November 4, 2009 | by Rob Keyes 

How To Go Bigger With Transformers 3: Unicron

transformers 3 - unicron

You Transformers fans know what I’m talking about when you see the name “Unicron.”

That’s right. If you thought Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen was a massive convoluted mess of nonsense and wasted… well, everything, coated in a big pile of explosions and sometimes-awkward visuals, then you’ve seen nothing yet. How can you introduce and misuse even bigger characters for Transformers 3 after what happened with Devastator and many others in Revenge of the Fallen?

Well, you introduce the Death Star Transformer!

For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, Unicron was the antagonist character introduced in the 1986 animated Transformers: The Movie. He’s so big that he transforms into a mechanical planet, or as Obi-Wan Kenobi would describe, “that’s no moon.”

I’ll try to be as brief as possible in describing Unicron’s role in that movie and how it could tie into Michael Bay’s film series. In the 1986 cartoon movie, Unicron made a deal with the dying and betrayed Megatron (betrayed by Starscream) and offered to give him a new body (becoming Galvatron) in exchange for his efforts in destroying the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. Sound familiar? That Matrix was in Revenge of the Fallen and was the device that The Fallen sought out and sent Megatron after to destroy humanity with that big-ass machine.

In Transformers lore, The Fallen worked for Unicron so perhaps that’s the pattern of the movies: We think Megatron is the leader, we then find out The Fallen is his leader. We think The Fallen is the leader, we then find out Unicron is the leader?

The reason I bring this up is that videos have been popping up online for bonus features that were included on the DVD and Blu-ray releases of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on October 20th, one of which (Thanks to Cinema Blend for the find) was a hidden Easter Egg featuring Michael Bay joking around about Transformers 3 with pictures of Unicron in the background.

Note the cliches and Bay making fun of himself: doesn’t have to be all “action action action,” could be more emotional, darker?

The video is meant as a joke and a tease for the hardcore fans. It is also already dated as Bay refers to making a slower and smaller movie first then come back to the Transformers franchise? That’s what was originally the plan with Bay seemingly set to work on his personal passion project “Pain & Gain” but then he met with Steven Spielberg to discuss the project in September and shortly thereafter, it was announced that Transformers 3 would be over-rushed into production like its predecessor and that it would be out in 2011.

This Unicron thing could probably happen. Hasbro needs more toys and what better way to do it (in addition to having 100 no-named random background characters) is to kill off the majority of the Cybertronian cast and bring them back with new bodies! Don’t expect them to talk or even be introduced though. They just need to be shown once or twice.

What do you want from Transformers 3? Do you think Michael Bay will go bigger and bring out Unicron the next time around?

Transformers 3 is scheduled to open July 1, 2011 and I hope it gets delayed a few years.

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Tags: pain & gain, transformers, transformers 2, transformers 3,

  • Tony Stark
    Hey, before they even attempt to go bigger with Unicron (let's face it, he came in the movie) - let's notice that the Decepticons have just suffered another defeat at the end of #2. They aren't down and out completely though.

    I think this 3rd installment should go the route of them trying to plunder the various resources earth has to offer, by creating Energon (which they hinted at already) and cubes to try and store and transport back to Cybertron. The writers hopefully went to Generation 1 series for some of the bots, stories and history - and perhaps even various missions they were on and battles they fought against with the Decepticons. Have platoons of Autobots stationed around the world to help all countries in their fight to protect the human race and the innocent..

    They surely need to introduce some of the other Autobots that were part of the Gen 1 series.. Hound (Jeep), Bluestreak (Porsche/Silver), Brawn (conv mini Land Rover?), Cliffjumper (Perhaps a 2010 Mini), Mirage (F1 car) , and Prowl (cop car/Porsche).. I even think Sideswipe's (we need more from him in #3) brother SunStreaker , and make him a Lamborghini please.. please let's try and explore more cars than just Chevy please... You could even introduce the new VOLT like you wanted to do in #2 - as a new character.. name of this TBD., We also need to see Wheeljack !!

    I think if they went with introducing a new civilian "genius" human character on wheels - they could get "chip" in there too, and even perhaps have him work on and or revive Jazz (we all know Jazz was always around and Prime's #2 in command).. why they killed him off - I have no idea.. . Guess someone had to die.. but the Decepti's didn't die, they just were put back together.. Also - what ever happened to some of those guys who took a beating, but were never dropped to sea level?

    Perhaps have units of these bots (now that it all went public to the human race that we are not alone!!) and the Government has solidified the truth that the Autobots are here to help mankind.. and the Decepticons are here to destroy and plunder..

    Need to Keep "B" and Sam together. I mean, he'd be dead without him, so they need to explore his character more.. and he finally needs to talk!! C'mon guys.. he was a chatterbox as a small beetle !

    You could really put a great story together that would stay true to the GEN 1 creation of this fantastic genre, making everyone happy and truly putting a movie together that has some direction, story, involvement..

    Anyone, thoughts? They are always welcome.. !
    Am I going to overboard here?
  • robotics
    "Transformers and GI Joe will be the cash cows for Hasbro for a long time to come"

    i can see this comming most definately...right after we see the 2nd or third installment of GI Joe.. this i want to look forward too
  • Tsaur
    If the 3rd installment is the last of this particular movie line it will be a very sad sad day. I am hoping the fan outcry will not allow this and Michael Bay realizes the special franchise that this is... and realizes too he cant walk away.
  • Chivas
    I understand that a 4,5,6 would be great. But as of right now, from my knowledge there is only going to be a trilogy. After 3 that is it, unless a new team (including director, writers, etc) comes along and decides to take it up. However, as much money as TF2 made, I was ready to hear about a 4 and 5, but I didn't. Maybe if TF3 makes close to what TF2 made, it is possible but we just need to see. As of right now however, after 3 that's it. And again, I am soley confident in a Transformers reboot, but I personally give it 5-7 years. Besides, Transformers is known for having many different universes, unlike Star Wars which only has 1 universe, or Star Trek. Both of these do very well expanding their 1 universe, but Transformers "must" grow and change to live on. I believe this "reboot" of the Star Trek universe with this new movie actually "hurt" Star Trek more than anything else, regardless of the money it made. It's going to suffer in the long run since Star Trek thrived on 1 universe. So knowing Transformers, even if we do see 4,5,6, we will most likely have a reboot many years later as another universe. Thats good! Long live the wonderful world of Transformers.
  • Tsaur
    Your right... it only took 20 years for this G1 to make a movie... im sure there is already a plan to release a reboot mega blockbuster movie soon... *Tsaurcasm
  • M-Cat
    Tsaur

    if you think transformers won't be rebooted then you haven't been paying attention. Transformers and GI Joe will be the cash cows for Hasbro for a long time to come.
  • EdPrime
    Righteous TSaur. Keep the Transformers moving along with 3, 4 and 5. F* all the crap about a reboot. I liked G1 for what it was a great series when I was a kid. You can't realistically bring those same aspects to the big screen these days. It would look ridiculous. Again the franchise failed when the killed Optimus in the G1 movie then brought him back in the series cartoon. Everyone has there opinion on who they want to bring from G1 to the big screen shit I would mind seeing Blaster, Rodimus, Cliffjumper. I would love Bay to use more then GM vehicles. Cliffjumper as the new Dodge Challenger would be awesome. Wheeljack as the an awesome lamborghini. Would be sick.

    P.S. DINOBOTS RULE
  • Tsaur
    Thank god Bumblebee was changed to a Camaro and characters like Huffer were dropped.

    P.S. - Micheal Bay help me out... no more Transformers that change into humans.
  • Tsaur
    A reboot? lol when are you guys gonna understand that when this movie franchise is done, that the likelihood of another Transformers reboot in our lifetime is questionable at best. Seriously... all the self proclaimed Transformers fans out there need to get it through their head that their personal dream movie of how they feel Transformers will be isnt going to happen. Not to rain on anyone's parade but all the negativity towards this movie isnt going to expedite any reboots. in fact it will hurt it. Support what we got... support Michael Bay... and if your a true fan of Transformers buy the toys from the movie line. That is our hope to continue this great and proud franchise. As for the movies themselves... they are absolutely stunning. The new designs for the movie are so vastly superior to G1. Granted i am a huge fan of G1 but those artistic styles will look ridiculous on the big screen. People stop crying over the fact that you might not have liked the jokes and other meaningless pieces that help keep the movie along and support this amazing movie line we have. Hail Megatron... get on board or go f* yourself.
  • Chivas
    Live it up people. I believe most likely, as I have said before, these 2 movies (and the 3rd) will be a an appetite trilogy before the big meal. The big meal I believe will be a "reboot" of the movie franchise at a later date. I think by doing this everyone makes lots of money, including Hasbro with its toys. It seems that this is how the movie business is ran nowadays. After the 3rd installment comes out, I think there will be a higher paid and better director, who will direct a reboot movie(s) franchise that will be Much better than the last trilogy of Bay's. So lets all of us relax. I do hope Bay's 3rd movie will be better than the last two, but I am extremely confident that there will be a reboot of the movie franchise, and it will be much much better. I enjoy these last two movies for what they are. Sure the movieverse is full of contradictions (regarding the movies, novels, comics, toy specs/bios, etc.) but somehow I still appreciate it for what it is. For the first time in Transformers history we see a live-action realistic approach toward Transformers. And for that, I honestly cannot criticize it too much.
  • "No, these are movies for EVERYONE."

    Actually, scatch that these films aren't for kids.
  • "This is a movie for the big kids who grew up in the 80’s when censors didn’t do as much blocking of language."

    No, these are movies for EVERYONE. Not just those who grew up watching the cartoon. If they made this JUST for the fans I bet you both films would not have made as much as they did. Hell, one of the reason they didn't call the revived Megatron, Galvatron was for the general audience...at least that's what I heard. Also it was the fanboys who were the ones who were pissed about the new designs of the Transformers(though I find them superior to the original design).
  • @Tim

    The first film had dialogue in it that wasn't OK for kids. The films are based ofF of a TOY line and is bound to attract kids, but the films aren't suitable for kids.
  • BlueCollarCritic
    @Tim

    The movie is more geared towards the older individaul then the teen or even pre-teen so some profanity is more then tolerable. I seriously doubt that alone will have any mesurable impact on merchandise sales, especially toy specific merchandise. Its more likley bad design will hurt toy sales then anything the movie has or did.

    @EdPrime

    While I disagree some with @Tim about the profanity I do unsertand (as a parent) the concern with profanity. My kids are not yet old enough to be taken to anything beyond a G rated Disney animation so I haven't had to deal with that problem but I can still appreciate the concern as a fellow parent. If you grew up on transformers and passed them on to your kids and then thsi major movie comes out and is great and a sequal comes out and now it has a much darker look with some profane langauge it can be disappointing b/c now you can't as freely share the experience with your kids.
  • EdPrime
    Seriously. This is a movie for the big kids who grew up in the 80's when censors didn't do as much blocking of language. Plus this movie is rated PG-13. So some profanity is permitted. In most of ROTF they pulled away from any who was using obseen language. Like Twins, or Sam at College. Get over yourself with the whole profanity talk.
  • Tim
    Why did the robots start using profanity in the second movie? Did it really need that? I liked the first one better. You could take younger kids in too. I hope the third movie doesn't have the robots and people using profanity so much. I would be diappointed. How do you expect parents to buy kids toys if the image is bad.
  • @ Tsaur,

    lol @ Quintessons,

    There was talk about an aircraft carrier thing and Bay's desire to have on transform after the first movie so who knows.

    Maybe he's a giant space ship that lands in the ocean and becomes a carrier.
  • Tsaur
    wanted to add this as well...

    The G1 movie is absolute garbage and ended the coolness that was once an awesome Transformers franchise. What in the hell were the Quintessons… better yet.. dont answer that we dont even care. If it doesnt Transform it does not belong as a part of this franchise. Thank god Michael Bay came along and resurrected the Transformers. While not perfect (Alice & Cybertronian Robots with no Earth alt modes) Bay has done an excellent job. Sure i am a nerd and a Transformers fanatic, but everything that has been a part of the Transformers lore isnt cool. Alot isnt actually… but where it does shine is in its concept that Transformers hide as machinery and technology we use today. Everything else is a fail. The movie should stick to this simple and proven successful base – and if it does, we will benefit from an extremely awesome movie line and sequels. It does not need to follow any lore… if it pays homage to it… great.. but dont stick to it. other wise we will be watching the same movie the cartoon movie was. (which was not good). let Bay continue to reinvent this franchise as he has and all will be good – minus the transforming human and transformers that didnt have earth modes. As for Unicron… he doesnt make sense as a giant planet. use him as a huge aircraft carrier or something.
  • Tsaur
    Edprime nailed it perfectly.... if Bay doesnt do the future sequels it will take on a completely different feel. if that were too happen it wouldnt be a sequel anymore. and i for one def want this movi franchise to continue. i will be 80 years old and still be amped up for Transformers 25!
  • the_old_man
    robotics says:" 2. If G.Lucas were to be directing transformers, what would you think the quality of the movie would be like?"

    If you missed this check it out.
    http://screenrant.com/bay-holds-cybertronian-me...

    Seeing that Spielberg is already involved and was Lucas's go to guy on the last "Indiana Jones" movie, your really working in that circle now. I can't imagine Bay and Spielberg talking at that and Steven hesitating to call Lucas, if he thought George had something that he himself couldn't address or cook up.
  • EdPrime
    Like wise I hope that Bay does 4 - 6 of this movies. He is the perfect fit for this Franchise. In anyone elses hands it will end up with a completely different feel and then all the ubber fans such as all of us here at Screenrant.com will want the franchise to just die all together and you can't do that with transformers it sucked with the G1 Movie they killed Optimus just kill the series. Bay almost did the same thing with the ROTF. So we liked that Bay brought him back at the end. If he were to just kill off Optimus in the secont movie no true Transformers fan would continue to condon Bay doing more movies. So Bravo to bay in skirting that edge of the Transformers lore and killing the leader but bringing him back.
  • Tsaur
    hope i dont*
  • Tsaur
    Leaving the theatres after Transformers 3... i hope i do leave with the feeling of "wow... its over... =*(
  • Tsaur
    I hope Michael Bay doesnt do the cliche' thing and only make a 3 film trilogy. Curse you George Lucas for starting this trend!!! lol In all seriousness though... i do not wish to see only 3 Transformers movies from Michael Bay... I hope he doesnt do the expected trilogy and stop... he should do like 10 of these movies.
  • BlueCollarCritic
    @robotics

    I don't think Lucas would be a good fit for the Transformers franchise. Not because I do or do not like his films but merely because it's just not a good fit.

    If at some point Bay does hand over the directors chair for a T movie then I'd say give it to either Nolan, Cameron or Faverau.


    C Nolan(Batman Begins; Dark Knight): I imagine an alternative Dark side of the Transformers world would come from this pairing.

    J Cameron(Titanic; Avatar): The only logical directing choice for a movie about large robots when Michael Bay is not on board.

    J Favarua (Iron Man 1 & 2): This may sound like an odd choice at first but I have picked him because of what he has done with Iron Man 1 and what I anticiapte (from pre-release bits & pieces) him to have done with Iron Man 2. Faverau would be the wild card of these 3 directors.


    ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT ALERT

    If you believe in a higher power of any kind please pray to that power that under no circumstances does anyone allow Uwe Boll to even come as close as consulting on a Transformers film let alone direct one. If this should happen I fear it is the end of the wolrd.
  • robotics
    once bay is done with TF3 ...im just thinking...
    1. have we heard or read postings somewhere that other directors had given a wishfull thinking that they would like to take a shot in this franchise?

    just wanted to know if anyone heard of it?

    2. If G.lucas were to be directing transformers, what would you think the quality of the movie would be like?

    i'm just pondering that i feel starwars is one of the best epic movies ever existed and i may think that lucas could have created a marvelous impression of planet cybertron and maybe unicron ......i don't know.. if bay and lucas were to join forces in transformers...what could we get?
  • Tsaur
    hell yeah... there is definitely no need to rush this franchise... there are no movies out there like our beloved Transformers movie. keep this thing going... leave this 3rd movie open to more sequels. ultimately i do believe that is what makes a good movie great... you know - the movie you leave the theatre with your buddies and you cant stop talking about the possibilites of future installments.
  • EdPrime
    Bud says:
    November 17, 2009 at 10:09 am
    I thought both Transformers movies were great!
    I say make part 3 the big finale!
    GALVATRON!
    UNICRON!!
    DEATH OF OPTIMUS!!!

    How in the world would you end the entire franchise after the third movie. I can see the Transformers franchise going 4 maybe 5 movies at least.

    I can see you bringing in both of them however, you bring them in gradually. Like you hear Unicron in the middle to the third movie changing Megs to Galvatron. Then toward the end of it you see a distant image of Unicron in plant mode heading to earth and say some epic line at the end.

    Then start the 4 the movie with a brief background on what/who Unicron is and commanding Galvatron to prepare earth for its final distruction. Use the remaining time of the 4th movie having the Autobots doing everything in there power to stop Unicron and Galvatron just to find out at the end the Galvatron did some sinister trick to defeat Unicron and punish Galvatron by changing him back to Megs for the final epic battle for the 5th and final movie.
  • Tsaur
    i sleep better at night knowing the future holds more movies with Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime.... dont end this franchise on the 3rd one.
  • Tsaur
    NO... We are not letting this franchise end... no finale... thats loser talk. sorry... couldnt let the thread end on something like that. If its so awesome... why does it need to end? keep this going.
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