Is a Transformers movie still commercially viable?

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Vin Ghostal
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Is a Transformers movie still commercially viable?

Post by Vin Ghostal »

That raises the question of whether one ever was, but...

Do you people think that today's movie market can turn a Transformers movie into a success? And by success, I mean something that breaks even? What I'm really asking, and this is a crucial consideration for whatever movie may or may not be produced: beyond the fanboys, is there enough of a combination of mainstream nostalgia and younger audiences to make a TF movie profitable?
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Hound
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Post by Hound »

I so wish I could say yes and mean it but I think whatever studio makes this movie is gonna take a big loss. Hopefully it'll be a fun movie and the fanboys will like it. Yes, I am assuming that it will get made...
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Garand
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Post by Garand »

Considering they made at least 3 pokemon movies, at least 2 rugrats movies, a transformers movie could be viable.. if it were Armada.. G1 is lost on today's cartoon/movie market.
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Brave Maximus
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Post by Brave Maximus »

Depends what we're talking here.
If it's some Armada cartoon, bad story line, 90 min episode movie, no it won't. Heck even a redo of TF:TM wouldn't cut it.

But this live action one has potential. I mean if a movie based on a Disney ride can make a ton of money, then one of the most popular Toy lines can make money too.

It has to be good though. Seriously good. Good story, good acting, good directing EVERYTHING
the second they skimp out on anything and it's dead. They have to go all out on this one.

IF they do, it has the potential to be a blockbuster and a suprise hit.
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Post by Hellion »

I hope so, But i think it'll end up like The T.M.N.T. live action movies, And it also depends on what kind of audience it'll be aimed at, I mean i know it's gonna be a family movie of course,But will it be a movie where both kids & adults enjoy (like the X-Men,Spidey & Harry Potter movies for example),Or end up aimed at the younger crowd & screw the older fans like The Phantom Menace.
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Post by Armorwind »

Well, there is something right now that the new Live-action movie does not have to work with; it is almost an x-factor. Before, in the original TFTM, there was already an "established fandom," a large one compared to right now. The movie cannot be simply made for those who watch the G1 cartoon right now, for there is not one to be watched on television (barring the DVDs and VHS sets). I believe that there really is no large fan base in which the movie producers can really have leniency on, and I believe that they know this too. So, the Production company will probably work harder to make this more enjoyable and interesting to a larger crowd. This will also probably be a movie that, even if you've not the slightest idea what a Transformer is, you can go and see and enjoy (Much like X-Men or Spider-Man).
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Crazomatic
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Post by Crazomatic »

I think it will do famously well. And I take that from a G1 point of view. And I agree with Brave Max (as usual) :glance:
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Post by liverpoolicus »

I hope it does well...and they make the effort.......it only matters if it is a success financially if you hope for sequels down the line.........but in all honesty i dont think it would be a huge b.o success (but heres hoping).

You never know, it may be huge, create a whole new fan base and get g1 back on telly for a glorious re-run.....woohoo:D

Place your bets now.
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Post by Lambda prime »

It'll still get slated in a world where reviewers are overly critical of absolutly anything that comes out even if they give it a good score for its concept alone. There will likely be character alterations expect favourites like Brawn, Ironhide or so to be comic relief or make cameos. But if we get yet more post september 11th moralising or Transformers are made by military coorperation rubbish i wont bother with it. If it does appear we may see Spike as the central focus with carly.
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Post by ArkonBlade »

i hate too say it but i agree im not sure how many people from the old days of TF would go see it outside of the old hardcore fans . it might beable too catch some main stream audiances but probubly not much. as for the younger generation they may go see it thinking its based on the TF they know but if this movie hits the 100 million doller mark we should be happy. we can only hope it catches enough wind too carry it along from being a financial flop at the box office . im hopin though it does well enough ( baring its actualy any good) too make some more of em. ive been dreamin of a live action TF since i was a kid and now that its comin true as long as its good and keeps true even if it flops ill be happy too have atleast one TF live action movie
WHY WHY WHY!!! why did they have too kill all the autobots in the Transformers 1988 Movie and then replace them with abunch of crappy clones and god awful remakes
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Brave Maximus
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Post by Brave Maximus »

You know what? Alot of people said the same thing about Batman, Spider-man, and X-men. People were worried that only dateless comic geeks would go see it (the stereo type). Look at those movies: Huge commercial successes. Why? Because of good effort put in them. If hasbro sits back and expects the fans to carry the movie, it will be a flop. They need to entice non fans to come see it. Good story, good directing, non kiddie plot and some serious Advertiment pushes.

They have to look at this movie as if no one knew who or what Transformers were. That's the only way people will see it.
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Post by Auntie Slag »

I'd love it if we got a sequence like the Omaha beach landing in Saving Private Ryan. We'd get to see instantly the differences and similarities between robots and humans fighting. Hopefully everyone would get just why the fans love Transformers so much. There will be the strong comradarie, the humanity of war, and the spectacularness of these fighters suddenly changing into amazing machines and vehicles.

It would be an incredible war, as long as it was done right e.g. a robot changes for a reason e.g. transforms at the moment his buddies buy him time to barrel through an onsaught of laser fire carrying some smaller, heavily armed bots in his undercarriage, to drop a thermonuclear somethingorother into the bad guys trench before biting the big one in a spectacularly stupid death, when an opposing factionite gets lucky risking life and limb in a mad half-transforming death or glory jump.

Well anyway, a stunning war sequence would illustrate exactly the difference between a human war and a crazy transforming robot one.

But I'd imagine it would centre around Megatron, Prime, Starscream, Ironhide and Ravage (who doesn't say anything). all the others will be implied in distance shots and Spike will get the lions share of the film by taking on the hot rod/rodimus prime persona. Three quarters of the way through the film the director will forget what he's working on and believe he's making a batman film, and most importantly... the entire film will be shot almost completely in the dark. You'll have to strain to see anything.

And everything will be incredibly simplified. Most likely every time a transformer talks he will have to name who he is talking to:

Prime: "Hmmm, what do you think of this, Ironhide"?
Ironhide: "I do not know Optimus Prime".
Prime: "Hmmm, you are **** all use as ever Ironhide".
Ironhide: "Yes Optimus Prime".
Prime: "Oh look, its Megatron. He's found us".
Ironhide: "He certainly has Optimus Prime".
Megatron: "I have found you Optimus Prime".
Prime: "One shall stand, one shall fall".
Megatron: "Oh shut up you tart Optimus Prime".
Prime: "Never, the sacred Cybertronian lifegiver shall protect me".
Megatron: "Yes, but not your oldest friend Ironhide, Optimus Prime".
Spike: "Oh ****, what are we gonna do now"?
Ironhide: "I shall stand up to you Megatron, Leader of the Deceptions".

Cue half assed fight sequence in the distance taking place under moonlight, you will hear more than you see, complemented by inevitable Linkin Park OFT.
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Post by E Nice »

That's still to adult a plot. It's gotta make Spy Kids fans puke. :yawn:
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Post by Auntie Slag »

Yes, its a shame. I would really like it to be good, but I fear its going to have to be such an incredible compromise, esecially for the hardcore fans (if that is what we are).

With that in mind I would like to go and see it happy in the knowledge that I will throw out all my preconceptions simply for the wonderment of watching live action Transformers on a big screen. But I know I wouldn't be satisfied with that.

But I would be much happier if an Anime company took a script from one of the lexicon writers and adapted that to a video. That would be something worth watching. With this live action movie I get the impression it can only be something half as complex as the Dreamwave G1 attempt, as you know, its only got an hour and a half to tell an enticing story.
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Post by Brave Maximus »

wow, slightly synical aren't you? ;)

LOL, I fear you're right, but I honnestly hope that the writers and director will have some common sense.

Heck, they might do something smart and hire a fan!
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Post by Armorwind »

Subliminal Posting Time :cool:

Fortress Maximus brought up an excellent post from his post before his latest. Hasbro has to realize that there aren't as many Transformers fans as there were when the show aired. They don't have the cushion of knowing that almost every person who watches the cartoon will go see it, because the cartoon doesn't supply many viewers anymore (seeing that you either have to buy the DVD set or are fortunate enough to have a channel that shows it). Now, I would really like to see a huge battle scene (Helms Deep) with many Autobots and Decepticons fighting each other (perhaps at the Ark).

To appeal to a wider range of people, I believe that the Producers and Scriptwriters will make a plot and a story that is more similar to that of Spider-Man or X-Men (in hopes of getting more adults who remember the cartoon to see it). If they truly want to make the most out of this excellent opportunity, then they would do that and not make it something that just a much younger audience would enjoy. Besides, who really remembers the comics (what age group now)? That is the target age range that the producers should worry about pleasing.

Who says that they need to tell a whole story in an hour and a half (Longer movie: LOTR, Gods and Generals or, better yet, a Sequel :cool: ). Yet, two questions remain:

1) Will the Autobots use Aunty or Teletran-1? :)
2) Will the Autobots say "Convert to Earth Modes"/"Assume Defensive Configuration" or will they say "Transform and Roll Out"/"Transform and Attack?" :)
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Brave Maximus
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Post by Brave Maximus »

We have a Fortress Maximus on the board now?!?! Hummm a couple, but one's never posted and the other one hasn't posted on here ;)

I agree with what you're saying. And an hour and a half wouldn't do the movie, the fans or movie going populace justice at all. It would need to be at least 2 hours +. Good story, character development etc.

Most viable story line so far seems to be MTMTE, unless someone can give me good reasons for another one? (in a first movie).

Oh and 1: Teletran-1 and 2: TRANSFORM AND ROLL OUT!!!!!!!
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Post by Auntie Slag »

I cannot imagine any director making a Transformers movie that goes on for 2 and a half hours. This isn't 'Lord of the Rings', this is a cash in on a cheap kids toy line from the last century. (when I say cheap I don't mean that the toys were inexpensive, I mean that a lot of their stories weren't exactly high art).

Investors: "OK we've flipped a coin, heads for He-Man, tails for Transformers. It came up tails, here's a fat load of cash, make us a movie".
Director: "Excellent, I have an idea, a great idea. Make it live action TF film".
Investors: "That sounds great"!
Director: "Uh huh, we make it appeal to both kids and adults, you know, like the Simpsons does".
Investors: "Hmmmm, a very fine line. Slightly dodgy but we'll go with it. What else"?
Director: "We make it an epic, expanse of a film. A glorious telling of intergalactic warrior machines entrenched in a million years war. Its gotta be like, approaching three hours here".
Investors: "Are you out of your ****ing mind? Hey, who is this guy? Its gonna sink like the Titanic. OK, get lost you Singer wannabe. We'll take our money elsewhere".

Honestly, the kids will be bored, and the adults wont want to sit for three hours watching something that only vaguely looks like something they played with long long ago in a galaxy far far away. Keep it short, like MIB or X-Men, the action fast and the plot rolling along steadily like a night train.
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Post by [cable]-Iacon »

I think with the right PR you can do anything (Hitler anyone?)
It doesnt matter how good the movie is with the right PR the masses will come at least for the first week...;)
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Post by Armorwind »

To me, honestly, a film that was a remake of More Than Meets The Eye would be a great way to introduce (well, re-introduce) Generation 1. It, at the same time, will satisfy the fans if you can throw something new and original into it. But, I believe, that if the film has a good plot and the way the graphic animators show the Transformers, that most of the TF fans already will be happy. Perhaps a three hour movie is asking for a little too much, but two hours would certainly satisfy the plot. Like I said, they can also make some sequels, which would be great. Perhaps they can make a Transformers Live-Action Trilogy :).
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