Original Transformers Script Had Almost no Autobots or Decepticons; What Was it About Then?

History of Transformers in cinema is inextricably linked to director Michael Bay, who brought the iconic brand to life on the big screen. However, few people know that the original idea for the movie from 2007 differed significantly from what audiences eventually saw on screen.

Before Michael Bay took it upon himself to direct the first movie, there was a vision that differed significantly from later adaptations. The first version of the script stipulated that the plot would focus less on the iconic Autobots and Decepticons and their battle. The screenwriters planned that the main focus of the film would primarily be the story of the human characters and their interactions.

In an interview with IGN the movie's screenwriter, Roberto Orci, talked about the initial concept:

The original script focused on the human characters, showing their reactions to the unexpected presence of powerful robots. The Autobots and Decepticons were meant to act as background, adding an element of danger, but not playing a key role in the plot. This was clearly different from the conflict between the two groups of machines we know.

In the end, it was decided to change direction and adopt a different narrative model, in which the machines become the main characters and the conflict between them is the main plot axis. This decision turned out to be a hit, as the first Transformers was a huge box office success and opened the door for the subsequent productions.

All parts of Transformers are available on Netflix.

Marcel Bojar

Marcel Bojar

In love with cinema from the earliest years. He completed a course at the Wajda School, and later worked on several film sets. Currently, works in a cinema where, in addition to regular screenings, he runs New Horizons of Film Education, sharing his passion and knowledge with children of various ages. He started working at GRYOnline.pl in May 2023. Given that his profession allows him to keep up with the latest movies, he mainly focuses on writing film news. A few years ago, he gave up sitting at a desk and playing on the computer in favor of couch gaming on a console. He would like to finally make his own film, although he started saying that he is already too old for that.