Today Collider posted a video of an interview with Transformers 5 director Michael Bay. The interview is largely focused on his latest film, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. However, near the end Bay discusses Transformers 5 and the future of the Transformers Cinematic Universe. While Bay does not reveal any details about Transformers 5, future spin-off movies, or their plots or characters, he does say that the writer’s room produced some cool ideas and tried to connect things together. Click the video link in this article to check out the full interview.
Autovolt 127
Definitely. Maggie was cool (smart, resourceful and actually is interested in the whole plot), hell I liked her actress as Patsy Walker in Jessica Jones too.
Ash from Carolina
I don't think the problem is humans in general just that too many of the human characters wouldn't be very good even if it wasn't a film about massive robots beating the heck out of each other.
Really can't think of a film where Leo Spitz from Revenge of the Fallen would be an enjoyable film character.
But I'm having a hard time remembering complaints about Maggie Madsen from the first film. She's not a solider, she's not all guns blazing, or decapitating Decepticons but people still seemed to like the character.
Some people want zero humans, but I think most people just want humans that are good characters.
Lord Tron
This is your problem Autobot burnout you don't listen to what people say if you did you wouldn't be asking the question you just did.
No man wants to be supported by his parents and if I had someone as gorgeous as Carly and couldn't support her I would be very frustrated and depressed about it, think about it would you feel you deserved what you had if you couldn't support it now imagine you saved the entire world and now you're irrelevant, would you not feel sad would you not have a need to feel relevant again?
No Ash that's not it, the problem is most fans opinion of making them more appealing is more robots less humans and that's not going to help. Most just want the robots and Nest, they want to take out the Everyman of the film but just focusing on Nest Won't help it will just alienate fans who were already interested. The problem Ash is that the movies fans want won't appeal to the public and a lot of fans don't realize this no matter how many times it's pointed out to them.
Doing a Transformer movie is not the same as doing a batman movie, a Superman movie iron man, captain America or even a crossover, because those movies have human main characters all you have to do is tell their story with transformers you require a massive balancing act you have to decide which robots are relevant and you have balance the humans and robots how much is too much, how much is too little.
You have to decide this for both and worse unlike any other movies the fans have no interest in the human side so they are going to be more strict. It's not easy I've said it before but I honestly don't think fans would complain as much if the movies had the same plot but were robot centered. I think that's a massive factor that causes most of the nitpicking, I honestly think that's the main cause, the fans don't want better written stories they want robot written stories and because of that they're noticing more than they normally would.
Ash from Carolina
Some times it feels like you will say something like the domestic numbers are down and people will say we don't need American and Canadian ticket buyers. A person will not like something about one of the films and it's we don't need you. It's just weird that instead of hey how can they expand the number of happy people willing to buy a ticket it's if you don't like something get lost.
It's sort of people are greedy, self centered, and horrible for saying gee I wish these films could make some changes that would make them more appealing. But keeping things exactly the same forever because you like how it currently is somehow isn't I've got mine and I don't care if anyone else gets a slice or not. Some days I wonder if the must defend movie fans aren't turning into something like those G1 only fans.
EagleTron
They could make it sort of like a western cowboy movie. You know them cowboy movies where there are limited actors and the Cowboys sit around the camp fire telling each other war stories and when the movie is over we know just about everything about those cowbows.
Autobot Burnout
See, if it was just that then yeah, it's sorta relateable.
But he's supposed to be looking for a job…while he's living with his ridiculously hot girlfriend he met while she was working at the White House (and he was a total klutz)…in some kind of large apartment that has its own personal elevator that Bumblebee can conveniently use (seriously, how many apartment buildings have exclusive freight elevators that go straight to private rooms?)… in what I think is DC which is extremely expensive to live in for more luxurious accommodations like the one Sam has for the entire film?
Sam's parents also seem to be doing just fine, given they come visiting in a large Winnebago with the implications of going around the country in it, so not sure how he's got the weight of having to support his family when…the only family he has appears to be doing just fine and his girlfriend has enough social clout to be in wealthy social circles.
MnemonicSyntax
Just because they didn't work for you doesn't mean it doesn't work for others.
I'm sorry that these movies aren't just for Ash from Carolina, but maybe that's the issue. You're not going to relate with every situation, but I sure can resonate with Sam regarding not being able to find a job and wanting to support my family, at several points in my lifetime.
Ash from Carolina
First film Sam is relateable. Almost no one ends up as cool in high school as they dream of being so Sam not being the coolest kid in school is something most people can relate to. Your parents not having the money to make your first car something something new and top of the line is also something most people can relate to. Embarrassed by your parents I think that's pretty much a universal part of reaching the teenage years.
But it seems like we went from lovable loser to just whiny in the later films. Just didn't feel like the same person you could pull for in the first movie. Felt like Sam's story was kind of over with the first film and we stuck around with the character too long just because the actor had signed a three movie deal. That's why I was glad Shia LaBeouf stuck to his guns and didn't do part 4.
Boy and his car worked for the first movie. Wacky college adventure and I can't find a job just didn't work for me.
BumblebeeFan71
Yeah I agree with the smaller autobot cast because it'll allow more focus on them instead of the whole "Oh hey there's one of you favorite autobots in the background fighting and oh they just got killed! Oh well hope you liked seeing you favorite autobot because now they're dead."
*sigh* You won't believe I miffed I was to discovered a few of my fan favorite autobots appeared both in the second and third films, only to barely contribute to the plot and get killed off in the background of the fight.
EagleTron
All I know is that Bay mentioned Horror movie and transformers in the same speech. Yes, we need some Transformers extreme gore.
He also said something like a smaller film.
I would like to see a transformer movie with only 3 to 4 transformers. I'm talking up close and personal with the bots.
He also mentioned the writers working on spin off's,
I was thinking, give me a three part spin off movie a first third of the movie that's kind of different from the second third of the movie then the last third that's almost like the last two.
Yeah a transformers movie with three different stories
I would take a movie a transformerse live action movie like than scene from Transformers Prime when Dreadwing first came to earth with Wheeljack chasing right behind him and then a nice little bit of action and suspense went on for a couple of episodes.
This is some all very creative stuff I'm writing.
Oh, yeah and they can do a two part movie like back in the day they had a comic by the name called What if. It featured these different weird fights like wolverine vs the Hulk or Ironman vs Spider. They should make a transformers What If movie or two. I got ideas for days. I will stop there for now.
MnemonicSyntax
Any real man who had parents that raised him right in regards to taking care of his woman. The way it should be.
Yes, I get equality. My wife is the breadwinner between the two of us, as she is a doctor. But if I didn't have a job I'd be just as antsy as Sam was.
Just like all this other stuff you guys say that doesn't "fit", it's part of the narrative to be relatable to the audience. And it works.
I know you guys just want a show about robots duking it out, but this is trying to put a real life spin on what might happen if the movies were real.
Again, relatable. Not everyone's cup of tea. But it works.
Ash from Carolina
First movie Sam was kind of the likable looser getting in way over his head as he wanted to be uncool with a car instead of just uncool without a car. But by the third film I was pulling for one of the robots to step on him. Who cries and complains about not having a job when hot rich girlfriend is going to keep you up?
Livingdeaddan
Well you're making so many Star Wars comparisons this week, I was just playing along!
Anyway, why Sam is an asshole (just for fun)
Animated or Live action isn't the point, people are either emotionally attached to fiction or they aren't. It's all in the storytelling. Or lack of it.
And hey, 98% of your arguments are opinions you just thought up by yourself. So don't "me me me" …erm .. me!
Lord Tron
This isn't star Wars and Sam isn't an asshole, one or two scenes of being mean doesn't make one a asshole acting like some of the people here does.
Actually the audiences accepted around the third hence the massive increase in the forth which I have gone into already.
Toy Story and Pixar are animated movies not the same thing people actually do think that way I've met some of them. So would you please stop thinking with a me me me process and look at this from a logical and realistic perspective I know it's a lot to ask of this forum but still would you kill you?
Livingdeaddan
Yeah, very very very gradually ease them in! This audience you talk about will be ready for a cybertrnonian main protagonist by TF10 at this rate!
But you're right, people can't relate to CG characters, that's why every hates Toy Story!
Then why give us such assholes and oddities as human characters?! Who is our Han Solo?!?
optimusprime42
he said TF4 was it now it's TF8
Lord Tron
Not true yet again, you can't just put in everything important it doesn't work that way you still have to have natural conversation. A narration isn't just important stuff there are others you can't just jump from one important scene to the next.
Let's be honest what you guys regard as important is incredibly biased if it's not a robot scene it's filler regardless if it is. Some human scenes might go on too long but nearly all of them serve some purpose be it the Sam and Mikela plot, or Sam's relationship with his parents or Carly or his struggle for self worth. These are all arcs justifying the so called filler scenes, this isn't an animated series where the humans sit back and do nothing this is a blockbuster movie made for audiences, audiences who up to now are not use to CG central characters you ease them into that across the series.
That's why the human characters are there to give the audience someone to connect to at first, then the humans form connections with the robots which allows you to connect to the robots. For all this to work the humans need to be characters, they need to have lives. Be it Sam's friend not a big character but it gives us something about Sam. I agree the Sam's happy time conversation couldn't of been different but it also shows us what kind of relationship Sam has with his mom, he loves her but is very very embarrassed by her, that's a relationship that's character, not the best way to do but character all the same.
There is filler but very little actually Carly's intro was needed to introduce her, the interviews showed how bad Sam's situation was it's one thing to not have a job at the time it's another to face failure after failure which justifies his reaction to Brazo. Dylan's intro naturally introduces Dylan but also clearly establishes why Carly trusts him. The scene also acts as a red herring setting up Dylan as a romantic rival when he's way worse. The scene between him and Carly further sets up Dylan but also sets up Sam pretty much turning away from her while foreshadowing the soundwave reveal.
Even the scene with his parents serves a pretty big role to Sam's arc and justifies his actions for the rest of the movie, bad timing yeah definitely but not without purpose.
None of those are filler they further something I've said this a million times, just because it focuses on the humans doesn't mean it's filler. There is probably ten minutes you can cut out of each movie, either way they were going to be long.
Ephland
Those are things that Michael Bay thinks of on the fly, that he finds hilarious.
"Things that fit the narrative" are few and far between.
User_136440
I find with each rewatch of the movies I see more things that could've been cut out of them. WTF was Bobby Boliva's petting zoo and his 'mammy' all about? They don't even fit into the situation let alone the narrative.
MartyFeeb
Seriously. It's called "editing". Why the f*ck does he leave so much garbage in his movies? I just rewatched TF1, and THANK GOD we had a scene about teenage boy masturbation – cause, you know, that's a fun topic to discuss with your kids when you're watching together and one of them goes, "What's 'matur-bation', Dad?" I'm not usually conservative about these things, but I need to know what drugs he was taking when he decided to leave that conversation in the movie (or worse scenario yet, when he thought of adding it to the script). It's not a HUGE thing, theoretically, but it's a microcosm to how I think he's f*cked it all up. Scenes drag on, dumb conversations pervade the movie, and when Optimus finally says his iconic line of "one shall stand, one shall fall", Bay decides to focus the camera on Sam climbing rubble! I guess that line is background noise?
Ughh…
I agree – the first movie started strong: military battles, adventuring teenager attacked by robot, etc. But it quickly devolved into a wordy, horny mess. Can Bay be more blunt about Megan Fox? It felt like amateur hour on a lot of it… when he could have focused on battles and less words. Honestly, he needs help with the "human" aspect of his movies. He doesn't particularly understand the human condition enough to make a movie that matters… but if he could only TEAM UP with someone who did, I think we'd have an amazing picture.
Bay's TFs is like Zelda II on NES – not a terrible film/game, but something really not in line with the actual franchise. Instead of sentient, humanoid robots, he gave us screaming monsters that lurk in the night. Not a terrible premise (robotic monsters attack Earth), but certainly NOT a TF premise, right? So I'm torn when I watch his movies: they're not complete garbage, but if you remember that it's SUPPOSED to be TFs, you kind of die a little inside.
It feels like your mom grabbed a bunch of your toys and watched a 5-min YouTube summary of the franchise, so she could make her own stop-motion version of TFs. Many of you are all star struck: "OH MAN! LOOK AT OPTIMUS! PRODUCTION VALUES! EXPLOSIONS! MAINSTREAM ACCEPTANCE!!!! " But beneath the shiny veneer, it's still a poorly made movie by a person who had such little interest in your toys that she garbled a mess out of it.