If you're anything like me, you have completely given up on the next installment of Transformers having even a whiff of plot, and instead you are just going to sit back and enjoy the spectacle. Speaking of, it looks like it's going to be quite the show, too. The keen eyes over Comic2Film noticed that in the Dolby News release for ShoWest 2008, Transformers 2 was listed as a 3D film slated for 2009.

There have been plenty of updates for the film lately, but unfortunately most of them turned out to be smoke and mirrors -- just ask Teresa Palmer. But, a 3D release could be the real deal, even though we haven't heard a peep from Michael Bay on the matter. Kind of surprising, too, considering he is not the kind of guy who likes to keep quiet about these sorts of things.

Transformers 2 is scheduled to start filming on location in Pennsylvania this June, but everything is going to hinge on whether or not the SAG strike can be averted. A 3D release does make sense if you think about it, especially since the only way to top the FX of the first film is to have them flying off the screen at the audience this time around. (Yay! A monster truck is flying toward me at 150mph! Ain't this fun!)

Weigh in below and let us know if you think 3D is the way to go for our robotic friends, or will it just be an excuse for Bay to spend even more time on the FX and even less time on the script?

[via Comic2Film]

Whether or not shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force or The Simpsons succeeded in translating their television dynamics to the big screen depends on your point of view, but the release of Speed Racer this weekend raises a more specific question about the viability of turning an animated series into a live action spectacle on the big screen. The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Underdog both suggest how this goal can go wrong -- namely, by imploding on its absurd conceits. You may disagree with the inclusion of some of the following titles, all of which culled their material from animation, but it's fair to say that each of them takes its subject matter at face value, allowing the natural ingredients of the original sources to remain intact. Well, maybe not Super Mario Bros., but that one is a special case (fire away, if you must). Until somebody makes an Animaniacs movie with real actors, I'm sticking to this list.

1. Popeye (1980)

Robert Altman's offbeat ode to the famous Fleisher cartoon starring the spinach-eating strongman and his darling Olive Oil is the great misunderstood work of the director's career. Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall manage to bring utterly ridiculous characters into a realm of believability that you could never imagine when watching the show. Suddenly, Popeye made sense -- goofy, almost surreal sense, but sense nonetheless -- in the real world. Thanks to veteran adult cartoonist Jules Feiffer's screenplay and a soundtrack so catchy Paul Thomas Anderson borrowed from it twenty years later in Punch-Drunk Love, the classic status of Popeye can't be denied.

Things seem to be getting a tad confusing over on the Transformers 2 front. As of now, Michael Bay and his team plan to begin production in early June ... IF there isn't an actor's strike. (I know, another strike -- we're sick of 'em too.) Regardless of what might happen, they still need to cast this monster -- and that's where all this he said/she said is coming into play. Not long ago, Jonah Hill was rumored to be in negotiations for a part opposite Shia LaBeouf, but that's no longer happening. Now, if Michael Bay is to be believed, Australian actress Teresa Palmer is no longer in the film and was never considered in the first place. This is odd, because we were under the assumption that Moviehole (who first reported the casting) actually spoke to Palmer and SHE confirmed her own involvement.

Over on his personal blog, however, Bay denies everything. In a very brief statement, he says: "No we have stopped negotiating with Jonah, and Teresa Palmer was not considered for a role." Um, okay. If you say so. To further complicate the situation, IGN now reports that another Aussie actress, Isabel Lucas, has been cast in the role of Alice in Transformers 2. This bit of news comes via her management agency, Meissner Management, who list the actress as having that role. She's relatively new to the block, and will have parts in the upcoming vampire flick Daybreakers, as well as the HBO miniseries The Pacific.

No official word on Palmer or Lucas, so we'll have to wait and see if Michael Bay has anything to say about these latest rumors. Cute girl, though, I'll give her that.

I can't be the only one who's just a little relieved that Jonah Hill has dropped out of negotiations to star in Transformers 2. Hill is riding high on the comedy wave, and while a big-budget summer flick is always a career booster, it's not like Michael Bay is known for his comedy. According to Entertainment Weekly, "negotiations between Jonah Hill and Dreamworks have broken down, and the Superbad star is no longer expected play a sidekick to Shia LaBeouf in the upcoming sequel from director Michael Bay."

Bay and company are expected to start production on Transformers 2 this summer at the University of Pennsylvania, which fit with early reports that Hill would be playing Sam Witwicky's (LaBeouf) college roommate. Now that Hill is out of the picture, maybe a little co-ed co-habitation could be in his future since Teresa Palmer signed for an unnamed role last week.

There were no details about why Hill chose not to sign on the dotted line, but I'm sure a lot of fans are glad that he did. Unfortunately it's not all good news coming from Hill's people; instead of starring in Transformers 2, he has agreed to appear in the follow-up to A Night at the Museum -- so now I don't know what to think. As crappy as Transformers 2 might turn out to be (and there is a good chance it could be pretty darn crappy), it would definitely be a step up from A Night at the Museum 2. Or maybe not.

What do you think? Should Jonah stick to the simple comedies without all the big-budgeted effects?

Either Erik has missed his calling as a casting agent, or maybe he just knew something we didn't. A few weeks ago, Erik oh-so casually mentioned that Jonah Hill would be perfect for the new comedic sidekick role in Transformers 2. Entertainment Weekly now reports that Hill is in early talks to play sidekick to Shia LaBeouf (early speculation is that he will play LaBeouf's college roommate) in the follow up to the summer blockbuster. I might not have been a big fan of the so-called comedy in the first Transformers flick, but at least if Hill does sign on, he'll be able to pull off some snappy rapport with LaBeouf.

Remember, Transformers 2 is still a Michael Bay film; and as to be expected, the man has not been able to shut up about it. Proving that sometimes too much self-promotion really can be a bad thing. Originally, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Ehren Kruger had been hired to write the script, and the tone was going to be "darker, and moodier." Unfortunately, Bay couldn't keep his hands to himself, and he has since proclaimed that he has written the script, and that it is awesome. Something tells me if Bay is in charge, we are going to have a lot more jokes about robots peeing on each other. If nothing else, it will dovetail nicely with Hill's love of body-fluid humor.

Ooo-wee, that Uwe makes good copy. Happily, those who have responded to the petition to get Uwe Boll to step away from the camera now have more than one force of opposition: a second petition to keep Dr. Uwe in his current line of work. Cinematical's Erik Davis caught the beleaguered Boll's plea for support on April 9, and yet another fan has responded: Lauren Brenner of Greyface Media is the sponsor behind this noble petition: "after all, he's better than that hack Scorsese." Boll couldn't have said it better. (In case you were wondering, the first pro-Boll petition is here, and so far there are almost 4,000 signatures.)

Oh wait, he did: he's not a bleeping retard like Michael Bay, and he isn't making the same bleeping movie again and again like Eli Roth, as the good doctor was saying ... So far, four cineastes have signed this (hopefully 100% on-the-level) petition. Now, are these four names going to count against the 194,000 so far who who have signed the Stop Dr. Uwe Boll Petition? I know those looking for a 2009 release of In the King's Name Again, Already will want to add their email addresses in hopes of being solicited by hapless Nigerian ex-ministers of finance and providers of natural sex herbs. Thanks to Glenn Creamer for this tip.

Which side are you on: Pro Boll or anti Boll?

When an established character or film is finding new life in a remake, I find it very, very rare that I'm ever agreeable, let alone impressed, with who the casting honchos come up with. The last time I oohed, it was over Christian Bale in Batman Begins -- because my friend and I had spent one long car ride casting every superhero with their perfect actor/actress counterpart, and Bale was our Dark Knight pick. But this time, I didn't come up with the replacement, and while it's just a very vague rumor, I wouldn't mind it being fact.

A Cinema Blend source says that Michael Rosenbaum has been lunching with Michael Bay. The assumption: this could mean that he's talking with the director about the upcoming Nightmare on Elm Street remake. It's a huge guess, but it's one I'd be quite happy with. Oh yeah, and Rosenbaum is the baldie Lex Luthor in Smallville.

While I don't watch the show, I can completely see the actor take over Robert Englund's shoes -- and this is coming from someone who adores the series -- ever since I found my kid self at a Just the Ten of Us taping with a whole slew of Nightmare cast members. I loved the humor mashed in with creepiness and some absolutely ridiculous deaths -- like Brooke Theiss' demise by bug.

I think Rosenbaum could make it work, but what do you think?

Only one short day ago, talk surfaced of a bidding war that was taking place over Roland Emmerich's latest flick, 2012. Emmerich had presented the flick to various studio bosses and let's just say they liked what they saw. Cut to one day later and Variety reports that Sony has emerged victorious, and they are now the proud new owners of Emmerich's apocalyptic flick.

2012 was inspired by the Mayan doomsday prophecy that some unspecified 'change' was afoot and as a result, the world would come to an end in 2012. Emmerich wasn't the first person to come up with the idea of making a movie out of this story. Michael Bay had also made some moves towards his own flick based on a book by Communion scribe, Whitley Strieber. Heck, even Nickelodeon got in on the action and pitched a kiddie version of the end of the world story. But we haven't heard a peep out of those projects, so it looks like Emmerich's film might be the only one left standing, especially since Bay is hard at work on Transformers 2.

So despite what you might think of some of his earlier endeavors, Emmerich does have the distinction of being one of the few filmmakers that can finance a film on his own terms before even approaching the studios. This is probably what makes him so very popular with the bosses. 2012 is still a long way off (it will hit during the summer of 2009), so if you can't wait to watch Emmerich blow something up, at least you can look forward to March 7th when 10,000 B.C hits theaters.

I don't want to be mean, but if Roland Emmerich wants to keep the buzz going on his sci-fl flick 2012, he'll be lucky if he gets to make a deal before the advance reviews for 10,000 B.C. start flooding in. Variety reports that the "doomsday" director has started a bidding war for his next project; the apocalyptic adventure flick 2012. The film will be based on the Mayan doomsday prediction that the world is set to end in 2012.

The whole 'end of the world' thing seems as popular as ever; Nickelodeon is even toying with the idea of a kid's flick that uses that same premise (c'mon kids, let's head to movies and watch civilization become extinct!) Last spring, Michael Bay had also considered directing a film based on the book, 2012: The War for Souls by Whitley Streiber for Warner Bros. Emmerich's project, however similar it might seem, will not be using Streiber's book. Instead, his spec script was written in collaboration with Harald Kloser, who also worked with Emmerich on B.C.

According to Variety's sources, "Studio toppers read the script Tuesday, and indications are that nearly all of them were interested enough to meet with Emmerich and reps Wednesday to hear his budget projection and creative aspirations." Of course, you can't help but wonder if the studios desperation for new projects in the wake of the writer's strike might be the source of their enthusiasm. Well that, and the fact that like it or not, Emmerich seems to be able to rake in the box office. Never underestimate the power of a good opening weekend, I guess.

How do you think Emmerich will destroy New York City in this one?

Well now that we know Michael Bay has already written the script for Transformers 2, it's about time we hear from that film's star, Shia LaBeouf, and see whether he's ready to go from Indiana Jones back to fighting giant f**king robots. The young star spoke to Empire recently, and seems to be pretty far along in preparations for the sequel. He says, "I know of a few things I have to work on for the next one. I've seen pre-vizes of the action scenes and I just saw Michael yesterday. It's going to be bad-ass. We're not making another one unless it is, and Mike is definitely not resting on his laurels - he's doing insane shit again. And the pre-vizes that I've seen... it's just massive. If the first one was any indicator of how massive massive can be, this is going to blow that out of the water. It's insane."

Massive? Insane? Hmm, doesn't sound like the quiet character piece we were all expecting. Shia continued, "Mike's mind was just kind of made for this - it's amazing. There's going to be a lot more characterizations with the robots, which I'm excited about. I was a fan of Transformers before the movie came out. And there's going to be a lot of action...That goes unsaid, I guess." The characterizations of the robots is a good thing, because I didn't know who the hell was who in the first film. This time around, I want them to cry -- I want the robots to sit around a campfire and share intimate details with one another. Surprisingly, Empire didn't ask whether Shia would get to roll around in the dirt with Megan Fox again. If not, though, I imagine they'll have someone just as hottie in there as a substitute. Transformers 2: Michael Bay Kicks it Up a Massive Notch is currently scheduled to arrive in the summer of 2009.

As much as Michael Bay's films attract the mass audience, and as much he knows all the right ingredients that go into selling lots of tickets, it still doesn't take away from the fact that he's an arrogant jackass. I hate watching this man speak. If I had one wish, it would be for Michael Bay to just shut up -- for him to hide in a corner, direct his huge blockbusters and then when someone asks him a question, for the guy to politely say, "Sorry, I don't like to talk much ... but this was for the fans." But the fact is -- Michael Bay loves to shoot his mouth off. He's the guy who everyone loved (but secretly hated) in high school. He's the guy who probably has several different mirrors in his bedroom. He's the guy who listens to those tapes in the car, then repeats to himself, "I am awesome. I am the greatest person in the world. Nothing can stop my awesomeness."

And it's no surprise to learn that Bay has already written the script for Transformers 2 himself, only to run out and brag about how awesome he is to Rotten Tomatoes. The WRITER-director recently told RT: "I've been writing Transformers 2. We've got our characters all designed. I always write all my scripts, my movies anyway so at least I've got something to give the writers. It's like a template. We have a really good outline so I worked on that. We had to because I want to make my date. I'm not going to let the strike take me down." Of course you wouldn't -- you're Michael Bay. And thanks, Michael, for having something to give ... the WRITERS. Because without you, what would the writers write? They'd be writing in circles. "A Transformer? What's that? How do we write it? What's a robot? Oh good, Michael already wrote it for us!"

Look, I'm sure he's not the only director (or actor, or actress) to work on a script either before or after the writer's have it in their hands. But I can't help but think that, if it were up to Bay, he'd put himself in every role, then re-title the film to read: Michael Bay is Michael Bay in ... Michael Bay. Thankfully that hasn't happened ... yet.

Note: Sorry for the rant, I just can't stand egomaniacs.

I'm actually glad we sat on this story a bit today, because now more info has come out of the CES show in Las Vegas. First off, the London Financial Times reported that Paramount was preparing to follow Warner Bros. and drop HD-DVD to sign an exclusive deal with Blu-ray. Should such a move take place, it would leave Universal all alone in the HD-DVD camp, and most likely signal an end to this long, hard-fought format war. How could Paramount do this? Would they be breaking a contract with HD-DVD? According to sources, there's a clause in Paramount's contract that states if Warners goes Blu-ray, they would have the option to do the same. So did Paramount leave? Was there a huge announcement today?

YES! Only it was a different kind of an announcement from Paramount. Basically, they denied all rumors and issued the following statement: "We are still supporting HD DVD." Ah, but then later on in the day, Paramount said they would not be announcing the titles of future HD-DVDs during the CES conference. Hmm. They're sticking with HD-DVD, but they refuse to announce future titles? Seems a bit ... sketchy.

I know what you're about to ask, so let me beat you to the punch -- what does Michael Bay (who, you might remember, threw up a stink when Transformers came out in only HD-DVD) think of all this? Am I right? That's what you were thinking, right? Well, following the Warner Bros. announcement, Bay had this to say over on his official site: "Well another studio down. Maybe I was right? Blu ray is just better. HD will die a slow death. It's what I predicted a year ago. Now with Warner's down for the count with Blu Ray. That makes it easier for Wal-Mart to push Blu Ray. And whatever Wal-Mart pushes - wins. Hd better start giving out those $120 million dollars checks to stay alive. Maybe they can give me some so I can give it to my Make-A-Wish charity, just to shut me up. Have faith people Transformers will come out in Blu-ray one day!"

So how long before Paramount and Universal give in and switch teams?

Ever since The Hollywood Reporter commented on the "as-yet-unslotted" release date for Transformers 2, the entire online community was buzzing with rumors the film had officially been delayed. While director Michael Bay continues to leave cryptic fanboy-ish messages on his blog ("Transformers 2 is coming soon!!!!"), IESB managed to sit down with robot producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura to get the real scoop on where, exactly, the highly-anticipated sequel is at right now.

When asked whether they had a start date in mind to begin shooting, Bonaventura said they were currently targeting June 2. Seems pretty reasonable; things should be going along as planned, right? No so fast ... Bonaventura also claims work still has to be done on the script -- a lot of work, it appears -- and that cannot happen until the strike is over and done with. He says, "We're no where because of the strike, we won't know until we come back. We have a very fine outline and we know exactly where we want go with the movie but until this writers strike comes back, we'll find out exactly where we are. Michael is completely on top of every detail. He's designed a lot of great stuff already. He's got a lot of great sequences imagined but you know, he needs some writers to work with before he's ready to go, so I would say June 2nd is an unofficial start, it's the target date we'd like to go for but, you know, we've got to get some writers to help us."

Bonaventura was also asked about the sequel's budget, but didn't divulge much except for saying that "Michael wants to deliver a bigger experience for everybody." Am I the only one afraid of Michael Bay wanting to deliver a "bigger" anything? So there you have it: They're working on it, but until the strike is over, not much can be done.

Director Michael Bay stopped by his official blog to wish fans a happy new year and, at the same time, plug his upcoming sequel to last summer's Transformers flick. Oh yeah. According to Bay, "Transformers 2 will be coming soon, " and "the new robots are really really unique and there are a lot of them this time." Here's hoping they are unique, because one of the main problems I had with the first film was that aside from Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and a couple others, I couldn't tell who the hell was who. I'm not quite sure more robots is the answer, but more clearly defined robots would be nice.

As far as release dates go for Transformers 2, the entire online world went all nutty recently when The Hollywood Reporter listed Transformers 2 with an "as-yet-unslotted" release date. This, of course, goes against reports that the much-anticipated sequel had already been given a June 26th, 2009 release date. I wouldn't worry about this too much; that June 26th date was never really concrete, and the writer's strike will most likely determine whether we actually get a Transformers sequel in 2009 or 2010. Either way, this is a top priority over at DreamWorks and the film will happen eventually ... even if Michael Bay has to write it himself. Finally, below you'll find a video of the one thing I'd like to see in Transformers 2 (for obvious reasons). Enjoy.

Director Michael Bay has one message for all us movie bloggers out there: It's on! In a recent Variety article that talked about which productions were gearing up for pre-strike work, Transformers 2 was mentioned as being "far enough along to proceed with pre-production, location scouting and advance VFX work, but will face serious issues if the strike continues for several months." Right now, production is supposed to begin in June, and they're eying a June 2009 release date, but whether or not they'll make it depends on all this strike nonsense. Keep in mind, once the writers are done, there's still negotiating with the directors and actors whose contracts expire at the end of May. But Michael Bay isn't thinking strike right now -- instead, he's thinking of ways to throw off an internet community that strives on leaking information early.

You'll remember that Bay and company dealt with plenty of early leaks on the first Transformers film, so much so that Paramount even had a few sites temporarily shut down due to their publishing of movie photos. But Bay claims he's ready to handle it now, and when he spoke with Rotten Tomatoes recently, he said: "One thing I do know is I know how to screw them up more... We're going to leak a lot of false information all over the place. I now know their game. They're going to get a lot of script treatments that they think are going to be the script. They will never see the script. We've got scripts and treatments written up that we're going to leak. No one's going to know. There's one out that's fake right now. There are going to be many others." Are you scared yet, oh Internet? Michael Bay is all up in yo grill -- whatcha gonna do about it? Funny thing is, the script leaks are small potatoes -- personally, I'd like to know how Bay plans to control the photo leaks. Will he quietly pay for internet secrecy by inviting a bunch of websites to lunch? Heck, it worked for one guy ...

[via JoBlo]