Production Status Updates: Transformers 2, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Justice League, Angels and Demons, Terminator Salvation and More!

Even though the writer's strike is finally over, studios are moving forward with extreme caution on future projects. According to Variety, due to the tension of the lingering SAG agreement, most studios are refusing to schedule new start dates on films that can't complete shooting by June 30th.

Transformers 2 director Michael Bay said that the sequel is still recovering from the writer's strike, and that he's trying to catch-up with his trio of writers, Ehren Kruger, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.

"If there is a strike, we shut down, but shutting down isn't that big a deal," Bay said. "You make accommodations, you make a deal with vending houses on equipment and on the stages where you are shooting. You hope for the best, but you can't be incapacitated by the possibility that there will be a strike. We've got to get this town back to work. I can't imagine anyone wants another strike, we're all tired. Hopefully clearer heads will prevail."

The uncertainty has prompted Steven Spielberg to halt an April production start on the Aaron Sorkin-scripted DreamWorks drama The Trial of the Chicago 7. He'll take the extra time to hone the script with Sorkin. Only Sacha Baron Cohen had been set to play Abbie Hoffman and is now looking at summer or fall start date, when the prospect of an actor's strike should be in the rear view mirror.

Warner Bros. is hoping that director George Miller will begin to film the superhero film Justice League of America in mid-July. Production for the project has been off-and-on in recent months, as the script needed more work. The second the strike was over, screenwriting duo Kiernan and Michele Mulroney began rewriting the script. Warner Bros. is hoping to get a draft in the next six weeks.

20th Century Fox has scheduled August as the start date for production on The Tooth Fairy, a comedy that will star Dwayne Johnson. The picture will start a three-month preproduction process in May, so that it can be among the first post-strike pictures to go into production.

Warner Bros. also revealed earlier this week that it will begin shooting Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins on May 5 in Albuquerque. All exterior scenes will be shot and completed by June 30 so that no extra location rental charges are incurred. Director McG will edit that footage, and visual effects artists will continue their work, moving the project forward even if the actors go home. The movie will be finished on soundstages once actors return to work.

Sony will begin shooting its The Da Vinci Code sequel Angels and Demons in Rome on June 5. Director Ron Howard will spend three weeks shooting all of the film's exterior scenes. The rest of the film will be shot on Sony soundstages, where sets will wait, if necessary, until an actors strike is over. That allowed Sony to somewhat contain the costs to halt and re-start the picture.

Warner Bros. has Justice League of America scheduled for a 2010 release date and DreamWorks Pictures will release Transformers 2 on June 26th, 2009.

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: Variety

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Comments (33)

  1. The Narrator: The Better Man

    wow. i really don't like the da vinci code. it was to weak and when it started to lose money they blamed it on the release of the last stand. thats my opinion. anyways look 4ward to the trial of the Chicago seven, and transformers 2.

    4 years agoby @narratorFlag

  2. warcraft1

    i hope transformers 2 will gonna be the best of all here in venezuela

    4 years agoby @warcraft1Flag

  3. LEO: Lord Epsilon Omega

    Wow. I hope Transformers 2 and Terminator will be okay. I'm looking forward to those the most on this list.

    4 years agoby @epsalonFlag

  4. CelluloidDreams

    I hope "Angels and Demons" is better than that crappy "Da Vinci Code"!! Ron Howard destroyed the 1st book and lost something in translation bringing it to the big screen!

    4 years agoby @2movieguysFlag

  5. killahmovie24

    lol i have to leave some breathing room just in case its the best superhero movie ever lol ( i doubt it but...maybe) hey guys favor please..comment me ur fav movies of all time to see if there's anything i have'nt seen i would appreciate it

    4 years agoby @killahmovie24Flag

  6. TheEdge76

    WHAT UP GUYS!

    4 years agoby @cwalkenisthemanFlag

  7. Marcusx

    good call

    4 years agoby @marcusxFlag

  8. T.Clark

    I just wanted to clarify things. heh, heh, heh

    4 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  9. Marcusx

    travis its a joke were not trying to make ya mad we just think its funny calm down lol

    4 years agoby @marcusxFlag

  10. T.Clark

    And I never said it sucks, I just said to use my plot and cast, cuz ya know, that would be awesome as hell. The main reason I gave my version of the plot and cast was cuz EVERYBODY ELSE was complaining about the movie, and I wanted to see what they thought.

    4 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  11. T.Clark

    Guys, I've been supporting this movie this from the beginning, I was just giving my version of the movie, which I think would be alot better. But I DO think this movie will be good. The most bad stuff I've said about is that they could've gotten a better director, but it is what it is.

    4 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  12. Marcusx

    hahahah no sh*t! travis you were all nazi vs jews against the damn movie you cant switch now!

    4 years agoby @marcusxFlag

  13. Phatlightning

    yea yea, now you jump on board, when only a day ago you were bouncing around yelling "use my script, use my script, the original script and casting sucks!!" I see how it is.

    4 years agoby @sxers2k1Flag

  14. T.Clark

    Don't get too tired, phat, cuz I'm with killah. I think JLA will turn out to be good. Transformers 2 and Terminator Salvation I'm also excited about.

    4 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  15. Phatlightning

    lol dont turn on us killah! you just want to be that guy who said I told you so if it somehow makes a killing.. lol, i guess someone has to step into that role, i'd rather it be you than andrewryan, my hand is rather tired from patting him on the back all the time.. ha

    4 years agoby @sxers2k1Flag

  16. AnnoyingFilmCritic

    T4 and T2 in 2009! That's going to be a good summer movie season...plus a Fast & Furious 4.

    When does the Akira live action movie, produced by DiCaprio come out?

    4 years agoby @annoyingfilmcriticFlag

  17. TheEdge76

    Yes! I just want Tarnsformers 2 to be finished! I can't wait!

    4 years agoby @cwalkenisthemanFlag

  18. killahmovie24

    i cant lie, i cant wait to see transformers 2 and JLA we (me incl) keep sh*ting on it but something tells me this might turnaround and shock the hell out of us non-beleivers lol, as far as angels and demons i read the book, and if they cant stick to it dont bother, speaking of wich to go in seti directon have any of you read the Odd Thomas series by Dean Knootz? I think those would make some sick movies, but other then that.BRING ON INDY AND THE DARK KNIGHT!!!!

    4 years agoby @killahmovie24Flag

  19. CelluloidDreams

    Dwayne Johnson as "The Tooth Fairy"! LOL! This is what we have to look forward to "AFTER" the WGA strike!! I say "STRIKE...STRIKE...STRIKE...!!

    4 years agoby @2movieguysFlag

  20. Err

    hey so long as terminator and transformers2 is on schedule i couldnt care less about the rest.

    4 years agoby @err2005Flag

  21. Radimus-83

    bor-ing!!!

    4 years agoby @radimus-83Flag

  22. seti73

    Is JLA now live action? I could have sworn they were going to do a motion-capture film...but now I'm not so sure. Either way, they need to dump it.

    Transformers 2 - bring it on!

    Angels and Demons is actually a PREquel...but I've got mixed feelings about this. I loved the Da Vinci Code book, but the movie was just OK (IMHO). I liked it, but it was much different than the book in many ways (of course, that happens a lot when you go from book to big screen - but in this case, things were changed that didn't make sense). Angels and Demons was a great book as well (although the ending was a little out there).

    The Dan Brown book that I think should really be done is Digital Fortress.

    Space101 - lol "he's gonna knock teeth out"... I don't get this movie either...

    Cheers

    4 years agoby @seti73Flag

  23. Marcusx

    JLA will bomb. we will all see it but it wont be a good movie...

    4 years agoby @marcusxFlag

  24. Space101

    Warner Bros. should scrap Justice League! They haven't got that idea in there hard heads yet? The reste of the list looks descent. Tooth Fairy with The Rock? Either he's the tooth fairy himself or he's gonna knock teeth out.

    4 years agoby @space101Flag

  25. Err

    i think the extras go on strike next.

    4 years agoby @err2005Flag

  26. The Kwisatz Haderach

    Well, wrtiers strike, actors strike, whats next directors, camermen, roadies?

    4 years agoby @the-kwisatz-haderachFlag

  27. ed_wood

    Bring on Transformers, shut down Justice League.

    4 years agoby @ed-woodFlag

  28. DarkTower19

    Hooray Transfomers!! You know what they really need to do is have the Dinobots in this one.

    4 years agoby @darktower19Flag

  29. Tronticon

    I wanna see ACTION!!!! and more with the Decepticons!!

    All Hail Megatron!!!!!... Boiiiiiiiiii!!!!

    4 years agoby @tronticonFlag

  30. SexyRussian

    Transformers 2 Better be better than first one
    cuz I thought first one wasn't that good like 6/10

    4 years agoby @sexyrussianFlag

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