Transformers 2 writers confirmed?

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Nevermore
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Transformers 2 writers confirmed?

Post by Nevermore »

Looks like Kurtzman and Orci are back. This time they will be backed up by Ehren Kruger.

http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6372
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Post by Wildrider »

I'm glad, if it isn't broken, then don't fix it.

It seems as the new guy is a regular writing partner for those two so it looks promising that his addition will be a positive one.

Looking forward to it!
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Lets just hope they don't **** up Star Trek in the mean time...
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Post by Brimstone »

Damn. The writing, imho, was the weakest link in the first movie. I was hoping for a change there.

But hey, so long as Bay keeps allowing the actors to ad lib (so that the script isn't as bad) then okay. :)
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Post by stoltobot »

The first movie was a proof of concept. Yes, it worked great without a script. Yes, you can do a movie with a crappy script. Now that Hollywood knows this much, lets try and spend all that good money on good things.
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Post by Aardvark »

Originally posted by inflatable dalek
Lets just hope they don't **** up Star Trek in the mean time...

It would be pretty difficult for them to **** up something that's sickeningly awful already. :p

Watchmen on the other hand -- that worries me.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Originally posted by Aardvark
Watchmen on the other hand -- that worries me.
Mmmm, people just need to admit when something simply can't be filmed*...


* = Obviously not literally, but not fitted into a 2-3 hour film...
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Post by Halfshell »

I think you can get away with Watchmen as a two and a half hour film... a lot of it hangs on the structuring of a pre-credit expository sequence... can't really see it being done without a scrolling text intro.

And the Mars stuff is just gonna seem odd, tbh.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Originally posted by Aardvark

Watchmen on the other hand -- that worries me.


It's those Oirish episdoes of Voyager that upset you isn't it? Let it go...
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Post by Angus »

Originally posted by Brimstone
Damn. The writing, imho, was the weakest link in the first movie. I was hoping for a change there.


My thoughts exactly.
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Post by Aardvark »

Originally posted by Brendocon
I think you can get away with Watchmen as a two and a half hour film... a lot of it hangs on the structuring of a pre-credit expository sequence... can't really see it being done without a scrolling text intro.


I agree -- but I can't see Orciman coming anywhere near to pulling it off. With such great source material, I wouldn't mind if large chunks of the original dialogue were "borrowed". Good, non-internal narration could work well -- not Alan Moore, mind. Seeing him read his own stuff is truly cringe-worthy.
Originally posted by dalek
It's those Oirish episdoes of Voyager that upset you isn't it? Let it go...


Perhaps, but what I really had in mind was all the horrible incarnations (Including especially the original series), of such a dreadful franchise and their respective annoying/ uninteresting characters, boring plots/dialogue, crap aliens, etc. Bonus **** points go to The Next Generation for having Whoopi Goldberg and Data -- not that that's even the worst series. Far from it. That honour goes to Voyager for having that smug, balding hologram doctor -- the one that looks like a right prick. Coach Cutlip, I believe. And the fans -- oh Jesus, the fans...
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Post by trilobitepictures »

This'll make things interesting, I'm sure...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/29/movie ... ref=slogin
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Originally posted by Aardvark

Perhaps, but what I really had in mind was all the horrible incarnations (Including especially the original series), of such a dreadful franchise and their respective annoying/ uninteresting characters, boring plots/dialogue, crap aliens, etc. Bonus **** points go to The Next Generation for having Whoopi Goldberg and Data -- not that that's even the worst series. Far from it. That honour goes to Voyager for having that smug, balding hologram doctor -- the one that looks like a right prick. Coach Cutlip, I believe. And the fans -- oh Jesus, the fans...


Oh Voyager is amazingly bad (as is [i}Enterprise, sadly as it wasted a decent cast unlike Voyager).

Surely TNG and DS9 deserve points for O'Brian putting the first ever Irishman into space? Plus there was that episode the BBC banned for Data saying the Irish eventually blow England up or somesuch...
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Post by Halfshell »

Originally posted by Aardvark
I agree -- but I can't see Orciman coming anywhere near to pulling it off.
Me neither, it's a narrative minefield. But then their work on Alias suggests they're at least capable of pulling off The Twist(s).
With such great source material, I wouldn't mind if large chunks of the original dialogue were "borrowed".
I'd expect nothing less than the bulk of the dialogue to stay intact.
Good, non-internal narration could work well
First person narrative segments could be workable. Though the whole chapter seen through Rorschach's eyes will be effectively worthless unless the actor's unrecognisable in his prior unmasked scenes...
not Alan Moore, mind. Seeing him read his own stuff is truly cringe-worthy.
Not really a danger, though, is it?

Oh, and Star Trek (and its fanbase) should be burnt. Or fired into space, like in that episode of Futurama.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Watchmen I'm hoping will be roughly akin to Dracula- a book you'd never be able to do a straightforward film adaption of but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to get something very good out of the material (of course, there's as many bad Dracula films as good ones...).
Originally posted by Brendocon


First person narrative segments could be workable. Though the whole chapter seen through Rorschach's eyes will be effectively worthless unless the actor's unrecognisable in his prior unmasked scenes...
It's a bit like the problem any adaption of Judge Dredd would face- even if you cast an absolute unknown who's never acted in anything before they'll still be doing the interview circuit and that as it comes up to release. Your idea is actually the best solution- have him in disguise as the board man so the mature of the twist changes slightly- Not "So that's Rorschach!" but "So he was Rorschach as well!".


Oh, and Star Trek (and its fanbase) should be burnt. Or fired into space, like in that episode of Futurama.


As a random aside it's good to see about half a dozen or so familar names on the credits for BSG so far (well, just the ones I've noticed behind the scenes) that have made the transition from Trek. It's good to see George Hurtzle has got rid of the mullet after all these years. I'm now absolutely confident the chief Cylon will be Jeffrey Combs.

Seriously though, if you like BSG you'll enjouy DS9, it's damn near enough made by the same people... It also makes season 6 of 24 more fun.
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Post by Pun-3X »

UGH! It was the writing that was so horrendous in the movie. I can get used to Bay, but I was truly hoping they'd get better script writers this time. Brimstone had it--it really was the weakest point of the last movie. I was hoping for better this time. I honestly don't know where Kruger is going to add to it, though.
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Post by Housewife2000 »

I'm surprised at the negative reactions - I thought the movie was surprisingly well written. I had really low expectations going in - I haven't enjoyed a Bay movie since The Rock, and none of the writers' previous efforts grabbed me. But I really thought they nailed the Amblin style 80's movie feel, and Shia was great - the whole Witwickey family had me in hysterics.

It's a long way from perfect, but there's a hell of a lot of compromises that have to be made to do a mainstream blockbuster with giant talking robots, and I think the balance was made. Sure there are faults: Prime has too much exposition; the hacker subplot feels like a leftover from an earlier draft; and Jazz is easily the most hateable character since Wheelie, but I'd easily put the script on a par with Jurassic Park for massively enjoyable hokum.

Besides, on a project of this scale, the writers are merely cogs in a bigger machine, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. If Spielberg and Bay decide on a particular direction, that's where the writers follow.
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Post by Pun-3X »

The writers just didn't have a good sense of skill in my opinion. In fact, it was lacking on quite a few levels. I tend to blame the fact that because so much money was spent on just MAKING the tf models they had to 'fill in' the rest of the movie. Sorry, but it feels like that.

The saving grace in the last film was in three parts: Shia Lebouf, Bay's enjoyment for ad-libbing (Which Shia seemed to excel at, or at least that was the impression I got) and the fact that there were awesome-looking giant robots in it kicking each other's ass (thank god for ILM--and credit to Michael Bay for approving/choosing/whatevering the designs---except Stasrcream)

THIS movie's saving grace may just be (hopefully) their ability to show more of the Transformers themselves, since they've already got a few models pre-built. That means less time and money on constructing the few new characters they might need, and more on actually showcasing them. THEN, the script might not matter so much. Except to people like me, who prefer smart action films. (And there is such a thing).

The one downfall for this movie, is this possible strike next year. Even if it doesn't happen, it'll force the studio to 'rush' things, and I'm betting quality will be sacrificed from it. We just won't know if it'll be unnoticeable or bad.
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