Superherohype is reporting from a source on the set that the SR-71 Blackbird seen on the set will in fact be a Decepticon. Also Thebadandugly is reporting that the Chevy Beat, a new concept car, was sighted on the set. Also sighted was a small remote-control car that is speculated to be the Autobot character “Wheels.”
Superion33
I wouldn't want Bumblebee's robot mode to change. I think thats obvious. He'd still be the same in robot mode. And he really wouldn't have to be shorter if engineered properly. I did not say its impossible for people to tell who Bumblebee is, it'd just be EASIER. Obviously, categorizing Bumblebee as a small yellow 2 door compact in both franchises would make it simpler.
It just going to be different now that Bumblebee isn't the smallest Autobot. He was always known for that. Now, there is going to be a smaller Autobot who I almost guarantee will take Bumblebee's old personality traits. Its too easy for the writers not to take the David/Goliath angle for a small bot. It almost pushes Bumblebee into the rank of people like Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Mirage, etc since he is now a high powered sports muscle car.
Interesting. Glad to meet another "greenie". Tho its more than just what you drive but the mindset. The choice of vechicle is only because of the mindset.
From this thread:
http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?t=126283&page=3
It seems you drove a Ford truck extended cab with 4WD and later on in the thread you seemed interested in getting a Jeep. I guess you decided to go with something smaller huh? Incidentally, whats the thing that runs on vegetable oil?
Ravenxl7
I don't see Bumblebee scanning a new alt-mode in the sequel, if nothing else just because it'd be way cheaper to just use the existing model for him, instead of coming up with a new one (same goes with all the other returning cast). That and the Beat appears to be significantly smaller than the Camaro, so if it is a TF, it's not Bumblebee, but a smaller bot (or two even smaller bots if it is a new alt-mode for the ice-cream truck twins).
Ops_was_a_truck
Well, uh, I'll just say that one of our family cars is a hybrid and the other runs on vegetable oil, so…as a greenie, I have to admit I don't like this idea much at all.
They've established who & what bumblebee looks like in both modes. He's easily identifiable to a kid's eye.
Superion33
I think having Bumblebee scan a Chevy Beat is an AWESOME idea by Hasbro, if its true. I have nothing against the Beat at all. Well, I guess since its not out, there is nothing to judge, but I hope GM makes the Beat a quality vehicle.
Think about it, you are going to have the Camaro debuting soon this year, I think. Its upwards of $4 gas, and people are flooding to small cars in droves. This would be the perfect product placement for GM to signify that they too have a small car. Bumblebee's scanning of the Beat is almost a metaphor of American's switch from gas guzzlers to gas sippers. Eventhough, I don't like the whole trans-scanning idea, this is the perfect time to use it.
Supposedly the Beat goes into production (tho unfortunately not in the US but everywhere else) in mid 2009. The new Camaro goes into production in early 2009. So it would be:
1) Paint GM in the light that they care about the environment
2) Promote the Beat
3) Show that they also have fuel saving cars
Not only that, as everyone mentioned, the Beat is uncannily similar to Animated Bumblebee's ALT mode. And it also fits in with Bumblebee's traditional G1 personality of being the smallest Autobot. The Camaro is more fitting of Hot Shot than Bumblebee.
I think its a great idea and hope the highers ups in GM are listening. They'd win over a lot of "greenies", as people around here like to say.
Starscream NZ
I would think that the majority of younger fans who saw TF1, would recognize Bumblebee again in TF2 in his concept Camaro mode, just as they will Ironhide, Ratchet, Prime, Starscream and Barricade. Kids still own the toys of these characters, as well as the dvd, no reason kids wouldn't recognise Bumblebee.
Laser_Optimus
Why in the world would they change Bumblebee's alternate mode? Talk about making things more complicated for the CG team than it needs to be…
normtrooper
I know that the RC car is controversial, but when I mentioned it to my ten year old brother his eyes lit up, and he said you know who that is?
He thinks its Roller.
Although its a long shot how fricken cool would it be if that rc truck was Roller, I always have had a place in my heart for that little guy!
Commander Cold
I don't think the Chevy Beat is a Transformer. I think it's a vehicle that Bumblebee scans for his new alt mode, possibly during a chase scene to hide from a much more powerful Decepticon.
If it's NOT Bumblebee, then it's an utterly stupid decision. It looks too much like Animated Bumblebee and would confuse younger fans immensely. Hasbro really need to enforce their own brand recognition better. Starscream better get fixed up a bit too for that matter, and get the same head he's had just about always.
Railguard
I hope this isn't any bad info that Bay is spreading around cause this looking like a killer movie!!!!
brybosch
…im thinkin kup,wheelie,bumper or hubcap? and the truck if hes small im thinkin…rumble?
Laser_Optimus
Oh, hell yeah. Though, to be honest, my nephew has a V-Bot and it's kind of cool in it's own way. Not anything ground breaking transformation wise, but it's got good response time and is fun to screw around with. I could only imagine what Hasbro would do with that kind of concept…
Bumblethumper
That would be awesome… I'm sure with Hasbro's expertise, they could come up with something better than the V-Bot.
Velcrohead
Hey, I could be wrong.
If I am wrong, I will say this: the RC truck will make a hell of a toy, and it better have a button on the remote for transforming.
Bumblethumper
Some good points there, excellent post. That makes a lot of sense. And I liked some of the 'outside the box' choices of alt modes in the first movie. I often get the impression that if some fans had their way, all transformers would be sports cars and military jets.
Going with the on-set description:
It sounds to me like the robot probably does transform from the RC car. It's obviously a small robot(what else would make a good alt mode for a 2 foot bot). The way it's described, it seems to me that they were going to more trouble than if it had just been a stand-in.
But it's all speculation at this point.
saberconvoy
Weird. As in it looks tiny but yet i dont know how big it really is. Ill just wait till robot mode pics are leaked.
Hiro Prime
Dude, I worked in Hollywood for a year AS a Propmaker. And what you say DOES have some merit. BUT with the budget of this film, and the quirky things that were TF's in the last film, (Cell Phone, Pop machine, X-Box ,etc) it's not beyond the scope to see more of the same in this one. It was hinted at that S7 experimented using the Allspark to make things come to life, what if they did it with an RC truck for Recon missions and they developed a working relationship with it. Or It might have been brought to life durring the whole fight scene at the end of the last film and it found a home with S7 after talking with the Autobots.
Point is here that untill we see it on the screen, your opinion is no more right or wrong than mine or anyone else. The point of these boards is to talk about stuff like this. Correcting everyone who has a different take than you is rude and counterproductive to the whole point of a message board.
And FYI, as a propmaker, if they were going to film a small vehicle-like robot around a set, the Prop dept. would be able to make it look exactly like whatever it's suppose to for them to use on set. That cuts back on the number of CGI shot they'd have to make later and allows the Director to actually film the object as he needs it rather than using a proxy and waiting for six months to finish his shot. The cutout for the robot was used because that has to be CGI'd.
aussiehippy
Why do you care so much?
People are just having fun speculating about what may or may not be in the film. If you think that RC car is only a visual reference, then fine, say it once, and come the day of the film's release, you could well get some vindication for your theory.
But you're being a bit harsh on people who disagree with you, IMO.
Chaos Prime
Hmm….interesting. I wouldn't be suprised if the name 'Wheels' is just a cod name for the car untill/if they release the actual name.
Velcrohead
Fine… if it makes you feel better. Just trying to explain a little about how movies are made, because based on the RC truck posts & the Arcee combiner posts, it seems obvious that most here don't understand it. Forgive me for actually having a working knowledge of how these movies are made. It just seems like people are grasping at straws here and working themselves up for things they will not see come to fruition.
In any case, since you're apparently the authority on who can and who cannot voice their opinion, I do feel I've made the point. If it comforts you to think that screen time and character space is going to be devoted to a remote controlled toy truck (which I can't fathom why anyone would be enamored of) then more power to you. But I'm going to hold you to that public apology thing–one of us will be proven right in 364 days.
Gears
Can't wait to see the bot mode for the Blackbird.