# Transformers new trailer today! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 20, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931 "2006-12-20T16:37:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/1 "2006-12-20T16:37:18Z")
Lots of 'splosions, and Optimus Prime (well, a glimpse, anyway)!! [linky link](http://www.jo-blo.com/transformers-trailer) It will be up at yahoo movies this afternoon as well ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/2 "2006-12-20T16:46:16Z")
that link is hard to view on my mobile device; can you give me the cliffs notes on what transformers is (aside from those goofy 1980’s childrens toys). ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/3 "2006-12-20T16:49:51Z")
That looks pretty sweet! But I’m still worried about the Michael Bay thing. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/4 "2006-12-20T16:52:25Z")
Again, it’s too “glimpsy” - just show a full-on autobot or decepticon for once! I have to admit that I got goosebumps when Optimus formed up. ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/5 "2006-12-20T16:56:26Z")
Patty, Transformers is a live-action SFX movie of the “goofy 1980’s childrens toys”. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/6 "2006-12-20T16:58:50Z")
[QUOTE=Tangent] That looks pretty sweet! But I’m still worried about the Michael Bay thing. [/QUOTE] My reaction as well. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/7 "2006-12-20T17:00:55Z")
\*\*Loving it! \*\* Whereas the cartoon seemed mostly involved with the Decepticons viewing Autobots as their foe with humans being bystanders; this seemed to change the thrust to the Decepticons invading our planet with the intent of eradicating the human species with only the Autobots to stand in their way. This seems like a far more compelling twist to me. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/8 "2006-12-20T19:30:58Z")
Probably a question that has been asked before: Why couldn’t they make Optimus Prime a red truck? Is it a licensing deal? Is it to sell a different toy than a red truck? Is it the director trying to reinterpret Optimus, and make his own mark? A lot of fans would want to see a red truck like the cartoons, comics, and toys, I would imagine. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/9 "2006-12-20T20:44:52Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] Probably a question that has been asked before: Why couldn’t they make Optimus Prime a red truck? Is it a licensing deal? Is it to sell a different toy than a red truck? Is it the director trying to reinterpret Optimus, and make his own mark? [/quote] Michael Bay has said that he doesn’t want any of the robots in the _Transformers_ movie to “cheat” – e.g., change size when they transform (read: Soundwave). For Optimus Prime, then, he went for the largest real-world truck available, instead of the flat-nosed original. Prime is still red in the movie, but he’s now got some lame-ass blue “flame” paintwork on the truck cab’s nose. As for the trailer itself, it strikes me as “_Jurassic Park_ with robots.” Looks interesting, but I **still** don’t like the appliances-run-through-a-metal-shredder design of the robots themselves – you can’t tell the Transformers apart, since each one looks like a mangled mess of wire and steel… ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MonkeyMule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMule)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/10 "2006-12-20T20:46:52Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] Probably a question that has been asked before: Why couldn’t they make Optimus Prime a red truck? Is it a licensing deal? Is it to sell a different toy than a red truck? Is it the director trying to reinterpret Optimus, and make his own mark? A lot of fans would want to see a red truck like the cartoons, comics, and toys, I would imagine. [/QUOTE] Maybe he gets a paint job as a plot point. Or Bay is an idiot. Take your pick ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/11 "2006-12-20T21:00:37Z")
According to Wikipedia… > [@Wikipedia](#): > > All of the Autobots are based character wise on their Generation One incarnations, despite modern interpretations of their alternate modes: in particular, all of the following except Optimus Prime are now GM-owned vehicle lines, **Bumblebee** is no longer a VW Bug, but a bitchin’ Camaro **Jazz** is going from a Porche 935 Turbo to a Pontiac Solstice Medic **Ratchet** is going from the logical ambulance design to a Hummer. Thank you, GM Marketing Department. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/12 "2006-12-20T21:22:59Z")
I’ve watched the advert and it does indeed look cool. I’m glad they’re not doing in in claymation. I didn’t know there was a whole cult following with a cartoon series and everything. More than meets the eye! ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/13 "2006-12-20T21:26:21Z")
[QUOTE=Hey you!] According to Wikipedia… **Bumblebee** is no longer a VW Bug, but a bitchin’ Camaro **Jazz** is going from a Porche 935 Turbo to a Pontiac Solstice Medic **Ratchet** is going from the logical ambulance design to a Hummer. Thank you, GM Marketing Department. [/QUOTE] I guess its not that much of a cult following… ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/14 "2006-12-20T21:47:24Z")
Was I the only one hoping Optimus Prime would transform into a gorilla? Just kidding 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/15 "2006-12-20T21:52:03Z")
Looks pretty cool. But how are they (or how do they) explain why these robots from another world all take the shape of human invented vehicles? ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/16 "2006-12-20T21:55:58Z")
Fun! I loved that show when I was a kid, so seeing a live-action version will be great. Also, does the Generic Military Commander in the beginning say Qatar? And mispronounce it? ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/17 "2006-12-20T22:25:25Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] Looks pretty cool. But how are they (or how do they) explain why these robots from another world all take the shape of human invented vehicles? [/QUOTE] Well in the cartoon the robots didn’t originally look like earth vehicles either. The ships computer Teletran 1 modified their bodies to match earth vehicles so they’d blend in. I feel like the biggest geek in the world knowing that. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/18 "2006-12-20T22:36:20Z")
It could be a rumor, but I heard that VW wouldn’t let them use the Beetle for the movie. Besides, Bumble Bee was only cool as the old-style Bug. The new one would have looked silly I think. I kind of actually like the Camaro, and I was a HUGE fan of the toys and cartoons when I was a kid. I like how they made his head look bee-esque in the trailer. I’m nervous about the Bay making this movie as well, but it looks just dark and menacing enough that he might have something here. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/19 "2006-12-20T22:44:26Z")
Meh, looks like some weird cross-breed of Jurrasic Park and Independence Day, i’ll wait for the DVD …never got the appeal of the Transformers cartoon anyway, even in my youth i saw it as nothing more than a transparent “moichandizing” ploy to sell toys that fell apart when you played with them… i preferred _real_ toys like Jarts and BB guns ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931/20 "2006-12-20T23:02:26Z")
[QUOTE=MacTech] …never got the appeal of the Transformers cartoon anyway, even in my youth i saw it as nothing more than a transparent “moichandizing” ploy to sell toys that fell apart when you played with them… [/QUOTE] But, those things were made out of die-cast metal. I think my **Optimus Prime** weighed like 15 lbs! Ok, maybe not 15 lbs, but it could definitely be used as a blunt weapon in a pinch, and after you picked out the teeth and hair, would still be in tip-top shape. Good assessment on how the movie might turn out though. And as much as I like the more profound fair when it comes to movies, sometimes I just want to see giant, menacing robots trash the planet for its own sake. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/transformers-new-trailer-today/384931.md?page=2)