Michael Bay responds to an alleged 'Transformers 4' script leak as Mark Wahlberg promises change

Besides, we all know what the new film will be about, right?  Big robots and Bayhem, pure and simple.

Credit: Paramount Pictures

I'm not sure if any of you bothered reading the details about the allegedly leaked script for "Transformers 4" over the weekend, but I tried.  I say "tried" because about halfway through a summary of the supposed document, my brain crawled out of my head, horrified and furious, and attacked me to try and exact some revenge.

I am used to the idea that the "Transformers" mythology is completely incomprehensible, but even by the standards set by the totally deranged second film in the series, the synopsis that several people printed as real today is nonsense.  That reads as pure fan fiction, nerdy on a level that would make Michael Bay's skin crawl.  My guess, not knowing for sure what screenwriter Ehren Kruger and Bay are up to, is that they're going to try to reach out to an audience more akin to fans of the "Fast and Furious" franchise, leaving behind the wacky family stuff from the first three films.  He's working with Mark Wahlberg this time, who he just directed in "Pain and Gain," and simply by switching the focus from Shia LeBeouf to Wahlberg as the lead, he's clearly indicating that this is more of a traditional action movie approach.

But let's pretend we don't know any of that.  Bay says the script people are talking about has nothing to do with his film at all.  Here's his official statement:

"Some Internet sites this morning reported that some document recovery guy has found a legitimate 120 page script of Transformers 4. I can absolutely 100 percent say this is completely false. The only two people in the world that have our unfinished script are Kruger and myself. Also we are only up to page 70 in our T4 script. Maybe this guy has a cartoon or something else – but definitely not our movie!"

Bay could have easily dismissed this without volunteering specifics, but him mentioning how far they are to the page makes me think this entire thing is a case of overzealous fans playing "Here's What I Want To See In The Next 'Transformers' Movie".  Happens all the time on franchise films like this, and over the years, I have learned that "Transformers" fans in particular are very rabid about what flavor of incoherent silliness about giant robots they are willing to accept.  As a non-fan, I can tell you that there are whole stretches of "Transformers: The Movie," the animated film, that make no sense whatsoever, but fans seem to love those moments anyway.

When Wahlberg spoke with Coming Soon about the film, he referred to it as "the most important role of my career," and it sounds like he's actively involved in the development process, which means we'll see him front and center in the film.  I think it's going to be a while before we start hearing official plot details, and it's a safe bet they'll be working on the script non-stop from now until May, when the film starts production.

"Transformers 4" should be in theaters on June 27, 2014.

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Drew McWeeny
Film Editor

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A respected critic and commentator for fifteen years, Drew McWeeny helped create the online film community as "Moriarty" at Ain't It Cool News, and now proudly leads two budding Film Nerds in their ongoing movie education.