Don Murphy Talks Transformers 2

message board, producer Don Murphy has given an update on the state of Transformers 2. Various guilds in Hollywood, including the SAG, WGA and DGA are planning a strike next year which means studios are furiously scrambling to solidify their slates for 2008 and 2009. One movie that you think is almost guaranteed a sequel is Transformers. Whatever you think of the film, it's box office grosses were intimidating and Paramount aren't exactly renowned for their juggernaut franchises. I've not been following the developments on Transformers, but as far as I know there's no deal in place for Michael Bay or writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, and that may be crucial to any sequel going forward. Here's what Murphy said in regards to the movie:-

"For those of you most anxious about TRANSFORMERS 2, the silence you hear is primarily because people are fretting about a presumed strike in June 2008. Will it happen? I don€™t know- does the public care about strikes anymore in this day and age? What do rich people have to strike about anyway? I don€™t have any side here (you hear about the writers and the Producers but that actually means the STUDIOS) I just think stopping work is kind of pointless. But since no one wants to be filming IF a strike happens, everything needs to be done filming by the end of May 2008. So this is affecting the lack of news about Transformers 2 at least for now. Stay tuned."

I really don't think they can pull together deals for the behind the camera talent in time to beat the strike. Bay could hold the studio to ransom to make Transformers 2 his next film, but they may as well wait until after the strike passes and get the "talent" back for a more reasonable price. source - chud