To be fair, from what I understand, the 2 writers had more of the Meg/SS dynamic in their original offering (based on a previous other-writer's draft), as well as more Bot dialogue/presence. But as it evolved (my read: Bay's 10cents), humans became much more central.

While I agree more character development is needed, I also think the original 2 didn't do too badly w/ what was presented - at least I didn't feel that the G1-named characters (esp the Bots) were in left-field for their personalities.

And "eh" on the writing addition. Ring's not my genre, and B Grimm wasn't horrible, but not esp great either.

 

My thoughts on TF 2. . .

Liege Prime:

I also really enjoyed the first (have seen it 3 times and come 10/16/07 will be one of the first in line that day to buy it and will marvel once again at all the Bay/Spielberg/Orci-Kurtzmanian/ILM genius), however I thought that some of the writing and development could have been a little better.

As far as the designs, they've pretty much grown on me, however, I hope that the designs in the sequels go closer to either the Binaltech or Alternators route. Man! The realism and detail on the Binaltech and Alternators line is INSANE! My Wife and I recently bought a '07 Toyota RAV 4 V6 Limited, and inside the dealership was a boxed, TF Binaltech Autobot Skids Toyota Scion SUV in the display case. I was checking him out and the detail was spot-on!!! I wish the dealer would have let me take that Binaltech Skids home as a extra surprise, as I heard about buyers of Chevy Astrovans getting a specially-made Chevy Astrovan Autobot figure with each purchase.

Anyway, IF I was doing TF2 here's some details I'd add in:

A)Title - I'd call it, "TRANSFORMERS 2: RISE OF THE DECEPTICONS", as due to the little snippet at the end of the first one, where we see Starscream flying off into outerspace, I'm betting that Starscream goes back to Cybertron to gather up some of the Decepticons, beef up the Decepticon forces, then they go back to earth to raise hell.

B)Some plot stuff:
*Starscream would reign over the Decepticons for a while, until Megs is revived
at the end - maybe two of the other Decepticons (I'd say Soundwave and
Shockwave) gets ticked off at Starscream,
goes to that trench at the bottom of the ocean, pulls Megs out and begins to
revive him, or this is hinted at, leaving things open for TF3*
*The Autobots would also beef up their forces in response to the rising
Decepticon menace*
*The Autobots would also be constructing an environment-friendly device that
would be able to run on energon or convert any earthly energy into energon
as well as have built an actual base of operations (I wish the writers could
have included the Ark in TF1)*
*Sector 7 would be reborn, but under a different name. They come back with a
vengeance and at some point secretly side with the Decepticons in an effort
to cripple the Autobots' efforts. I'd cast Jon Turturro again and he'd be
really mean this time around, still ticked about Bumblebee relieving himself
on his shirt, and even more pissed that the government disbanded
his former means of getting a paycheck*
*In response to the rising carnage and destruction, the Autobots seek out
assistance from a "nerd" character like Chip who'd assist Wheeljack
in constructing the Dinobots - even better yet, the Dinobots could combine
into a combiner named SAURUS GRANDUS*
*A HUGE battle between SAURUS GRANDUS and DEVASTATOR (not the tank,
but the good 'ol Constructicon combiner) much more intense than the
Optimus-Bonecrusher fight or the last 30minutes of the first TF movie*
*Sam and Mikala's relationship gets a little more serious - The Decepticons
kidnap Mikala to get information about the energon conversion device
the Autobots are building*
*Conflict between the gov't and Sector 7 as Sector 7 has become an
out-of-control rogue operation*
C)Characters:
I)The Autobots:
a)Returning from TF1: Optimus, BB, Ratchet, Ironhide, Jazz(revived by
Wheeljack and Ratchet)
b)New Autobots:
*Wheeljack - transforms from a souped-up Mitsubishi Eclipse with a G1
paintjob and bodywork
*Brawn - transforms from either a Honda Element or Toyota FJ Cruiser
*Sideswipe & Sunstreaker - I'm going the Alternators route here,
with these two being souped-up Dodge Vipers or Maserati Khamsins
*All the Dinobots with the Dinobot Combiner SAURUS GRANDUS
*Trailbreaker & Skids - both 2007 Toyota Rav4 V6 SUVs*
*Cliffjumper - red 2008 Camaro
*The tow truck guy (Longarm???)that was pulling Bumblebee along
at the end of TF1*
*Aerialbots (they show up when the Decepticons fly into the sea
heading for that trench where Megatron was dumped, and they
spar with Tidalwave, and The Seekers whom are protecting the area*
II)The Decepticons
a)Returning from TF1: Starscream, Frenzy, Blackout
b)New Decepticons:
*Soundwave - like the upcoming TF Animated cartoon, transforms
from a Scion-SUV comms vehicle with terabyte drives that
transform into Laserbeak, Rumble, and Buzzsaw
*Thundercracker, Skywarp
*Shockwave
*The Constructicons
*Reflector
*Tidalwave - I've seen Bay mention a few times online that he's looking
to have an aircraft-carrier transformer in the sequel
*Blitzwing, Octane and Astrotrain*
III)Humans
*The Witwickys
*Chip
*Mikala
*Sector 7 Guys, i.e., Banacheck, Jon Turturro, etc.
*Keller
*Maybe Maggie, Anthony Anderson, and the Kevin Smith-lookalike
*Epps, Josh Duhamel(this time Epps and the Josh Duhamel character
have been promoted and are leading Delta-1, a force that is the
opposite of Sector 7, who's mission is to annihilate the Decepticon
menace)

I know some of these may sound crazy, but nonetheless, I can't wait to start seeing stuff leak out again. Peace!

 

Gahh , i give up,

 

The Ring?

I think I see a Lil' Formers cartoon popping up soon, eh Matt?  

Andrew

 

Well we don't know when a frozen Megatron was flown around, although we know the Allspark was in DeSanto's treatment. But it was pretty much Orci and Kurtzman who came up with a mute 'Bee and Barricade, as well as Spielberg and Bay for various ideas, given the former read each draft of the script and gave notes.

Anyway, who ever says there was no character development is blind. Sam, duh, Bumblebee got his voice back, duh, Ironhide gained respect for the humans! Ugh, stupid fanboys. Anyway, expect the sequel to outgross the first.

 

Orci and Kurtzman were always fighting for a more of a robot presence. The stupid execs made the first draft have silent Transformers! Seriously, nothing, all the robots were Kong-like creatures rather than characters.

Seriously, is this what the boards were like in 2006? Well, I might well quit this "fan"site for Hollywood's brightest new film franchise.

 

As long as Grimlock is in it just busting the shit out off stuff as a giant mechanical T-rex I will be happy. I know it seems odd to do it in live action, but you could make it work. You know, Me Grimlock tired of hiding, tired of disguising, ME GRIMLOCK KICK ASS etc. Get Wheeljack to reformat him into a big mofo T-rex.

 

Don't forget Soundwave! I want him to give the Autobots and Starscream a hard time.

 

I really enjoyed the first movie, so hopefully the sequel can streamline things a bit with the humans and give us more bot time.

 

I guess resigning the original writers who already expressed interest in doing the sequel was probably the easiest way to fast-track the TF2 script to make sure it was done before the impending WGA strike.

Maybe if SAG joins the strike next June, the producers will have no choice but to give the TFs more screentime. Too bad they'll be mute, though.  

 

With the money that was made with the first movie, I was hoping that they might be able to get a decent writer on board to flesh out the characters - I was wrong.

Ehren Kruger is an awful writer (with the exception of Arlington Road), perhaps they're worried about the upcoming strike, but they can't be that desperate.

THE AUTOBOTS' GREATEST ENEMY IS THEIR NEW SCREENWRITER
http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=12037

If you thought the script for TRANSFORMERS was lacking, wait until you see who's writing the sequel...
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34307


Orci and Kurtzman with their current work schedule will have very little time on the scripting duties and i'd imagine Kruger will do the bulk of the work.

 

No.

Bumblebee was mute in John Rogers script, written before Orci and Kurtzman came onto the production, and in the same script a Decepticon police car is present, performing the same actions Barricade did, only named "Brawl" instead.

Much love to Orci and Kurtzman, but those were not their ideas.

 

You need to be corrected: the February 2006 draft is Orci and Kurtzman work. The John Rogers script was from late 2004. To date, it has never been leaked, and the only none things are that it has the "Energon Crystal", mute Transformers, and only four robots on each side.

 

I'm curious if it will be with a new studio considering the recent events between Spielberg and Paramount.

Also hoping these guys can pull it of again.  

 

Are you sure? I could swear my copy has "John Rogers" as the only credited writer on the front page, but I'm at work and can't check.

 

Yes, I'm very sure. Orci and Kurtzman signed on in February 2005. In addition, the draft is credited to Rogers, with revisions by Orci/Kurtzman.

 

Hmm, maybe a little too "Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer"  

I think you have some great ideas in there. Maybe should start a new thread.

I was thinking along the lines of having Unicron be a giant robot (perhaps not quite planet sized) that crashed into earth before even Megatron. Perhaps he was even the meteor that killed the dinosaurs. But he's been trapped in stasis under the ocean since then... of course, right by where Megatron is dumped. Somehow a little of the Allspark energy left over in Megatron revives him, and he uses some of the power he now has to restore Megs and reformat him into Galvatron. He is sent to the Decepticons to become their new leader, and tell them about a powerful weapon under the sea - all a ploy to get them to retrieve and re-power Unicron.

The biggest problem I have with it is that Megs becomes Galvatron before he ever has an earth mode  

 

Sweet. Sounds good to me. If the new guy really does know enough about Transformers then that's pretty cool.

 

Alright, so I wasn't a huge fan of the writing for the first movie, but I'm sort of glad they'll be back if nothing else than consistency's sake. I'm sure I'll enjoy the sequels as long as I go in with the mindset of just sitting back and being entertained like I did with the first one.

*edit: and since they supposedly said they wanted to keep Barricade around for a sequel, I have my fingers crossed that indeed happens. Barricade FTGDMFW*