Nelson here…
I would like for all you S4TE fans to welcome Rosie Huntington Whitely to the world of Transformers. As some of you might know, she’s the new female lead in Transformers 3. She’s worked with Michael before in his Victoria’s Secret “A Thousand Fantasies” ad.

Huntington was first spotted on set with Shia at the end of June, first reported by Just Jared. A video is also available on MSN.

Then, on set again, Rosie was seen with Michael Bay and Shia in LA, this time by Coming Soon.

Shooting Locations

Shooting in Washington DC, Chicago, Detroit and Moscow. Possibly also in Africa, China and Texas.

Plot

In interviews, the film makers have promised to include more character development and solid storytelling, parts of TF2 severely lacked in these departments. Rather than all out robot carnage, Michael Bay says this movie is shaping up to have a bit of mystery; rumors suggest that it’ll revolve around a Transformers link hidden in the USA/USSR space race, involving Soundwave. Meanwhile, Sam is growing up and moving on.

Casting

The big story, Megan Fox is out, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is in — but not as Mikaela, her character is called Carly. Newcomers also include Frances McDormand, John Malkovich and Alan Tudyk.

Shia LaBeouf — Sam Witwicky
Josh Duhamel — Captain Lennox
Tyrese Gibson — Master Sergeant Epps
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley — Carly
John Turturro — Agent Simmons
John Malkovich — Sam’s boss
Frances McDormand — National Intelligence Director
Patrick Dempsey — Carly’s boss
Alan Tudyk

Transformers line up

Autobots
Optimus Prime
Bumblebee –2011 Chevy Camaro
Ratchet — 2009 Hummer H3
Ironhide — 2007 GMC Topkick C4500
Skids — 2011 Chevy Sparks
Mudflap — 2011 Chevy Sparks
Sideswipe — 2012 Chevy Corvette Centennial

Decepticons
Shockwave
Megatron
Starscream — F-22 Raptor
Soundwave — Satellite and Cybertronian jet

Unknown cars spotted on set include a Ferrari 458 Italia and a blue 2011 Mercedes Benz E350, believed to be autobots. Three Nascar automobiles and a Chevy Tahoe vehicle have also been spotted, believed to be decepticons.

So Bob and Alex is it true. you wont be involved this time round.
It’s true.

Sorry to hear that Roberto, really I am. Are we in good hands with Mr. Kruger? Does he know his Transformers?
He does. He really did his homework. He’s awesome.

However, Bay has now confirmed via his blog that Transformers 3 will hit theaters in July 2011. He also left a message for Megan Fox,

Well its official: We have a great Transformers 3 story. The release date is now July 1st 2011. Not 2012.

Today is Day One. This morning started with an ILM meeting for five hours in San Francisco. Currently I’m flying with writer Ehren Kruger to Rhode Island to talk to Hasbro about new characters.

P.S. Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture. Please consult your Physician when working under my direction because some side effects can occur, such as mild dizziness, intense nausea, suicidal tendencies, depression, minor chest hair growth, random internal hemorrhaging and inability to sleep. As some directors may be hazardous to your health, please consult your Doctor to determine if this is right for you.

Pain and Gain is right after shooting of Trans 3.

* He will be meeting later this week with Steven Spielberg, and Ehren Kruger to discuss ideas for Transformers 3. By the end of the week he should have an idea if Transformers 3 will hit your local cineplex in the summer of 2011 or 2012.
* In the meantime “Pain & Gain” is looking very possible as is…
* …Bad Boys 3. Either film coming to a theater near you before or after Transformers 3.

Michael Bay’s Film Weekly Podcast

This interview comes from The Guardian’s “Film weekly” interview with Michael Bay and was posted to the official Michael Bay site.

Bay is not quitting Transformers

Some interviews recently spun the “I’m taking a break” stance Michael Bay has on Transformers 3 to give the impression he was quitting the franchise altogether. This is not the case and in all likelihoods Michael Bay shall direct Transformers 3, due for release in 2012.

GM provided 67 vehicles for Transformers 2

USA Today have a short article on the Transformers/GM relationship and an interview with Michael Bay.

“They were responsible for building the cars, and I was trying to get my check because we built the cars, fronted them the money, and they were late on paying us,” Bay says. “I was like, ‘We better get our check fast before they go bankrupt.’

Chevy won’t reveal what it cost to provide cars, but spokesman Steve Janisse says 67 vehicles were used, and 52 of those were “non-salable,” specially built prototypes used for testing, engineering and display.

[…]

Bay says the cars themselves become like celebrities, something he witnessed while shooting in a remote part of the Middle East. “The money they spend is pennies for the amount of goodwill. Bumblebee is one of the most famous cars in the world,” the director says. “Literally, we’re in this poor little town in Jordan, and all these kids surrounded (the car). They all knew Bumblebee’s name.”

Nascar 18 wrapped in M&Ms and autobots

Number 18 has been covered in an M&Ms and Transformers themed coat — full gallery available at Joe Gibbs.

Shia has “The Touch”

Shia performs a rendition of Stan Bush’s “The Touch” to much amusement and pain.

Obama in Revenge of the Fallen

The movie in some way includes Obama, to which Bay comments, via Digital Spy,

Bay said: “The Obama thing? I met him in an airport where he was carrying his bag by himself and we talked about movies and apparently he likes my movies. So I figured we’ll just put him in.”

The director joked that he was able to include the up-to-date reference because he had only completed making the film last Wednesday [June 10th].

Michael Bay in Guiness Book of World Records

Michael Bay is now in the record books for the largest explosion filmed whilst actors are present. It was shot in New Mexico. The NZ Herald, from whence this news came, offer up and expansive overview of Transformers 2 and have some tidbit interview comments from Megan Fox and Shia as well,

“If Michael Bay can make me look that good in shorts, then I don’t mind if people think I’m being exploited. And it gives me an advantage because even if I do a mediocre performance, people don’t expect anything of me, so they’re impressed.” And incidentally, although she is adorned with tattoos, claims to be bisexual, and does her best to come across as “dangerous and dark” a la Jolie, she insists it is not calculated. “It’s more of a curse than a blessing to look like Angelina,” she says, straight-faced. “Seriously, there are a lot of films I’ve had to pass on because I don’t want people to think I’m trying to emulate her.” (Apparently she was offered the next Tomb Raider but turned it down for this reason.) As for Lebeouf, an edgy leading man and an example of the core audience of a film like this, says, “Transformers is escapism in the same way Star Wars was for its generation. If you want magic tricks, theme park rides, the roller coaster vibe, Transformers is for you.“

Film Journal talks with Orci and Kurtzman

After recovering from the Star Trek press tour, Orci and Kurtzman answered some questions from the folks at Film Journal. Points include the story’s emotional core, the strike and the inspiration for the sequel.

“For us, the action always emerges from the characters; the audience tunes out random action scenes that don’t move the plot forward or take the characters in some new direction,” Kurtzman says. “So in Revenge of the Fallen, there are several sequences that we pitched to Michael in detail as part of the characters’ stories and he ended up shooting them almost exactly as we pitched them. Of course, he also comes up with great ways to embellish the sequences and no one is better at that than he is.”

That information will come in handy as the duo makes their long-planned transition to directing. “The plan is to find the right film for us to direct in the next couple of years,” Orci reveals. “We’re happy being the guys that write the words, but we want to try everything. It’s possible that we’ll each direct our own projects, but we might be too jealous of what the other is doing and so we’ll both have to do it!” While neither claims to have a dream project right now, there is one franchise that Orci says he’s hoping to see realized on the big screen someday. “I’d love to see [Nintendo’s] The Legend of Zelda done right.”

Film Journal

Video game previews and walkthroughs

More Revenge of the Fallen video game previews have surfaced at Game Trailers, including Art Director and Producer interviews, a Sideways and Devastator walkthrough and an Optimus Prime downtown walkthrough. Following these there are tow YouTube videos, including the opening scenes and a Breakaway training routine.

Human Alliance video review

Not strictly press, but not really big enough for its own post, another Human Alliance video review:

ET Interviews

Included after the break because these flash embeds are notorious for misbehaving:

Megan Fox and Optimus Prime in EW

”If I’m still making Transformers five years from now, I might not be so überexcited. But there’s nothing specific that I need to accomplish. I just want to still be working.”

Warning: do not try getting your hair caught up in barbed wire at home.

”People are well aware that [Transformers] is not a movie about acting. And once you realize that, it becomes almost fun because you can be in the moment and go, ‘All right, I know that when he calls Action! I’m either going to be running or screaming, or both.”’

Transformers turned you into an overnight star. Looking back, how do you feel about the movie?
I’m terrible in it. It’s my first real movie and it’s not honest and not realistic. The movie wasn’t bad, I just wasn’t proud about what I did.

What was it like the first time you worked with him?
I was actually an extra on Bad Boys II [in 2003]. There’s a club scene, and I was one of the club kids. I was in a stars-and-stripes bikini and a cowboy hat, dancing under a waterfall.

You’re a bigger star now than when you did the first Transformers. Did they beef up your role in the sequel?
The humans are still secondary to the robots because it’s a movie about robots. I feel like the part is adequate. I feel like we do something that’s watchable on our end and then ILM makes it phenomenal.

You don’t sound convinced that this is the greatest movie on earth.
It’s not trying to be the greatest movie on earth. It’s going to be the best action movie of the summer. Hands down, it will win that. But it’s not trying to be a Golden Globe-nominated film. It’s a badass popcorn summer movie.

You up for a third Transformers?
Sure. I mean, I can’t s— on this movie because it did give me a career and open all these doors for me. But I don’t want to blow smoke up people’s ass. People are well aware that this is not a movie about acting. And once you realize that, it becomes almost fun because you can be in the moment and go, ”All right, I know that when he calls Action! I’m either going to be running or screaming, or both.”

Shia and Megan talk trilogy with MTV

Megan Fox on Transformers 3

“I’m really happy to have been a part of these films, obviously, and if they wanted me to come back for a third one, I would. I owe them,” she laughed. “I owe them my career, really.”

Roberto Orci on Transformers 3

“I’d like to see some version of Galvatron,” said Roberto Orci.. “I would like to see Unicron, too, and really anything that ends in the word ‘ron.’ Dinobots! I think, eventually, the Dinobots are going to have to happen.”

“It’s totally possible that, just for the benefit of ‘Transformers’ to stay cool and awesome, we should have to let new people come in and do it,” Kurtzman said.

Shia on Transformers 3

“I don’t think [we’ll make ‘Transformers 3′] right away, but I wouldn’t kill it either,” LaBeouf explained, saying that just like Michael Bay, all the stars need a break from the giant robot franchise. “I don’t think we’re going to do one anytime soon. I think we all need a break from each other and a break from the project. We just need to collect ourselves and come back to it. They’re hard to make, man.”

Shia talks Revenge of the Fallen video game

“I’m a gamer. Always have been — always will be. This one looks a-w-e-s-o-m-e! ”

Megan Fox interviewed by EW

Paramount and DreamWorks are forging ahead with “Transformers 3,” dating the movie for release on July 1, 2011.
It’s the first word of the three-quel, although Paramount insiders downplayed the importance of the move.
They said the studio wanted to claim the date before a competitor did, considering that the 2011 summer release calendar is filling up.
No deals have been inked with director Michael Bay or franchise stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. Nor has a writer been hired for the third installment.

In response, Michael Bay has posted on his forums:

I said I was taking off a year from Transformers. Paramount made a mistake in dating Transformers 3 — they asked me on the phone — I said yes to July 4 — but for 2012 — whoops! Not 2011!!! That would mean I would have to start prep in September. No way. My brain needs a break from fighting robots.

Michael

Looks like someone messed up here. No date set for now — but we know Transformers 3 is definitely planned.