'Transformers' seek film deal

[Big-O Mark]

Geek-fave 'Transformers' seek film deal

Friday, June 13, 2003

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES, California -- The shape-shifting "Transformer" robots from the 1980s may soon be using 20-something nostalgia to fuel a Hollywood movie.

The Hasbro toy company has teamed with the production company Angry Films to create a live-action version of the popular cartoon series that ran from 1984 to 1987, about a group of alien robots who disguise themselves on Earth as common vehicles.

"The basic thing is that if you've been going to the comic-book festivals and seeing all that stuff, the '80s kind of came back last year in a huge way," Angry Films producer Don Murphy said.

Based on original lineup

The story of "The Transformers" centers on a war between two mechanized armies -- the heroic Autobots, led by the red tractor-trailer Optimus Prime, and the evil Decepticons, ruled by the gigantic silver gun Megatron. Seeking new sources of energy, both factions crash-land on Earth.

Although the "Transformers" toys have changed over the years -- from animal shapes to the current series of futuristic machines -- Murphy said the movie would be based on the original lineup.

The 1980s Hasbro toys, which the cartoon helped turn into a money-machine for the company, have recently been reissued by the original Japanese manufacturer, Takara Co. A recent comic book based on "The Transformers" and a DVD of the original cartoon series have also become best sellers.

Murphy and his producing partner, Tom DeSanto, whose credits include "X-Men" and "X2: X-Men United," are still in the early stages of the "Transformers" movie. The project has not yet settled at a studio and no potential release date has been set.

[fuuucckkers]

Wait.. so you're telling me a new movie.. based in the Transformers world, but using "REAL" actors??

How is that going to work??
/me thinks the transform parts will be animated as the Hulk is.

[Timelessblur]

My friend Jessi told me about it last night and told me in was in the animenation news letter (I felt kind of speical that she remeber that Transformers is one of my favorit things and she IM about it to make sure I read it which I hadnt because i had not read my newletter yet). All I can say is if they make this they better not mess it up. There are a lot more die hard fans of transformer than you think. Hell it like cult. Hell they have Transformer convetoins every year just to show you how big it is. I personly will be pissed if they mess it up since I am a huge fan of transformers. I do think it sweet they are using the Gen 1 transformers since that where all the fans are. Also the people who grew up watching them will be watching this movie (like me). Yeah I am a tranformer nut. I am buying the releasise of the Gen 1 tranformer toys right now. Also I own season 1 and The movie (I want season 2 and 3 but funds are a huge problem) Well when I heard the news my first thouth was WOOO HOOOO then this list of stuff above

[Moon Child]

One of my friends from work was telling me about this. He was telling me about a whole range of movies that should be coming out within the next few years, quite a few were related to comic book characters. One other movie he siad that should be coming out is a live action GI Joe. Man, talk about reliving your childhood... I can't wait to see them.

[Timelessblur]

I started reading stuff on a thread that it started. It was telling me stuff about the orginal movie 2. They where saying that the seirse has real guts for what they did alone in the Transformers the Movie. they killed off almost every major orginal chariter in the first 15 mins of the movie (It was pretty sad watching all my favorit autobots die) And if it work out to be a really great movie. So it can be done if they do it right. I hoping that Hasbro making the producers and stuff make this movie really good and not let them mess it up