming or flat-out denying Bay’s involvement in the meantime, but now it appears that Paramount may have a 2014 release date in mind for Transformers 4. [Update: Quotes from producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura regarding the release date and story approach to Transformers 4 are now included after the jump]

Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura Talks MAN ON A LEDGE, LAST STAND, and FIVE AGAINST THE BULLET; Confirms RED 2 and TRANSFORMERS 4

by Sheila Roberts    Posted: January 18th, 2012 at 8:08 am

Since his days as president of production at Warner Bros., producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura had wanted to turn the script for Man on a Ledge into a film. He felt there was an inherent drama to the idea and saw it as a movie where things keep turning on themselves. There was something gripping about the idea of a man on a ledge and whether he was going to jump or not. What attracted him to the script was the potential for impending catastrophe and the possibility for a strong interactivity between the guy on the ledge and the people down below on the ground.

We sat down with di Bonaventura at a roundtable interview recently to talk about how he came aboard to help produce this film. He told us about the similarities Man on a Ledge shares with Red, why it’s dangerous to make movies that have disparate tones, why he would not have made the project without Sam Worthington, and why he enjoys making both smaller, intimate films like this and huge, spectacular films like Transformers. He also confirmed there will be a Red 2 and a Transformers 4, discussed his Arnold Schwarzenegger project, Last Stand, which South Korean director Jee-woon Kim is currently filming, and revealed his plans to make a Western with Bruce Willis entitled Five Against the Bullet.

TOP 5: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, Movie Stars Portray Famous Movie Villains, TRANSFORMERS 4, QUANTUM OF SOLACE Script Problems, Kathleen Kennedy Talks JURASSIC PARK 4, TINTIN, More

by Jason Barr    Posted: December 10th, 2011 at 12:40 pm

I think there’s something to be said for coming to your own conclusions. Case in point: I may currently be at odds with 77% of the Rotten Tomatoes critic community when I say this, but I found The Sitter to be worthy of my box office dollars. Was it the best comedy I’ve ever seen? Not even close. Was it the best comedy I’ve seen in the past six months? Nope. That said, I had been looking forward to the pic over the course of covering it for this site. When the critical negativity began pouring in, I could have easily passed on the film as a result (something I’ve been guilty of in the past). Instead, I decided to check it out and I laughed (quite a bit, actually). So, what’s the moral of my story? If you want to see a movie, go see it. Don’t let poor reviews detour you from something you think you may enjoy. Use reviews as a foundation for healthy debate rather than as an excuse to not give something a chance because someone else didn’t like it.

All ranting aside, in this week’s “Top 5″ installment, you’ll be able to read all about The Dark Knight Rises and its IMAX prologue, viral campaign, and potential IMAX footage runtime. You can also see George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Rooney Mara and more portraying classic movie “villains” of their choice, get up to date on Michael Bay potentially returning to direct Transformers 4, Daniel Craig discussing the script problems that plagued Quantum of Solace, and producer Kathleen Kennedy talking Jurassic Park 4, Tintin, Lincoln, and Robopocalypse. Check out a brief recap and link to each after the jump.

Michael Bay Returning to Direct TRANSFORMERS 4; Could Start Filming in Winter 2012 [UPDATED]

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 6th, 2011 at 6:10 pm

Well that didn’t take long at all. Surrounding the release of Tranformers: Dark of the Moon was Michael Bay’s assurance that after helming all three flicks in the trilogy, he was done with the franchise. Cut to Dark of the Moon making a kajillion dollars for Paramount, and rumors began swirling that Bay might come back. The director denied any involvement and maintained that he was focused on making his “smaller” movie Pain and Gain. Just yesterday we reported that Bay is in talks with Dwayne Johnson to star in the $20 million dark comedy, and Bay seemed on track to move away from the robot series. Cut to today and now comes word that Bay will indeed be returning for the fourth Transformers film. Hit the jump for more.

[Update: Bay has commented on this report.  Hit the jump for what he had to say.]

Steven Spielberg Talks Michael Bay Returning for TRANSFORMERS 4; Plus an Update on INDIANA JONES 5

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 2nd, 2011 at 3:56 pm

Director Steven Spielberg has two very different movies coming out this holiday season. One is a fun, animated action-adventure (The Adventures of Tintin), while the other is a very serious drama about World War I (War Horse). In anticipation of the release of those films, The Beard recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly. His full interview will run in the latest issue, but the director made some comments regarding Michael Bay returning for a fourth Transformers pic and gave an update on Indiana Jones 5, both of which are now available. In addition, he addressed recent discouraging comments he made about Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Hit the jump to see what he had to say. 

TOP 5: TRANSFORMERS 4 and 5, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, THE THREE MUSKETEERS Interviews, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, William Monahan on SIN CITY 2 and More

by Jason Barr    Posted: October 22nd, 2011 at 11:11 am

I’m writing to you this week in full “World Series Mode.” While there are plenty of things going on around the Midwest this time of year (homemade haunted houses are always a welcomed annual treat), a majority of my focus is on trying to will my beloved Cardinals to Fall Classic glory. Combine that with the fact that Batman: Arkham City is consistently calling my name and it’s a wonder that I’m even writing this right now. Hold on, what’s that, Arkham City? Okay, okay…I’ll be there in a second…

…In this week’s installment, you’ll find talk of Transformers 4 and Transformers 5 shooting back-to-back with Jason Statham potentially starring, a six-minute prologue for The Dark Knight Rises being attached to Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol‘s IMAX release, interviews with director Paul W.S. Anderson and the cast of The Three Musketeers, David Fincher and Rooney Mara talking about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and William Monahan discussing projects including London Boulevard, The Departed sequel, Sin City 2 and more. Hit the jump for a brief recap and link to each.

Michael Bay Denies Involvement with TRANSFORMERS 4 and 5; Hopes to Shoot PAIN AND GAIN Next

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 19th, 2011 at 10:12 am

Just a couple days ago, it was reported that Paramount was in discussions with producer Steven Spielberg and director Michael Bay to return for Transformers 4 and 5 which they are considering shooting back-to-back. The news was a little strange, as Bay had previously declared that Transformers: Dark of the Moon would be his last outing with the robot franchise (Shia LaBeouf said he was done as well). Now Bay is setting the record straight, as he confirms on the Shoot for the Edit message boards (via Tformers) that he’s not involved with the next two Transformers films at all:

“I am currently not talking to Paramount on T4 and T5 despite reports. I’m looking at a lot of possibilities coming my way right now weighing options. Most likely going to be doing the low budget Pain and Gain, a true story crime thriller. It’s a very quick shoot and quite funny. Also just finishing the 3 disc set of the Transformer trilogy.”

Pain and Gain is, of course, the low budget passion project that Bay has been itching to take on for quite some time now. So folks can rest easy that another director will be given the keys to the billion-dollar toy franchise, and we’ll be seeing a new iteration of Transformers within the next few years (possibly starring Jason Statham?).

TRANSFORMERS 4 and 5 to Shoot Back-to-Back; Jason Statham May Star

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: October 17th, 2011 at 6:24 pm

In a down economy, everyone is looking for unique ways to save a few million dollars. When you have a billion dollar franchise like Hasbro’s Transformers, every million counts. Noting the rising costs of special effects, advanced planning for marketing tie-ins and laborious contract negations, Paramount is considering shooting the fourth and fifth installments back-to-back. Hasbro CEO announced at the company’s third quarter earnings conference that they were actively discussing this strategy with Paramount, director Michael Bay and producer Steven Spielberg. With Shia LaBeouf not returning, this frees up some room for a new face of the franchise…perhaps, Jason Statham?

Hit the jump for more on Transformers 4 and 5.

Updates on TRANSFORMERS 4, MICRONAUTS, and Other Hasbro Boardgame Movies like RISK, CLUE, and MONOPOLY

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: October 17th, 2011 at 7:46 am

On a conference call to discuss third-quarter earnings, Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner gave updates on a number of movies. While much of what he said we’ve previously written about, this was the first time anyone had given an update on the status of Transformers 4 and when it might be officially announced.  Here’s the highlights of his conversation:

• Goldner hopes to be able to announce Transformers 4 next quarter as they are talking with Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay and Paramount.
• The Ouija script is “in good shape and is being polished now, meaning that the film could be back with a studio shortly.”  via THR.  We previously posted how Universal dropped the project but maybe with a lower budget the film could move ahead.
• A Micronauts movie script is being written with J.J. Abrams producing and it’s set up at Paramount.  We’ve know this for awhile.
• Goldner doesn’t see Hasbro producing their own films like Marvel.
• Hasbro is still developing movie scripts for Monopoly, Risk, Clue, Stretch Armstrong and Candyland.

With every kid growing up playing Hasbro board games and name recognition being so important in marketing, it’s no surprise the studios are trying to make these projects work.  However, many of these board games seem like long shots to ever hit the screen.  The big info is Transformers 4.  With Bay saying the 3rd Transformers movie would be his last, who will Hasbro get to replace him?  Matt wrote about the six directors who could take over the franchise.  I think a few of them would be great choices.

TOP 5: Potential TRANSFORMERS Directors, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS Set Visit, STAR TREK Video Game, THE HOBBIT, Guillermo del Toro and Katie Holmes Video Interview

by Jason Barr    Posted: July 9th, 2011 at 3:42 pm

With the weekly “Top 5″ feature now in full-swing, I feel obliged to remind readers that these are indeed meant to synthesize what we perceive as our top five pieces into a recap article. We do this with the hopes that readers will not miss out on some of the best stuff we have to offer on a weekly basis. This in mind, if you are an extremely loyal visitor (for which, we say a sincere “thank you”) who is 100% positive that you’ve read all we have to offer, the recaps may seem somewhat redundant. The best remedy for such redundancy is to steer clear of the jump. Otherwise…

…In this week’s “Top 5″ you’ll find us musing on which director might take over the Transformers franchise, our Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows set visit and video blog, our take on the next Star Trek video game acting as canon, the first look at Nori, Ori, and Dori in The Hobbit, and Steve’s video interview with Guillermo del Toro and Katie Holmes. Hit the jump for brief recaps and links to each.

Rumor: Jason Statham Being Considered to Take over TRANSFORMERS Franchise

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 5th, 2011 at 2:03 pm

Take a grain of salt.  Then find a way to make that grain into smaller grains and then take one of those micro-grains of salt and use it with this rumor: Jason Statham may be the new lead for the Transformers franchise.  In between stories about Zac Efron still being “hot” for Vanessa Hudgens, and Ricky Martin being protected by the gay community, Showbiz Spy reports that the franchise could go in a “darker direction” and that Statham is being mentioned as the man who could take it there.  It’s a franchise about giant robots who can turn into vehicles.  How dark can it possibly get?  Oh, and the fact that Statham is dating Rosie Huntington-Whiteley “would be an added bonus in marketing the movie.”  Yep, that’s what Transformers fanboys care about: who’s dating who behind the scenes.  Showbiz Spy reports that this information comes from a “Hollywood Insider”, which may as well mean that it comes from someone who lives inside the Hollywood area.

You can click here for my suggestions for who could take over the director’s seat of the franchise. I won’t speculate on who would make a good lead for Transformers 4 because I don’t know what kind of movie they want to make other than an expensive one.

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