For those with a GPS / Tom Tom, You might may be interested to hear about this piece of news that was submitted by Peter

Thought you might like this: Over at navtones you can get Optimius Primes brother as a voice for your GPS. It's free and it's really funny. I just went for a drive using it and it had me laughing out loud. It's called Optimus Sub-Prime. Check it out I'm pretty sure the website is just: www.navtones.com

Hollywood Reporter is confirming that Paramount is reporting $60.6 million in ticket sales for Wednesday.

Also Variety.com have just reported that Revenge Of The Fallen has taken a massive $60.6 million on it's opening day in the US, which is the highest ever single day take from a Wednesday opening film and is the second highest behind The Dark Knight's record of $67.2 million first day (friday opening).

You can view the article here:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118005354.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Snakas has posted a blog entry about the latest issue of the Japanese hobby magazine Figure King (issue 137) which you can find here. According to the report the issued focuses on Transformers Revenge of the Fallen related items, as you would probably expect. The figures are set for release in July and August with large images published of Jetfire as well as him combined with Optimus Prime. Images are also shown of the EZ collection version of the figures as well. Their are limited edition Revenge of the Fallen Optimus Primes onsale at the Toyko Toy show which is beign held on the 18th and 19th of July. Some tie-in products from Litek are shown including a cellphone (mobile phone) charger

Paramount was looking for bigger with Michael Bay's highly anticipated Transformers sequel and it looks like they've got it. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen debuted to a record $16 million last night, the most ever for a Wednesday midnight run. (Warner Bros.' The Dark Knight scored $18 million for its midnight run last year, but that was on a Friday.)

So how high will Transformers 2's grosses go this weekend? Predictions have ranged anywhere from $125 million to $160 million for the five-day frame. Whatever the number, it will be good news for the box office, which is having trouble maintaining last summer's record draw.

Credit Hollywood Insider

Auto Assembly 2009 is set to break all attendance records once again for a European Transformers convention and we are delighted to say that we are going to be joined by fans from not only all over the UK but from all over Europe and from as far afield as America, Singapore and Japan making Auto Assembly 2009 a truly global event.

However, we appreciate that there are many of you who would love to be able to attend the convention but can't attend either because of distance of who are unable to get time off work so once again we are offering a non-attendee package which will allow you to get involved in the convention and get your hands on all of this year's convention goodies and a whole lot more besides...

These non-attendee packages are £60 for anyone living in the UK and £70 for the rest of the world and are fully inclusive of shipping costs. While these are more expensive than passes for the convention, we think they offer exceptional value for money. Why? Well, each non-attendee pack will get you:-

* A Personalised convention pass with your own ticket number
* The FULL Auto Assembly goodie bag containing up to 12 gifts (with more under negotiation)! (the earlier your ticket number, the more gifts will be in your bag. Visit the website to see the full details of what's on offer this year!)
* Entry into all of the Auto Assembly 2009 Pre-registrant prize draws
* The Cybertronian Times Issue 10, signed by ALL our convention guests
* All Hail Megatron Issue 13 convention exclusive variant cover comic
* Auto Assembly 2009 convention exclusive mug
* Auto Assembly 2009 Grimlock keyring
* Full set of Auto Assembly convention exclusive postcards from 2004-2008
* Proxy bidding rights for the Auto Assembly charity auction
* A personalised sketch from a random Auto Assembly 2009 comic artist guest
* The option to use your non-attendee pass at ANY TIME and become a full weekend attendee during the convention by simply turning up at the convention and showing your pass and collecting all of your items on the day for just an additional £10

And that's not all! The first 20 people to buy the non-attendee package will also receive a copy of Apocalypse Comics' retailer exclusive edition of All Hail Megatron #1 or All Hail Megatron #12! This is quite possibly the best non-attendee package we have EVER put together and is an ideal way for you to get involved with the convention if you can't make it this year and potentially your ONLY chance to get this year's convention exclusive comic!

Once you have paid your (or if you live outside the UK) there is nothing more to pay. The only additional charges are for additional postage charges that may be incurred should any competition prizes be won that we may need to ship, or relevant amounts for any auction items that you may win.

To purchase your non-attendee package, visit the Auto Asembly website NOW! If you are able to join us, full weekend tickets are available and are £45 for adults and £35 for children/students/senior citizens with under 5s being FREE. Family tickets (2 adults and 2 children) are just £145 saving £15. Limited numbers of single day passes are also available starting from £18. Don't miss out on your chance to be a part of what is going to be a great weekend celebrating 25 years of the Transformers!!

For full details on Auto Assembly 2009 and to book your tickets, visit the website at www.autoassembly.org.uk

Simon Plumbe
Auto Assembly 2009

Auto Assembly 2009 is a non-profit making convention for fans of Transformers and is being held on 15th - 16th August 2009 at the Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham, England.

web: www.autoassembly.org.uk
forum: http://autoassembly.proboards.com
email: autoassembly@aol.com
tel: +44 (0)7860 948296

Several websites have videos and image galleries covering last nights LA premier of Transformers Revenge of the Fallen.  Below you will find a list that was compiled by transformerslive.blogspot.com

Videos
KABC-TV LA - Multiple Transformers 2 premiere related video of their coverage of the event.
On The Red Carpet - Also from KABC, about 15 videos from the red carpet with Shia, Megan, Josh, Tyrese, Linkin Park, Ramon, Julie White (looking good), Kevin Dunn, Jon Voight, Isabel Lucas, Michael Bay and Scott Farrar (FX guru).
Hollywood Scoop - Their report from the event.
MaximoTV ROTF - From YouTube, video from the red carpet as stars showed up.
MaximoTV Megan Fox - Coverage of Megan and Shia running the press gauntlet.
MaximoTV Olivia Munn - Fan of the Munn, about the only reason linking to it.
More YouTube videos - Did a youtube search sorted by newest to find even more.

Pictures
Seibertron.com - Gallery of images that covers the setup for the premiere later that night.
ROTF Premiere Gallery - Tons of pictures at the stars and such that showed up for the premiere.
Shia LaBeouf - The unlikely action star has he walks the premiere carpet.
Megan Fox - The lovely star in white as she makes the red carpet rounds. 

The UK toy market just got slammed by the chairman of the BTHA (British Toy and Hobby Association) Roger Dyson.  In an address to visitor's of the association's Industry Day, he pointed to a number of difficulties faced throughout 2008, which led to the UK becoming "The worst performing toy market in the developed world when compared with 2008."  Dyson gave a few reasons for the decline

"The administration of Youngsters in April was challenging enough for many of our members, but the reqercussions of the administration of Woolworths have still not subsided and are unlikely to to, at least until 2009 is well past.

"The changing landscape of retail in teh UK is and will continue to be a challenge to our members for some time to come but our industry will as ever change and adapt to what will continue to be an ever changing economic and retail environment." ... "We face a further difficulty, lower turnover leads to lower marketing spend which leads to lower sales, we are in a downward spiral that we need to reverse."

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen is proving to be a sell out already.  Not only are the UK iMax screenings sold out for a lot of the showings but across America hundreds of the midnight showings are already sold out (report Fandango).  Here's some more facts

• Sold-out midnight show times (on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning) can be found all across the U.S.A., in cities such as New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Albuquerque, Denver, Houston, Nashville, Orlando, Colorado Springs, Tulsa, Fresno and Buford, Georgia.
• Exhibitors are continuing to add 3:45 a.m. or 4:00 a.m. show times on Wednesday morning to meet the fan demand.
• Currently, the film is selling twice as many tickets on Fandango as the original Transformers sold at the same point in that film’s sales cycle (two days before release date).
• The movie currently represents 87% of today’s ticket sales
• And as we noted yesterday, TF 2 showings at 500+ theaters in China are sold out 1.5 weeks in advanced.

Thanks to Kage for letting us know that the single bags of Transformers Robot Heroes are currently just £1 Tesco.   Kage adds that they are a random mix of movie and G1 characters.

In a post on his own message board, Michael Bay urges fans to go see the iMax version of Transformers Revenge of the Fallen

Back from Moscow. Fresh from a visit to the former KGB, with second in command. He told me in his office I'm one of 10 American's, one being a President, to ever be allowed inside what is now called the FSB. The only reason was he heard I was in town and he is a fan of my films.


Last night with my crew I saw the IMAX version. Once you get used to the giant format and your eyes adjust, it's an awesome experience. I have been waiting until the film was final to judge, and I'm really pleased. You have to make a point to see it this way - It could be the very best way to see Transformers.

C'mon guys critics? Give me a break. Do you all have short term memory? They killed the first one, and it still became a world-wide smash. I made this for the you, the audience!

Michael

Australian fans may be pleased to know that the country is getting its first Lucky Draw.  Following on from Japan, Hong Kong and the UK Australia joints the elite list of countries that have given away a limited edition version of a Transformer.  For Australia it will be 25 of the gold Transformers Movie leader class Optimus Primesthat were made back in 2008 with some given away at the Hong Kong Animation and Comic show.  We own one, being Lucky Draw Collectors, which you can view here.

Australian Retailer Myer will be giving away the figure which according to the Myer Catalogue, entrants must provide a 25 word answer to the question "what you would like to transform into and why?" by Sunday the 26th of July 2009 in order to win the Lucky Draw Optimus Prime, one of only 88 ever made.

Credit to Seibertron.com for the report

Transformers Director Michael Bay sent a scathing email to studio Paramount Pictures on the 4th May, reports gossip site TMZ.­ ­"... I have been waiting, and waiting for the anticipation of an 'event movie' to make it into the 'public zeitgeist,' they quote Mr Bay as writing as well as pointing out that he calls the print campaign for the film an "abject failure," with a "pathetic presence" in the L.A. Times. Here refers to the profile of the movie on the MTV Video Awards as "so lame." referring to the fact that the first Transformers in 2007 had a 30-minute segment at the MTV Movie Awards, but this year the sequel's only support was in the form of lead actors Shia LeBeouf and Megan Fox presenting an award.

Bay makes a attack on Paramount head Sumner with his comment of "You all talk so glowingly about Transformers being the movie of the summer but unfortunately this has not gotten to the public.  I still run into so many people even this weekend with kids that ask "is that movie coming out this year?".  Your owner Sumner, went on air in wall street last week talking how Paramount was going to claim the summer with Star Trek and G.I Joe. I guess he didn't even know it was coming out either." which points out that the film was being poorly advertised.

Bay goes on to name drop Jerry Bruckheimer in the email with "Over the years Jerry Bruckheimer mentored me on event movies - he had a mantra - "A studio that does not make it an event, will it into an event, thinks the audience will just show up, will always be bittin in the ass".  Besides my good friend Steven, Jerry has made a lot more successful movies ten all of us".

Its not all bad news though as on the 6th June Michael sent Paramount Pictures an email praising them and saying that "Paramount is like family. Thank you all for busting your butts and bringing your 'A game' for the release of Transformers".

You can read the full emails here and here.

After the initial wave has been a complete sell-out, we are now pleased to announce that it is releasing the second wave of one-day passes for Auto Assembly 2009!

Europe's biggest Transformers convention, taking place this August in Birmingham, England, is already on course for another record attendance this year and for those of you who are unable to make if for the full weekend because of work commitments or who are unable to afford hotel accommodation or full weekend passes, you have the chance to buy tickets for either the Saturday or Sunday!

As before, these one-day tickets are on sale for a limited period only subject to availability and we have released just 25 new tickets for Saturday and a further 25 tickets for Sunday! Tickets for either day cost £25 for adults, £18 for children, students or senior citizens and under 5's as always are free. However as they are limited, if you want to come along for just the day then you need to book NOW! As before, further one-day passes may be available at a later date, but these are the only ones we can guarantee at the moment and we cannot guarantee that single day passes will be available on-the-door.

Single day attendees will get access to the FULL convention on your chosen day including all the dealers, workshops, all the guest talks, FREE autograph sessions, our goodie bags (and we will be announcing the full details of this soon), and everything else that weekend attendees have. However, weekend attendees gain earlier admission to the convention and have access to the exclusive Saturday evening programme with our voice actor script reading, live band and disco and the bonus Friday evening programme.

Full weekend tickets are still available and are £45 for adults and £35 for children/students/senior citizens with under 5s being FREE. Family tickets (2 adults and 2 children) for just £145 saving £15! Don't miss out on your chance to be a part of what is going to be a great weekend celebrating 25 years of the Transformers!!

For full details on Auto Assembly 2009 and to book your tickets, visit the website at www.autoassembly.org.uk

Simon Plumbe
Auto Assembly 2009

Auto Assembly 2009 is a non-profit making convention for fans of Transformers and is being held on 15th - 16th August 2009 at the Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre, Birmingham, England.

web: www.autoassembly.org.uk
forum: http://autoassembly.proboards.com
email: autoassembly@aol.com
tel: +44 (0)7860 948296