2005 Boards Member Optimus_Prowl attended a test screening of Transformers: Bumblebee earlier this year and shared info with our members several months back. Following the release of the movie, he was very kind to talk with us and discuss the differences between the initial test screening and the finalized version of the movie.
Although we would like to keep exact details on the ‘Read More…’ section of this news post due to spoiler reasons, it is worth noting here that the mystery of Martin Short‘s missing voice over work is finally solved. According to Optimus_Prowl, the voice work was included on a scene which was later removed from the final movie.
Transformers: Bumblebee initial test screening had more scenes linking straight up with the rest of the previous movies from Bayverse. However, such links were heavily removed to create the “pre-boot” movie we received as the final product.
You can read the details after the jump, and leave a thought on the thread associated with this news post.
Spoilers Below!
Note: Information from Optimus_Prowl are scattered across this thread and several other threads. The following is a consolidation of the info.
Opening of the movie lacked the Cybertron sequence in the initial Test Screening. However, it had an opening narration done by Dylan O’Brien (voice of Bumblebee).
“In the prescreener it opened with a shot of earth from space with a quick few lines of exposition from Bee before we cut to the jeeps and Humvee already chasing Bumblebee. We never see him crash-land or have a Cybertronian mode.”
Unlike the final movie, Bumblebee is already on Earth, alluding to the WWII scenario from Transformers: The Last Knight.
“The Entire Opening was new and the earth sequence was re-shot scene to have John Cena and his crew in training exercise in a random forest rather than already hunting Bumblebee in a forest Bee is hiding in.
Majority of Cena and Powell’s dialogue has been re-shot to remove Sector 7’s prior knowledge of transformers and Cena being xenophobic towards them due to a person close to him being killed by one at some point has also been removed from the final version.”
Which brings us to a very different version of Agent Burns:
“Cena’s dialogue was also re-shot in [the final version] to make him funnier when in the pre-screener he was much more serious and cut throat. Some of these more intense lines still come through like when he and the general are listening to Powell gush about the Decepticons creating the internet. The first line about “Powell being weird” is re-shot but the rest is the original scene hence why he seems a bit more serious. This shift in his performance may be whats throwing some people off about him as there are are two distinct performances being twisted together.”
Regarding the flashback sequence:
“The flashback with Prime fighting the Decepticons on Cybertron when Bee sees his hologram was newly added. It originally just played the message.”
A large scene from the middle of the movie has been removed. This scene included Allspark energy leaking from Bumblebee giving life to the appliances at Watson household. This scene included voice work by Martin Short. The pre-school book retains this scene with an artwork (see news post image). The reference to the Allspark is also removed.
“There was a whole sequence removed at Charlie’s house after Bumblebee accidentally over charging outlet and brings several household appliances to life while they are still plugged in. This causes Memo to call Charlie to come home from work and help with the situation. She returns home and then the two fight off all the appliances and electronics by cutting their power cords, hence why the mother asks later why Charlie cut the power cord for the TV. Very slapstick-y and over the top from what I remember. Almost gremlins-esque?”
Golden Gate Bridge ending remains unchanged:
“The final shot at the Golden Gate Bridge with Bee turning into a Camaro and following Optimus was the same in both cuts”
Several people who attended test screenings confirmed a scene involving Megatron frozen inside Hoover Dam. We now have the exact detail:
“A scene that was cut from the end in final version was a Sector 7 scene between Cena, Simmons, and the General talking about how the Autobots must never know about NBE-1 which is revealed to be a frozen G1 styled Megatron, fusion cannon and all, that has the same aesthetic as the Cybertonian bots from the new opening sequence.”
Post credit scenes are later additions:
“Both post credits scenes were brand new in the final release, those being Bee and Prime walking along and watching more Autobots coming to Earth and Charlie finishing her father’s car.”
“Everything else was essentially the same between both versions, just cut slightly faster in some places to keep the pacing steady.”
Optimus_Prowl
I think my favorite aspect of the prescreener cut was the original portrayal of John Cenas character being more serious. Making him more funny was fun but way less interesting. Also it felt like Cena cared more in the first cut
Smokeyoreo18
@Optimus_Prowl what was your favorite scene from the original cut?
Optimus_Prowl
honestly i have no clue because its been so long haha. I know it was super generic as were Shatter and Dropkicks original names so all of them also had an alt mode and color scheme listed to let me remember who they were talking about
Music
There was a placeholder name? That's interesting and gives the theory that Hasbro just chose Blitzwing for trademark reasons more credit. Do you happen to recall what that placeholder name was?
Optimus_Prowl
Yep he died in the prescreener as well as the full film. As far as i remember he had a placeholder name on our little survey at the end that wasnt starscream or blitzwing though. I think he was given the name later through production. We also never hear said it in either version of the film, just in the credits and on the toy?
MJY78
Hi, I know it's a long time after the fact, but can you confirm that Blitzwing died in the pre-screening version?
tfwiki still has a note questioning whether it was meant to be Starscream and the name changed during the re-editing, and won't accept my changes that point out it couldn't have been Starscream as the character still died even when it was intended as a prequel to the Bay movies.
Nathanoraptor
In fact, rather interestingly, Knight and Hodson have said, in pretty much every interview, that Bay was wonderful to work with and was absolutely supportive of their vision for the film – even sticking up for them in meetings.
Perhaps of note, they've never said any such thing about Lorenzo.
GeoSociety
That actually would've made more sense if they had used an Allspark shard / energy sample instead of just pure Energon to create new lifeforms if this originally was the prequel. But would've left me also wondering on how Bee would just be mindlessly searching for 20+ years if he'd come so close to an Allspark sliver.
Speaking of the Allspark, did it have any reference in this cut at all? Sorry if anyone asked this before, but I recalled someone saying that Shatter and Dropkick were originally alerting the Decepticons because they found the Allspark. Guess that was wrong then.
Smokeyoreo18
@Optimus_Prowl was barricade in the film in any way? Were the deaths of the decepticons different from what we got? And do you like this cut or the one we’ve got more?
TheSoundwave
Huh, interesting stuff. While that certainly would have been neat, I think I prefer their plan in the final movie. The early version technically gives every Transformer the ability to create an army, given they have access to a tower and nearby machinery. If it's that easy, it sort of makes you wonder why the Transformers don't use that ability all the time. Their plan in the final movie essentially had the same outcome (gather an army), it was just done in a way that fit the world better. Plus, it's too similar to Megatron's plan in the '07 film.
Optimus_Prowl
i wanna say they claimed he was an escaped fugitive. Someone dangerous? I think most of the dialogue had generally thensame focus. The major change was with their plan. They discover that Bumblebee brought stuff to life in the original cut and plan to use and energon source and the satellite dish to send a pulse out across the city bringing all the appliances to life as an army for the decepticons rather than just sending out a signal to call the army. Thats why Charlie needs to climb the tower to get to the energon device thats hooked into the tower. She has to remove it before it sends the pulse out and theres a timer on it ticking down until its charged.
TheSoundwave
@Optimus_Prowl
Were Shatter and Dropkick's motivations changed in the final film? I recall hearing that Shatter and Dropkick told Sector 7 that they were hunting Bumblebee because he "illegally exited Cybertron" or something along those lines. Although that could have been part of their deception. Either way, I don't recall hearing that line in the final film (I just rewatched that scene, they only refer to Bumblebee as a "criminal").
Optimus_Prowl
most of the action between Shatter and Dropkick and the Sector 7 im pretty sure just takes place there? Like there might have been another scene in the room with the picture of the original 7 portraits but i cant remember since its been so long. Otherwise its not even mentioned until the post credits scene.
GeoSociety
Did the Hoover Dam also have a more bigger role in the movie, since it had multiple shots in alot of the earlier trailers that weren't in the retail film?
Smokeyoreo18
Thanks!
Optimus_Prowl
Alright let me tackle these one at a time.
1. Megatron had a cameo in the prescreener version. He had a short scene in Hoover Dam frozen inside Sector 7. His design was similar to bumblebee, blending G1 and Movie styles into one design.
2. If I had to guess id say Martin Short was probably a kitchen robot from the cut house destruction scene. Maybe he was the TV? Either way since the scene was cut his VO was probably unused.
3. The only character who was wildly different in the prescreener was John Cena. In the original cut he was much more cut throat and had a history with the transformers. Almost no jokes except the “Why do they always run?” Line. He had alot more levity added to his character with reshoots. Everyone else was exactly the same.
4. Shatter and Dropkick are alerted to Bee the same way, when Charlie gets him started for the first time at the junk yard. They still appeared on andostant planet but this time they were searching for Megatron and Optimus Prime. They also had no Cliffjumper, it was just them. That was the only real difference.
5. In the prescreener cut the movie ended with Optimus and Bumblebee driving away on the bridge. Since the film wasnt finished they didnt have a credits sequence at all.
i hope this helps!
Smokeyoreo18
What was his role? The kitchen bots?
eagc7
From what i read if the wiki is correct, he would've appeared during the scene where the object on Charlies house became alive (like the kitchen bots in ROTF).
Smokeyoreo18
Oh yeah that’s I meant I confused between the two
eagc7
It was actually Martin Short, not Freeman who was supposed to appear