Michael Bay Doesn't Like the Idea of a 'Transformers' Ride

If there's one thing Michael Bay stands for, it's artistic integrity. I mean, it practically goes without saying that the Baron of Bad Boys 2 and the Archduke of Armageddon would never, ever dream of taking the easy road of crass commercialism. After all, he is the Poobah of Pearl Harbor, the Raja of The Rock.Bay has opined on his blog about the recent news that Universal Studios will open a Transformers ride/attraction in 2011.  Around here, we all think that's a great idea. When you stop to think about it, the damn thing is practically an amusement park on screen, anyway. But Bay is worried that the ride will somehow dilute the story he worked so hard to convey.

"The Transformer Ride at Universal making all the press rounds - not sure yet - they had me in a press release saying I supported it - but Universal has a long way to go in my mind. I don't support it - I'm not involved and not sure the story of the ride works, and I know Optimus is not going to just show up to be directed by some new people that have never worked with him. I hate when people bullshit a quote from me that I never said. I'll keep you informed. Maybe the guy making the rides at Universal will direct Transformers 3????"

Two things: 1) I heard Optimus was a real diva on the Transformers sets, particularly on the sequel. In fact, my sources tell me that he forced crew members to only call him Optimus Prime, and that you couldn't look him directly in the headlights. 2) Bay's not sure the story of the ride works? Is it somehow less believable than alien robots landing on Earth and fighting each other as the new line of GM cars and trucks?Isn't the whole point of Transformers that you don't take it very seriously? And isn't Bay the guy bankrolling all these horror movie remakes? And didn't he adapt Transformers from a TV show based on a line of toys? He doth protest too much, methinks.

Comments

[Brian Rudloff]

Thank you for your humorous post about Michael Bay and his concern for Universal's Transformers ride. I do not want to be overly critical about Bay, he is a talented action director, but this guy is so ridiculously egotistical sometimes. He pretends to be the pinnacle of artistic integrity, and yet the most direction he gave to Megan Fox on the Transformer's set is to just "look sexy." The Transformer's plot, like most Bay films, is not exactly complex: bad robots want to destroy Earth, good robots come to protect it, and some goofy humans run around. It is possible that the ride designers could create an even better story for the ride than that of the film. Considering Bay's unabashed commercialism, if anything he should be in full support of the ride because it will complete the unstoppable force of synergy that sells the Transformers brand: toys, animated series, animated movie, comic books, live action movie, video games, and finally a theme park attraction. As you point out, he adapted an animated series that was based on a line of toys! A line of toys from the early 80's no less. He is not the sole creative voice when it come to Transformers, it is nice to see others' creative interpretations of the material as well. McG is not protesting Six Flags Magic Mountain's new Terminator coaster that will help to sell his film, Terminator: Salvation. There have only been three directors who have successfully had creative input on the adaptation of their films into theme park attractions: Walt Disney, Steven Spielberg, and John Lasseter, and these are three exceptionally creative and integrity driven people. I cannot see Michael Bay added to this list.There is no doubt that Transformers: The Ride will offer an immerse supplement experience to the film, and I am excited to ride it, with Michael Bay's approval or not.