ROTTEN TOMATOES: Transformers 2 Officially On Track for Summer 2009

Transformers 2 Officially On Track for Summer 2009

With or without Spielberg, Bay, and Geffen.

by Jeff Giles | September 27, 2007

It looks like those rumors about a 2009 release for Transformers 2 were on the money.

According to a report posted at Variety yesterday, Paramount and DreamWorks have reserved June 26, 2009 for the sequel's release -- despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding the return of key behind-the-scenes personnel. Although Michael Bay is "expected to return to direct the sequel," other members of the creative team may not. From the article:

The high-profile project isn't guaranteed total immunity from the ongoing battle of wills between DreamWorks' David Geffen and Steven Spielberg and leadership at Paramount conglom Viacom.

The studios stressed that they are targeting the June 26 date, but that it isn't ironclad.

Even if Spielberg and Geffen exit their deal at Paramaount, as they have threatened to do, the "Transformers" property stays at the Melrose lot, as do all other DreamWorks projects.

The article goes on to note that the studios are hoping to "at least begin production" on the sequel, even if it's interrupted by -- you guessed it -- next year's expected strike.

Other projects moving up and down the release schedule are Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney's The Savages (December 26 to November 30) and the Keanu Reeves-led The Day the Earth Stood Still (May 9 to December 12, 2008).

Source: Variety

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(1-17 of 17 posts) | Reply

Jesus McNasty writes:
on Sep 27 2007 06:47 AM

Hey the Princess Bride is at the top of my screen. I loved Transformers, I love a lot of fan fav movies. So I'm acutely offended when studios carelessly screw them up. 2009! Right who cares about good casting, script development and ensuring a well planned production, just churn them out, gather up the money and run. It's the end of 2007 right now, Shia won't be ready to go for months and the same with Spielberg. Well, I guess I can find some hope in the fact that it's all in Michael Bay's trusted and capable hands now.

(Reply to this)

h-town24 writes:
on Sep 27 2007 07:00 AM

Sweet news!

(Reply to this)

Ender7406 writes:
on Sep 27 2007 07:16 AM

Hooray for plotlessness and effects cool enough to make me not care!

(Reply to this)

DanielLee8793 writes:
on Sep 27 2007 07:27 AM

hopefully the story wont suck on this one...

(Reply to this)

dreamworks21 writes:
on Sep 27 2007 07:39 AM

yeah seriously, for something that I wanted fun, imaginative action from, the movie tried way WAY too hard to have human characters - i mean damn Michael Bay, i figured you for someone who would have just had robots fighting but no, you surprise (in a bad way) yet again.

This one better a.) introduce the villain sooner than 90 minutes into the freakin thing and b.) have better battles between the bots.

(Reply to this)

Pilgermann writes:
on Sep 27 2007 10:12 AM

This would be better news if the new film had an entirely new crew and completely ignored Bay's horrible film.

(Reply to this)

Amish writes:
on Sep 27 2007 10:45 AM

They already killed the baddies didn't they? The Decepticons are an integral part to the storyline, without [what's his name] their really aren't Decepticons, i.e. no Transformers, just Autobots. Heres a fresh new idea, ressurection... snore.

(Reply to this)

Darkscriber writes:
on Sep 27 2007 11:23 AM

The only thing that made this move watchable was Peter Cullen. Even then they gave him such stupid lines. Optimus Prime does not say things like "My bad" and how many times can they use "More than meets the Eye" in one script.

(Reply to this)

chaddukes writes:
on Sep 27 2007 03:28 PM

In reply to this comment (#1152097)
who gives a crap about that? the last 40 minutes of this flick had people standing and cheering in the theater. If you want story, go rent The Queen.

(Reply to this)

arendr writes:
on Sep 27 2007 03:42 PM

In reply to this comment (#1152877)
Obviously not people who use the expression "who gives a crap".

(Reply to this)

Novastar. writes:
on Sep 27 2007 04:37 PM

If the first one was out off track,lets bring the second one back on track with a director that can really entertain us.

(Reply to this)

IMAmoose24 writes:
on Sep 27 2007 05:04 PM

In reply to this comment (#1152877)
Agreed. All I wanted over the summer was a fun popcorn flick, and Michael Bay delivered while others (cough, Spiderman 3) couldn't live up to it. Michael did exactly what was expected: Let **** Blow Up!

(Reply to this)

TheSloppyJesus writes:
on Sep 28 2007 03:05 AM

Transformers rocked... I sat in the theater and felt like an infant when someone jingles keys in front of their face, nearly orgasmic amusement. Alot of people complain about the human element, but there were humans in the 1984 movie too... and if you can sit there and honestly say that you'd have rather seen giant robots fighting in CGI enviroments crashing through CGI buildings instead of real buildings then... you're retarded. And all of the talk about the story? C'mon, it's a toy franchise... the entire idea behind it from the very beginning was to sell more toys, that's why they killed off optimus prime 1984, to make way for the next line.

The only complaints that I agree with are about Megatron. Not establishing the A #1 supreme bad-*** until the films climatic battle is beyond me... and he should've been some type of gun or weapon, or even a tank. I appreciated the nod to my personal favorite decepticon Soundwave with the Frenzy character, but I would have liked to actually see him in the movie.

I'll take bets right now that Unicron will be in the sequel on his way to destroy earth and will resurrect Megatron in the form of Galvatron or somethin' along those lines. Christ I sound like such a nerd right now...

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ShOw writes:
on Oct 17 2007 10:34 AM

ight nerds, you diehard fans, if you are not open minded enough to see that the transformers movie was exactly what transformer is about or should be nowadays, then just travel back in time so you can watch your ****ty cartoons and rock tha house on acid just like back in 84, thing is transformers wasnt even ever suppose to be. we stole it from the japs and made it what we wanted it to be, transformers is about good and evil, trying to protect trying to destroy, now they took it on earth what did you expect ? you bunch of ****in goonies

its an awesome movie, great entertainement, prolly the best special effects ever, now if you hate bay for some reason cuz you believe he destroyed your child hood well just buy the ****in special edition and watch the making of maybe you gonna understand the reality....oh and if someone destroyed your child hood its not bay its prolly the dude who kept on taxin your lunch money at school you nerds or maybe your mom never gave you attention or some **** now get the **** out your basement freak

(Reply to this)

jcreuz writes:
on Jan 14 2008 11:13 AM

people that have a problem with transformers and are stuck likeing cartoon transformers which i thout was a waist of ink. The new and inproved transformers and up comeing transformers 2 is and will be sweet.

(Reply to this)

jcreuz writes:
on Jan 14 2008 11:16 AM

people that have a problem with transformers and are stuck likeing cartoon transformers which i thout was a waist of ink. The new and inproved transformers and up comeing transformers 2 is and will be sweet.

(Reply to this)

Matanuki writes:
on Jan 16 2008 06:28 AM

The first Transformers film was... ok. Yes, a better story could have made it an instant sci fi classic. But it's not what we got. I myself have gotten over it, and am looking forward to a much better sequel that'll hopefully track a trajectory similar to that of Spider-Man 2 from its predecessor. Wasn't, in truth, really expecting all that much from the first one. Not after hearing it was to be a Michael Bay film anyway. It was better than it deserved to be with him at the helm, but it was also lesser than it would have been with someone else.

I think that's what has so many people up in arms. They envision The Transformers taken seriously, a la Star Wars or I Robot. Sure, the argument that the '86 film was designed to sell more toys has merit. But I'm yet to hear anyone argue that the story in that film was idly thrown together without the evidence of passion for the material.

Michael Bay described himself as a fast fan of the label, but many can't help but notice that his initial contempt for it ("I'm not doing that stupid toy movie") still managed to make its way into the finished product.

Now, I don't think fans necessarily expected a movie completely devoid of a human element. But they didn't want an implosion of puns or a 144 minute Army recruitment ad either. I'm afraid I have side with them.

That said, all you guys content hurling frivolous insults from the safety of your home computer go right ahead and call me whatever you like. :-)

(Reply to this)

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