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.”
TF Hot Rod
Honestly same, I just hope we see Yoloparks figure soon I hope it's they're next figure after Prime but I could see it being Shockwave since they share some parts
Terrellatron
Headcanon is whatever the yolopark figure resembles
Novaburnhilde
Even though its hard to make out all the details that probably exist on the actual model, that Tiny Turbo Charger figure design is definitely an improvement when compared to '07 Megs.
Optimus_Prowl
Honestly the Tiny Turbo Changers gives me the vibe of what i saw in the scene. Remember this was an unfinished scene as well so the megateon design looked more like a painted piece that was placed into the scene more than a fonished cgi render. It looked kind if like Shatter and Dropkick during the deleted scenes from the bluray where they arent fully rendered moving yet. So if i had to guess that little turbo changer mught be the best look at it for now.
mattyou78
That's understandable, it was over three years ago now. It's a shame they didn't include more in the deleted scenes, would stop the debate as to whether Megatron looked like he did in the motion comic, the Tiny Turbo Changers toy or the upcoming Yolo Park figure.
Optimus_Prowl
Sorry for taking so long to reply! No barricade mention at all in the prescreener. The deaths remained the same just far better animated in this one obviously cause most of the prescreener scenes were previsuals overlayed over the footage, very incomplete.
I love the one we got more. Most of the scenes that need to be cut were. It works far better being distanced from the Bay films as well.
Optimus_Prowl
I remember the one shown having a bit more likeness to G1 megs but with the movie megs face and teeth inside the bucket. It was very much in line with the Optimus Prime redesign for this one as that Optimus design still appeared in the prescreener cut when Charlie activates the holo message in the forest in BBs chest. So the redesign brjngs them to looking more like a blend of G1 elements and movie elements. I wish i could watch it again cause now my memory is playing tricks on me and having me think that Hologram Optimus may have had the more neo-G1 body with a movie prime head. Not sure honestly.
Terrellatron
i didn't say it did I was just also saying he had his fusion canon
Novaburnhilde
Slapping a fusion cannon on that butt-ugly '07 design wouldn't fix it.
Music
And? It doesn't change the fact that he was still primarily '07 Megs with modifications.
Terrellatron
Said he had a fusion canon
Music
You now know the answer to this since we discussed in a different thread but for others reading this, @Optimus_Prowl answers this here: Travisformer Megatron
TLDR: Yes, Megatron looked very similar to the one in the Bumblebee motion comic and is probably an artifact of the prequel stage.
mattyou78
Sorry to ask so long after the fact; does that mean he looked different to what was shown in the 'Battle at Half Dome' motion comic? As that's basically just 2007 Megatron with a moew G1 shaped head:
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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
mn_128875
@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?
mattyou78
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.