Transformers Michael Bay puts name-rumors to rest

http://www.allspark.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7505

So everyone whose been moaning and b*tching about "ZOMG Devastator as a tank rapes my childhood!!11!1!1!" can be quiet.

We're probably not going to know the real names until a few months before release.

 

It's a humorous mispelling of "OMG" at the expense of over-reacting ninnernet fanboys.

 

Since we're on a voice-tangent, I might as well chime in too...


It would be nice to see some of the voice actors return, but this isn't G1, this isn't 1984 and there is a LOT of great voice talent out there.

When they made the 2002 He-Man cartoon they got the Ocean Group to do sound-alikes for most of the character, and in my honest opinion, they out-did the originals. Cam Clarke's He-Man was fantastic, as was Dobson's Skeletor (which did sound a LOT like the original) and every character Scott McNeil played.

Likewise, the 2003 TMNT cartoon went in the same direction, casting voice actors who had a likeness to the cast from the old cartoon and the movies. The voice director for the 2003 TMNT is Susan Blu, who also happened to be the voice-director for the ORIGINAL TMNT cartoon from back inthe day. And I think she did a marvelous job getting new talent that paid homage to the original voices...without being the original voices.

There are LOTS of good voice actors out there, not just people from the 80's.

I DO think Cullen could still play a convincing Optimus Prime. Just listen to his voice in the Toonami commercials; he's still got it. But I still think he should audition like everybody else.

Welker...well...

Remember, this isn't a cartoon. This is a blockbuster motion picture rated PG-13 aimmed at a wide audience. Welker's Megatron was VERY "Saturday Morning Cartoonish" and that just won't fly with some people.

Also, take into account the kind of exposure Welker's voices have had for the past 30 years.

Remember in the Spawn movie when he voiced Malebolgia. He sounded Exactly. Like. Dr. Freakin. CLAW.

And I know that killed the "menacing" nature of the Lord of Hell for a lot of movie goers who recognized Welker's voice.


What I'm saying is that there's boatloads of top-notch voice talent out there, many of which suited to play Optimus and Megatron (David Kaye's Beast Wars Megatron is superb), and I don't think the roles should just be handed over to Cullen and Welker without question because "they were the voices 20 years ago!"

And in regards to celebrities, well, I'd personally prefer they get proper voice actors to do the characters as, 1) they're trained for this sort of thing and can deliver better performances than flavor of the month celebrities, and 2) a recognizable celebrity voice can detract from the character.

Example, if Christopher Walken was to voice Ratchet (I'm being 100% hypothetical here) you wouldn't look at the character as Ratchet, you'd look at the character as Christopher Walken-playing-Ratchet.


That's my two cents. I want GOOD voices. They don't have to be the originals, and if Murphy and Bay don't cast them, then I fully understand.