Another strong female.

Maybe it's no big deal, but I'm mystified about featuring so many girls in what has historically been categorized as a "boys' brand".  
I wonder if they'll actually appeal to girls/women this time. That would presumably mean less gratuitous shots of the ladies, which is theoretically ONLY possible because of Bay's lack of involvement!   But I suspect they'll make the girls a strong emphasis in the movie, while continuing to sell the toys in the same way...

I think a line of plushies would do well here. And it might not hurt to include a pink transformer somewhere in the movie (rather than a grungy mess of a bot). I guess it's unlikely, but they COULD include Arcee and actually do this right.   I somehow think this will be half-@$$ed, with too many new ideas trying to marry the old conventions.   And by that, I mean I've never seen a Bay TF movie and thought, "Gee, this is fine... but we really need more female actresses running from the explosions!"   Will boys/men be interested in seeing a film headlined by a teen actress?   Who's the actual target audience this time?  

 

Well, that's what we tell ourselves, isn't it Boomhauer?

 

Propane and propane accessories are the right of all sentient beings.

 

That headshot. This woman looks more disappointed than the mom of a kid who switched to a 'gender studies' major.

 

And Ironhide's Clean Burning Fuel.

 

I don't believe making more "girly" merch is necessary. Women who are into TFs already buy the regular TF toys.
What needs to happen is the end of gendering toys in general, tbh. I don't get why everything can't just be neutral.

 

Yeah,it is a male based franchise.

 

Don\'t know too much about her but would love to hear other\'s thoughts on her and the previous work she\'s been on. I get the feeling though she\'s going to be a comedic/humorous character, just a hunch though!

 

As long as she's not eating pot brownies and acting a fool.  

 

Please be a normal mom.
Please be a normal mom.
Please be a normal mom.
PLEASE BE A NORMAL MOM.

 

Do we really need more humans in it? I mean come'on! Some robot members would be welcomed! Soundwave or Barricade, anyone?

 

When your boy is going to college and has a talking car girl watcha gonna do?Act a fool!!  

Of course and even a cameo of Starscream

 

Maybe even Blackout? I remember a newspaper clipping of an WWII aircraft robot?

 

would all be great choices. would mean that those cons won't die after just being introduced in the film  

 

That's my transformer! I don't know you!

 

So then it needs male actors - boys look to boys, not girls, for emulation and inspiration. A strong male actor would bring boys to the theater. A strong female actress? We're looking at girls and old weirdo's!  

The goal of these things is to sell toys, right? So I'm scratching my head about the female-dominant casting thus far.

I don't think girls will ruin the movie! Not at all. I just wonder, from a selling-toys point of view, how this will help the brand...

 

You're absolutely right... for a free-thinking "radical".

I'm not talking about enlightened individuals, though - I'm talking about the MASSES. And you know the dumb masses.

Girls don't typically gravitate to TFs. And that's because it's 99% male humans and TFs. That's something even Hasbro would be aware of, as the only times they've really included females was at the request of TV execs (or the occasional writer). They specifically align the brand with male interests - that's the focus. And yes, they do net some women, too. But that's more of a bonus than an effort, right?

So if you put more girls in a TF movie, you are consciously trying to make the brand appeal more to girls, right? And girls like certain things: that's not sexism, it's a genetic drive to particular things. For example, girls tend to enjoy socializing a lot more than men. Tea parties are what little girls do, NOT little boys - that's not sexist imprinting by the parents! It's actually a genetic thing (i.e. you don't have to push a boy to be more aggressive, or push a girl to be more social - these things tend to happen on their own, without a parent's values coming into the equation). But don't take that to mean that girls are not allowed to like boy things or be aggressive! I just mean that there's a genetic pattern in place for the behavior and interests of each gender.

Hasbro's job is to capitalize on these difference, whether they be natural or enforced by our society. And selling TFs like normal is NOT the way to get girls to buy. Look at how well the NERF REBELLE line did! Hasbro re-packaged "boy" toys to be more appealing to girls, and it WORKED.

You're saying girls still buy Boy Nerf, and you are right. But not enough buy them. Not like they bought Rebelle. So it's an inevitability: for TFs to sell to girls, Hasbro has to change them in a way that will appeal to the most girls.

Anyway, the point is that you can't sell a watch to a man in the same way you sell it to a woman. Beer gets advertised to each gender in different ways. Or, if not beer, cigarettes are a better example - completely different advertisements (and techniques).

 

I think you're overthinking these castings. Adlon's just playing a mom who will be a supporting role at best. Yes, the film has female main character but the main draw of the film will be Bumblebee. That's who's toys Hasbro will market to boys (and kids regardless of gender) along with any other TF's toys. Little boys (which for the first three films included me) didn't watch the films because they gave a shit about Sam/Cade's journey. The watch them because they cared about the robots. Which is also what the producers at Paramount should get through their thick skulls.

 

Oh, yeah, I forgot about the dumb masses.
Eh, it's just all so weird the more I think about it. Society is weird.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to seeing what Pamela's character will be like. Hopefully she's not a copy of Sam's mom.

 

Yeah, sorry my reply got long!  

I'm curious to see what they do in this new movie. The claim is that the new direction was decided BEFORE TLK? But I have trouble believing that... except that it's a non-numbered, non-sequel, so could be. Given how badly TLK did, it's easy to believe this BB movie will be successful (low investment cost + decent/good box office return = SUCCESS).

But I still say they should cast a little BOY in the main role. Because they're selling these toys to little boys.