Transformers 2: Wheeljack, John Tuturro, UPENN Shoot Details And More

Rumor has it that the SAAB Aero-X concept car might appear in the film as the alt mode for Wheeljack. It's worth noting that SAAB is a subsidiary of General Motors who supplied most of the cars in the first film. Wheeljack is the scientist and warrior of the Autobots, always inventing new weapons and gadgets. In past versions, Wheeljack's alternative mode has included the 1973 Lancia Stratos Turbo, 1987 Porsche 962 and 2006 Ford Mustang. The character was originally part of the line-up pitched for the original film, but didn't make the cut. The rumor has credible origins, and ties into a mention that Eric Geers, director of Communications fro SAAB, made in January at the North American International Auto Show. [transformerslive]

/Film reader PAK sent over word that e-mails have been sent to University of Pennsylvania employees warning them of the upcoming Transformers 2 shoot, which will feature Shia's character at college. Here is an excerpt:

To the Penn Community:

DreamWorks Productions will be filming scenes for the upcoming movie "Transformers 2″ on Penn's campus this week. The filming will take place in the Quad and both inside and outside the Psi Upsilon (Castle) fraternity on Locust Walk. Both Penn and DreamWorks staff will be on hand to help guide people around the area during filming in an effort to minimize any inconvenience.

Setup, filming, and set deconstruction are scheduled for the Quad from June 10 through June 12 and for the Castle fraternity from June 10 through June 15.

Meanwhile, Bay and company were filming yesterday in Italian Market in South Philadelphia. Powet.tv has a few uninteresting photos. John Tuturro, Shia Labeouf, and Megan Fox were all present. Tuturro was wearing a Butcher's outfit (photographed right), and the sign on the shop read "Cuppucci & Simmons", so one must assume that Simmons has become a butcher after the dissolution of Sector 7.

Another reader noted that the bookstore doors, which usually have huge Penn shields etched onto them were replaced with plain glass doors yesterday, so chances are they will also be shooting in that area.

Philly.com reports The Dairy Fields in Fairmount Park today are reserved for filming.

New Mexico's Governor Bill Richardson announced that Transformers 2 has been prepping in Alamogordo since April and expects to begin filming "in the fall." Its worth noting that the Holloman Air Force Base was used in the original film for the Blackout attack sequence.