Update: Bay Reveals Spielberg Had Him Fire Megan Fox from "Transformers"

[JamesG]

Breaking: Michael Bay drops Megan Fox from Transformers 3

Could this be payback for her Hitler comments about the filmmaker?
Published on Wednesday, May 19, 2010
By Gregory Ellwood


How the mighty have fallen.


Once heralded as the Cindy Crawford pin up queen of a generation, Megan Fox has had a rough 12 months. After the mammoth success of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, she was unable to open the Diablo Cody scripted horror comedy Jennifer's Body.

Now, HitFix has confirmed that Megan Fox will not return to the Transformers franchise for the third installment.





Director Michael Bay and Paramount Pictures decided not to pick up the actresses option for the sequel. Fox portrayed the sexy girlfriend of Sam Witwicky (Shia Labeouf).

Another actress will join the cast as a new love interest for the Autobot's biggest ally. The news was originally reported on Deadline.com.






It's unclear what ultimately drove Bay to this decision, but the controversy of her comparing working with him to "Hitler" certainly had to factor in. Bay had seemingly tried to put out the flames by posting a "welcome back" message to the actress when he confirmed the picture in October, but Fox's recent interview with Allure magazine where she insisted she wouldn't overly tan her body for the role (as the director had requested) may have been the last straw.




Fox's next film, Jonah Hex, opens on June 16.

She's also making an indie turn in the drama Passion Play alongside Mickey Rourke and Bill Murray which is expected to screen on the festival circuit later this year.

http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2010-...transformers-3

[HuntingtonM15]

[TJL]

Wow, you compare the director who put you in his blockbuster movies and made you an international sex symbol to Adolph Hitler once, and they never let you forget it!

Karma is a biatch Meg.

[JamesG]

Megan Fox: It Was My Decision to Leave Transformers
By David Caplan and Jennifer Garcia
Wednesday May 19, 2010


Megan Fox is seeking to transform rumor to fact.

The actress is slamming speculation she was booted from the third installment of the Transformers action film franchise.




“Megan Fox will not be starring in Transformers 3," reps for the actress, 24, tell PEOPLE. "It was her decision not to return. She wishes the franchise the best.”



Citing unnamed sources, Variety reports the studio and the film's director, Michael Bay, intend to cast another actress as star Shia LaBeouf's love interest to move the story in a different direction.


Shooting for the film, slated for a July 2011 release, is expected to kick off this summer in locations across the U.S.

http://www.people.com/people/article...ss-fullcontent

[robyrob]

ahhh, just like she MEANT for all of her characters to have that dull, vacant non-expression constantly on their faces, giving everyone the misconception that she can't act AT ALL.

[HuntingtonM15]

Originally Posted by robyrob

ahhh, just like she MEANT for all of her characters to have that dull, vacant non-expression constantly on their faces, giving everyone the misconception that she can't act AT ALL.

She's now seeing the consequences of being a huge bitch.

[JamesG]

Gemma Arterton to Replace Megan Fox in Transformers 3?
By Jeff Sneider
Published: May 19, 2010


EXCLUSIVE

Prince of Persia star Gemma Arterton is the front-runner to replace Megan Fox in Transformers 3, TheWrap has learned.

An individual close to the casting process says the actress has already had discussions with Bay about the coveted role. Other possible replacements for Fox include models Bar Rafaeli, Miranda Kerr and Brooklyn Decker.



Paramount has confirmed to TheWrap that the studio decided against picking up Fox's option for the sequel, and an individual close to the production explained that as screenwriter Ehren Kruger was developing the screenplay with director Michael Bay, it made sense for star Shia LaBeouf to have a new love interest. Ouch!

Rafaeli and Kerr were both brought in to the project's casting office to read for Transformers 3, while Decker has the most substantial acting career of the three models.




But Arterton remains the possibilty who makes the most sense, as she plays Jake Gyllenhaal's love interest in Prince of Persia and is no stranger to Hollywood blockbusters, having also starred in Clash of the Titans and Quantum of Solace.

Arterton, who is the same age as both LaBeouf and Fox, is currently at Cannes with the Stephen Frears comedy Tamara Drewe.




Bay will begin casting immediately for the new female lead.

Deadline first broke the news of Fox's departure.







Update:

AICN's "trustworthy sources" are hearing that half of the actresses in Hollywood are being considered as candidates to replace Megan Fox in Transformers 3.


They include:

Star Trek and Avatar star Zoe Saldana (seems too mature for Shia and really, another franchise?)

"Heroes" star Hayden Panetierre (not a fan but could have good chemistry with Shia)

"High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens (not a bad choice for the kiddies)

Amber Heard (yes please!)

Camilla Belle (bad actress)

Emmanuelle Chriqui (worse actress)

Twilight star Ashley Greene (who?)

Julianne Hough (stick to "Dancing With the Stars," honey)

"90210" star Jessica Lowndes

and English model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/ex...ormers-3-17549

[robyrob]

considering that a mop duct-taped to an easy chair would be a step-up acting wise, I think any of those other actresses would do fine as a replacement.

[Dr. Thong]

Who on earth will they replace her with? It's not as though Hollywood is teeming with young, hot chicks who--

Oh wait, never mind.

[JamesG]

Victoria's Secret celebrate model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's Transformers role with a video displaying her talent

By Mail Online Showbiz Reporter
1st June 2010



Fans of the Transformers movie franchise have been given a sneaky look at what to expect when Victoria's Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley steps into Megan Fox's shoes in the third installment.


The British star, 23, is one of the lingerie firm's Angels and, to congratulate her on securing a lead role in the film, they released a 90-second video displaying her famous talents.

Rosie will step in for Megan Fox, 24, whose character Mikaela Banes has been dropped from the forthcoming movie.






The model has been with lingerie giants Victoria's Secret since 2006, while other brands she has modeled for include Burberry, DKNY and Ralph Lauren.

During the compilation, a congratulatory message from the company flashes up on the screen.

The message reads: "Victoria’s Secret would like to congratulate our angel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley starring in 'Transformers 3'.

'Go get ‘em Rosie."







Initially Gemma Arterton had been touted as a possible replacement for Megan Fox, but the shortlist came down to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley along with Sarah Wright and Brooklyn Decker.


Miss Whiteley's lack of acting experience seems to have had little influence over director Michael Bay's decision to give her a big break - as he did with Megan Fox previously.

The director has worked with the model before on an advertisement for Victoria's Secret last year.



However a critic on the website Screen Rant no doubt spoke for many movie fans when he revealed his pessimism over the news of Megan's replacement.

Rob Keyes said: "To replace her with another actress based solely on looks doesn’t seem like the right move if they’re hoping to swing some positive buzz for the third installment."






Director Michael Bay and writer Ehren Kruger are said to be finalising the script and production started on May 17.

The first scenes to be shot for the lead female role begin in about two weeks to meet its planned July 1, 2011 release date.

Meaning there is very little time for Rosie to prepare for her first major acting gig.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...ng-talent.html

[JamesG]

Michael Bay: Steven Spielberg Told Me to Fire Megan Fox
Jun 21, 2011
by Joyce Eng


Michael Bay says Steven Spielberg told him to fire Megan Fox from the Transformers franchise after she told Wonderland magazine that the director "wants to be like Hitler on his sets."

"She was in a different world, on her BlackBerry. You gotta stay focused," Bay tells the July issue of GQ. "And you know, the Hitler thing. Steven said, 'Fire her right now.'"





Spielberg serves as executive producer on the movies, the third of which, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, hits theaters June 29.

Fox was replaced by model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.





Fox declined to comment for the story, but said last year that she chose to leave the franchise.

Fellow Transformers star Shia LaBeouf agrees that Fox's comments were out of line. "Criticism is one thing," he tells GQ. "Then there's public name-calling, which turns into high school bashing. Which you can't do."





Bay, however, says "I know that's just Megan," so he wasn't hurt.

"Megan loves to get a response," he says. "And she does it in the wrong way. I'm sorry, Megan. I'm sorry I made you work 12 hours. I'm sorry that I'm making you show up on time. Movies are not always warm and fuzzy."





All apparently is forgiven now, as Bay says the two are on good terms.

"She sent me a text three months ago," he says.

"She said, 'I hope you're doing well.' I responded, 'Who is this?' She goes, 'Megan, you dork!' I said, 'Oh, well, thank you, hope you're well.' When you're days and months on a set, it's like a family. You say rude things and you make up."

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Bay-Spie...x-1034443.aspx

[TJL]

Way to throw Spielberg under the bus Mike.

It's funny how Bay never brought Spileberg's name into this until now, a week before the movie premieres. Me thinks Bay is doing some preemptive damage control before TF3 comes out.

The critics will undoubtably bring up Megan Fox's name (and the falling out she had with Bay) in their reviews, and poor Rosie will be compared to Fox in all of them.

Megan's loyal fanboys will take to the interweb and twitter the day the movie comes out, trashing Rosie Huntington-Whitely becasue she replaced Meg. Bay will no doubt get a lot of crap for replacing Meg.

Bay now has the perfect excuse when people ask him if firing Meg was a good idea. "Hey, it wasn't my idea to fire her. My boss made me do it!"

[dlemond]

Originally Posted by JamesG

Michael Bay: Steven Spielberg Told Me to Fire Megan Fox
Jun 21, 2011
by Joyce Eng


Michael Bay says Steven Spielberg told him to fire Megan Fox from the Transformers franchise after she told Wonderland magazine that the director "wants to be like Hitler on his sets."

"She was in a different world, on her BlackBerry. You gotta stay focused," Bay tells the July issue of GQ. "And you know, the Hitler thing. Steven said, 'Fire her right now.'"

What it comes down to is that it's all Hitler's fault.

Man, that guy just doesn't stop.