Report: ‘Transformers 3’ Director Michael Bay Sets Up Chicago Office; Film is Now Casting Extras

Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on April 6, 2010 - 8:00pm

CHICAGO – “Transformers 3” director Michael Bay has set up shop in Chicago at Chicago Studio City to audition local actors and actresses, according to a new report on Tuesday from a site that regularly publishes casting information. The film is currently in pre-production.

The site says that “Transformers 3” is casting extras in Chicago. The film is also casting extras and principal actors in Los Angeles. More information about the Chicago casting call is below.

“Transformers,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” and “Transformers 3” director Michael Bay.
Image credit: Before the Trailer

With “Transformers” (2007) raking in $709 million in worldwide box-office receipts and the sequel “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (2009) eclipsing it with $836 million globally, director Michael Bay and stars Megan Fox and Shia LaBeouf are hoping that “Transformers 3” will be yet another cash cow.

“Transformers 3” stars Megan Fox, Shia LaBeouf, John Malkovich, Ken Jeong, Frances McDormand, Tyrese Gibson and James Avery. The film is directed by Michael Bay and written by Ehren Kruger. Chicago Studio City, which is located at 5660 W. Taylor St. in Chicago, lists the following credits.

Chicago Studio City has been the catalyst for all [of] the episodic television shows shot in Chicago starting with “Chicago Story” (MGM) in the early 1980s and up to the “The Beast” (Sony) [more] recently.

In between, we serviced “The Untouchables” (Paramount Pictures), “Cupid” (Sony TV), “Early Edition” (Sony TV) and “Prison Break” (Fox TV) along with movies [including] “Wanted” (Universal with Angelina Jolie), “Express” (Universal with Dennis Quaid), “Public Enemies” (Universal Pictures with Johnny Depp), “Unborn” (Mandate Films with Gary Oldman) and “Grudge II” (Mandate Films).

Megan Fox and Shia LaBeouf in “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”.
Image credit: Jaimie Trueblood

Chicago Casting Call For “Transformers 3”

Pre-shoots start in April 2010. The filming locations are set for Los Angeles, Chicago, Florida, Texas, Africa, Moscow, China and Washington, D.C. Principal photography will run from May 1, 2010 through July 1, 2010. The release date for the film is currently set at July 1, 2011.

In Chicago, the extras casting director for “Transformers 3” is seeking Ukrainian men and women aged 20 to 80. While you don’t have to be Ukrainian, you must look Ukrainian.

If you’re a Ukrainian or Ukrainian-looking man, you need to be 5’10” to 6′1″ with a clothing size of 38 regular to 44 regular. You need to know how to handle a gun and must include a note in your submission stating that you do.

If you fit this description, e-mail a recent, non-professional color photo to [email protected]. In the subject line, include “Ukrainian”. You must also include your phone number, name, mailing address and all your clothing sizes, shoe sizes and hat sizes.

You can also mail your submission to Joan Philo Casting at P.O. Box 13084, Chicago, IL 60613. If you’re mailing your submission, fill out and send in an extras registration form. You can download the “Transformers 3” extras registration form here.

Do not respond unless you are Ukrainian or Ukrainian looking. Do not send any headshots or comp cards. Do not refer to a link to look at your photos. These photos must be e-mailed as an attachment. More information about the Los Angeles casting call for “Transformers 3” is here.

HollywoodChicago.com editor-in-chief and publisher Adam Fendelman

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
[email protected]

Transformers 3

Submitted by Sylentwolf (not verified) on May 13, 2010 - 7:50pm.

I’m willing to bet anyone’s Salary or Job for that matter that neither the ‘Dinobots’ nor ‘Unicron’ will ever be in this film (maybe even any film for that matter). ‘Unicron’ is too big of an element to be in the sequel, and the ‘Dinos’ are too irrelevant in today’s world. I’m guessing that it will be based on the mythology of “Energon” and the “Life” of any ‘Transformer’ on Earth as we know it. How will the “Transformers” continue to live on Earth without an energy source to live off of? According to Hasbro’s CEO, “You’re going to see that great core mythology brought to the fore, and Michael is hard at work at making this a reality and we’re very excited about it,” Hasbro’s head Brian Goldner also quoted Mr. Bay stating, “What we’re really doing is getting back to some of the core character development and storytelling. And I think there’s some elements of the core story that the filmmakers, Michael in particular wanted to tell…” With that said, this sequels cast includes Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, John Turturro, Patrick Dempsey, Ken Jeong, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Ramon Rodriguez, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, and Kym Whitley, they really are focusing on character placement and development. It will be pretty difficult for Bay & Spielberg to come up with something historic as well as original. Possibly by now everyone has read the “Leaked Script” that was release immaturely late last year and everyone should know how that story was told, but everyone should also keep in mind that not everything presented from a “Leaked Script” is considered a complete fake; Nevertheless, that most of what is said is completely useless. This same leaked script does point out an issue that the humans are revolting against the same “Transformers” that have turned up here on Earth, which coincidently has been expressed and shown online with pictures depicting city walls and garbage cans spray-painted with crossed-out “Autobot” or “Decepticon” logos depicted in a circle with the words “Go Home” sprayed below. Many of you believe stories related to the comics and cartoons may seem too “Old,” while others may believe the stories that are original and/or new may not seem too “Traditional.” Either way, Hasbro, Paramount, Michael Bay, and Steven Spielberg can’t make everyone happy at once. It will take several creative ideas to come together that will touch all generations. Basicly, from everything I’ve read (real or not) and stated here, Transformers 3 will be very simple (similar to Part 1) and less complex (similar to Part 2) where the storyline will be easy to follow, more understanding, over and above with dialog between the Humans and Robots; which will return with improvements and essentially become more in depth. By just adding a few newbie’s (Autobots / Decepticons) as well as bringing back all “survivors” from the last two films, I believe this film could be more epic than the other two combined; But, I believe that it will regrettably just resemble its predecessors and fail after its first opening weekend. The Transformers 3 story will suffer from dehydration while falling victim to an aging cast that will somehow bring some type of human emotion to the forefront.