More interviews

This time from ENewsi

Hundreds of tomorrow night’s midnight show times for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (debuting June 24 at 12:01 a.m.) are already sold out across the country. A few facts from Fandango below:

* Sold-out midnight show times (on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning) can be found all across the U.S.A., in cities such as New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Albuquerque, Denver, Houston, Nashville, Orlando, Colorado Springs, Tulsa, Fresno and Buford, Georgia.
* Exhibitors are continuing to add 3:45 a.m. or 4:00 a.m. show times on Wednesday morning to meet the fan demand.
* Currently, the film is selling twice as many tickets on Fandango as the original Transformers sold at the same point in that film’s sales cycle (two days before release date).
* The movie currently represents 87% of today’s ticket sales
* And as we noted yesterday, TF 2 showings at 500+ theaters in China are sold out 1.5 weeks in advanced.

Time in Moscow

Back from Moscow. Fresh from a visit to the former KGB, with second in command. He told me in his office I’m one of 10 American’s, one being a President, to ever be allowed inside what is now called the FSB. The only reason was he heard I was in town and he is a fan of my films.

Last night with my crew I saw the IMAX version. Once you get used to the giant format and your eyes adjust, it’s an awesome experience. I have been waiting until the film was final to judge, and I’m really pleased. You have to make a point to see it this way — It could be the very best way to see Transformers.

C’mon guys critics? Give me a break. Do you all have short term memory? They killed the first one, and it still became a world-wide smash. I made this for the you, the audience!

Michael

Using Obama

UK Box Office

Transformers 2 has, as of July 19th, been released to the UK public. The NY Times report that the sequel has taken 50% more in its opening weekend than it’s 2007 predecessor.

You can’t tell much from the box office performance of a film on a single night, in a single foreign territory. But Paramount executives were congratulating themselves on Saturday over the Friday night results of ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ in the United Kingdom. Word had it that the movie had done roughly 50 percent better than its predecessor, which two years ago went on to take in $389 million in foreign markets, and $319 at the domestic box office.

With the hot start in England, company executives were privately speculating that the new ;ldquo;Transformers;rdquo; film had a shot at becoming Paramount;rsquo;s second-highest grossing film, behind ;ldquo;Titanic,;rdquo; which took in a monstrous $1.8 billion worldwide under a split deal with Fox.

That would be a nice start for Adam Goodman, who was named president of the movie group on Friday, as two fellow executives, John Lesher and Brad Weston, were ushered out. Both were offered producer deals. The betting here is that Mr. Weston will accept, while Mr. Lesher strikes for greener pastures.

Shia on The Tonight Show, June 19th

As part of the TV press tour Shia appeared on The Tonight Show last Friday with Conan O’Brien. Courtesy of Shia Videos

Ramon Rodriguez on Jimmy Kimmel

Ramon (Leo Spitz) talks stunts and Revenge of the Fallen on last Thursday’s edition of the show:

Cast Q&A

Coming Soon have posted a transcript of the Revenge of the Fallen Question and Answer session. The responses are all very jovial and do not give too much away about the movie. If you’re not one for reading, try out this handy video playlist from the same session:

Q: Are you already thinking about the third film?

Bay: I don’t know. We’ll see how this one turns out.

Q: How many minutes of deleted scenes might be on the DVD?

Bay: I don’t know. We’re figuring it out right now. Seven or eight?

Q: Are you going to be shooting more in IMAX?

Bay: I regret not shooting the head scene in IMAX. But IMAX is very expensive. Just special effects in IMAX is expensive.

Q: Do you think you’ll be doing IMAX for all your future movies?

Bay: I don’t know. If the movie serves it.

Q: What else can we expect from the DVD?

Bay: This one is done by Ridley Scott’s DVD guy. We’re gonna have a lot of stuff on this. We’re gonna have a special IMAX version where it’ll open up the top and bottom.

TV talk show schedule

Thanks to TLAMB,

The schedule, subject to change:
Th 6/18: Ramon Rodriguez — Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Fr 6/19: Shia LaBeouf — The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (NBC)
Tu 6/23: Isabel Lucas — Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Tu 6/23: Tyrese Gibson — Chelsea Lately (E!)
We 6/24: Josh Duhamel — Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Th 6/25: Megan Fox — David Letterman (CBS)
Th 6/25: Shia LaBeouf — Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Th 6/25: Shia Labeouf — Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated)
Fr 6/26: Megan Fox — Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
Fr 6/26: Megan Fox — Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated)
Mo 6/29: Josh Duhamel — Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated)

Crew screenings

Michael Bay answers questions about when the cast and crew can watch the final feature:

Press is asking about crew screeings

They seem to want to know about my crew screenings. Not sure why the press is interested? We had 2500 crew members from many parts of the US and some in the Middle East and London. We have an IMAX crew screening Sunday night. We have an ILM screening Monday night and Paramount invited some of my key crew members to the LA premiere I think Tuesday we are putting together a crew screening which is being planned at Paramount. Thursday we have an IMAX screening in Washington for the Pentagon people involved in the film. And we have one set up in Jordan. BTW the press is not invited.

Michael Bay in the NYTimes

Bay discusses the Transformers franchise and why he decided to take it on in his latest NYTimes interview:

And you created other characters that weren’t established in the toys, the comics or the animation?
We wanted to get into the deeper lore of it. At one point, I’d already been shooting the movie, and we were doing this scene in space. And I asked these Hasbro experts on Transformers, I said, “So, how are Transformers born?” And they kind of – dead pause. “I don’t know.” “What do you mean, you don’t know? Isn’t that one of the first things you figure out?” [laughs] So I created how they’re born.

How are they born?
They’re in a special sac. They’re called hatchlings. It’s quite nice.

Read full interview

Shia and Megan on La Grand Journal

Whilst in Paris Megan and Shia appeared on this French show, quite an entertaining video, but not completely Transformers related. Thanks again to Shia LaBeouf Video.

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:

Michael Bay’s earnings from first Transformers movie

via Yahoo,

Shia LaBeouf received an upfront sum of $500,000 for his role in the first “Transformers.” However, Bay’s deal passed on a fee for directing and executive producing in exchange for a slice of the profits from all the film’s revenue sources. The film, which cost the studio an estimated $155 million to make, earned over $700 million worldwide and was a top-selling DVD. Bay’s final take from the movie: somewhere in the neighborhood of $75 million.

LaBeouf is getting a raise for the sequel, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” His paycheck is estimated at about $5 million. Bay will once again get a cut of the profits, which could take longer to accumulate since the budget for the second movie approached $200 million.

ROVE interview Isabel Lucas

Matthew Marsden injured in Helicopter stunt

The Sunday Mercury caught up with Matthew Marsden to find out about his near death encounter with a helicopter on the set of Transformers 2:

“It was a nightmare,” recalls Matthew, speaking from his home in Los Angeles. “I had a very close shave when a helicopter crashed and missed me by a foot. I stepped out of the way a second before it hit the ground. The stunt went off too early, I should have been some considerable way away. I didn’t seriously injure myself, apart from shearing off one of my bottom teeth. There was a bit of blood, but my adrenaline kicked in so I didn’t feel it.

“I just remember the director, Michael Bay, shouting, ‘Oh my God! Everyone look at Matt!’. One of the crew rushed up and said, ‘Dude, do you have any idea how close that was?’. I said ‘As long as I look cool, I don’t care!’. People will probably think that it’s a computer-generated special effect, but I can assure you it was very real. It’s fine, I’m still here with all my fingers and toes, though not all my teeth.”

Insider interview Shia

Isabel Lucas interview

Sky News interviewed Isabel Lucas at the Tokyo world premiere:

It is Lucas’ first [press conference] and admits it’s overwhelming. ‘It’s been a whirlwind,’ she says. ‘I’ve worked on five productions since Home and Away and this is the first one to be released, so I haven’t ever experienced doing a press junket or a premiere, so this is like really being thrown right into the midst of it, into the deep end.’

Spielberg, who is an executive producer on the new Transformers movie, suggested her to director Michael Bay for the role of Alice after working with her on the HBO mini-series The Pacific, which he also produced. One successful audition later and Lucas had landed the biggest movie role of her career.

‘I was really intrigued by the character because there is more than meets the eye — literally,’ she says. ‘She’s a layered character, and that’s interesting for any actor to play really something different from yourself and to understand and relate to her even though she might have darker intentions. She’s fun to play.’

She describes one particular scene with LaBeouf which required an attention to detail that she’d never experienced before. The shot was so specific for a certain CGI effect that they were trying to achieve and the camera was about 30cm away and he (Bay) was like yelling at me so specifically to tilt my head down! Tilt it to the right! Tilt it down again! Now lift it slightly! But he really is an amazing visual genius, and the finished product you understand why he was being so specific with details.’

‘They know that this genre of film is not really what I’m drawn to, I’m drawn to scripts that are unique and have meaning. But that’s what is so wonderful about being an actor, is the diversity of the kind of films you can be a part of. I’m just honoured for the opportunity, and if it opens other doors career-wise I’ll be very fortunate.’

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

Shia explains Transformers Revenge of the Fallen

Megan Fox has also been speaking to USA Weekend:

Before landing high-profile movies and magazine covers, you were [a] TV sitcom sidekick. Did you ever doubt you’d wind up where you are now?
Megan: …I started acting as a way to make money and avoid college. I sort of fell into it having no idea what I was doing … in “Transformers” as well.

Is it true that you didn’t know you were the female lead in “Transformers” until the end of filming?
Megan: Yes. Everything was on lockdown. The script wasn’t released to anyone. The director, Michael Bay, was the only one who’d seen it.

Megan, you and “Transformers” co-star Shia LaBeouf are good friends. Were your make-out scenes uncomfortable?
Megan: It’s always weird. That’s not something that’s ever romantic or sexy. Doing an on-set kiss is just strange, and knowing Shia so well makes it even more strange.

OK, but the ladies want to know: How is he?
Megan: [Laughs.] Very good.

In “Revenge,” you flee evil Decepticons for just about the entire movie. At least your male co-stars hauled butt in comfy sneakers — you were in heels!
Megan: Stilettos — and for the last part of the film, motorcycle boots. I had major shinsplints and threw out my back a couple times. Beyond that, Michael likes everyone freakishly tan, so we were painted maroon, like in the old Westerns when they hired Caucasians to play Native Americans. I had on fake eyelashes, running through the desert with sand stuck in them, and I’m sweating off all the makeup. It looked like we were making a tragedy.

For many young actors, Megan, being in “Revenge” would be like the pinnacle of their career. But you’ve hinted that, in the end, movies about shape-shifting robots are nothing to write home about. How do you define success?
Megan: I’d like to develop my skills to where I can be recognized as a good actress. That’s my end goal. It has nothing to do with the box office. It’s about peer recognition and critical acclaim, even on a small level. I mean, I’m not trying to take Cate Blanchett down. I just want to improve.