“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” a sequel to Michael Bay’s “Transformers,” is expected to hit movie theatres this summer.With an anticipated release date of June 24, 2009, two days earlier than presumed, cowriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, exclusively talk of what is expected from the sequel and what awaiting fans can look forward to.
Originally, writing a sequel to the film was not an option.
After the expectations of the first film and the surprise success that followed, the writers felt a resistance in being able to produce a follow-up story.
Kurtzman tells SCI FI Wire “we just felt like we got away with robbing a bank, so we probably can’t do that twice, you know? And … we didn’t want to throw ourselves back in.”
The help of a third writer, Ehren Kruger (“The Skeleton Key” and “The Ring 2”) helped change their minds, and the three writer collaboration is imagined to be a success; as big of a success, it is hoped, as the first film, which made $708 million in worldwide ticket sales.
Fans received their first glimpse inside the movie after the 30 second teaser trailer aired during the Superbowl on Feb, 1,2009.
The storyline begins with Sam Witwicky [Shia LaBeouf] two years older and heading off to college. It appears as just another cliché of embracing responsibilities and abandoning comfort zones, but Orci, on the defense, states: “it’s a cliché because we all go through it. And it’s the same with … heading off to college and letting your parents go and becoming the adult and trying to find out who you are and … what you’re going to do with the rest of your life.”
Cliché or not, fans can expect to see more action and more robots in the upcoming film.
This fantasy action portrays the ultimate form of rivalry; creating an epic display of hero vs. villain. The sequel should satisfy our expectations, bringing action-packed thrills inside a plotline much darker than the first.
Director Michael Bay states “I know the fans wanted it darker, we made it darker.”
Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, two front-runners in the previous movie, will be rejoining the auto bots, as well as costar Megan Fox.
So what new additions can fans look forward to? Female robot Arcee is teaming up with the cast, adding to the previously all male machines. Bay states “the thing that I like about it is, the robots have much more personality.”
Rumors are speculating about who will do the voice for the Fallen. Talks of Leonard Nimoy, the original voice in the animated film, and Frank Welker, the original voice of Megatron, have been made.
As for the eager fans, they can expect a movie of epic proportions, and much different than the last. Bay compares the two movies by stating: “The first one you had to establish everything. In this one, you really get taken on the ride, the characters go on the ride with these robots.”
Tickets for “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” will be available two weeks before its release date, on June 10, 2009. Both Paramount and the makers of the film are anticipating a huge box office rush.
Jen Neary can be reached at JN615188@wcupa.edu.