pictures of Transformers Movie, Megatron, Starscream, etc.

[AndyLC]

There's much heated debate and discussion over these.

I figured, conceptart.org has, well, artists. Maybe they'd give a more educated opinion than the G1 fan or the antiG1 fan, so what do they think.

Looking at them, stand alone from transformers, without thinking "Megatron is a gun" or anything like that (just imagine they show up in some anonymous videogame), what does conceptart.org think?




http://static.flickr.com/63/224656169_60a8f02e47_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/62/224656171_748f49681b_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/69/224655758_ecb72eb09c_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/74/224655756_5408aab57f_o.jpg



http://static.flickr.com/64/224655757_e258b02ed2_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/62/224655755_73676c6279_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/97/224655754_ba26dd9b31_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/66/224655753_a795b325bc_o.jpg

[seba_boi]

Outside of the Transformers world, these are great concepts... They really took some creative liberties to be really different.... But boy, they just murdered, cut off the head, served it on a golden plate and ran with it parading out on the streets, all childhood memories of Transformers fans with these....

Megatron looks like an insecticon...

[eraser]

Thx for posting the pics..the megatron pic was removed from most websites.I wanted to see it..and now that I did,I very afraid of what michael bay is doing.

[squidmonk3j]

these just can't be the real thing....

megatron looks like the Shrike ffs!

this one should obviously have gone to Neill Blomkamp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4ckJFNkra8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7403Zf7fsf0

[seba_boi]

Too much crap going on, a fast slide away from a coherent unifying design philosophy, and an impractical and confusing solution. These things look like a nightmare to design, render, and animate with all the various plates and shifting facades.
Oh, yeah!... You said it!... And they didn't even bother to include the Decepticon logo on them... :( And he has teeth!... He looks like a baby-eater!...

And the mini-model of Incinerator (never heard of him) actually looks decent, except for the "tail", but they just had to add more and more and more and more--he looks like he can barely walk...

And I'm assuming that's Starscream at the very bottom (what's up with his face?)... Looks like he won't be able to hold anything with those hands... haha...

[jcaffoe]

You guys know Massive Black did a lot of concept work for the film, right?

Just thought I'd throw that out there...

I like it. It's a good reimagining of the core story, which is all people should expect from this film and any other retelling these days. Anyone talking about 'raping their childhood' needs to just let go and enjoy the fact that someone took the liberty to reinvent it.

[cartoonfox]

I have no interest in Transformers at all.
The concept (http://static.flickr.com/69/224655758_ecb72eb09c_o.jpg) still sucks. It's a mess.


Peace

[Skank]

You guys know Massive Black did a lot of concept work for the film, right?

doesnt mean they had to like it...lol

i agree, very busy

i can see why theyd want to update the look of them for a newer movie and try to make them...work, realistically. so untill i see them move on screen, ill hold off on making up my mind.

[0kelvin]

You guys know Massive Black did a lot of concept work for the film, right?

Just thought I'd throw that out there...
That's interesting, the first thing I thought when I saw these was that they looked very Android-esque. They remind me a lot of the ZBrush demo he did in Montreal.

That being said, I don't like the Megatron concept (and this is coming from someone who doesn't even remember what the original Megatron looked like, so it's not that I'm pissed off about them raping my childhood or something). I do think the Incinerator concept is really solid though. I quite like that one.

The real test comes when we see them in motion, though.



0kelvin

[Shamagim]

I can honestly say that I love Incinerator. The design is solid and it will look real nice in good environmental light.

Megatron however appears to be bussy as hell, but then again...the concept itself looks to shinny, so I´ll hold my opinion until I see it move.( I do like the battle mode design on the head tho)


I believe the way Megatron´s concept was made is considering the fact that in this movie he is more like a doom´s day machine, so his appearances might have to much hype to go with a less menacing design ( but how menacing he will look depends on his poses....but in a director´s point of view, a head close up will do the job right)...So it might work in it´s own context.


Helium: I think this movie wasn´t intented for old fans...is for the new ones who grew up with the other transformer´s story plus young teens who don´t know it to well.

[jcaffoe]

What part of the core story is being shown here? Define the 'core story' that they're telling with this while you’re at it.


ROBOTS IN DISGUISE

[Aerythes]

Don't like them much, whether as transformers or stand-alone concepts. Some of them have so many small movable pieces in their robot mode, it seems like each robot can transform into any shape you want. Not to mention they have pretty much zero personality from looks alone (though this is just my subjective opinion).

Bah, they should have hired someone like Shoji Kawamori to do the designs.

Damn, starscream's head looks like that of a rabid chipmunk with nuts stuffed in its cheeks...

[CruShTinbOX]

I dunno, I think these are pretty cool. Are they the Transformers we grew up with? No. But I don't care. Megatron looks like he's gonna rip your face off, and I think that's cool (btw, the script is floating around on the net, and I've read it, and the fact that he's "disguised" as an alien jet is irrelevant within the context of the movie).

I was a huge Transformers fan when I was a kid. I still like them, but I'm not gonna scream "Michael Bay raped my childhood!", because come on, it's a movie based on a cartoon. If you don't like it, don't watch it. This incessant crying all over the net is just rediculous. It's worse than all the crying about all the Star Wars prequels combined.

With that said, I will agree that some of the designs are too busy. They could definately be simplified a bit. But I love Prime's design, and I like Bumblebee and Blackout (Incinerator), and I like Megatron's battle head quite a lot.

I think when you look at it from a standpoint of these things being sentient mechanical beings that have evolved over millions of years... they aren't going to look like a stack of cubes like everybody seems to want. I can definately see where they are coming from with these designs, and I am happy to see something different.

Also, you might want to check this out. These are some old Transformers "Transtech" designs that never made it past the design stage, and it looks like the designers of the movie Transformers (and I'm guessing Hasbro had a hand in the direction) have taken quite a bit of inspiration from these:

http://www.tfarchive.com/fandom/transtech/index.php

[seba_boi]

You guys know Massive Black did a lot of concept work for the film, right?
Well, that's the trump of all trump cards...


Helium: I think this movie wasn´t intented for old fans...is for the new ones who grew up with the other transformer´s story plus young teens who don´t know it to well.That may be, but a huge portion of the target audience (say 50/50) are still the original fans of the franchise... Why leave them out?... And what's funny is since the original show was based of a line of toys, these designs will then be put out new line of toys... These toys would be really pointy and complex designs that are sure to injure and confuse anyone...

[CaptainInsano]

they also abandoned anything remotely familiar to fans that may invoke fond memories of the original show. .

As much as I normally disagree with HM on every subject imaginable, I have to concur with all of his posts regarding this matter.

[Jason Snair]

I actually like all of them with the exception of Megatron. I"m not really a huge Transformers fan, I mean, I got all the toys when I was I kid...but that was twenty years ago. As concepts I think these all are really interesting and solid. My favorite is Incinerator and, is it???, Starscream (the jet) at the bottom

I am really turned off by Megatron though. I don't like the shinny thorny insect look. I can accept the idea that his "disguise" is alien. It allows him to have the attitude of "i don't give a shit if these humans see me or not...I'm not going to hide or conform to their mechanical design asthetic in any way shape or form." (Even though these are supposed to be robots in disguise..he could be the elitist exception.) But what I don't like is the actual design of that alien shape. I'd also like to see more of the alien ship in his robot form. it just looks like the ship transformed 100X over.

Also...just to keep in mind. Some of these say "Works In Progress", so these may not even end up on screen as is.

[ah.heng]

the original concept of 'robots in disguise', was for them to hide from each other so it would be easier to carry out guerilla warfare on cybertron, not to hide their true identity from humans.


i like the clay model they made for incinerator, i don't like the illustration, it's too similar to the megatron one, too busy, not mech like. what's so bad about that megatron's design is that they totally removed his trademark cannon, which was there in all series. megatron = big ass gun.

starcream looks too weird. sad to say i think even the transformers galaxy form designs look much better than these.

[jfwalls]

Who cares. I just wanna see a bunch of big ass robots smashing the hell out of stuff.

[ah.heng]

then watch gundam.

[Shamagim]

That may be, but a huge portion of the target audience (say 50/50) are still the original fans of the franchise... Why leave them out?... And what's funny is since the original show was based of a line of toys, these designs will then be put out new line of toys... These toys would be really pointy and complex designs that are sure to injure and confuse anyone...

C´mon man, you should know how much kids own adults about this stuff ;)......Just think about it.....Happy meals, new toy lines( the older ones were confusing as well, the only difference now is the level of detail of the inner part, plus colors), possible new animated series, photo albums, coloring books, etc.

Sometimes movies just plain suck in order to reach a completely different audience. But changing everything and making fans mad about it might just make them go watch the movie anyways, just because they feel they have to.

I believe a movie´s success or possible success shouldn't not rely in whether the movie was made for "me" or not...For example episode I, II and II, you can say they suck ass, but how much those movies sold is more than enough to let you know just how much successful they really were.;)

[N D Hill]

Sure there's a huge nastalgia factor if all the new transformers movie was going to achieve was rehashing the original, which every fan already knows inside and out. But what would be the point? Living up to an ideal that's so deeply imbedded into our childhood memories is impossible. I however can't wait to be reintroduced to these characters and see how today's generation reinvents them. I agree with jfwalls 100%. I just want to see giant robots blow shit up. Just like I did when I was a kid.

Now if only they could make a Dinoriders movie.

[ah.heng]

I believe a movie´s success or possible success shouldn't not rely in whether the movie was made for "me" or not...For example episode I, II and II, you can say they suck ass, but how much those movies sold is more than enough to let you know just how much successful they really were.;)

i'm actually of the opinion that the original 3 sucked and the newer ones are more interesting. :P

[rblitz7]

Incinerator looks cool, megatron is pretty bad...but whatever im going to see transformers for mindless entertainment.

[Interceptor]

They look more just like humanoid aliens with metal armor to me, than robots.

I think to models are pretty cool, though.

[AndyLC]

http://static.flickr.com/83/225421183_87f316b7f1_o.jpg


don't you see? This is High Art!

[jfwalls]

then watch gundam.

I do like Gundam, but I want see a live action movie with real CGI robots.

[CruShTinbOX]

They look more just like humanoid aliens with metal armor to me, than robots.

I think to models are pretty cool, though.

They are aliens though. They just happen to be bio-mechanical in nature. The orginal Transformers don't really look alien, they look like human-built robots, which they originally were, human pilots and all, before Hasbro bought the rights to the toys and turned them into the Transformers. Which, imo, also makes the "oh but they were originally designed like this because, etc. etc." argument pretty much irrelevant, because the original cartoon and comic were created around a pre-existing toy line and character designs, not the other way around. Optimus Prime was not designed as a truck, for example. Nobody ever sat down and said "hey, we have this character Optimus Prime, lets make him a big red semi to represent his personality". He was a truck because the original toy that Hasbro bought from Takara was a truck and then they slapped the name Optimus Prime on him and made him the leader of the Autobots. That's all there is to it. All of the classic characters were "designed" this way. It wasn't until 1986 or so, around the time the new characters were introduced with Transformers: The Movie, that they started designing and producing new, (mostly) original toys based on the Transformers line. You'll also notice that's around the time the toys and the characters started going to shit, for the most part.

[trevor]

my childhood has just been gang raped
michael bay must be stopped at any cost
what next? unicron is the size of a marble?
bumble bee is a shopping cart?
fuck you michael bay....fuck you very much

[trevor]

oh and easy tiger
they didnt reinvent them
they just made it really bad

[ramiel]

Well, bumblebee is the yellow camaro...

[Interceptor]

They are aliens though.


I know that. But in the show, they don't LOOK like aliens. I don't care if they change the appearances a bit, or even what thier functions are to be honest. I think the designs are cool, but if I just saw them without knwoing what they were they would not come off as transformers to me.

[jcaffoe]

oh and easy tiger
they didnt reinvent them
they just made it really bad

And your reasoning? Seriously, all of this fanboy garbage is really a pet peeve of mine. People need to start enjoying things for what they ARE rather than what they could be.

If this showed up in FF as anything other than designs for the Transformers movie people would be asspatting and five-starring the hell out of it, and you know it's true.

Seriously, everyone just needs to realize that almost everything about the old Transformers was RIDICULOUS, and Michael Bay's first task was grounding everything in a semblance of science fiction reality, because that is how HE wanted to portray it in HIS film. I'm sure they will have things that add a sense of nostalgia (all of the original voice actors returning for the film? check) but that's not what the movie is about.

And honestly, this is going to be a sweet ass popcorn flick and you know it. The first time you see a giant robot crush a car or transform into a helicopter your $8.50 will have been well spent. If you expect it to be an Oscar-worthy masterpiece rendition of your entire childhood dream come true you will be sadly mistaken. As I said, enjoy it for what it IS.

[Shamagim]

You are trying to hard to hate something that is not "out" yet.:P

[Elwell]

There's no reason we should be complacent with the film not being some "Oscar-worthy masterpiece rendition".
You could put Orson Welles in a Transformers movie and it would still be crap.
Oh wait, they already did that.

[evildisco]

I second Helium's thoughts and I am sick and tired of this bullshit of 'holier than thou' that you can't touch any of this shit.


THE DESIGNS...


...SUCK....


PERIOD...

Regardless of how faithful they are(which they aren't, I also share the feeling they are just gang raping another franchise as usual to get the public's money).
And no I wouldn't see this with FF asspat potential, as a matter of fact the concept work is feeble and when I first saw it, outside the CA context, I was rather appaled as how bad and poorly thought it looked.

Now enough bullshit and live and let live.

EDIT: Oh and yeah, I EXPECT a goddamn oscar rendition after the slew of shit we've been subjected in these latest years.

That excuse doesn't fucking fly with me.

[Aerythes]

And your reasoning? Seriously, all of this fanboy garbage is really a pet peeve of mine. People need to start enjoying things for what they ARE rather than what they could be.

If this showed up in FF as anything other than designs for the Transformers movie people would be asspatting and five-starring the hell out of it, and you know it's true.

Seriously, everyone just needs to realize that almost everything about the old Transformers was RIDICULOUS, and Michael Bay's first task was grounding everything in a semblance of science fiction reality, because that is how HE wanted to portray it in HIS film. I'm sure they will have things that add a sense of nostalgia (all of the original voice actors returning for the film? check) but that's not what the movie is about.

And honestly, this is going to be a sweet ass popcorn flick and you know it. The first time you see a giant robot crush a car or transform into a helicopter your $8.50 will have been well spent. If you expect it to be an Oscar-worthy masterpiece rendition of your entire childhood dream come true you will be sadly mistaken. As I said, enjoy it for what it IS.


You need to get off your high horse, dude. If you re-read many of the posts before, more slowly this time, you'd realise that many of the posters are transformers fans in the first place, yet they also do not like the concept designs. It doesn't need to be an oscar-worthy masterpiece either. You have a lot of strawman arguments there.

Relax, let people voice their opinions even if they differ from yours, man.

[Shamagim]

Hehe, I'm not trying hard at all.. all this hate just flows naturally. It's like the zen of hate.

Yeah it probably does:), is not like is hard to hate anyways....You just need a reason.

[s.ketch]

I think one of the reasons why they designed these this way is because of our changing ideals of what robots should look like. If you look back in the G1 days, the artist kinda pictured boxy typed things with very simple transformations. As our technology has grown and the possibility of real robots is growing, our perception of an advanced robot is growing with it. Back when there were no PCs, ipods, and xbox360's the orgional transformers looked pretty impressive and advanced. But now that we're sort of desensitized twards those designs, the artists of today must come up with radicle new designs to 'please' the mass populus.

I really dont think Michael Bay is sitting over in hollywood right now smoking a cigar going "mwhahahah, I crushed all their childhood memories." He just wanted somthing totally new and impressive looking. I admit, hes probaly not losing any sleep over it either. Its very overwhelming to look at these designs because theyre so busy and odd looking. I think it just may be on purpose. And lets say the TF crew decided to go with more nostalgic designs, there would be those (probaly alot less than the people upset now) going "Why couldnt they have updated these robots a little more?"

Im not saying these designs are somthing I personally would have chosen, Im more for an updated design of the origionals. They look (especially megatron) really busy and like they are gonna transform really weird. Until I can see it in action, I dont think I can fully pass judgment. We may all be surpised and it could work out.

[CaptainInsano]

Yeah!! Believe what I believe or shut the hell up!!




I don't like them, regardless of where they're coming from, Transformers, Final Fantasy, your ass, wherever. Calm your jets and let people think what they want to think. I'm sick of this 'garbage' where people pull punches on movies, concepts, or subjects when they're being re-imagined and end up betraying the original philosophy that worked on its own. I don't care that they're taking the time and the liberty to 'improve' things. Their improvements are ridiculous. We're focusing on what was because what existed in terms of Transformers' design mentality and underlying unifying idea was a working and viable formula. That’s what we liked. This is tinker toys with spikes, not some brave new vision. Fundamentally, and logistically, a bad re-imagination on something classic that was already fully functioning. I don't care about Michael Bay's vision; he's a douche bag whose movies I've not enjoyed. I'm not looking for walking coke machines in terms of designs, but these design choices, in my humble little know-nothing opinion are ludicrous when relating to the given subject matter, and the tradition of design that's been upheld for years, starting with the original, and still potent formula.

There's no reason we should be complacent with the film not being some "Oscar-worthy masterpiece rendition". This is why Hollywood's products keep sucking more and more each year. We get shitty product if we 'just enjoy it for what it is', and go see it regardless of how much they've screwed up the interpretation, especially when they try to rehash and 'invigorate' it.

:cheerleader: :hatsoff:

[jcaffoe]

Okay, okay, granted, I was rather harsh at points, but I think I'm being misconstrued. I'm not saying 'think what I think' at all. I'm asking everyone else to have an open mind about a film that hasn't even been released yet.

okay, I have honestly yet to enjoy a Michael Bay film. Granted.

That doesn't take away from the fact that it's going to be that sort of action that everyone has wanted to see since they were kids. Whether you're a die-hard Transformers fan or not, you have to at least allow for some creative stretching of ideas, and not write them off simply because they're different from how you imagined it.

I mean honestly all it boils down to is that I don't want people writing off a movie with giant robots fighting on screen because it has the Transformers name attached to it. When you're talking about an original philosophy that worked on it's own you're talking about a different time, a different medium, and a different director with a different point of view on how the story should be played out.

I also don't particularly care for Megatron's design. Granted, but the others have potential. And I'd say Optimus Prime, from what I've seen, is fairly close to his original design.

I just get really tired of people taking one look at something that's radically different from what they expected and immediately just spouting off about how their childhood is ruined.


I really dislike the internet when it comes to debate, everyone comes off as angrier than they really are. And honestly, maybe I'm just saying all of this because I saw Snakes on a Plane and loved the hell out of it.

[evildisco]

Fan boy? Hardly I just grew up with Transformers and the like, just like today's youngins grow with pokemon and harry potter.

The problem lies with studios being ultimately greedy and milking these franchises with no regard for the content, and people who think very much like you makes it acceptable that they can pump out movies that are poorly done, regardless of accuracy in the matter, and break even because people "give it a chance". I refuse to see snakes on a plane, it is the crowning of ultimate movie retardation.
Notice how moot the climate for movies has been, studios want to break even so they make movies like Transformers because they know that regardless of the bad designs and such, it's causing a stir in the general public, and ultimately contributes to the fact that studios still get your money for the most craptastic waste of cellulose.

Let's not kid ourselves, cool movies have died a long time ago.

[Shamagim]

Let's not kid ourselves, cool movies have died a long time ago.

OR you are just getting old ;)

[evildisco]

OR you are just getting old ;)


Lol that's another way to put it.

You're so blunt.

[jcaffoe]

Let's not kid ourselves, cool movies have died a long time ago.

Haha, funny, I just said that in the Snakes on a Plane thread.

Bring back the days of Back to the Future!

[Undertow]

Megatron is entirely too busy. I'm not sure how much freedom said artist had with the design of that character so I can't rip into their choice of Megatron being an 'Alien Jet' but I can say that they've succeeded on pissing off all of the fans with that design. If you're tasked with redesigning a pre-existing character you should ALWAYS make a nod to the original incarnation somewhere in your design. Random shit thrown together in space does not = cool on any design unless it's a trash monster.

[fixx]

Looking at just the images, I have to say Incinerator and Starscream both work very well the way they've been designed. Their robot mode fits with their vehicle mode, and they don't have that clunkiness that the original G1 design had. Sure, they look big and bulky, but they look like they can move.

Megatron... err.. well.. He's too busy. Too many shifting parts. I wish he'd had more "solid" parts. Not sure how the robot mode goes to fighter jet mode.
I could care less if he's an alien jet, or whatnot, because him turning from big-arsed robot into itsy bitsy gun just never worked with me.
If they're going to turn him into a jet, then he should have more jet parts, a solid chest, bigger arms. And a gun. And I kind of miss his Darth Vader helmet...

[jfwalls]

And your reasoning? Seriously, all of this fanboy garbage is really a pet peeve of mine. People need to start enjoying things for what they ARE rather than what they could be.

If this showed up in FF as anything other than designs for the Transformers movie people would be asspatting and five-starring the hell out of it, and you know it's true.

Seriously, everyone just needs to realize that almost everything about the old Transformers was RIDICULOUS, and Michael Bay's first task was grounding everything in a semblance of science fiction reality, because that is how HE wanted to portray it in HIS film. I'm sure they will have things that add a sense of nostalgia (all of the original voice actors returning for the film? check) but that's not what the movie is about.

And honestly, this is going to be a sweet ass popcorn flick and you know it. The first time you see a giant robot crush a car or transform into a helicopter your $8.50 will have been well spent. If you expect it to be an Oscar-worthy masterpiece rendition of your entire childhood dream come true you will be sadly mistaken. As I said, enjoy it for what it IS.

Agreed

[Feyz]

Hehe... Megatron's face looks like a alien vagina..


I grew up on Beast-wars TF so these designs dont bother me as much.. I never got into G1.

[seba_boi]

Random shit thrown together in space does not = cool on any design unless it's a trash monster.That's a guaranteed hit if his diguise was a trash heap...

Seriously, anybody who thinks this movie'll fly are kidding themselves... This whole economic snobbery that as long as it has a big budget to throw away that it deserves more attention and respect... IMO, an A-Film trash is more forgettable than a B-Film trash... And frankly the cons are stacked against this film--a script that nobody can even care about to discuss (it's seems like a blow-it-all-up movie), robot designs half the fans can't even agree upon, and the director helming the project is probably the second most hated director I know today (after Uwe Boll)... I don't even know how Spielberg got involved with this...

C´mon man, you should know how much kids own adults about this stuff ......Just think about it.....Happy meals, new toy lines( the older ones were confusing as well, the only difference now is the level of detail of the inner part, plus colors), possible new animated series, photo albums, coloring books, etc.
I'm also thinking about injury lawsuits... :P

[AndyLC]

It seems something that's brought up in defense of the movie, or criticism of the G1 designs is to call them crude and outdated designs, that 20 years have passed and now we need more Modern stuff.
And they (the movie people) kept on saying "yeah, its going to be Transformers but REALISTIC!"

The original toys could be pretty simple, yeah, but they were nice. Actually, the old toys were pretty stiff in robot mode.

But they have been updated to 'modern' standards, look at the Binaltech series. I own a few of those, they're pretty complex designs, turning from a realistic looking scale model car to a cool looking robot. One of my friends took near an hour trying to transform it without instructions. Alot has changed in 20 years, I like these improvements, I see these movie designs as an uneeded replacement.




this is a sci-fi robot in a movie made in the 80's. From the same era as Transformers
http://static.flickr.com/94/226506693_c5ba421864_o.jpg


Here are what real robots look like in the year 2006

http://static.flickr.com/67/226506694_c79b84ba4e_o.jpg


Here's one designed by the Patlabor dude. Dunno how well it works though (you only really hear about Honda)

http://static.flickr.com/91/226506695_c23ff37128_o.jpg

and here's a binaltech figure

http://files.photojerk.com/shawn/BT13_09.jpg



*though I think the T-800 looks awesome, and alot better than the movie Transformers, it just seemed like the best comparison to make with robots.

[s.ketch]

I agree with the fact that the origional transformers could have been more complex like the T-800, but they werent. The artists who designed the toys (which the cartoon and everything else spawned from) thought that transformers were simple and boxy. I would love it if the artists who are working on the new movie designed these similar to the binaltech toys, I think that would be what the 'real' transformers would look like. However, I beleive that the movie crew is throwing everything out the window on this. If they didnt care about the fans, they probaly wouldnt even give them the origional names. Even though we all know there is a much simpler and fan-friendly way out there, we gotta face the facts and realize that it isnt going to happen. I also did a little research on these binaltech toys because ive never heard of them. I noticed somthing here (http://www.transformerland.com/transformers-alternators.html)all of these toys share alot of similar features. Pretty much all of them have wheels on their shoulders, and that the backs of the cars make up the legs. Now had they done this with the movie, people would be complaining about how unorigional and too simple the designs are. I think that the movie artists wanted somthing unique to the movie only, somthing origional. I also think they wanted to break out of the normal arms and leg designs too, which is why starscream's knees are inverted, and blackout's arms are weird. This is why I defend the movie and say they wanted totally new radicle designs. Somthing alien, and somthing that looks unbeleivable. But im just guessing here.

[Proteus]

It's possible that while that is his alien form, when Megatron takes an Earth vehicle/object/something to transform into, he will become more recognisable as the classic Megatron.

[Sammy]

Wow.... ok I needed a good laugh this morning .... what tripe angsty garbage, I wanted to go to the theatre to see TRANSFORMERS - not some emo middle-school "artistic approach" to the franchise "told with a DARK twists, cuz OMG WE'RE SO MATURES!!!" ....

do the faces really need "battle mode" spikes??

I've never been a fan of the Transformers universe, but I can definitely respect a pedigree that has developed for over 20+ years.... Why not stick with the "old school" design that has stood the test of time? These new designs will be dated the day they release.

oh, who am i kidding ..... they're still gonna' get my $$ since I'll be seeing it opening day regardless, so why shouldn't they have a little fun?

[AndyLC]

they should have looked at andrewley's latest post of transformers..and went with that.


what is that? Could you give a link?


Hmmm, how often are radical redesigns of iconic characters usually taken? I remember vaguely all the various Superman spinoffs and redesigns that came around in the 90's, but today the only Superman around is still the blue suit with red underwear and a cape. It's a pretty goofy outfit, but its iconic now, Superman Returns, a live action movie based on old old comic books, looked fine using that 50 year old design.

[Shamagim]

Hehehe, "emo middle school"...Yeah you could say that exacly the aimed audients for this one :D

Is an emo world now... but don´t worry it will be a different world in 2 or 5 years.

[Crash]

FUCKING HELL!!!


Ok when i first saw the megatron design i thought of the words "more than meets the eye". Well this time its not true, i see a turd and yes..it is a big pile of turd.

[ruzkin]

It's Robots in Disguise, people, jesus. What better disguise could Megatron choose to transform into than a crumped up ball of aluminium foil? Stop ragging on the designs, they're practical.

[Prometheus|ANJ]

I kind of like some of the concepts, but I don't think people that go and see this movie will appreciate the "coolification". Kids (now grown ups) have memorized every detail of optimus, starscream and megatron, and much more than a cartoon character too, because there were actual physical models of them to touch and turn around. Not very cool to ignore that.

[FIG]

Everything I'm seeing looks awesome despite being a huge Transformers fan as a kid. To be honest, Michael Bay is the right man for the job because you know hes going to blow shit up and in the end, these desgins while different actually make me want to go watch the movie more. And they look more alien which is what I would expect to see from robots originating from outerspace.

[Scubasteve]

While I share a good deal of Helium's feelings. I do think the designs are fairly cool. At first glance, I did feel Megatron in particular looked too organic and felt the design was too busy and so fourth, but if you take it into context of an alien (although robotic) lifeform, the design seems more appropriate. Its hard not to feel slighted, and somewhat screwed by the total redesign.

[FlipMcgee]

Ooofff! Not watching the movie, the dvd edition, the cable tv premiere, the in-flight movie....Or buying the toys, art book, and iron on t-shirt.

This ain't cool in my book. It's bad design. Perhaps if you're on prozac you can digest this better than I could. :upset:

http://static.flickr.com/93/236059015_c58acd297e_o.jpg

[CruShTinbOX]

I dunno. I understand people not liking the designs, but the idea of refusing to see the movie at all just because you don't like the way Optimus Prime looks seems kind of stupid to me. I mean, if you see it in the theater, it's $8 and 2 hours of your life. If you rent it it's $5 and 2 hours of your life. It's just a movie, if it sucks it sucks. No big deal. It's not like you've never seen a bad movie before (and how many times have you seen a movie that you just knew was going to suck, but actually ended up being pretty good?). You can never really know until you see it for yourself. At least that's the way I look at it. It's not like you're making some huge investment in money and time and if the movie ends up being shit you're gonna spend the rest of your life in agony. People are making way too big of a deal about this, imo.

[Helium Macaroni]

I understand people not liking the designs, but the idea of refusing to see the movie at all just because you don't like the way Optimus Prime looks seems kind of stupid to me.

Nah, it’s not stupid. Why would I want to see something that on the surface seems to betray everything, at least design wise, that I've come to know from Transformers? Bad decisions that shine so brightly this early in the production do not bode well for the rest of the movie. If Bay was ok with throwing out the entire playbook in terms of design... what else has been omitted, dismantled, or abandoned?

I for one will wait to hear what people have to say about it before seeing it. There's nothing wrong with not seeing a movie due to personal high standards, whatever they may be. The lack of decreased standards exhibited by producers, executives, and the public are exactly what’s to blame for a record number of mediocre, forgettable movies that have come out in recent years. Turnaround and expense recouping has become Hollywood’s mantra, not trying to make a film that will last forever.

[Hookswords]

they should have looked at andrewley's latest post of transformers..and went with that.

No Shit, Here's the link for Andrew's brilliance
http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=75403

This new design plan for the movie is terrible. I was really excited to hear they were going to do a movie...then I saw concept designs. It seems a main goal is to show more of the transformation. So no parts are unaccounted for. Thats fine and all, but dont completely overhaul the designs. Optimus is now a long nosed semi with flames on it? Bumble bee is a camaro? The worst of all of this is Megatron. Now, reflecting back, Megatron didnt make sense in the firstplace. He transformed into a gun that someone else had to hold and fire...meanwhile as a robot he had a huge cannon on his arm that he fired at will. But aside from that he was great. Now! Now he looks like someone asked the question: If a chandalier and a quisinart had a baby, what would it look like? An alien jet? that doesnt even make sense! Disguise! Robots in disguise!

[Elwell]

OK robogeeks, here's a Flickr page (http://www.flickr.com/groups/transformersmovie/pool/) aggragating all the leaked images, both production art and set shots.
Go nuts.

[fukifino]

OK...why the hell is Prowl a decepticon in those pictures?

[CruShTinbOX]

Nah, it’s not stupid. Why would I want to see something that on the surface seems to betray everything, at least design wise, that I've come to know from Transformers? Bad decisions that shine so brightly this early in the production do not bode well for the rest of the movie. If Bay was ok with throwing out the entire playbook in terms of design... what else has been omitted, dismantled, or abandoned?

I for one will wait to hear what people have to say about it before seeing it. There's nothing wrong with not seeing a movie due to personal high standards, whatever they may be. The lack of decreased standards exhibited by producers, executives, and the public are exactly what’s to blame for a record number of mediocre, forgettable movies that have come out in recent years. Turnaround and expense recouping has become Hollywood’s mantra, not trying to make a film that will last forever.


Yeah, I get what you're saying... but really, a lot of it is speculation at this point. I want to see it for myself. I don't really care what other people may think. Other people are often wrong. I can't tell you how many movies I've seen that other people warned me not to see that I ended up loving. If I skipped every movie somebody told me sucked I'd be missing out on a lot of great movies. This one could end up being a turd, and if it is, I'll be the first one to admit it. But I never jumped on the "Michael Bay sucks" bandwagon, I don't hate all of the designs, and I don't hate the script. Are there things I don't like? Yeah. But I'm gonna actually see the finished product first before judging it. If it sucks I'm out $8 and a couple of hours of my time. No biggie.

[seba_boi]

Would you still watch it if you knew the story was written by the guy who wrote Catwoman?... :p

[Helium Macaroni]

Now, reflecting back, Megatron didnt make sense in the firstplace. He transformed into a gun that someone else had to hold and fire...meanwhile as a robot he had a huge cannon on his arm that he fired at will. But aside from that he was great. Now! Now he looks like someone asked the question: If a chandalier and a quisinart had a baby, what would it look like? An alien jet? that doesnt even make sense! Disguise! Robots in disguise!

Actually, I think that they could have easily made Megatron reminiscent of his old design by turning him into just a larger gun. He's been turned into a tank before in different incarnations of the series, and that choice makes sense. The Autobots were for the most part civilian vehicles, while the Decepticons were mostly military hardware. Makes sense!

In the generation two version of Megs, he was a jacked up Abrams tank, and aside from the color choices; I find the possibilities in that design much more appropriate and pleasing. If they had gone that route, they could not only have some interesting forms to play with in terms of the robot, but they could have utilized the Abrams innate construction to draw parallels to his original design without the pesky scale change problems.


http://www.cobraislandtoys.com/tf/1993/megatrong2-1.jpg

http://www.cobraislandtoys.com/tf/1993/megatrong2-2.jpg

[Elwell]

Hey helium, I think you should change your sig: "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, would be cool if it transformed into an alien robot."

[Helium Macaroni]

Hey helium, I think you should change your sig:

Ahahahah.. hooo.. duly noted.

However the phrase may have to expanded to encompass cars, certain electronics, and the occasional piece of furniture. =D

[Dusty]

I have over 1000+ tranformers in a room dedicated to them, and I am very excited about this movie and these designs. This movie isn't G1....it's something new. Transformers have been reinvented every year since 1996...this isn't really anything different for me.

Can't wait till 2007 :D

-Dusty

[Hookswords]

Actually, I think that they could have easily made Megatron reminiscent of his old design by turning him into just a larger gun. He's been turned into a tank before in different incarnations of the series, and that choice makes sense. The Autobots were for the most part civilian vehicles, while the Decepticons were mostly military hardware. Makes sense!

In the generation two version of Megs, he was a jacked up Abrams tank, and aside from the color choices; I find the possibilities in that design much more appropriate and pleasing. If they had gone that route, they could not only have some interesting forms to play with in terms of the robot, but they could have utilized the Abrams innate construction to draw parallels to his original design without the pesky scale change problems.


I know, its just one of those things you realize later in life. There is a comic that has the transformers in a wild west time frame where Megatron is a cannon. I have to admit it looks pretty cool. Optimus is a train too, also looks cool. My only hope is that the "Alien jet" is a shot from cybertron nad that he turns into something different on earth. Once again, the whole turning into a jet thing was almost useless because it seemed they all took flight at some point in robot form. We can pick apart everything we loved as children. Nothing is perfect, but it can always be worse. It looks like Micheal bay is trying to find that worse

[Clintmilne]

Ok im fourteen and none of my friends seem interested in the slightest to see a transformers movie. But you guys have made it slightly interesting and wether anyone apart from concept artists and the like give a rats ass what the design looks like as far as most people are concerned a giant robot smashing things would look cool.
I have watched the origanil once when i was like six.
Big spikes (even in a mess) is cool when your six and maybe even teens but as long as its not too cheesy people will watch it. I mean really what do our eyes have to look forward to at the movies now? Halo? Spider man and potc 3?

[Elwell]

I have over 1000+ tranformers in a room dedicated to them,
The chicks must really dig that.:P

[Scubasteve]

Thanks for the link Elwell. Im geekin out all over it!

Optimus's design is more true to the original and allot less of a kick in the nuts.

[Dusty]

The chicks must really dig that.


Actually, my wife thinks it's pretty cool :D

[|NTeRN]

my teacher told me theres an article on aint it cool about the director or producer talking about how megatrons jet (minus the transforming part) is an actual miltary jet in service in the US military. i guess it was declassified for the movie

[Jorge Gecov]

The only character i liked was Optimus, a great redesign in my opinion.
But i really don't like Megatron, maybe he is cool for another film, not for Transformers i think.
I don't remember now, but i think the Starscream had a good redesign too.
I liked Incinerator and have no opinion about Bumblebee.
Well, let's wait the movie!

[Justin.]

After a second look I could swear some of that concept art has :lens: on it...

[El_Bert]

That Bumblebee concept (http://static.flickr.com/76/205038871_b7038cca3a.jpg?v=0) I like, new and improved and still traditional. This would have worked for me.
Incinerator is a bit to crambed up, but would also work (minues the ugly head).

Now I wonder why they have gone so overkill on the "Alien" part. One of the strengths of the Transformers was that they were so recognizable.

[Crash]

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/transformers.html

[bara]

imo, the more alien and bizarre the designs look the better. i would've been disappointed had they gone for something completely predictable.

[fixx]

O_O

I'm watching this. Opening day.

(erm, but aren't they meant to look alien as they're... y'know.. alien?)

[AndyLC]

Hey transformers fans, don't worry.

It's actually the new Gobots movie

see Megatron
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/123/329391577_a251ff3490.jpg
Alien jet!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/329391579_b59c4a59e9.jpg
Battle Mode!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/148/329391572_5f4b48b5bb_o.jpg
and their atmospheric reentry forms is a tie-in to Rock Lords
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/329391582_faef8094c4_o.jpg


and scary alien robots need scary alien teeth
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/148/329391585_bb560199ec_o.jpg
Defenders, save us!

[AndyLC]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/114/315837178_05893c0392.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/320146225_10def1c799_o.jpg


It seems due to constraints on materials and functionality, the toys are forced to be cleaner and better looking than movie designs. The toy's got a nice sillhouette, movie one looks sorta glued together.

[Sepulverture]

Hyped up XTREEEME!!!!!!! :@ marketing. Rawr.

I can imagine the thought process behind Megatrons design. Ahem:

Some fuck: "K, so we got this badass robot leader of a group of robot badasses who go around stomping ass who transforms into a fucking tank!!!!11! OMG! Not XTREEEME enuf"

Some asshole "Oh! Oh! I got it! Let's tack on a ton of spikes!"

Some fuck: "Good, good, but not XTREEEME! enuf"

Some asshole: "Oh.. erm... you're right. LETS MAKE HIM SHINY!"

Some fuck: "You're a genius! No no... An XTREEEME genius!"

[Carfan]

Does Jeff Mann (production designer) have a website?

[Zweit]

bump, no matter the cost!

*ahem*

close up of Optimus stolen from Aint It Cool, plus a bunch of new shots... (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=18541)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/Zweit/optimus_ithink.jpg

i think Optimus is sporting some reverse-hornrim glasses.

and Starscream, well... he got beaten some more by the ugly stick. i'm hoping that the movie version will be less hideous.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/Zweit/RSS5.jpg

i mean... damn.:S

[Hookswords]

I'm not feeling better about this film as I see more photos. Remember that Star Trek episode where the Cardasians have Picard hostage and they try to convince him that there are three lights, not four, placed in front of him? That's how I feel when you tell me that is Starscream.

[Chariot]

lol Hook!

[Constrator]

I just saw the movie for the nostalgia-sake, yeah, well what can you say. It looks like an year 2007 version of the 1980's TV series. I didn't really care for the original series - the animation was slick for TV but the concept was a rip-off of the trend at the time with giant transforming robots. Remember Mighty Orbots, Voltron and that awful Gobots? It was an era of giant robots for sure...it came in huge waves and boom, gone....from the TV land.

In the new movie, what I like are the animation and action bits, and framing - not keen on the new designs - it looked like bowl of spaghetti tumbling around. Probably there are too many little unrecognizable parts and the shots go by too fast at times for one to really zero-in on areas that stay with you.

It seem very commercial; a typical bigger-than-life story with small montages of a slice-of-life of a suburban kid/family that Hollywood film directors do so well to sell to the audience of today. It's gimmicky and formulated with flat dialogue.

Anyway, I did enjoy the movie ~ got kick out of all the in-jokes as I watched in theater at COEX mall in Seoul.

[armando]

http://static.flickr.com/83/225421183_87f316b7f1_o.jpg


don't you see? This is High Art!

Genius.

[HunterKiller_]

I would just like to say I'm a Transformer fan and I wasn't phased by the design changes. They still are who they were.
While watching the movie, I still felt like a giddy little boy again, watching my favorite cartoon.

My biggest disappointment would probably come from the fact that Starscream didn't feature his original voice. The voice actor had passed away. :(

[Dizon]

I would just like to say I'm a Transformer fan and I wasn't phased by the design changes. They still are who they were.
While watching the movie, I still felt like a giddy little boy again, watching my favorite cartoon.

My biggest disappointment would probably come from the fact that Starscream didn't feature his original voice. The voice actor had passed away. :(

The original voice would've been perfect!

[tomwaits4noman]

there was a car ad a while back with a car that turned into a dancing robot that looked cool these well hmmm I am struggling to grasp for words,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_6cb_tbmmg

I used to work as a teen in my dads garage there are some cool designs ideas they could have used from the underneath trucks and cars and the engines instead of going all spikes and shit

Transformers from the planet S&M dungeon you will bow before me earthing slave or be spanked.... man add of leather to the designs and they are all set.

all we need now is a GI Joe an updated He Man film (the first was bloody hilarous) and the raping of our child hood memories by Hollywood are complete

[Rohan]

I saw the movie, having not been too exposed to the hype, I still had my quibbles about the busyness of the designs and superfluousness of the transforms, but cant deny the animation rocked, and in the context of a live action movie, super intricately overly detailed alien robots seemed to fit the bill somehow. I managed to allow myself to enjoy it totally despite the plot and setting bringing the Spielberginess right to my attention . I personally loved the look of Ironhide, Incinerator, Optimus mixed opinions with Bumblebee. I too think some of the designs lack overall cohesion, despite some of the details being fascinating there really is.. a lot going on sometimes. It seems to me that some of the design decisions on a few of the characters were made very early and then detailed away from there, while others were allowed to develop further and evolve in a more whole sense before being finalised. I would love to hear what some of the artists have to say.

I find Megatron's design while progressively 'gnarly' and certainly providing the vicious feel required, overall lacks the punch and the bolder design motifs/value combos that make optimus such a clearly identifiable leader. I think given some time these designs will grow on me, they are certainly interesting in that they reveal some of the challenges the design team must have gone through to get the best compromise with production. all that extraneousness does go some way to providing an alien feel contrasting with the humanness of the surrounds. Despite all this the motion and expression in the voice acting was what really made me realise these are the transformers.

I guess time will tell if this will be the definitive transformer's movie series. No doubt in time other movies will be made in the future and the series will gain a net benefit from the.. lets just say challenging art direction. I do feel that the transformers toy and cartoon designs too have been giving way in favour of detail for some time now, but of course I like others have my own twisted sense of responsibility to the spirit behind the original series that urges me to provide opinion, and it's good to see others get a bit passionately inflamed about these sorts of things once in awhile. Lucky we have an awesome resource in conceptart.org to reveal freaks serious enough about this stuff to chat about it at length and with such precision and humour!!.

I think some of the design decisions for the movie could make a bit more sense in the context of settings like Cybertron (perhaps in the sequels?)where more cultural homogenity would emerge and unify all the scintillating fluffery.


Andy LC - couldnt agree more..it's art lol. and rock lords! I'd almost forgotten ...priceless haha

~Roh

[LaPalida]

I just saw it. It was fraking awesome. Pure eye candy goodness. It's obviously a blockbuster but it was pretty sweet for a movie about loud bangs.
Some parts were funny, some pretty cool cgi and the parts that were cheesy ... well they were handled better that I expected. I like bumblebee and bonecrusher :) So yeah ... go see it if you like that sort of stuff.