Apparently Paramount’s decision to release the third Transformers movie in July 2011 was news to director Michael Bay, who’s currently finishing the second movie in the series, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which is due this summer. Bay said on his official website that he was under the impression that the third movie would be unleashed in July 2012, not 2011, and that he "needs a break from fighting robots." Either way, you have to wonder: Should Paramount even be committing to a release date before the script is completed, before a director is officially on board, and before the second Transformers movie has opened?
Also, if Bay ultimately opts not to direct the third Transformers movie, who should replace him? I’d love to see a filmmaker with a leaner, less oppressive style take the helm. My dream pick: Alfonso Cuarón (who has already proven that he can handle massive franchises by directing Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). Cuarón would lend the Transformers film a palpable sense of urgency while not sacrificing the major set pieces (the extended action scenes in Children of Men trump anything seen in Transformers).
But I’m probably speaking heresy to the legions of moviegoers who did enjoy Michael Bay’s Transformers, so what say you, PopWatchers? Should Paramount do whatever it can to keep Bay happy, even if that means pushing the third movie back a year? Or is there another director you’d rather have leading the "robots in disguise"?
Steven Spielberg, duh!!
Please tell me I am not the only one who thought Cuarón destroyed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban?! Artsy does not equal franchise.
I hated the first Transformers, so I’d rather not see Cuaron waste his time
As ridiculous a director as Bay is, he is perfect for movies like these. Otherwise I say Megan Fox, writes, directs and stars
I enjoyed the first “Transformers” and I’m sure I’ll enjoy the second, but your outside-the-box idea of Cuaron is awesome! Can you imagine? I’m sure he would do a fantastic job.
Regarding Paramount jumping the gun, I think it’s pretty guaranteed that “Transformers” 2 will be a huge hit…why not greenlight a sequel already?
What are you talking about? Cuaron marks the change in Harry Potter to so much better. It no longer kids, feel good movie like movie 1 and 2.
You should get your art sense checked
Hell No! I fall asleep through every Harry Potter movie, lets not do the same with Transformers.
I loved Children of Men, but you all at EW need to stop crowing about how great a job Cuaron did with Harry Potter! He added repetitive filler (how many times do we need to see the Whomping Willow hit a bird!) instead of major plot points – like who drew the Marauder’s Map and that Harry’s dad was Prongs. He may be great at other movies, but Cuaron had no sense of how to treat the Potter book.
I did not like the first transformers film. Too many noticible flaws for me. Not to mention as much as I loved the original cartoon this I don’t think did it justice to the underline theme of it. Michael Bay does really pretty movies. Pearl Harbor and Transformers were visually wonderful but if you scratch below the surface you fall flat. I understand not every car company may want their vehicles used in the film and financially it helps to have the car companies helping pay for the movie but I find it annoying from a fan point of view that all vehicles are american made when most of the vehicles I see on the road aren’t. Reads more like a sell out and based on the cars I read for the new film it seems the same this time around too. I will pass on Transformers 2. Michael Bay and Paramount didn’t get my money on the first one and won’t on this one either. They don’t deserve it.
michael bay was born to direct the transformers movies give him an extra year if he wants it
No, I do not need to get my art sense checked. I am going to go out on a limb and guess you didn’t read the books. The intention is not artsy. I think Cuaron does a great job with his other works, however, Transformers does not really fit his talents (personal opinion). So I don’t appreciate the jab at my tastes. I agree with Sara completely though. He sacrificed plot for HIS vision. And those movies are for kids and adults, so keep that in mind. Regardless of Harry Potter, Cuaron would be an improper fit for Transformers.
I think if Michael Bay can’t or won’t direct another Transformers, then you definitely need someone else who is well-versed in the big-action, big-effects blockbuster. Someone along the lines of Jerry Bruckheimer or one of the Scott brothers, maybe. What would George Lucas do with this, I wonder?
Amy, I hated Prisoner of Azkaban too. I don’t want artsy. I want, you know, an actual PLOT. Too many loose ends and liberties taken by Cuaron in that movie.
isolde asks: What would George Lucas do with this, I wonder?
Answer: He’d make it suck, buy adding more “jokey” elements, on top of the jokey elements that already make Transformers suck as much as it does. Suck, that is.
Everyone should remember that the director is not the screenwriter…so for those who are complaining about Cuaron’s harry potter story lines….it was Steve Kloves (screenplay) who made the conversion from the book to screen play…. In my PERSONAL opinion… Cuaron brings a sense of reality in every film he does…. if he were to direct Transformers 3….I’m sure that he would do a great job at it as long as a good screen play is written. Still, I hope Michael Bay completes the trilogy. Before criticizing Cuaron, watch children of men’s action scenes, you will see that there are no editing cuts to different angles of the camera…most if not all of his action scenes in that movie are from a single action shot that that last minutes. Watch closely how the camera follows the action without cutting, it was all made on a single well rehearsed shot…and the scenes are impeccable..don’t forget that this movie was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best adaptive Screeplay.