Jun 22, 2009 by Brian Gallagher

Michael Bay Tears Into Paramount in Leaked Email

Director Michael Bay's new film, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen hits theaters this week, but he's apparently not too happy that enough people don't know about it. According to The Hollywood Reporter, an email from Bay to Paramount executives was leaked by TMZ in which Bay blasts the studio for the lack of marketing with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

The email, sent on May 4, has an angered Bay accusing the studio of not putting in enough effort in the marketing of the movie.

"Right now we are not an event. We are just a sequel, which is very different. There is no anticipation. Remember back to 'Spider-Man 2' -- it was everywhere," Bay wrote in the email.

He also called the studio's plan to release a clip of the film at the MTV Movie Awards, "lame." However, in another email, sent on June 6, Bay seemed to have ironed out his issues with the studio, likening the studio to a family and thanking them for, "busting your butts and bringing your A game for the release of Transformers."

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was released June 24th, 2009 and stars Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Ramon Rodriguez, Kevin Dunn, Julie White. The film is directed by Michael Bay.


Sources: TMZ, The Hollywood Reporter

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Comments (39)

  1. ALor2

    no one likes "the island"? I thought that was a good movie.

    3 years agoby @champ2Flag

  2. SlysnideII: Angel Eyes

    I'm countin' on that.

    3 years agoby @slysnideiiFlag

  3. kingbrady

    just because Disney has its hand in Alice in Wonderland doesnt mean it will be the purpose of being good and for kids, Tim Burton doesnt hold back on anything, im certain he will make it dark

    3 years agoby @kingbradyFlag

  4. SlysnideII: Angel Eyes

    K-man, if you ever read the ORIGINAL Lewis Carrol story, then that tale is definitely NOT for children. And i'm laughing in my comment, not bitching, DUMBASS!!! Then again you probably never read the original story, and disney is f*cked up for f*cking with the story as they do with EVERY animated film based on someone else's dark works, like the Grimm Brother's fairy tales were all dark and vile, whereas disney turned them into fantasy f*ck ups. But i suppose you're gonna say that Tim Burton sucks too, cuz that's the direction you're going. lolz!

    3 years agoby @slysnideiiFlag

  5. T.Clark

    Just watch the f*cking movie.

    How's that sound?

    I mean, for the love of God, it's not rocket science. You go into the theater, say "transformers 2," give them your money and they give you a ticket back.

    Bay is a hell of a lot better than a lot of the other "action-heavy" directors out there. Stephen Sommers...I'm sorry, but the Mummy movies are NOT that great. Roland Emmerich... do you really believe that 2012 will be anything but special effects? 2012 is based on an ancient Mayan prophecy that a lot of people believe to be true, but NO, we're gonna give it to the disaster movie guy.

    The fact of the matter is Transformers doesn't HAVE to be anything but effects heavy, and for those of you who think that's ALL it offers are so f*cking stupid. The dialogue is humorous and the performances are pretty good for what you all refer to as "nothing but action and special effects."

    The problem is not Michael Bay. You can't blame the guy for wanting to incorporate a sh*t load of action in a movie about GIANT GODDAMN ROBOTS. The problem is all of you who believe you're "above the crowd" and are too smart to see a movie that relies solely on FX. Pull your f*cking heads out of your asses and just watch the goddamn movie. You're no one special for not wanting to see it.

    What do you people do for a living? hmmm? I'm guessing most of you have office jobs since you're on here all day. Bay may not be the greatest director on the face of the Earth, but he didn't get "lucky." He's made a toy and cartoon property into a huge and successful franchise. He was given the job to handle a property with a loyal fan following and trusted to turn it into a movie, and that's just what he did. It's more than most of you pathetic *ssholes can say for yourselves. And before you start in on me, I'm 16 and still getting my education. Most of you haven't made anything out of your lives and you're bashing a man for doing just that.

    F*ck you all and I hope Transformers 2 blows your f*cking mind.

    3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  6. kingbrady

    I been coming to this site and read alot of all of your comments, but for K-Man Alice in Wonderland is more than a children's story, its about alice taking drugs, deception, murder, trickery...a little more than your typical kid's story, however everyone one of M.Bay's movie are enjoyable i own half of his blockbusters on Blu Ray, cant say the same for alot of directors

    3 years agoby @kingbradyFlag

  7. katakalyptic

    I just hope Optimus Prime doesn't stay on his back the whole time like he did in the first one. The whole last fight vs. Megatron, Prime was on his back getting the crap kicked out of him. I was hoping for a better showing from the leader of the Autobots. Just hope that was addressed this time.

    3 years agoby @katakalypticFlag

  8. JT's Movie Page

    I'm just going to say this and leave it alone. First off, all I'm seeing right now as far as movies are concerned is Transformers this and Transformers that so, yes, Michael Bay needs to chill out.

    Secondly, the movie is not just based off a toy line, it is also based off the cartoon that came from the toy line so there is a source material to pay attention to just like Raimi and the "Spider-Man" films.

    Finally, I do enjoy Bay's films like "The Rock" and the "Bad Boys" films. The problem is that Michael Bay always uses the same type of shots and explosions per film and doesn't seem to care about the story. For example, in how many of his films have you seen a shot that was looking up at the sky staring at something either flying overhead (the jets in "The Rock") or falling to the ground (the asteroids in "Armageddon" and the autobots in "Transformers".) Also, it always seems that Michael Bay is more concerned with what the trailer is going to look like than the story. Every time I watch one of his films, I feel like once he yells cut he looks over at his director of photography and says, "That's definitely a trailer shot."

    In the end, I just feel like Michael Bay was a 2nd Unit Director (these are the people who usually handle the preparations for the big action set-pieces that Bay is obviously good at) who somehow creeped his way into the director's chair and realized that he had to tell a story along with setting off the charges for his beloved explosions.

    3 years agoby @johnjohnson7777Flag

  9. soylent green Lantern

    Heh.

    3 years agoby @soylentgreenmonkeyFlag

  10. mb11

    Ive seen T2 and it's awesome, however story is a bit lame....

    3 years agoby @mbrandon11Flag

  11. luca_frontino

    WOW!!! Is it so difficult to film while shaking the camera like an old man???!!!

    3 years agoby @luca-frontinoFlag

  12. Major Tom

    *loud and extremely deserved applause for K-man*
    I agree 100,000%! Micheal Bay is amazing! If anyone should be criticized, it should be the directors of the Scary Movie franchise! They are truly horrible directors. I'm still wanting my 5$ back from Meet the Spartans!

    3 years agoby @movie-nutFlag

  13. The Narrator: The Better Man

    K-man is right. I mean Bay is a great and cool director so stop hating people. He has a great sense of effects, which helps make his movies all the more bad ass. I think he's great. His movies are a bit on the shallower side but that's what he aims for. He isn't a deep character/story kind of guy, and he knows that. And he knows what he wants. He isn't like other directors who try to fit in all of them in either an epic combination of good, or an epic fail.

    Overall I look 4ward to this with a lot of anticipation just for funs sake which is all I want out of it.

    3 years agoby @narratorFlag

  14. K-Man

    What the hell is wrong with you people? Movieweb has become a haven for punks who do nothing but bitch about Michael Bay, who isn't even remotely a bad director, and yet rave about people like Sam hack job Raimi who destroys one of the most prestigious comic books ever! Its disgusting!
    What is there to hate about Michael Bay? Oh you mean because he has put out nothing but entertaining films like Bad Boys 1 & 2, The Island, The Rock, and Transformers or is it because his visual style f*cking rocks the c*cks off about 90% of the directors in the business today? Give me ONE good reason why Bay deserves to be put into the pile of sh*tty directors with other hacks like Brett Ratner. And if anyone says "because he blows stuff up too much" or some bullsh*t like that I am going to donkey punch you right in the balls.

    If anything, and this is directed mostly at Nateman, Transformers is f*ckin oscar worthy in comparison to the Spiderman movies which many of you people on this site love so much. Did you actually see the third film? Its beyond a laughing stock! At least transformers has the excuse of being based on a toy.......what's Raimi's excuse?

    I mean do you realize what you all are saying? You are ripping on Michael Bay for turning something as lame as a Toy brand like Transformers into a kickass summer action extravaganza. Thats like taking Connect Four and turning it into 2009's best drama! The guy deserves a medal.

    Oh and it's hilarious, SlysnideII, you are bitching because Michael Bay makes "over the top SFX movies with little plot and intrigue which centers around a sequel flick about toys coming to life"....yet you display an avatar of Johnny Depp in a SFX driven Alice in Wonderland which is based on a children's story of a girl who has encounters with "playing card" people and talking rabbits after falling into a rabbit hole. Are you really that stupid or is it just for show?

    Got irony?

    3 years agoby @k-manFlag

  15. WiseGuy

    Dont get me wrong I definetly want to see the flick but it is getting advertised a little too much. Michael gotta chill.
    Public Enemies should get advertised more.

    3 years agoby @zgcorleone072Flag

  16. ZanyZap

    It'll be decent; that's it...

    3 years agoby @zanyzapFlag

  17. SlysnideII: Angel Eyes

    hahaha. MB's bitchin that the new installment in his over the top SFX movies with little plot and intrigue which this time centers around a sequel flick about toys coming to life won't be good, yet he doesn't see that THAT very point about his career may be the reason why it's not eagerly anticipated. lolz

    3 years agoby @slysnideiiFlag

  18. ollie-styrene

    Still looking forward to TF2, no matter what.. I personally LOVED the first one.. Although Bay`s movies tend to be a little on the shallow side,.. its full throttle action, and hot chicks!!

    3 years agoby @ollie-styreneFlag

  19. ALor2

    bay needs to shut the f*ck up or he's not going to direct anything.

    3 years agoby @champ2Flag

  20. J.A.Ottley.Writer / Director

    Sorry but erm yeah TDK pwns Transformers 2.

    Transformers 2 is just the best actiom flick of the year.

    Best film of the year so far, IMHO, is Drag Me To Hell & Star Trek.

    His just trying to hype the film up because he wants it to sell more than TDK without obviously revealing this, but it won't. Problem with this film though is it only leaves one opening possible for Transformers 3, which is Galvatron and Unicron.

    He is also pissed off that its getting blasted in reviews, i think the highest rating its received over here in the UK is 3 stars

    3 years agoby @chronicFlag

  21. Silk

    F#K Michael Bay and anything he's involved with. He should go back to just jerking off, instead of doing it with his sh*t movies. "Event"... its a f#kn movie Bay you halfwit, and if the last one is any indication of the quality of this one... Go kill yourself! Repeat... F#K Michael Bay.

    3 years agoby @silkFlag

  22. -comrade-

    The movie probably won't be that good anyway... just saying.

    3 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag

  23. Messenger

    Who ever listens to TMZ are dumb asses through and through, they are like wanna be paparazzi. I am not defending Bay by any means just pointing out TMZ is worthless.

    But to be honest I haven't seen to much for Trans 2.

    I don't think he wanted anything viral for his flick, like TDK, just more push for this movie in general.

    3 years agoby @messengerFlag

  24. NateMAN

    Hey Michael Bay, maybe the reason it's not an "event" like Spiderman 2 was, is because you make sh*tty movies and everyone knows it. How can you say not enough people know about it? Everybody in world knows about it, it's just that a lot of people don't care. Besides it's still going to make huge business. The only film coming out this year that MIGHT make more money is the new Harry Potter. So shut the hell up Michael Bay, and stop being such a whiny bitch.

    3 years agoby @natemanFlag

  25. Vamp

    Who the hell is Michael Hay, exactly, Psycho. lmfao.

    3 years agoby @vampire2000Flag

  26. Raoul Duke

    What the f*ck is Bay talking about? Like NewKill said, you can't turn on the f*cking tv without seeing a Transformers 2 Spot. Every time I come on this site there's a new clip or interview or image of this movie. Michale Bay needs to chill. Your movie is well advertised.

    3 years agoby @raoulduke33Flag

  27. Psycho

    Who the f*ck is Michael hay? Don't you mean Michael Bay?

    3 years agoby @physco-123Flag

  28. Cyberghost

    More pathetic gossip.

    3 years agoby @cyberghostFlag

  29. Psycho

    My review for Transformers 2 is up.

    3 years agoby @physco-123Flag

  30. luca_frontino

    It doesn't matter how much Paramount advertises TF2.
    It sucks, so the people fooled by the TV spots won't get to see it more than once.
    Only Bayfans will.

    3 years agoby @luca-frontinoFlag

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