Today Paramount has released the first full trailer for next summer’s Transformers. The film is written by Trek XI scribes Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. Transformers is a big test for them and Paramount to see if they can take a geeky franchise with a rabid fan base and make it palatable to mainstream movie goers. If Trek XI ends up being Paramount’s big summer movie for 2008, then perhaps a year from now we will be seeing the trailer for Trek XI itself.
click to go to Yahoo Movies site to see the trailer
Orci and Kurtzman have also picked the winners of their ‘Write a Line For Optimus Prime’ contest, details at the official site
Caught a glimpse of the new Chevy camaro.
I think this movie can and will go on to be a big hit. When the trailer premiered during a packed house with Superman Returns, everyone cheered. The reason being — I think, because men remembered it from when they were young.
This is the similar with Star Trek. Nobody really remembers, it because its’ been out of the public eye for so long existing like more of an anomolous B-rate soap opera that few people have heard of than mainstream entertainment. Yet when they pitch a trailer for this amazing new Star Trek experience people will remember when it was this GREAT franchise that everyone was in love with (in the time of TOS movies and TNG) or not remember it at all.
This will be the perfect point to plant a seed in the advertising media to just let it grow. I think Trek XI will be a big hit.
I have not enjoyed one film by Michael Bay. Not a single one. I doubt it will change with Transformers.
Did anyone here see The Island? Terrible! Unfortunately Orci and Kurtzman were involved with that as well.
Orci and Kurtzman are writing to a producer’s brief though. There isn’t a lot of room for maneuvre in blockbuster films!!!
for the Island the above is true, and as I have heard it…their greatest contributions were in the good part of the movie…the Logans Run type part on the Island before it goes all blockbuster action movie.
For Transformers they are truly fans of the franchise and I think they even pitched Bay on it. Of course it will still be a big giant action movie.
And Trek XI will be even more about Orci and Kurtzman who are doing most if not all the writing for the script (Abrams was deeply involved in the \’story\’ and may only end up with a story credit). Plus they are also Exec Producers on Trek XI. In a way Trek XI is as much about these two guys as it is about Abrams.
With all due respect to Orci and Kurtzman, their past movie projects make up a mixed bag.
I think Mission: Impossible III was an entertaining movie, not terribly poingnant, but fast-moving and good fun.
The Island was not a good movie. Was it their fault? I don’t know. The Logan’s Run stuff was totally derivative, which doesn’t bother me. I do think the acting and direction were awful, so I can’t say the script is what ruined the movie for me.
The Legend of Zorro was a flat movie. I fell asleep twice watching it.
So now, we’re onto The Transformers. Orci and Kurtzman inherited a script from the guy who wrote Catwoman, so do we give them another pass if this movie is not well-written? I think it’s another The Island, where Bay’s direction may overshadow the script’s attributes and flaws.
I’m not saying Orci and Kurtzman are no good. All I’m saying is that if we’re to use their past work as “tests” then they’ve still got a lot to prove.
I had no idea of Orci or Kurtzman or what work they had done in the past. So I guess they’re the *writers* of the script to be used for ST XI?
I have no interest in “Transformers the Movie”, so I doubt I’ll be seeing it. I was 10 years old at the height of Transformer’s popularity as toys so I know the backstory (the canon, so to speak). The description on Yahoo! says “Good” vs “Evil” so it doesn’t sound like it could be a very complex storyline but in fairness, there weren’t many shades of grey between Autobots and Decepticons. Then again, I suppose as a cartoon-made-movie its mission should be to become a live action comic book ala X-Men (a genre I generally lack interest in, Spiderman, Batman, Superman, etc.).
Then again, perhaps I’m wrong and, in fact, it is going to be a “talky yawnfest” and I’ll be motivated to buy it on DVD when it comes out. I don’t believe that seeing this movie would reassure me about Trek. MI-3 is part of a genre I enjoy for what it is — despite the whining I heard over it, I thought MI-3 was the best of the 3 MI movies. That doesn’t guarantee good Trek though. Perhaps I’ll go rent “The Island” since I’ve never seen any of the other films Adam mentioned.
Orci and Kurtzman also did some very good, feature-filmic episodes of Alias. Given they have way more power with this Trek screenplay, I’m intrigued to see how they get along with a genuine big budget.
Must pick up MI:III!
“The Island” was mostly derived from a late-’70s movie called “Parts: The Clonus Horror.” It dealt with a bunch of clones in a secluded facility who were being raised solely to provide organs and tissue for their rich counterparts on the outside. And one of the clones found out, etc.
In fact, the plotline is so similar, the producers of “Parts” sued the makers of “The Island,” though I don’t recall how that turned out.
Naturally, the most enjoyable way to watch “Parts” is with the eighth season Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode in which it was featured.
As far as Trek goes, If Ocri and Kurtzman had something to do with lifting “Parts” to make “The Island,” I’d be worried. After all, if you’re going to lift from TOS to make a new film, you don’t want them lifting from “Spock’s Brain.”
lol @ #9. Let’s hope the next Trek doesn’t end up on MST3K (or perhaps, let hope it does!). I personally liked “Danger: Diabolik” on MST3K but I digress.
Spocks Brain would’ve been a good episode…if it hadn’t been about surgical removal of Spock’s Brain by ditzy space “hoes”. (i.e. the evolution of species in the Sigma Draconis system, etc.).
Looking at a trailer like this reminds me how stale the block buster industry is and how the only big flicks I’ve enjoyed in years is the first two X-Men (even the wife liked those). This looks bad and makes me wish Star Trek was not being woken up again so soon. If I have to sit through a fast moving Trek film with underwear models as stars I’ll be a sad and angry monkey looking for a refund.
*makes transforming noises And does R-O-B-O-T dance…
we will see, I have my doubts, but also, I’m not that wild about TRANSFORMERS to care a whole lot.
The difference between Transformers and Trek XI is Abrams. Michael Bay is a shoot em up car crashing hack while Abrams actually cares about story and character. Also, and this is a big also, Don Murphy is one of the producers for Transformers. Don Murphy. If you’re not familiar with him look him up and see why this movie will be terrible.
I am not qualified to say much about Transformers except that my son liked them many years ago… as toys and an animated show. Transformers has been touted by a few souls on here as a “great” and culturally significant element in our society.
Huh?
I must have been snoozing.
.. but movies have been made on less. I wish them well, but I cannot see this being good or profitable.
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