Even if Transformers 4 does happen, eventually I am certain that we will see a new continuity of TF films made, perhaps in a decade or so or even sooner. My question is: what concepts do you want to see included in a new adaptation of Transformers? Which concepts would you carry over from the previous films, or any previous continuities? What brand new things would you like to see attempted? This is not about what specific characters you would like to see, but your opinion on the style of a new movieverse. I would definitely keep the complex and intricate nature of the designs, for the most part. I thought most of the designs were genius. However, some changes I would make include having more recognizable vehicle parts present on the robot modes. A lot of the shells bend and twist in ways which make the designs look cool but sometimes form a disconnect from the alt mode. I like the varied nature of the faces as well, but I would like all the characters to have clear mouths. I would also continue having the Decepticons look insect like as opposed to the humanoid Autobots, but add a bit more personality to some of the nondescript insect designs. I would keep the human involvement at a reasonably high level but I would decrease the role of the military. I would like to see action sequences which push the limits of the franchise by taking a cue from the ROTF game: incorporating transformations into combat. Jazz transforming onto Brawl to attack him was wicked cool in the first movie. Something DOTM did really well was having an undoubtedly robot centric story. However, I am torn on some long standing concepts from previous series. I am not sure how well a Teletraan 1/base would translate to a live action film. As robots in disguise I like the idea of Autobots on the run. I also am torn about Decepticon characterization: I really think Orci was right when he said villains feel more threatening the less they speak. Every Con in TF1 felt like a threat. While fan concerns were addressed by giving Megatron and Starscream plenty of dialogue in the sequels, they didn't feel nearly as threatening as they did in the first film. To make a new series more distinguishable I would aim for a more original cast of characters as opposed to reusing character outlines from previous series. Similar to how Armada used mostly new characters (or, those with exiting names were still different in personality), I would keep key characters like Prime, Megatron, and Starscream and perhaps give Ratchet and Ironhide, and maybe even Bumblebee, a rest. These are just a few ideas, and I do have more, but I am curious as to what everyone else has in mind.
No more of this 'TFs being harmed by human weapons' bullshit. Make the designs far more distinguishable from one another. If possible, use Classics/Universe designs with a dash of Alternators. Put a lot of emphasis on the 'robots in disguise' concept, ala IDW's Infiltration. Make the TFs spend lots of time in alt mode and maintaining cover; vehicular combat will be frequent, and transforming into robot mode will usually be a last resort. Have the TFs frequently use their holoavatars as a form of interaction with humans (this will allow for character development and characterization, while saving on robot CGI and hence budget). No more of this Cybertronian 'it's a tank just because we say it is' alt mode nonsense. Coherent, easily identifiable alt modes only. Maximum of seven robots per side. Maximum of three main human characters. Plenty of robot dialog, including on the Decepticon side (this whole 'virtually mute villains' thing is bogus). Good writing, please. Bring in someone who really knows their TF lore and treats the franchise with respect. Someone like Furman, Forward, Isenberg or Roche.
Nachtsider has a lot of the same thoughts as me, actually. Anyways, as for story, I'd probably focus on some of the more iconic characters, but mix in obscure characters so as to bring more attention to them. The story would revolve around Megatron tightening his grip on the universe. Earth has been wrapped in his grasp, but the Earthlings are blissfully unaware. In the background, Megatron is manipulating the Earth's resources, governments, etc. the Autobots are pinned down, and do not know about what Megatron is doing. A single Autobot, Hot Shot, has discovered the plans of Megatron. Megatron sends his bounty hunter, Lockdown to track down Hot Shot, so he does not relay to Optimus Prime. Hot Shot eventually reaches the Autobot base on the other side of the galaxy. He tells Optimus Prime of the tightening grip on Earth, only to have Lockdown drop down from the ceiling and kill him. Optimus Prime engages Lockdown, only to have him escape in the Death's Head. The Autobots follow him to Earth to ensure Megatron does not have yet another installation of his will.
I want actually most of it changed. Transformers should not look like trashed crap or crapped trash, humans should be more dependent on the help of the Autobots and they should shoot beams and not projectiles, everything should be more close to the source. Make it so it feels like Transformers and don't just slap the name on something that could have been something entirely else about transforming robots. edit: Nachtsider has it right there. Full ack.
Hopefully we'll get a director who doesn't keep using his own stupid ideas, regardless of whether or not there's a writer. I know it may not happen but I love filling out wish-lists anyway so here goes... Bulkhead - Loved him in Animated and he's my favorite Autobot in Prime. Breakdown - While I do like his bulkier build and armored vehicle mode in Prime, I'd rather see him as a sports car or SUV. Air Raid Wheeljack - Don't say "oh, we have Q though"; he was another disgrace IMO in DOTM. Barely any dialogue and practically thrown away. Mirage - I don't care if he's got "Dino"'s bot mode, I just want to see more of him dammit. Thundercracker and Skywarp Rumble - I've always liked the idea that he could be a bulkier version of Frenzy, complete with piledrivers of sorts. Warpath Arcee - The three sisters in ROTF were a disgrace and, yes, I'll say it: Bay seems to be sexist as they had hardly any lines and got killed-off easily As far as plot? Meh, I don't know. If it's a continuation of the trilogy, maybe the bots I mentioned above can continue to wage their war without the three main Decepticons. I'd like to see a battle on something other than Earth for once. An awesome space battle perhaps. We never even got a good dogfight in the Bayverse. And if the new movies are indeed a reboot, I've got nothing.
That's exactly how I would love TF4 but the only problem is that Megatron/Ironhide would have to remain dead.
Really not much from the movie universe I'd want to save because it seems like there are better examples of the character somewhere else that would be better to pull from. Beast Wars Megatron is just so much cooler than movie Megatron, Transformers Prime Starscream is just such a better smirking scheming back stabbing bastard, Prime from Transformers Prime just hits all the noble wise notes better, and I liked the humor of Lugnut and Blitzwing over the movie humor. I'd like a plot better than search for the magical McGuffin because that is the only way the bad guys can win. Really want to drop the idea that humans can take down Transformers because humans vastly out number the number of Decepticons you could ever use in a film. Even though logically I know the good guys will win I still want that feeling of the bad guys could win so that the Autobots seem like even bigger heroes for winning the fight they should have lost. Oh and a better plan for stop the bad guys than just lets kill off enough Decepticons to call it an ending. Any hack writer can end a story with the bad guy dies so I want to see something more creative because there are Decepticon fans who want to see their side as more than canon fodder.
^This. I've said this to almost everything you say because your right about the things i want. My only changes though. No Civilian humans as protagonists well maybe one but he or she joins the soldiers at the end. Have the Bad guys win a movie in a sequel. 3 show more human villains like rogue terrorist factions. Think Mech but as a country like Russia, North Korea like in teh IDW comics. One Last thing. Don't make it a car commercial. Pick vehicles that suit the Transformers best. ^This as well.
With the exception of the first point, pretty much this. And the only reason I don't agree with the first point isn't because I want to see TF's get hurt or killed by buzzsaws or shotguns - I just feel that humans indeed have enough substantial weaponry that could (and should) be able to at least harm a TF in the right scenario. IE: if a missile hits a TF in the head, yeah, it's probably gonna do some damage. I never liked how easy TF's went down in the movies but I also never liked how they could withstand ANYTHING thrown at them in a lot of the comics. There has to be a balance imo. In addition to Nach's list, I'd add: - No more instant trans-scanning nonsense. It was simply too convenient in the movies and left the door too open wondering why these things don't just scan a new vehicle every second day to always remain truly in disguise. I'd even like to see some characters bitching about their new inferior and/or limited capability Earth alt modes. - All characters presence or absence is clearly explained. No more 'new guys who just showed up' or 'old guys who suddenly disappeared' crap. - No more mystical ANYTHING. Fine, keep the Allspark or Matrix cruxes, but make them technologically explicable rather than existential deux machina plot devices. - No more 'turn into whatever the hell they want to' transformations ala Laserbeak in DOTM. Between that and Brain's so-called alt mode that didn't match his bot mode design at all, these things were more like robots that simply morphed than what we typically know as Transformers. - No more allowing the director to name characters whatever he wants for 'his' movies when it completely contradicts the names that Hasbro are throwing on millions of pieces of merchandise. - Maintain the key trademarks of characters while giving them their updated movie designs. IE: If you're calling that character Sideswipe, then keep him red and a sports car. If you're calling that character Soundwave, then keep him primarily blue and synthesize his voice. Basically, follow the lead of what they did RIGHT with the movie designs of Shockwave, Ravage, Long Haul, etc. where we knew exactly who those characters were without it needing to be spelled out. - And enough with tying Transformers to massive past human/Earth related events. It was sort of clever when they linked the discovery of Megatron to our entry into the entire technological age through reverse engineering and why the Hoover Dam was built, but it got seriously old quick as each movie also linked how/why we got the Egyptian pyramids, that Transformers have been running around here since caveman days, that they've been hiding out as far back as when the first bike was built, that they're the reason the States had a space race with Russia, that they may or may not have had a direct hand in the Chernobyl disaster, etc. It's just too much and WAY too convenient that this single alien race from millions of light years away keeps crashing/landing here over & over & over & over again, yet none of them seem to know anything about Earth upon their arrivals. - No more beeping R2-Bee2 crap. Three movies and an entire new show with it is more than enough.
I'd also keep the complex aesthetic, but would try place greater emphasis on making any character based on preexisting ones look more recognizable in the same vein as Optimus, Shockwave, Jazz, and Long Haul. On that note, I'd also avoid making the Decepticons looking too insectizoid. Not getting rid of that aspect entirely, just making it more subtle. I'd keep Bumblebee a muscle car of some sort, but drop the mute angle. As well as keeping Optimus as a long nose truck, but with his traditional colors. I'd give the military a smaller role. Probably just condense that part of the story into an Agent Folwer-type character. I'd reevaluate the the impact of human weaponry against the Decepticons. Small arm fire should be pretty much useless. Heavy duty stuff like tank shells can do some damage, but can't outright kill them. Even then, a lot would be needed to actually do so. A 6-7 bot limit per side sounds right. Optimus, Megatron, Bumblebee, and Starscream are the must haves . Soundwave definately needs to be around, and Ratchet is a logical as the medic and Optimus' confidant. I'd keep the Witwicky's around. Maybe take a que from the Marvel Comics both Spike and Buster both playing a role. Probably also bring back Carly and introducing Chip Chase.
