Public Enemies - What Did You Think?
Can Michael Bay Be Convinced To Fast Track a Transformers 3?
Posted on Monday, June 29th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
After Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’s monstrous 5-day domestic box office take of $201.2 million, Dreamworks/Paramount is going to want to fast track a third film into production and strike while the iron is hot. But will Bay hold up the big giant robots return to the big screen?
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No One Wants To Own Up To Racism In Transformers
Posted on Thursday, June 25th, 2009 by Russ Fischer
Given how many people worked on the creative angle of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, I’m amazed and not a little bit shocked that the movie hit screens with two of the most offensive, stereotypically black characters I’ve seen in a studio film since Mickey Rooney donned buck teeth to play a Japanese character in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. (Granted I’m also a bit amazed that I didn’t even talk about these characters in my review, which is a major oversight; I’d already talked about them so much offline and in various emails that I completely passed over the subject.)
The characters in question are Skids and Mudflap, who after an initial appearance as a ratty old ice cream truck are upgraded to be green and orange Chevys. More to the point, both characters speak with voices that sound like urban black stereotypes, have big ears and buck teeth and proclaim that they ‘don’t do much readin’‘. Skids even has a gold tooth. How did these characters make it through months of development, meetings and rendering to appear on screens this week? Read More »
Kurtzman and Orci Talk About The Future of Star Trek
Posted on Saturday, June 20th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman haven’t yet started writing a Star Trek sequel, but last week we published some quotes from the duo talking about the debate of revisiting an old story/villain, or exploring new territory (something we’ve discussed about in a past video blog) This weekend at the Transformers 2 junket, my good friend Steve from Collider was able to probe them for more speculative details.
Which Path Will Orci, Kurtzman and Lindelof Choose For Star Trek 2?
Posted on Tuesday, June 16th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
In a previous video blog, we discussed the possibilities for the future of the Star Trek film franchise. One thing both Steve and I agreed on was that we’d like to see something completely new and different in the sequel, and not just a remake or reinvention of past storylines or events from the films/tv shows. Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman haven’t yet started writing the sequel (they will be joined by Damon Lindelof, and have to hand in a draft by year’s end), but that won’t stop them from talking about the possibilities.
JJ Abrams Says Shatner and Khan Are Possible in Star Trek Sequel
Posted on Saturday, May 16th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
MTV got a chance to grill Star Trek director JJ Abrams about what we could expect in the inevitable sequel. Of course, screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have not yet started on the announced sequel, so anything at this point is just speculation. But Abrams admits that the alternative universe timeline allows them to deviate from Trek canon.
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There seems to be more than a few complaints about JJ Abrams‘ use of the Beastie Boys‘ track Sabotage in the new Star Trek film. But it isn’t at all random, and not just inserted twenith centry pop culture. First off, the sequence in question is when 13-year-old James T Kirk steals his step-father’s antique convertable and drives it off a cliff.
I must give screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci credit on this one. I believe this scene to be a multi-layed metaphor, and the choice of music might be a call back to William Shatner, who played the James T Kirk in the original series. Deconstruction and video after the jump.
Variety have published a very exciting list of every film that could, potentially, become the next film for Tom Cruise - as well as a list of the various writers and directors working on them. The focus is on the writers, as the umbrella notion here is that Cruise is calling for lotsa costly rewrites from script doctors. Curiously enough, it is later made clear in the piece that some of these writers aren’t doctoring as much as coming on to the projects as full-on writers.
The full list follows, but sadly it doesn’t contain two interesting prospects: Susanne Bier’s Lost For Words and Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s The 28th Amendment. Hopefully they’ll still go ahead with a different lead, or be resurrected once Cruise has cleared his plate a little.
Paramount Pictures is moving forward with development on a Star Trek sequel, hiring Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof to pen the screenplay. Lindelof produced the first film but has been brought on to reteam with Kurtzman and Orci, with whom he is currently co-scripting DreamWorks’ Cowboys and Aliens. Kurtzman told Variety that they will wait to see what fan reaction is to the first film, which hits theaters on May 8th, before proceeding.
Orci and Kurtzman Not Returning for Transformers 3? Will Leonard Nimoy Voice The Fallen?
Posted on Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
In a posting on the Don Murphy forums , it was revealed that the screenwriting team of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman might not return for Transformers 3.
“Time for fresh blood!” writes Orci. “The main reason we would move on is because we risk getting stale and comfortable. If you only sing one song for too long, you miss the opportunity to sing news songs. We’ll see.”
Orci also admitted that he has talked with Leonard Nimoy about providing the voice of the Fallen.
Transformers 2: Michael Bay Confirms He’s a Liar, then… Lies Again?
Posted on Thursday, March 5th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
Remember when Michael Bay said that Megatron is “not in [Transformers 2]“? Last week Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen screenwriter Roberto Orci confirmed Megatron’s appearance and we called Mr. Bay a Liar. Bay has finally responded and admits that the “cat is out of the bag” and that “Megatron is back”.
But then Mr. Bay goes on to explain that “you will only get to see him from the long lost past.” That’s funny, because when the film was in production, /Film spies reportedly spotted the visual effects team using a miniature model of Megatron while shooting some key sequences. Could Michael Bay really be lying to fans again? Bay explains:
“We go way back in time as this movie explains the mythology of the Primes. He is not a tank like everyone suggests, but an alien vehicle. But sadly he does not has much screen time.”
Yeah… flashback… not much screen time… yeah. Potential spoilers after the jump.
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What is the 28th Amendment? It’s a project conceived by the screenwriting team of Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, the guys who wrote Transformers, Star Trek, Mission: Impossible II and The Island. Described as The Firm set in the White House, the story follows the new President of the United States who discovers the for a good part of the 20th century, a secret cabal has been running the government. Anyone who defies the secret gang’s wishes will end up murdered (apparently JFK’s assassination is connected to the group). It’s an interesting premise which has been done in different variations in comic books (100 Bullets), video games (Metal Gear Solid) and Dan Brown novels.
The project has gotten passed from director to director — Neil Jordan and Philip Noyce had both been in talks to helm the project at some point. But now Warner Bros is in talks with The Lives of Others helmer Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck to direct the project, with both Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington as potential stars. Cruise has at least eight projects on his plate, and is trying to decide which one will be next. So it’s very likely that the cast could change.
source: Variety
Michael Bay, You Sir, Are a Liar: Megatron Returns in Transformers 2 and New MTV Featurette
Posted on Saturday, February 21st, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
Remember when Michael Bay said that Megatron wouldn’t be in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen?
CUT TO: Empire Magazine, January 2009
MICHAEL BAY
He’s not in this movie. That’s not misinformation.
CUT BACK TO: Today, Transformer fansite TFW2005’s Message Boards
ROBERTO ORCI (CO-WRITER)
Megatron returns! Keep it quiet! :)
Michael Bay, you sir are a liar! And that’s part of the reason we love you. That and your ability to blow shit up in impossible locations around the world and capture it on the screen like a ADD chimpanzees with a 35mm camera. Okay, we’re over it. After the jump, you will see a new featurette that aired on MTV on Saturday and introduces us to the world of Transformers.
Video Removed
