With no disrespect meant to Mr. Cullen and Mr. Welker whatsoever, I was really hoping for a complete reboot with the voicing for this movie. I firmly believe that these gentlemen are two of the greatest, if not THE greatest voices of my lifetime, but I think that sometimes the industry can create a stagnation in the talent pool sometimes when they say - this guy just HAS to be Prime, or this guy just HAS to be Megatron. I dunno if thats because of fan influence, or because the industry is just too hung up on "character recognition". To me, its not the guy/lady doing the voices, its how they can capture the "essence" of what the character is all about. Rubber stamping someone to be a character over and over just seems a bit stale and kinda unfair to me when there are most likely many other voices out there that could really shine for these characters.

Again, I also think that Welker's old megatron voice just doesn't fit what I see in this new Megatron, and that - from a recent interview I've heard - Mr. Welker seems to have to stretch to reach for that Megatron growl of old anyway. Cullen without Welker doesn't kinda seem weird, I know, but I really have to see the movie to pass judgment upon that decision.

 

Ya it bumms me out that Welker can still do a great megatron and when i heard his voice do "Die Autobot" it made me doubley sad to see that personality and voice are not going to match up. Thats provided megatron is similar in the movie at all.

I watched V for Vendetta to try get a feel for it and there is a chance he can do the voice but if it stays as an agent smith or V for the transformers movie it is going to ruin the illusion of it being real. If I hear the voice each time and can only think of other characters and movies he has been in its just gonna suck plain and simple.

By the way who says the people making the movie know what they are doing anyway. Its not like they are fans to start with. Some may say they are but lets face it, the people who grew up with the G1 show are now the money spending demographic they are trying to hit. So anyone who says this isnt G1 really cant see past the end of their own nose. Its being made to attract people who remember that franchise iteration. When is the last time bumble bee has been in the cartoons is a good example or jaz for that matter.

 

Ef that, Welker was good enough for the game because the games creators recognized the importance of keeping that continuity. Weaving has a badass voice and this movie is going to sink or swim under the weight of 100 tonnes of steel not a single voice... but it IS a kick in the chops to Welker that Cullen is reprising his role and Welker does not get the honor of doing the same. Even if Welker is ok with that it doesnt mean his fans are willing to swallow the same pill.

 

I'm super diappointed but you know what? Surprise surprise the world didn't end and life will somehow go on!

 

Ya im surprised to see just how many people throw hissy fits over something this small. And yes, it is THAT small. I really don't care how big of a part this was in your childhood. That was it .... CHILDHOOD. We are now adults and have lives. Present life overshadows my past. I have a great life now, why let something from my past effect my present? It is just so stupid in my eyes.

 

Didn't they say they couldn't take Welker because...

...They didn't know if he would be around for the next 2 films?

By the way.

Hugo Weaving for movie Megs. =  

QFT.

 

I'm glad they didnt pick Welker for the movie.

the audio clip he released to the fans a while ago of him trying to do megatron's voice again was painful to listen to. it sounded awful. as Shia said in a recent interview, he's older than Cullen, and he's just lost the ability to do the voice. The ONLY reason to consider Welker for Megatron is if he could do his old voice. he can't. So they went with someone else. I'm happy.

 

I completely agree. Most people here just want Welker because they played the character from their childhood. Whether it is right for the movie Megatron or not, it does not matter, as long as HE does it. But you know what? A MAJORITY of people that will watch won't give a rats behind about nostalgae. Heck, MOST don't even know the name behind the voice! So why go with him just because he did the old one? What MOST people WILL pick up on, is that the voice does not go good with the new character.

 

I believe he was as that sounds SO familiar for some reason. And as to people calming down Buzzbeak. Well you've been modding the movie sub-forum for a while now. So I doubt it'll happen anytime soon  

Even if they aren't fans, so what? Bob Skir wasn't really a TF fan and Beast Machines was a good quality show. The idea that ONLY fans can write/produce a good movie is laughable to be honest. Fans can barely agree on anything to begin with. At least with non-fans they won't let their biases shine through and write a script that's more fanwank then good quality. I've got the full DW G1 series, if I want fanwank I'll read that. But if I'm paying for a movie ticket I want to see something fresh

And comments like this are why I never really wanted Peter Cullen to be Prime in the first place. Not because of his lack of chops for the role but because I knew it'd bring out people crying foul if Welker didn't get the role...which it obviously has

 

If they geared this movie just for the demographic you speak of, the movie is doomed to fail from the very beginning. This fandom is not as big as you think it is, and there definitely is not enough of us total to keep this movie afloat. Lets face it ... like it or not, Transformers is primarily a niche market for collectors. Current generation youth aren't exactly clamouring for them. It is NOT a mainstream thing. Most peope think of Transformers as a childish kids toy ... and that is EXACTLY the view they don't want people to have.

They need to reboot this franchise so that it is more than it is now ... a niche market for kids from the 80's. Without this nostalgic group from the 80's, Transformers would SURELY tank because it is not nearly popular with current generation.

This movie NEEDS to apeal to the GENERAL population of movie goers that want an action movie. They want explosions, good looking girls, and astounding visuals. THOSE types of people make up a majority of who will see this film, not the TF geeks.

For example, I know of Spiderman, but am in NO way a Spiderman fan. I am going to see Spiderman 3 purely because it looks like a good movie. That is about it. And for most people out there, i'm sure it will be the same way with TF as well.

 

uh, no.

Transformers is the #2 toyline in the US from what I understand, only behind Power Rangers.

if it was only for collectors, the line would have died long ago. it's been shown time and time again that collectors alone are unable to support transformers. just look at the Beast Wars reissues and G1 reissues in the US. both rotted on store shelves for a long time. hell, in some TRUs you can still find G1 reissues scattered around. and how's that Beast Wars reissue 2-pack doing in toys r us? still there? still dozens of them crammed into the storage area above the TF section with no chance of going anywhere any time soon? yup.

 

Weaving is doing the voice for name recognition plain and simple. A movie could be great, but you don't get the butts in the seats if you have no stars. Now to us Peter and Frank are stars, but they really aren't name stars. They are "Hey I know that voice!" stars. If you put "Frank Welker as Megatron" on a poster a lot of people will be wondering who he is except for people like us. That's probably why he didn't get the role. Now the video game is another story. People like us buy the game. People who know Frank Welker is a kick ass voice artist. The game is fan geared, the movie is geared to a wider audience.

Frank can still do the Megatron voice from what I saw in the movies on the game web site. Itm ight have taken him some time to get back into it but he still does a great job. I doubt his ability to do the voice was a main factor in him not getting the role. Movies need star power and when the main human character is the kid from Even Stevens....you need all the star power you can get.

 

IMO, This is BAWLS !!! , that's right I said BAWLS !!! Frank is good enuff for the game but not the movie ??? WTF ??? I've seen and read so many ppl "bitch" about Micheal Bay and his "Bayformers". Yeah sure Megatron looks like crap. Do i complain, NO !!! I've been waiting for the movie scence in was rumored to be released way back in 2005. I was SO happy to hear the Peter Cullen was playing Prime again. I saw it as a no brainer to get Welker as Megs again. This is the first time i've gotten mad about this movie. Will it stop me from seeing it ??? NO !!! It's pisses me off none the less, Kinda like the last of the Seekers beiing at botcon. But that a diffrent rant altogether

 

Nope.

 

ditto. hugo weaving pwns.

 

Not upset about it either.
Weaving as movie Megs, Welker as movie-game Megs. Works for me.
I got Peter Cullen as Prime which was all I really wanted voice-wise.

 

another ditto.
although i think gary chalk/george clooney wouldve been ok, Peter Cullen is definitely the cream of the crop.

 

     

Will it ever end?

 

Uhhhh you overestimate the size of this fandom. Point still remains. Gearing this movie purely for fandom would be the dumbest mistake anyone dumping 150+ million dollars can make. I am just glad there are smart people behind the money. This franchise needs a reformat.