Don Murphy has posted a progress update about the upcoming Transformers Movie <a href="http://www.d13satellite.com/donmurphy/showthread.php?s=&postid=366131#post366131" target="_blank">on his message board</a>:

-Michael and Ian toured Toronto- not sure.
-They toured Boston- probably a no.
The feeling was Boston seemed SMALL for what we wanted
-They worked on the budget- the lower number is within reach.
-Michael, Roberto and Alex continue to make the third act grow and prosper.
-Dreamworks and Paramount continue to merge and mesh and figure out how it all works.
-No voice actors yet. Ian gets it. Tom gets it now, at least for Cullen and Welker. The other producer who I seldom mention resists.
-We are approaching the gate- while the film COULD, you understand, still not happen, it is looking very very good that it will.
until someone says ACTION any movie can crash
It happened last September on COOL BREEZE

 

Sounds good so far.

 

So we are 75% of the way to getting Cullen and Welker, sounds good to me!

 

Love the news on Cullen & Welker. Kick that other producer's ass!! I still have bad feelings about the possibility of this film NOT getting made....or maybe it's those burritos I ate for lunch.

 

Yeah really, what's this crap about some nobody producer who doesn't want Cullen and Welker?

And heaven help Hasbro if this movie doesn't get made....

 

Damn on boston. Still, the VA news is good.

 

I wonder why the 3rd producer refuses. The big draw on the movie isn't which celebrity is doing voice acting, you have human characters for celebrities, and if the special effects are incredible, who cares ?

Besides, Cullen and Welker are professionals. So Joe Nobody next door doesn't know who they are. A lot of celebrities can't voice act anyways..

 

Excellent V/A news! Casual and hardcore fans will definitely appreciate the talents of Cullen and Welker in this film if they in fact do make the cut. How this impacts the casual moviegoer remains to be seen, though.

 

The casual movie goer isn't going to care. As long as they remember to get Prime's and Megatron's voices in the ads and trailers, having the original VAs could draw in the people who remember TFs from their childhoods.

I can still see somebody critizing the movie, because "Prime sounds like the evil KITT from Knight Rider." You know that somebody will do it.

Now, if somebody could please explain why people in Hollywood are so resistant to using voice actors for voice acting work.

 

I think the 3rd producer is actually.......Alf. Hes had it out for the Transformers since day one.

 

I'm with you on that one. K.A.R.R was awesome!

 

That third producer is obviously going along with the "hollywood notion" of big named actors with recognizable voices being a bigger draw. Sure, it would be awesome for fans to hear the original VA's but the producers of the movie gotta think about the money potential too.

 

Hmmm, I wonder why we got that comment about the possibility of the movie not getting made? I haven't heard Don say anything like that before and there HAS been a fair amount of hype surrounding it.

 

Uh, isn't Murphy himself one of the producers? Seldom talks about him? Well sure, he ain't gonna talk about himself  

 

He doesn't seem to talk too much about Speilberg who is also a producer of the film...

 

I'm the minority

IMPO if Welker and Cullen are in the movie.It shouldn't be as voices.It should be done like Stan Lee in the Spiderman movies.As a cameo as background people.

Having them as character voices would be too "fanwanky" for my tastes

Besides I picture Welker more for his work in the What's New Scooby Doo show more then a villain.Most of his present/most recent is with Disney/Scooby 'toons.

And with Cullen he's mainly the voice of Eeyore on Winnie The Pooh.Or other Disney toons

I'd prefer the roles went to people with STRONG,COMMANDING voices

Keith David would make an EXCELLENT Prime.And Jonathan Frakes would make a great Megatron.They both have the deep charismatic voices that would sell the characters more.

 

As much as I would like Cullen and Welker in there reprising their roles, I would have to agree about them having a more Stan Lee-ish type of role. Though the voice acting should be done based on the character, not on what big name actor would 'fit' the role. That being said, Kieth David, yes. Jonathan Frakes . . . um no. He may fit as diabolical businessman on a kids show with gliding stone statues, but he doesn't really fit the bill as Megatron. Frakes is about as appropriate as Vin Diesel for the role.

 

Same with me. which is why I want cullen and welker to voice the characters they helped create. just listen to their performances in the first movie. they're fucking awesome. welker was hit and miss on the show, but he was at the top of his game for the movie. and for prime, come on. "Megatron must be stopped. no matter the cost". listening to that line, THAT is what optimus prime is supposed to be like.

I'm glad don is trying to get the producers on-board for at least the leaders.

 

I agree, Boston would have been sweet. The news on the voice actors though is good though. Although with bigger names doing the voices the movie would appeal to a larger audience than just fan boys and girls, just as long as they don't do something like cast Ben Alflack or Matt Damon to do Optimus or Megatron. I do find it a bit disconcerting that there is mention of the film possibly not being made.

 

It happens,movies get canned before production ALL THE TIME.It happens with Tv show and it happens with movies

Just the nature of the industry

Sorry just watched the first 30 minutes of the movie.Just to listen to Welker and Cullen.I don't see it.Their voices were synthacized to sound deeper then in the toon.But that's due to vocal enhancement.

Welker's too well associated with Scooby show and movies.And Cullen's main work is Eeyore so maybe they don't WANT to work for Transformers anymore.They obviously found their place with Disney and WB toons

Besides TFTM was just a 'toon from the 80's.

Let's say that Don did secure Welker and Cullen.If the movie plot sucks,no amount of fanwank will save it.I won't pay $10 for a ticket or $40 something for the DVD just to hear Cullen and Welker.I WILL pay to see an enjoyable movie.Unfortunately Welker and Cullen won't sell the movie.It's only the minority that'll care

Besides,who's to say that they even really care anymore.Just because the fans or Don want them,doesn't mean they even want to be involved in a bit role.Let alone a staring role

Honestly Cullen and Welker's voices worked for an 80's toon.But this isn't an 80's toon this is a movie MEANT to make money

That's like saying Lou Ferrigno should've played the voice of the Hulk in the recent movie.It worked then but wouldn't work now.

I personally think the fandom is looking through rose colored glasses.Just because their voices worked for the toon DOESN'T mean it'd worked for a live action movie