Transformers Live Action Movie press release??

**mr. stinkhead** · July 23rd, 2004, 12:45 PM

This just came in, but there was a message that it had bounced back.
Spielburg directing? Que??? Is for real? It came from a @hasbro.com email address

Sorry if this is old news.
-Mr. Stinkhead

LEGENDARY TRANSFORMERS PROPERTY FROM HASBRO
WILL COME TO LIFE WITH LIVE ACTION FILM FROM
DREAMWORKS AND PARAMOUNT

-- Steven Spielberg to Executive Produce --

LOS ANGELES and PAWTUCKET, R.I., July 23, 2004 - DreamWorks Pictures and
Paramount Pictures, in association with Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS), will
develop a live-action, motion picture based on the globally popular
TRANSFORMERS franchise. Steven Spielberg will executive produce. The film
is slated for release in the summer of 2006. Lorenzo di Bonaventura
("Constantine"), Don Murphy ("The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen") and
Tom DeSanto ("X-Men" and "X2: X-Men United") are attached to produce.
DreamWorks Head of Production Adam Goodman stated, "Steven and
everyone at DreamWorks are very excited about the prospect of expanding the
world of TRANSFORMERS into the live-action feature film arena. The
possibilities for a thrilling action adventure are virtually endless, and a
film holds the definite promise of expanding an already worldwide fan base
to new audiences."
"This is a tremendous franchise that offers us the opportunity to
create an inventive and thrilling action-adventure film," said Donald De
Line, Vice Chairman, Motion Picture Group and President of Paramount
Pictures. "We're happy to work with our colleagues at DreamWorks to develop
this project with Hasbro. There couldn't be a better team to bring the
TRANSFORMERS to the big screen."

"We are truly fortunate to have the best talent in the entertainment
industry on board for the TRANSFORMERS movie and are excited at the
opportunities this powerful collaboration will bring to the property," said
Brian Goldner, President of Hasbro's toys segment. "The TRANSFORMERS
franchise has been successful in many entertainment arenas and we are
thrilled to give millions of fans an extraordinary experience that's never
been done in the history of the brand."
Hasbro will work with the production team, DreamWorks and Paramount
on all aspects of the film's creative development, marketing, promotions and
will manage merchandising in conjunction with the release of the film.
Hasbro will also team up with Takara, who has been the co-developer of the
TRANSFORMERS brand since its beginning in the early 1980s.
"The TRANSFORMERS brand has always struck a chord with fans around
the world and remains one of our strongest franchises since it was
introduced 20 years ago," said Keita Satoh, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Takara. "Together with Hasbro, DreamWorks and Paramount, we will
bring the property to a new level for fans in the Japanese market, as well
as around the world."
DreamWorks will distribute the film domestically, while Paramount will
distribute internationally.
In 1984, the TRANSFORMERS brand took the world by storm with its
compelling saga of the ROBOTS IN DISGUISE, and quickly became a childhood
rite of passage with a tremendously successful toy line from Hasbro and
Takara, comic book series, television program and animated feature film.
Twenty years later, a new generation of kids has discovered the excitement
of the TRANSFORMERS brand and the legendary characters, such as OPTIMUS
PRIME and MEGATRON, that truly are "more than meets the eye." Today, the
franchise features a popular toy line, an animated series on Cartoon Network
and a chart-topping comic book series from Dreamwave Productions, which sold
two million TRANSFORMERS comic books last year.

**Slytherin Snape** · July 23rd, 2004, 04:45 PM

LOL QEC!! [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

Here's more from Reuters/Hollywood Reporter:

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The Transformers, toymaker Hasbro's line of giant robots that morph into cars, trucks, planes, ships and other technological creations, are coming to the big screen.

DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures have acquired the movie rights for a live-action project. DreamWorks principal Steven Spielberg is on board as an executive producer, having reportedly played a key role in the protracted negotiations.

The film is slated for a summer 2006 release. Paramount is taking international distribution rights, while DreamWorks will handle domestic.

The Transformers are divided into two groups of robots, one led by Optimus Prime, who believes in tolerance and the sanctity of life, the other by Megatron, who espouses survival of the fittest and the extermination of biological life.

"We will be simplifying the universe and getting back to core, character-driven science fiction," said producer Tom DeSanto, who wrote the story that the movie will be based on. said. "It will look like nothing you've seen before on a movie screen."

Brian Goldner, president of Hasbro Toys, said, "This is one of Hasbro's biggest global brands -- 75% of young men have played with Transformers -- and we expect big things. We know this team will deliver big things. The stars are aligned."

Hasbro will work with the production team, DreamWorks and Paramount on all aspects of the film's creative development, marketing and promotions and will manage merchandising in conjunction with the release of the film. Hasbro also will team with Takara, who has been the co-developer of the Transformers brand since its beginning in the early 1980s.

**Quikman** · July 23rd, 2004, 04:53 PM

Cant wait...this just gets better and better but my guess is I wont see my number one tf since he isent shown untill late season 2...my loving Combatacons ..from into BRUTICUS .( see avtar) ,Do hope Soundwave is in it or some ones ass gonan fry [img]mad.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img]

**grail25** · July 23rd, 2004, 05:07 PM

Soundwave will probably be in there, he's one of the more recognizable TF. I bet will see lots of TF in cameo "ala" x-men (iceman, multiple man, etc)

***PORTHOS*** · July 23rd, 2004, 05:30 PM

For fans Soundwave is recognizable but for executive or screenwriters who may not neccessarely do there homework he can be just a lousy tape cassette player

<font color="#cd6600" size="1">[ July 23, 2004 02:32 PM: Message edited by: *PORTHOS* ]</font>

**mr. stinkhead** · July 23rd, 2004, 05:55 PM

pardon my ignorance...
but what is the shit with Soundwave the toy?
(My favorite period)

I had heard they weren't doing the Commerorative Soundwave because the "mold was broken" and then someone said that there were licensing issues (rumor) because the TF line here in America is a mix of several brands in Japan. (That's why Soundwave, Megatron were hand-held objects and the autobots were cars)

THEN someone mentioned that the next Masterpiece edition would be Soundwave, and then I think I saw that shot down someplace

Are there licensing issues with Soundwave? If there are, does that hurt his exposure in the movie?

I currently think that Hasbro owns the rights to whatever they sell here, even when it's straight import from Takara

I don't know who to trust anymore.
sob.

Mr. Stinkhead

**STD** · July 23rd, 2004, 07:10 PM

I might be wrong but I think you're thinking of shockwave, who was a character from another Japanese TV show but who was included in TF or something like that. I read it on the white board a while ago.

**grail25** · July 23rd, 2004, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by *PORTHOS*:
For fans Soundwave is recognizable but for executive or screenwriters who may not neccessarely do there homework he can be just a lousy tape cassette player

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Lousy tape cassette player? Come on he was the greatest of decepticon. He could shoot other decepticon out of his chest for god sake!!! I don't remember optimus doing that... [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]biggrin.gif[/img]