Pentagon, Hollywood Pair up for Transformers Sequel by David Axe December 29, 2008 | 12:26 Pm | Categories: Air Force, Army and Marines

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Pentagon, Hollywood Pair up for Transformers Sequel By David Axe December 29, 2008 | 12:26 pm | Categories: Air Force, Army and Marines

Hollywood action director Michael Bay enlisted the U.S. military to provide realistic props for his 2007 giant-robot epic Transformers. After the Pentagon helped rewrite the script, Bay got access to helicopters, warships and — for just $25,000 an hour — F-22 stealth fighters.

As we speak, Bay is shooting a sequel that has even more U.S. military hardware Subscribe to WIRED on display, according to USA Today. The Renew director set up shop at White Sands, a Give a gift test range in New Mexico, standing in for Customer Service Egypt, where the new movie’s climactic battle takes place. "As far as I know, this is the biggest joint military operation movie ever made," said Bay’s liaison officer from the Army. Did YouTube Help Nab the Times Square Bomber?

The list of military assets for the White Sands shoot included: Danger, New York Times!

Gates Takes Aim at Navy, Questions Carrier Fleet two A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog" tank-killing jets; six F-16 Fighting Falcons; 10 armored Humvees; the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team; two Abrams tanks; two Bradley tanks; two missile-launcher How Not to Build a Car Bomb (Times Square Edition) vehicles; two armored personnel carriers; and a quarter-mile of the missile testing range, cleared of NYC’s Terror-Spotting Spycams Stuck in Traffic unexploded ordnance … State Department Flies Mercenary Air Force Over Pakistan Plus, an F-22, apparently from the new Raptor base at nearby Holloman, buzzed overhead, playing the role of Transformers bad guy Starscream. Pentagon Scientists Inject Necks to ‘Cure’ PTSD Video: Military’s Robotic Pack Mule Battles the Mud "So many people are firing so many guns that civilian crew workers go through between shots, gathering up buckets Design the Air Force’s Cyberwarrior Badge (Because full of empty brass shell casings," the newspaper reported. the Real One Sucks)

One new villain for Transformers 2 is Long Haul, the robot version of a 700-ton Caterpillar dump truck that is one of Danger, KCRW! the biggest land vehicles in the world. Danger Room [PHOTO: Air Force]

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and Munitions Bizarro Blog Forgot your sign in information? Bidness Bomb Squad Cash Rules Everything Around Me Chem-Bio Cloak and Dagger Crazy Ivans DarpaWatch Drones Gadgets and Gear Ground Vehicles History Lesson Posted by: J. | 12/29/08 | 9:03 am | Homeland Security Human Terrain I saw this covered in Entertainment Tonight a while ago. In all seriousness, I want to know why the AF would use

F22s and not use A10s, which would seem to be much more capable against giant metal robots. That is, other Info War Iraq's Insanity Lasers and Ray Guns Less-lethal Mercs than the obvious reason that the AF wants Congress to buy more F22s and not more A10s. Missiles Money Money Money Mullah Menace Nukes Paper Pushers & Powerpoint Rangers Perils of Pakistan Posted by: No Pants No Service | 12/29/08 | 9:24 am | Planes Planes, Copters, Blimps @J. Politricks Rogue States First off, I never really thought I’d give a Bay movie serious thought for more than 30 seconds, but you pose a good Science! Shhh!!! Ships and Subs question. Space Strategery T is for Terror Basically, A-10’s would work nicely en masse against a big angry robot if it didn’t see them coming, but I doubt they’d be manuevarable enough to make more than one run on their targets before getting whacked out of the air. Video Fix War Update F-22’s would lack the punch to get a one-run knock out, but they’d probably be able to stage weaker hit and run attacks and come home in one piece. Also, it seems like some of these giant angry robots can fly, so being able to out turn and out fly a g.a.r. would be rather useful. Back to the point, they’re using an f-22 to pose as a g.a.r. for shots, not in an anti-g.a.r. role.

Posted by: Quutar | 12/29/08 | 10:23 am | “Plus, an F-22, apparently from the new Raptor base at nearby Holloman, buzzed overhead, playing the role of Transformers bad guy Starscream.” the F22 is Starscream, not something the Air Force is using to fight robots. The A10s and F16s are there to fight

Posted by: z | 12/29/08 | 10:23 am | Mass angry robot problem? Nothing a battery of MLRS couldn’t handle with the right supersaturation coordinates.

Posted by: Warpig | 12/29/08 | 10:26 am | Editor: Noah Shachtman | E-mail JDAMs for the F-22 would be a good bet. Stealthy approach, fast retreat, smart munitions… good overall choice. I’d rather be the Raptor pilot than the Warthog pilot, when the g.a.r. is a target. Reporter: Nathan Hodge | E-mail

Reporter: Sharon Weinberger | E-mail

Contributor: Nick Thompson | E-mail Posted by: sam | 12/29/08 | 12:09 pm | actually, the warthog is a very manuverable jet. it can fly at slower speeds and its large wings and control surfaces Contributor: Jeffrey Lewis | E-mail make it very agile. and of course, the 30mm depleted uranium munitions melt through even the hardest armor. it wouldn’t be as good for outrunning or hiding from radar. Contributor: Jason Sigger | E-mail

Contributor: Kris Alexander | E-mail

Posted by: JanniR | 12/30/08 | 6:29 am | Contributor: Michael Tanji | E-mail Awesome, we can always count on Bay to deliver on the summer blockbuster with dakka and explosions aplenty; seeing all this military hardware listed is making me drool. And is nobody else staring agape at that picture? Contributor: Adam Rawnsley WOW. Contributor: Katie Drummond | Email Contributor: Michael Peck | Email

Posted by: mickierat | 12/30/08 | 6:42 am | Send us a tip Wow, a lot of armored vehicles are being used for this movie. Maybe afterwards Mr. Bay could get them to send some to Iraq to keep our boys from dying so quickly with their lack of armored anything?

Subscription: Subscribe | Give a Gift | Renew | Posted by: RyanN | 12/30/08 | 6:48 am | International | Questions | Change Address Does it not concern anyone that one of the most popular child/young adult films is a military recruitment vehicle disguised as a movie? “After the Pentagon helped rewrite the script..”???? I walked out on the first transformers Quick Links: Contact Us | Sign In/Register | movie after this fact became apparent and I could no longer stand the blatant propaganda against Iran, the Newsletter | RSS Feeds | Tech Jobs | Wired Mobile | FAQ | Site Map constant complaining about Spanish speakers, and the incessant commercials for Ford. It’s amazing how little dialogue there is about this new form of propaganda being fed to our youth.

Posted by: deecue | 12/30/08 | 6:59 am | @RyanR - Lighten up…the propoganda isn’t any worse than what you see on TV commercials at night or on the news as well…we live in a propoganda type country…deal with it…it’s up to YOU to teach your kids, friends and family to not buy in to the propoganda…for goodness sake, enjoy a movie once in a while…sheesh

Posted by: nsr | 12/30/08 | 6:59 am | cool! kind of reminiscent of the awesome bridge seen at the end of “True Lies” with the harriers… Ryan? yikes, man… i saw the first movie. recruiting film? what? i guess that was over my head! oh, and it was a commercial for GM, not ford (as the featured car was the new camaro concept). finally, ” newform of propoganda being fed to our youth” — you can’t be serious. what do you think the original transformers, TMNT, and other kid- oriented movies were? big toy commercials. i grew up watching them. and… i… must….buy……..toys!!!!!!!!! i have been brainwashed oohhohhhh they got me :’( p.s. you’d think the military making a profit off movie props would be a GOOD thing, since their lack of funding is what’s leaving some troops overseas without necessary equipment…

Posted by: Jimbo | 12/30/08 | 7:11 am | As somebody who had loads transformers when i was wee 9still got them - including long haul!) im probably someone you had thought who would join the army. Nope, Im more likely to be found making techie stuff than blowing things up. However, one of my friends who i dont think ever had any, has joined up (commando i think). Its about the individuals personality, im lazy, soft and a thinker. He’s more the adventurer. Besides, until we have robot armies (transformers??) we will need to send people out there. UAV’s, swarm bots, etc come from the same place as transformers - imagination, lets support it so its bits of metal getting blown to bits and not people.

Posted by: john | 12/30/08 | 7:27 am | RyanN, Yeah, its so amazing how rightwing Hollywood is. I mean if they would only make some liberal movies once in a while(sarcasm).

Posted by: justin | 12/30/08 | 7:28 am | i’m not sure it really matters which plane would fare better against “giant metal robots”… . after seeing the terrible first movie, there exists no amount of firepower that will get me to pay to see the second.

Posted by: zrickety | 12/30/08 | 7:30 am | the original transformers storyline of the 80’s was and 90’s was the best. that said, i can’t wait to see this sequel. sure the pentagon has their own agenda, but i am aware of it and share what i know with others.

Posted by: crumb bum | 12/30/08 | 7:56 am | I’m surprised no one has mentioned how visually unappealing the Bay’s Transformers are. The 80s versions at least had discernible faces…whereas the new Transformers’ faces just look like an open cutlery drawer. Movie characters need to connect with the audience in some way, and that’s kinda hard when the Transformers look like a random pile of scrap.

Posted by: eROKv | 12/30/08 | 7:59 am | LOL@ryanN: if you would’ve watched the movie, you would know that the only ford in the entire thing was the mustang cop car (which bay probably had put in on his own against the wishes of GM). the entire movie was backed by GM as a showcase for its new camaro.

Posted by: papajon | 12/30/08 | 8:16 am | @Justin, Interesting. I thought it was the best movie by a large margin I’ve seen in years save the LOTR trilogy. And I don’t think I’ve seen anything better since. Just my 2 cents there, mind you. You see, in my world I see moveis to get as far away from real life as possible. And don;t make me think! I go to movies to not think. Giant metal robots fits the bill quite nicely. Although, I am pretty sure there are some micro-bots trying to steal my laundry.

Posted by: Steven | 12/30/08 | 8:31 am | @mickierat: I suggest you pick up a new set of anti-war/military talking points. The one you are obviously reading from is obviously couple of years old. If you’ve actually been to Iraq recently, you would know that practically every vehicle you’re likely to see is either an MRAP or an up-armored HUMMV.

Posted by: Spookee | 12/30/08 | 8:57 am | Mucho mas dakka!!! Plus the one ground-based vehicle that can spit out 12 telephone poles full of golf-ball sized HE, culminating in nothing less spectacular than a wall of flaming death. Redlegs of the world will be moist happy at this!

Posted by: dan1101 | 12/30/08 | 9:44 am | I thought the whole love story was completely unnecessary, and the fight scenes were way to close-up and hard to see. Otherwise some neat stuff.

Posted by: klags | 12/30/08 | 9:56 am | Now lets see if they can make a movie that doesn’t suck ass. What a disappointement the first one was - horrible acting and story line, boring characters, what a waste of my childhood memories of optimus prime. This movie better not be as lame as the last one. And you’d think that with over two hours, all those effects, and the fact that it was about TRANSFORMERS, that they could have made a good movie to begin with. Ugh.

Posted by: Greg | 12/30/08 | 10:16 am | @eROKv I thought the cop car was a charger?? hence still a GM.

Posted by: Ireallydontcare | 12/30/08 | 10:50 am | The charger is made by Chrysler, Dodge if you want to be technical. They haven’t merged GM and Chrysler yet. I still can’t figure out why people didn’t like the first movie. I also can’t figure out why someone wants a robot to have more facial expression, this is another comic book movie and I think they did a nice job introducing the characters and keeping it at a level that kids and adults would enjoy. Hollywood isn’t just catering to your childhood.

Posted by: eROKv | 12/30/08 | 11:16 am | the decepticon barricade (cop car) was a saleen FORD MUSTANG. http://www.saleen.com/transformers.htm

Posted by: Kev Orng | 12/30/08 | 11:19 am | I agree with Crumb Bum re: the faces. I don’t mind them making the faces more robotic, but these aren’t face-like at all. There’s more personality in the front end of a plain old car. And really, Bumblebee just isn’t as cool as he was as a VW Bug. And these military-masturbation films are the American big-budget equivalent of Al Quaeda guys shooting their guns in the air and doing that lalalala thing; it obviously means a lot to them, but it really just kinda seems pathetically self-aggrandizing.

Posted by: Big Peenis | 12/30/08 | 11:26 am | These types of movies make me masturbate furiously into other people’s cups <3 Posted by: eROKv | 12/30/08 | 11:33 am | SWEET CARS. GIANT ROBOTS WITH GUNS. MEGAN FOX. my work is done here.

Posted by: persistence | 12/30/08 | 12:16 pm | Let’s talk about the A-10 again. The Air Force never took the A-10 seriously because it doesn’t go supersonic. AF always saw their mission to go after the bad guy’s planes, not to provide serious support for a ground-based war. Everyone else loved the A-10 because when your boots are on the ground, the tank busters are where it’s at. The problem is the AF doesn’t wear boots.

Posted by: BigTone | 12/30/08 | 12:18 pm | Who do you think would win in a fight between Baby Jesus and Starscream?

Posted by: george | 12/30/08 | 12:46 pm | Constructicons!!

Posted by: Tony | 12/30/08 | 1:37 pm | Some people really feel the need (in comments no less) to say how they are better than everyone else and can’t bare the fact of being marketed to in movies and all this crap about liberalism and left and right bla bla bla. Its a fuggin kids movie from the our (the key demographic of wired.com) childhood. Get over yourself. If you don’t like the movie granted the first one wasn’t great but if your going to see movies for some kind of enlightenment i hate to inform you that not ever film made can and/or will be a moving mind blowing piece of history making cinema and the ones that will be won’t be starring 50ft tall robots i can assure you of that. So stop acting so high and mighty and get back to the childhood awe of huge robots fighting each other and blowing stuff up. Geez some people really act too intelligent for their own good. And my IQ is certified 147 so i’m probably smarter than at least the majority of you =P.

Posted by: northern alchemy | 12/30/08 | 1:43 pm | Slightly off topic…but given the choice I’d take an A-10 over an F-22. Sure the speed of the F-22 is great…but the mission of the A-10 is (soon to be was) way more interesting. Plus they are rugged as hell.

Posted by: C | 12/30/08 | 2:40 pm | “And my IQ is certified 147 so i’m probably smarter than at least the majority of you =P.” Ah, the internet MENSA.

Posted by: ..It Was Another Days In Shining Movie Set..Yet Now Pros Are Only Options For Theory Of Everything.. | 12/30/08 | 3:02 pm | ..It Was Another Days In Shining Movie Set.. ..Now Pros are Only Options For Theory Of Everything.. ..Ha Ha Ha..Let salute with white Vodka for our long march in Hollywood movie industrywide..I been marching since 10 years old..Now we need a huge news TV/papers/online web press release to begin in our latest blue/white laser technology to the worldwide governments.. ..Let me clear that what is electric wire doing into in my blood veins and why people sleeping in the movies..That why we need more electricity and wire diagram for explanation in all the movies..A lots of more care in all fighter jets and heavy armored mechanized armies, each with clean off to 1000 volts inside the powerplants mobile tanks and tracks moving vehicle cars..Now moving on soldiers..Ha Ha Ha…

Posted by: Bha | 12/30/08 | 4:17 pm | What’s the REAL taxpayer bill?

Posted by: Trent | 12/30/08 | 4:28 pm | Long Haul was one of the Constructicons, named for their group job of design, engineering and construction for the Decepticon forces. They were the very first combining sub-group of Transformers, able to merge their bodies and minds together to form the gigantic Devastator. Bonecrusher, Scavenger, Scrapper, Hook, Long Haul, and Mixmaster. Too bad they screwed this up by killing Bonecrusher in the first transformers, and renaming Brawl (the tank in the first movie)to Devastator. Posted by: Matt | 12/30/08 | 7:43 pm | SWEET CARS. GIANT ROBOTS WITH GUNS. MEGAN FOX. my work is done here. Posted by: eROKv | Dec 30, 2008 11:33:05 AM I concur I will be masturbating into other people’s cups too

Posted by: Tricia | 12/30/08 | 7:46 pm | Ah… More of Ari’s influence on our government. Watch for more of it once his bro becomes CoS.

Posted by: Dupont | 12/30/08 | 9:16 pm | What a waste! Instead of wasting all these resources on planes, and other unnecessary toys, why doesn’t Hollywood try to think of something original with an interesting story? I’m pretty sure there is more to a good movie then things going KaBOOM.

Posted by: Ray | 12/30/08 | 10:56 pm | Now if only Michael Bay could actually make a real movie. Although, I must admit I love watching Bad Boys II because it’s so incredibly horrible it’s like watching a train wreck. Car explosion/cut to one-liner/bad camera angle/cut to explosion/cut to Will Smith saying something with a black reference/cut to bad camera angle/cue loud music/end credits. Michael Bay stinks!

Posted by: irritant | 01/3/09 | 1:59 pm | Michael Bay, enemy of the people. Whatta douchebag.

Posted by: thedonald | 01/5/09 | 2:19 pm | Some people really feel the need (in comments no less) to say how they are better than everyone else followed by And my IQ is certified 147 so i’m probably smarter than at least the majority of you interesting how its okay when a CERTIFIED asshole tells us why he’s smarter than most of us, but not when the average joe sixpack asshole tries to express his views

Posted by: SmoTheredHopE | 01/13/09 | 2:09 am | First off, true DAT on Sol’s astute observation regarding Robot Insurance - “For when the metal ones come”. Second, the first Transformers movie can only be faulted in two main ways really - Shia, and the introduction of OP’s hot-rod flame paint scheme. Flames? Flames!?!

Posted by: prm | 01/16/09 | 4:30 pm | First off, you’re a child or a douche if you think transformers are cool, and more - a CERTIFIED JAG-OFF if you think the military is.

Posted by: mike | 02/8/09 | 1:32 am | Enjoy the military propaganda folks!

Posted by: mother | 02/8/09 | 3:04 pm | I want to know why the pentagon wanted to rewrite the script. I am all or seeing all of this bad ass hardware - and I am a proud American, I have no problem with the military - but I have a huge problem with the military inserting propaganda into mainstream films. Our military shouldn’t have to resort to that kind of shit, and it just goes to show that there are a lot of things which need to fixed in this country if our military has to do that, people should want to serve to protect our country, but now that everyone who isn;t completely retarded has seen that we use military and adjuncts for things like Iraq and that our economy is based on “federal reserve magic dollars” - it may be too late….Who wants to join up and give their life when our military doesn’t spend enough to protect our soldiers and sends them to fight in dubious wars for empire? Our soldiers deserve better, our country deserves better, and our youth deserve better - and everyone knows it… Posted by: Alpha Trion | 02/9/09 | 8:45 pm | What made Transformers a good movie? 1.Incoherent plot? scenes in the movie lead nowhere or had no real purpose, comedy filler, waste time, no story logic. The movie’s script made it hard to suspend belief and enjoy the movie. B movie but with a bigger budget… 2.Laughably bad dialogue? “My bad” Shia “NoNoNoNoNo” Whats up lil B ****es” Touch my bush I’ll kick your @$$!” Happy Time” ect. ect. VOMIT 3. The army can kill the Decepticons? Why even have the autobots. 4.Transformers look like metal scraps glued together. 5.Dramatic scenes that fly straight out of left field? (”I’m so glad I got in the car with you.”) B movie 6.Formerly respectable star sinks to a new low? John Turturro Jon Voight,Golden Shower Bumblebee pees now and farts? comedy gold…. 7.Incredible overacting that is obviously encouraged by the director? 8.Bumblebee who cannot speak for no apparent reason? Damaged in battle ….please, prequel comic or motion comic just try to cover up bad story telling .Makes no sense other than that is what the director or script calls for in the movie. (no story logic.^) Wouldn’t need to waste so much time If BumbleBee could repair himself. Like Barricade repaired himself after the first fight and tell Shia that he needs the glasses! 9.Rampant racial stereotyping?” Hey Mammy ” “Speak English dude ” 10.Characters with a lot of face time who end up playing no important role in the “story?” Hackers and soldiers. 11.The action in some shots is hopelessly muddled? Shaky Cam, close ups, and quick cut editing. 12. Jazz’s hilarious death scene is matched only by his hilarious eulogy? B movie 13. Transformers had little scene time due to over elaborated designs which made them too expensive? Prime shows up 70 mins into the movie. 14. Blatant over the top product placement? Takes away from the movie experience. Not just minor product placement the movie stops just for the product placement. Bumblebee updates to a newer car. The pilots getting into the F 22. 15. Transformers are secondary characters with little to no dialogue? 16. Hard to tell the Transformers apart. As long as the camera stands still long enough and the transformer is not silver. If it is an action scene forget about it.. 17. For an action blockbuster there is not much action: 5 min of action in the beginning 10 min of action in the middle and 15 min of action at the end. In a 2 hr and 30 min movie. All of which jumps around from robots to humans every 2 seconds, due to the quick cut editing. Shaky Cam and close ups ruin most of the action. 18. Shia LaBarf can’t act? NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo BS comedy shtick, Even Stevens with robots… 19. Meagan Fox can’t act? ……..LMAO please 20. Michael Bay can’t direct? ” I make movies for 13 year old boys.” Can’t remember the Transformers names. Brawl is the tank Bay.. not DEVASTATOR! Intense slow motion shots of characters Films often feature a US President giving a major speech before a major action is to be committed. Has the camera moving during most scenes. Very rarely uses static shots. Actors/characters in his films are almost uniformly shot in tight, emphatic close ups, framed under the hairline and above the chin. Often has over-the-top visuals (i.e. key events taking place at sunset or dramatic events taking place behind actors doing routine activities). Utilizes monotonic but intense musical cues during action-filled car chase scenes. Bad Boys II (2003), The Island (2005) Uses shots of aircraft against a setting sun, especially helicopters (Armageddon (1998/I), Pearl Harbor (2001), Transformers (2007)). Often features a slow-motion shot of an object crashing into, or tumbling towards the camera. Uses a shot where the camera spins in a circle around characters. (Bad Boys II, Transformers) Frequently incorporates scenes that involve characters running or moving towards the camera (almost always shot in slow-motion)

Posted by: am not | 03/28/09 | 12:50 am | Look your missing the point here. Robots good, Giant robots better, Giant robots kicking the crap out of each other Hell Ya. Yes Megan Fox bent over under the hood of any car is HOT UP-Armor Hummvs suck balls to heavy and to slow (been there done that) And as for the A-10 and F-22 both excellent air craft in their own rights.

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