Starting from 2007, Optimus Prime and other Transformers have firmly established themselves as mainstays in cinema. The Transformers series has consistently provided fresh installments to viewers, expanding over eight films and, due to the existence of ‘Transformers One’, even two storylines. Despite ‘Transformers One’ falling short of box office predictions, it seems that this franchise isn’t slowing down any time soon. Reports indicate that a Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover featuring Chris Hemsworth is in development, slated to be the next live-action Transformers movie.
Despite the incredible success of Transformers in 2007, with its massive box office earnings and significant impact on pop culture, unforeseen challenges within the film industry threatened to bring the iconic robots to a halt soon after their debut. The formidable Optimus Prime faced enemies like Megatron, Unicron, and Dinobots in battle, but industrial issues such as a writers’ strike and scheduling conflicts were far more daunting adversaries to conquer.
Revenge of the Fallen’s Pesky June 2009 Release Date
In September 2007, it was announced that a sequel to the Transformers movie, later titled Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, would be released in June 2009 by Paramount Pictures. This announcement came about two months after the original Transformers film exceeded all box office predictions. Interestingly, this announcement was made just about two months before the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike. As writers began striking in early November 2007, there was little time left. Screenwriters Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Ehren Kruger worked urgently to complete the script for the movie before the picket lines went up. It is said that the screenplay was submitted to Paramount executives just hours before the strike commenced.
It’s understandable that a two-year gap between sequels like “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” with heavy visual effects would cause concern, as most blockbusters in the 2000s tended to release their follow-ups after about three years (with exceptions such as “Spider-Man 2” and the Harry Potter series). Paramount, however, aimed to capitalize on the popularity of the original 2007 “Transformers” movie by releasing its sequel swiftly. In retrospect, it seems that the executives also wanted a guaranteed summer blockbuster for 2009, just in case the strike delayed other major projects.
It’s hard to believe, but another potential threat hung over the production of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” The Director’s Guild of America was considering a strike starting in July 2008, which would have prevented director Michael Bay from working on this massive blockbuster that required full participation. In anticipation of such an event, Bay prepared backup plans to ensure the animation team could complete the movie even without his direct supervision. Looking back now, it’s incredible to imagine how “Revenge of the Fallen” might have turned out if Bay had gone on strike only a month into filming.
Revenge of the Fallen Did Gain Momentum, But At What Cost?
Regardless of perspective, the release date for “Revenge of the Fallen” in June 2009 posed a significant obstacle. Paramount’s push for a swift sequel created a challenging environment for this blockbuster, with numerous external film industry issues looming, potentially endangering its production. Fortunately, a DGA strike was averted altogether, and the WGA strike from 2007-08 was resolved on February 12, 2008. Following these incidents, “Revenge of the Fallen” accelerated swiftly towards its principal photography start date in June 2008, allowing writers and director to be present on set.
Despite hurrying to avoid a strike, the script for “Revenge of the Fallen” appeared weak and incoherent, lacking both soul and coherence. Even by Transformers movie standards, this screenplay could be considered junk. The haste with which it was written before the WGA strike seems plausible when considering its disjointed nature. Though “Revenge of the Fallen” earned over $800 million worldwide, director Michael Bay openly criticizes the film. During the production of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” Bay explicitly stated that rushing to beat the WGA strike resulted in a poor script for “Fallen.
As a movie enthusiast, I can confidently say that the phenomenal box office success of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” solidified the fact that “Transformers” wasn’t just a one-hit wonder. These robots have shown remarkable staying power at the box office. However, the rush to secure a June 2009 release date almost jeopardized the entire franchise before a single frame was even filmed for “Revenge of the Fallen”. To add insult to injury, the artistic flaws in this sequel continue to cast a long shadow over the overall reputation of the Transformers series. The most crass jokes and most stereotypical characters from “Revenge of the Fallen” are indelibly etched in people’s minds as microcosms of the entire Transformers franchise.
Reflecting on it now, it’s evident that “Revenge of the Fallen” defied expectations and kept the Transformers series alive when it could have easily ended. This is because sequels are what build a franchise, and “Revenge of the Fallen” was exactly that. However, its emergence also set the series on a problematic course in other crucial aspects, which more recent installments like “Transformers One” are now addressing.
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2025-01-05 03:40