Transformers

Action Adventure Sci-Fi

PG-13

English

July 3, 2007

2hr 23min

Status: released

Trailer, Teaser & Videos

Poster & Photos

Where to Watch Transformers (Stream)

Netflix

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Transformers is an American science fiction action adventure film directed by Michael Bay from a screenplay by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. It is the first installment in the Transformers film series which is based on Hasbro’s toy line of the same name. Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Anderson, Rachael Taylor, John Turturro, and Jon Voight are the main cast members of the film. Additionally, the voice cast includes Peter Cullen, Mark Ryan, Hugo Weaving, Darius McCrary, and Robert Foxworth.
Principal photography for the film began on April 19, 2006, at Holloman Air Force Base and ended on October 4, 2006. Transformers had its worldwide premiere on June 10, 2007, in Seoul and was released on July 3 in the United States. It became the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2007, grossing $709 million worldwide, with an estimated 46 million tickets sold in the United States. The film won four awards from the Visual Effects Society and was nominated for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects at the 80th Academy Awards.
The film was followed by four sequels: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), and Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), as well as a spin-off titled Bumblebee (2018). A seventh installment, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), was released on June 9, 2023.
Murphy was initially interested in developing a G.I. Joe film, but then decided to develop a Transformers film after the United States went to war against Iraq in 2003.
According to Megan Fox, she was attending a Linkin Park concert and when it was over, the band met her personally and stated that they heard about the live-action “Transformers” film, and requested whether they could have a song of theirs in the film, and thus “What I’ve Done” appears in the closing credits.
The Transformers are designed so that their faces/bodies resemble the symbol of their faction. The Autobots (especially Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Ratchet) were modelled according to the Autobot face; and the Decepticons (especially Megatron, Barricade, and Blackout) were modelled according to the Decepticon face.
To keep the film realistic and under budget, the U.S. Department of Defense provided their support towards the film’s production, the largest project they have assisted since “Black Hawk Down (2001).
Michael Bay cut his fee by thirty percent, to save expenses on shooting, and to keep the film in the United States, territory he was familiar with.
Director Michael Bay originally wanted an Apple iPod for Simmon’s demonstration in the All Spark chamber, but Apple CEO Steve Jobs objected to the use of one of his products, and a Nokia cellphone was used instead.
In her role as Mikaela Banes, Megan Fox gained ten pounds of muscle to be more compatible for the action scenes.
The film’s release date was set without a script or a cast.
Transformers is the fastest-selling DVD release of 2007.
Michael Bay spent most of the film’s $150 million budget on fifteen practical action sequences, making sure the visual effect aspects of the film did not overwhelm the live-action elements.
Most of the cars that were destroyed in the film had their engines and transmissions removed to make them easier to flip around.
It was once rumored that Megan Fox had to audition for the movie by going to Michael Bay’s house and washing his Ferrari for him while he filmed her. But she has since clarified she simply had to pretend to work on his car as part of the audition, but not at his house.
This is the first time a female Witwicky appears in the “Transformers” universe. Before, there had only been male Witwickys (Spike and his father Sparkplug from The Transformers (1984); Spike’s wife Carly doesn’t count).
Transformers had its worldwide premiere at N Seoul Tower on June 10, 2007. The film’s June 27 premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival used a live digital satellite feed to project the film on to a screen. A premiere took place at Rhode Island on June 28, which was a freely available event giving attendees the opportunity to buy tickets for $75 to benefit four charities: the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, the Autism Project of Rhode Island, Adoption Rhode Island, and Hasbro Children’s Hospital. The film was released in IMAX on September 21, 2007, with additional footage that had not been included in the general theatrical release.