Writer Robert Kirkman and More Join Transformers Spin-Offs Writers' Room
Wednesday, May 20th, 2015 6:18PM CDT
Categories: Movie Related News, People News, Company NewsPosted by: Va'al Views: 40,232
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EXCLUSIVE: Two months after Paramount and the Transformers brain trust of Michael Bay, Steven Spielberg and Lorenzo di Bonaventura picked Akiva Goldsman to incubate ideas for a multi-part sequel and spinoff films based on the billion-dollar franchise, they have finalized their “writers room.” And it’s a doozy.
Goldsman’s four-team roster features some of the top names in sci-fi, I’ve learned: Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman, Iron Man scribes Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, Pacific Rim 2‘s Zak Penn and Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Lost‘s Jeff Pinkner. I’m hearing the ink isn’t even dry on the deals, but that is a major-league lineup to join Goldsman, who is spearheading it all for the studio, Hasbro, Spielberg and Bay (Bay and Goldsman were college buddies at Wesleyan). More writers will be added.
This is a major priority for new Motion Picture Group President Marc Evans, who’s tasked with getting more movies made. It marks an intriguing new step as studios put even more of a premium on the care and feeding of tentpole franchises, as is the case with James Cameron’s Avatar sequels and Disney’s process for developing its Marvel tentpoles.
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Posted by DedicatedGhostArt on May 20th, 2015 @ 6:23pm CDT
Posted by Seibertron on May 20th, 2015 @ 6:24pm CDT
Posted by Peridot on May 20th, 2015 @ 6:35pm CDT
Posted by JazZeke on May 20th, 2015 @ 6:41pm CDT
Posted by griftimus prime on May 20th, 2015 @ 6:42pm CDT
Posted by Jones on May 20th, 2015 @ 6:44pm CDT
Posted by MartianSpyGirl1996 on May 20th, 2015 @ 6:57pm CDT
Posted by Shrapnel Shrapnel on May 20th, 2015 @ 7:00pm CDT
Posted by Inaction on May 20th, 2015 @ 7:24pm CDT
-ahem- But yeah, if Rob can get us an actual story, let alone an actual story about the robots that this series is named for, all the better.
Posted by Tsutsukakushi on May 20th, 2015 @ 7:28pm CDT
Now all they need to do is get rid of Micheal bay.
Posted by SlyTF1 on May 20th, 2015 @ 7:33pm CDT
MartianSpyGirl1996 wrote:Robert's TWD episodes are the worst in the series, Pacific Rim was braindead, and TASM2 was awful... I don't expect these will be any better that ROTF. Keep in mind the guy who wrote The Ring wrote DOTM and AOE. I thought The Ring was a great movie
By whose standards? I just looked at the reception for all the episodes he wrote, and all but one was critically praised.
Posted by OptimalOptimus2 on May 20th, 2015 @ 7:42pm CDT
Posted by TGS1985 on May 20th, 2015 @ 8:33pm CDT
1) Optimus running around asking where Bumblebee is and why he isn't in the Arc.
2) An IDW influenced Arcee played/voiced by none other than Carol actress herself, Melissa McBride which just screams complete bad ass to me.
That all aside, it's hard not to take this as great news. Take Kirkmen's Walking Dead influenced character development/story telling and add it to Zak Penn's Pacific Rim's action and it's hard to think we wouldn't end up with a Transformers movie where the (lack of) plot doesn't make your head hurt all the while robot fighting scenes that the viewer can actually follow.
Posted by King Kuuga on May 20th, 2015 @ 10:07pm CDT
griftimus prime wrote:how is this exciting? what is the spinoff about?
It's a bunch of proposed spinoffs, but that's about the extent of our knowledge. Just.... spinoffs.
Posted by Burn on May 20th, 2015 @ 10:08pm CDT
OptimalOptimus2 wrote:These are all writers! We need good directors!
The greatest of directors can't turn a crap story into gold you know.
Posted by Seibertron on May 20th, 2015 @ 10:16pm CDT
That Bot wrote:griftimus prime wrote:how is this exciting? what is the spinoff about?
It's a bunch of proposed spinoffs, but that's about the extent of our knowledge. Just.... spinoffs.
Maybe we'll get these spinoffs finally that we've all been demanding for years ...
Transformers: The Adventures of Ron and Judy Witwicky
Transformers: High Times with Judy
Transformers: Sam Witwicky's Wet and Wild Winter
Transformers: Mikeala's Quest
Transformers: Mikeala's Quest Continues in The Hunt for Carly
Transformers: Brazos Wars
Transformers: Family Wars - Witwicky vs Yeager
Transformers: Data Breach (starring Maggie and Glen)
So much potential!
Posted by MaverickPrime on May 20th, 2015 @ 11:01pm CDT
I just hope we get good toys out of this.
Posted by SKYWARPED_128 on May 20th, 2015 @ 11:03pm CDT
Burn wrote:OptimalOptimus2 wrote:These are all writers! We need good directors!
The greatest of directors can't turn a crap story into gold you know.
Sadly, a bad director can easily turn a great story into crap.
Posted by padfoo on May 21st, 2015 @ 12:16am CDT
griftimus prime wrote:how is this exciting? what is the spinoff about?
I love Kirkman but hopefully not Zombie Transformers!
Posted by Windsweeper on May 21st, 2015 @ 12:41am CDT
Posted by Megatron Wolf on May 21st, 2015 @ 1:15am CDT
Posted by King Kuuga on May 21st, 2015 @ 2:28am CDT
Posted by OptimalOptimus2 on May 21st, 2015 @ 6:09am CDT
SKYWARPED_128 wrote:Burn wrote:OptimalOptimus2 wrote:These are all writers! We need good directors!
The greatest of directors can't turn a crap story into gold you know.
Sadly, a bad director can easily turn a great story into crap.
HA!
Posted by Cyberstrike on May 21st, 2015 @ 9:16am CDT
Posted by Nemesis Maximo on May 21st, 2015 @ 9:30am CDT
Posted by WiseMan on May 21st, 2015 @ 10:05am CDT
If they did a complete reboot first, then I might care about some of the awful writers they've chosen. In my opinion, Batman & Robin is one of the worst movies ever made (it ties with Age of Extinction and Battlefield Earth).
Posted by SlyTF1 on May 21st, 2015 @ 11:29am CDT
WiseMan wrote:Who actually writes the spin-offs doesn't concern me at this point. What does concern me is that no one on this planet could write a good story if it has to be any sort of continuation of the atrocity that was Age of Extinction.
If they did a complete reboot first, then I might care about some of the awful writers they've chosen. In my opinion, Batman & Robin is one of the worst movies ever made (it ties with Age of Extinction and Battlefield Earth).
AOE was a perfect setup for a new set of movies.
Posted by JazZeke on May 21st, 2015 @ 11:30am CDT
SlyTF1 wrote:WiseMan wrote:Who actually writes the spin-offs doesn't concern me at this point. What does concern me is that no one on this planet could write a good story if it has to be any sort of continuation of the atrocity that was Age of Extinction.
If they did a complete reboot first, then I might care about some of the awful writers they've chosen. In my opinion, Batman & Robin is one of the worst movies ever made (it ties with Age of Extinction and Battlefield Earth).
AOE was a perfect setup for a new set of movies.
Here we go again.
Posted by Cyberstrike on May 21st, 2015 @ 7:35pm CDT
Nemesis Maximo wrote:On the bright side, if we do end up getting as many spin-offs as Paramount wants, then Bay can't direct 'em all!
Knowing TF Fans' luck we'll get Uwe Boll and JJ Abrams two directors even worse than Bay.
Posted by JazZeke on May 21st, 2015 @ 7:44pm CDT
Cyberstrike wrote:Nemesis Maximo wrote:On the bright side, if we do end up getting as many spin-offs as Paramount wants, then Bay can't direct 'em all!
Knowing TF Fans' luck we'll get Uwe Boll and JJ Abrams two directors even worse than Bay.
Eh, I would rate Abrams at least marginally above Bay.
Posted by Nemesis Maximo on May 22nd, 2015 @ 3:58am CDT
JazZeke wrote:Cyberstrike wrote:Nemesis Maximo wrote:On the bright side, if we do end up getting as many spin-offs as Paramount wants, then Bay can't direct 'em all!
Knowing TF Fans' luck we'll get Uwe Boll and JJ Abrams two directors even worse than Bay.
Eh, I would rate Abrams at least marginally above Bay.
Hey now, I think Abrams is pretty good. At least his movies don't have gratuitous porny shots of Megan Fox.
Posted by King Kuuga on May 22nd, 2015 @ 4:32am CDT
Posted by RhA on May 22nd, 2015 @ 4:57am CDT
That Bot wrote:JJ Abrams would replace explosions with lens flares.
LENSPLOSIONS!
Posted by JazZeke on May 22nd, 2015 @ 10:19am CDT
Nemesis Maximo wrote:JazZeke wrote:Cyberstrike wrote:Nemesis Maximo wrote:On the bright side, if we do end up getting as many spin-offs as Paramount wants, then Bay can't direct 'em all!
Knowing TF Fans' luck we'll get Uwe Boll and JJ Abrams two directors even worse than Bay.
Eh, I would rate Abrams at least marginally above Bay.
Hey now, I think Abrams is pretty good. At least his movies don't have gratuitous porny shots of Megan Fox.
And these are somehow more tasteful than close-up shots of Fox's fully-clothed ass and stomach?
Posted by Nemesis Maximo on May 22nd, 2015 @ 11:48am CDT
JazZeke wrote:Nemesis Maximo wrote:JazZeke wrote:Cyberstrike wrote:Nemesis Maximo wrote:On the bright side, if we do end up getting as many spin-offs as Paramount wants, then Bay can't direct 'em all!
Knowing TF Fans' luck we'll get Uwe Boll and JJ Abrams two directors even worse than Bay.
Eh, I would rate Abrams at least marginally above Bay.
Hey now, I think Abrams is pretty good. At least his movies don't have gratuitous porny shots of Megan Fox.
And these are somehow more tasteful than close-up shots of Fox's fully-clothed ass and stomach?
Um, are either of these Megan Fox? I think not. I stand by my assessment.
Posted by JazZeke on May 22nd, 2015 @ 11:53am CDT
Nemesis Maximo wrote:JazZeke wrote:Nemesis Maximo wrote:JazZeke wrote:Cyberstrike wrote:Nemesis Maximo wrote:On the bright side, if we do end up getting as many spin-offs as Paramount wants, then Bay can't direct 'em all!
Knowing TF Fans' luck we'll get Uwe Boll and JJ Abrams two directors even worse than Bay.
Eh, I would rate Abrams at least marginally above Bay.
Hey now, I think Abrams is pretty good. At least his movies don't have gratuitous porny shots of Megan Fox.
And these are somehow more tasteful than close-up shots of Fox's fully-clothed ass and stomach?
Um, are either of these Megan Fox? I think not. I stand by my assessment.
So your issue isn't with the tacky gratuitous sexuality, just with Megan Fox. Okay.
Posted by Sabrblade on May 22nd, 2015 @ 1:48pm CDT
Not arguing that that second pic's scene was acceptable, mind you, but rather that it only took up 1% of the movie, whereas the eye candy of the first three movies was way more than that amount.
Posted by SKYWARPED_128 on May 22nd, 2015 @ 9:56pm CDT
Sabrblade wrote:At least that second pic was a very brief scene that came and went like nothing in its movie, compared to the first three TF movies constantly trying to compete with Bond movie levels of eye candy.
Not argument that that second pic's scene was acceptable, rather that it only took up 1% of the movie, whereas the eye candy of the first three movies was way more than that amount.
To bastardize a quote from Ledger's Joker:
"When Daniel Craig gets strapped naked to a chair and gets his balls whacked, nobody panics, because it's all part of the plan. But when a girl shows some skin, well then everyone loses their minds!"
Posted by SlyTF1 on May 23rd, 2015 @ 1:03am CDT
Sabrblade wrote:At least that second pic was a very brief scene that came and went like nothing in its movie, compared to the first three TF movies constantly trying to compete with Bond movie levels of eye candy.
Not argument that that second pic's scene was acceptable, rather that it only took up 1% of the movie, whereas the eye candy of the first three movies was way more than that amount.
Doesn't change the fact that it was completely unnecessary. I remember watching that Star Trek and just... being ashamed at that part. At least in Transformers it... kinda serves a purpose. To be honest, the purpose itself is unnecessary, but at least it makes sense in context. I don't exactly remember in what context that scene in Star Trek was used, but I remember it being there for absolutely no reason.
Posted by Sabrblade on May 23rd, 2015 @ 10:39am CDT
Just so it's clear, you do know who that character was and her connection to Kirk in previous Star Trek media, right? If not, then go watch Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (wonderful movie, btw).SlyTF1 wrote:Sabrblade wrote:At least that second pic was a very brief scene that came and went like nothing in its movie, compared to the first three TF movies constantly trying to compete with Bond movie levels of eye candy.
Not argument that that second pic's scene was acceptable, rather that it only took up 1% of the movie, whereas the eye candy of the first three movies was way more than that amount.
Doesn't change the fact that it was completely unnecessary. I remember watching that Star Trek and just... being ashamed at that part. At least in Transformers it... kinda serves a purpose. To be honest, the purpose itself is unnecessary, but at least it makes sense in context. I don't exactly remember in what context that scene in Star Trek was used, but I remember it being there for absolutely no reason.
I agree that it was in poor taste, but if I was forced to pick between two evils, I'd rather have a movie with only 1% of unnecessary shame than a movie that has unnecessary shame written all over it (lookin' at you, ROTF *shakes fist*).
Posted by Stuartmaximus on May 24th, 2015 @ 1:15pm CDT
Posted by Va'al on May 27th, 2015 @ 3:42pm CDT
Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari, who spent half a year doing the production rewriting on Marvel’s Ant-Man, have become the latest to join the Writer’s Room that Paramount Pictures and director Michael Bay have organized to hatch sequels, prequels and spinoffs on their billion dollar Transformers franchise. I’m hearing that one of the ideas in the works has a working title of Transformers One, and that it is more or less an origins story that takes place on Cybertron, the planet where the good guy and bad guy robots hail from. Those talks originated with rights holder Hasbro. I’d also heard that this might be an animated feature, but that Barrer & Ferrari are also going to the writer’s room with the expectation they’ll write a live action Transformers movie, as well. Paramount insiders said that they haven’t gotten that far on the specific projects, but I am told this is the plan. A Cybertron movie sounds like fertile ground for a feature, to me.
Posted by welcometothedarksyde on May 27th, 2015 @ 4:08pm CDT
Posted by Optimum Supreme on May 27th, 2015 @ 4:12pm CDT
Posted by YRQRM0 on May 27th, 2015 @ 4:58pm CDT
Posted by Sigmus Prime on May 27th, 2015 @ 5:23pm CDT
Would anybody be willing to assist in shanking me? I can provide the knife.
Posted by Ironhidensh on May 27th, 2015 @ 5:41pm CDT
Posted by King Kuuga on May 27th, 2015 @ 5:44pm CDT
Va'al wrote:I’d also heard that this might be an animated feature, but that Barrer & Ferrari are also going to the writer’s room with the expectation they’ll write a live action Transformers movie, as well. Paramount insiders said that they haven’t gotten that far on the specific projects, but I am told this is the plan. A Cybertron movie sounds like fertile ground for a feature, to me.
Well if it's set on Cybertron and features no actual actors, yeah, it's basically an animated film either way.
Posted by SlyTF1 on May 27th, 2015 @ 7:45pm CDT
Posted by OptimalOptimus2 on May 27th, 2015 @ 8:02pm CDT
SlyTF1 wrote:This is going to be the greatest thing ever.
Looks like I'm going to agree with you on this one Sly.