Transformers Goes Live With Michael Bay

Here are some recent developments on the big-budget Transformers movie currently being prepped by director Michael Bay (Armageddon, Bad Boys).

First introduced in 1984, the Transformers toy line took the world by storm with its compelling saga of Autobots versus Decepticons. The innovative brand created a tremendously successful toy line from Hasbro and Takara, comics, a television program and a cult favorite animated feature. 

Michael Bay is directing the live action version of the Transformers for DreamWorks and Paramount. Steven Spielberg is executive producing the project for DreamWorks. Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto and Lorenzo DiBonaventura are producing for the studio. Budgeted at well over $100 million dollars, the film will certainly be packed lots of bang for the buck. Industrial Light and Magic (Star Wars, Hulk, etc., etc.) is handling effect duties.

Variety just reported that Shia LaBeouf has been confirmed as first cast member on board, with a screenplay written by John Rogers (American Outlaws), Alex Kurtzman (The Island), and Roberto Orci (co-writer of Mission Impossible III script). The Transformers is due in theaters on July 7, 2007.

Character Line-up from the online web-blog

Autobots
Optimus Prime will be a Flat-nosed semi truck
Jazz will be a Sports car
Ratchet will be an ambulance or fire truck

Decepticons
Megatron will be a tank
Starscream will be a jet plane

Humans
Shia LaBeouf will play Spike Witwicky

You can see various filmmaker interviews and find out much more on the project at at the web blog RIGHT HERE