Hasbro have published the following Press Release over at Transformers.com

New Exclusives Available at Wal-Mart

Previously shown at Comic Con, the Robot Replicas OPTIMUS PRIME vs. MEGATRON Battle Pack is beginning to hit shelves at Wal-Mart stores nationwide. This premium collectible item will be out to coincide with the launch of the TRANSFORMERS movie DVD on October 16.

A special Voice Changer value pack is also available at Wal-Mart— just in time for Halloween. Become OPTIMUS PRIME with the OPTIMUS PRIME VOICE CHANGER and later, battle your friends with the bonus DIGITAL DAGGER a lights-and-sounds “weapon": in disguise. See other T.E.C.H items here.

Min Lee, AP Entertainment Writer, has published the following article regarding how Transformers has become the 2nd highest grossing foreign movie of all time in China.

HONG KONG (AP) -- "Transformers" raked in $37.3 million at the Chinese box office, making it the No. 2 grossing foreign movie of all time in the country after "Titanic," an official said Monday.

Film Bureau Deputy Director-General Zhang Pimin said in a phone interview "Transformers" was now second after surpassing the "The Da Vinci Code," which drew in more than 100 million yuan ($13.3 million).

"Titanic" made 359 million yuan ($48 million) in China.

"Transformers," which was released in China with more than 500 copies, will also get an IMAX screening at five theaters starting Tuesday.

Zhang denied a report in the Ming Pao Weekly magazine over the weekend that China's government banned media coverage of "Transformers" and its box office earnings when it neared the 200 million yuan ($27 million) mark.

"How could it do so well at the box office without publicity?" he said.

China carefully screens media content and only allows in about 20 foreign movies a year, although that quota can be bypassed through co-productions with local companies.

Regulators have also tried to maximize revenue for Chinese studios by banning foreign films from theaters during holidays and school vacations, when audiences are biggest.

China's box office is still small compared to the U.S. A movie making tens of millions of U.S. dollars in China is considered a major hit while a big hit in the U.S. can rake in several hundred million domestically.

"Transformers" is a production of DreamWorks and Paramount, which are both divisions of Viacom Inc. The characters in the movie are based on toys from Hasbro, Inc.

Hasbro UK are offering a 25% off products purchased over at the Hasbro Toy Shop. To gain the 25% discount, valid until October 10th 2007, simply enter in the discount code 0601:Welcome when checking out.

Snakas reports that in the latest edition of Hyper Hobby Magazine (on sale today in Japan), its announced that the Rescue Ratchet along with othrs will now be released in the middle of November in Japan as oppose to the previous announced release date of October. This report is also apparently in Figure King and Dengeki Hobby magazines. Snakas also reports that in an interview with TakaraTomy's Masahiko's Yamazaki, its announced that when the live action Transformers movie DVD is released in Japan, there will be a limited item and will also have a campaign run with it, so there may be some more Japanese exclusive Transformers Movie figures on the way

"Seasonal Specialities

Look for these seasonal specialities at Target.
Transformers Mini Resin Ornament 5pk - $6.99
Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Autobot Shield, Decepticon Shield

Transformers Resin Ornaments - $6.99
Combo Pack, Bumblebee + Shield, Optimus + Shield, Megatron + Shield,

Transformers Clear Resin Shield Ornaments - $3.99
Autobot and Decepticon

Transformers 2pc Resin Ornament Gift Sets - $15.99
Optimus Prime + Truck and Megatron + Jet

Transformers 100mm Lighted Water Globe - $15.99

Transformers Lenticular Stockings - $12.99
Optimus Prime and Megatron

" Scott Farrar, visual-effects supervisor and second-unit director of Michael Bay's Transformers, told SCI FI Wire that the recently announced sequel will be more ambitious visually.

"We want to improve on some of the processes that we did," Ferrar said in an interview at Industrial Light & Magic in San Francisco, where the film's transforming robots were created. "I think what we're going to do is get faster and know our problems sooner and quicker. And then, of course, I know Michael's always thinking about new, crazy actions. And we're open to that."

After discussing the monumental task of creating the effects for the first film, Farrar groaned and fell off his chair in jest when asked about the sequel, which was announced last week with an anticipated release date of June 26, 2009.

"It's a circus, and they're going to raise the tight-wire walker a little bit higher next time," he said. "But it's all going to be dramatic. I think the commitment is not to just chuck out a sequel. The commitment is—and this makes us really happy here—that it's a deep story. There are lots of layers to the story of all these Decepticons, everybody. And so they want to really keep the characters rich."

Farrar added that the filmmakers plan to use the techniques and technology they learned on the first film to make the second even better. "It was difficult and, I think, laborious and I think we learned a lot by the end," he said. "I think we've learned a lot about lighting, and I think we can go to much moodier lighting. Lots of things. It'll be improved."

Transformers will be released on DVD and HD DVD Oct. 16."

The original report can be found here.

UK online dealer, Toyz and Gamez, has reported to TFW2005 that the recoloured Transformers Movie Barricade toy known as Recon Barricade will only be available within the UK via one retail store. Toyz And Gamez does not mention the name of the store, though we expect it to be announced as The Entertainer, as Argos will not be stocking much in the way of new products for a little while, Woolworths, in many towns, have already dropped the Transformers line and Toys R Us is shelf warming happily at the moment, with limited distributions of the just released Longarm and Final Battle Jazz. Toyz and Gamez does go on to say that the next wave of toys will include Dropkick and Payload

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showthread.php?p=1634130

Two weeks ago Moonbug took a week off work, during which he took over 3,000 photographs of Transformers toys from our Transformers collection, working his way along one half of a shelf and 1/3 of the Transformers toys on top of our main display cupboard (which we call Cyber City).

Today we can unveil the last of these 3,000 images, in 8 new and 10 updated Transformers toy galleries. There are 738 new images for you to look at, and cover toys from a variety of Transformers lines and decades.

Here are the updates:-

1. Transformers Junior - Soundblaster
2. Transformers Collectors Edition - Galvatron (Purple colour scheme)
3. Transformers Music Label - Sonic White Soundwave
4. Transformers Movie - Protoform Optimus Prime
5. Transformers Movie - Protoform Starscream
6. Transformers Movie - Real Gear - Booster X10
7. Transformers Movie - Real Gear - Power Up VT6
8. Transformers Movie - Real Gear - Zoomout 25X

The Transformers galleries updated from preview-galleries (stock-images) or mini-galleries (less than 5 pictures) are:-

1. Transformers Junior - Soundwave
2. Transformers Music Label - Spark Blue Soundwave (updated with our toy)
3. Transformers Music Label - Frenzy (updated with our toy)
4. Transformers Music Label - Rumble (updated with our toy)
5. Transformers Extended Universe - BotCon 2002 Exclusive - CatSCAN
6. Transformers Super High Bred Model - BotCon Japan 1997 Exclusive - Galvatron (Internet Edition)
7. Transformers Movie - Bumblebee (74 Camaro) (updated with our toy)
   
8. Transformers Movie - Megatron (updated with our toy)
9. Transformers Movie - Optimus Prime (updated with our toy)
10. Non-Official - Yellow Binaltech Lambor (BT Tigertracks)

In addition to these 18 updates we've also corrected the images in the following galleries.

1. Transformers Generation One - Rumble
2. Transformers Generaiton One - Frenzy
   

IRL (Invinsible Robot Laboratories) has been updated with a gallery and review, in Japanese, of e-Hobby Shop exclusive BT-10 Rijie featuring Ford GT Electro Disruptor Version with comparisons to Alternator Mirage and Kiss Players Rodimus.

We've got both Clear Rijie and Alternator Mirage on their way to us at the moment, so expect a full gallery of our own in October.

If you take a look at Fat Guy's blog, you'll see a nice little gallery of the Transformers Movie Metallic Megatron redeco toy.

Although the toy isn't new, as it's out for sale in the US and Hong Kong, Fat Guy's gallery gives you a chance to have a look at the figure if you're torn between buying it or not.

You can see the images here.

The National Movie Awards are on TV tonight, on ITV 1 at 9:30, where Transformers is amongst various films which are battling it out to win awards including Best Action film.

If you're not planning on watching the show, then you may be interested in who won. If you are watching it, then don't read any further until after the show airs.

SPOILERS

It also won best family film title at the ceremony, at the Royal Festival Hall in central London.

Other winners include:

ACTION/ADVENTURE
Casino Royale

ANIMATION
The Simpsons Movie

COMEDY
Hot Fuzz

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
James Bond Genre

The latest 007 film beat off competition from Die Hard 4.0, 300 and Transformers to take home the Best Action Film gong at the ceremony.

The International Auto Show, taking place at the Northwood University in Michigan USA, have sent us the following press release regarding the event. Why, you may ask, well because four "stars" of the Transformers Movie will be in attendance, and we're not talking about the humans. Yes this is your chance to see the Bumblebee (2009 Camaro concept), Jazz (Pontiac Solstice), Ironhide (GMC TopKick) and Barricade (Saleen Mustang) up close and personal. Here is the press release in full.

International Auto Show Introduces Latest Concept Vehicles, Including Cars from the Transformers Movie

Never-before-seen concept cars and "Transformers" cars, including the Camaro Bumblebee, are unveiled to the public at Northwood University in Michigan

WHAT: Concept and new model cars never-before-seen by the general public are featured at Northwood University's 44th Annual International Auto Show. The vehicles include:
Four cars from Paramount's blockbuster hit Transformers:
* Bumblebee, Chevy's 2009 Camaro concept car
* Jazz, the Pontiac Solstice
* Ironhide, the GMC TopKick
* Barricade, the Saleen Mustang
The latest GM hybrid:
* Chevy Tahoe, the brand new GM Sport Utility Vehicle
WHEN: September 28-30, 2007
Friday, September 28, 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 29, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 30, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Northwood University, 4000 Whiting Drive, Midland, Michigan, USA

The 44th International Auto Show is organized and managed by Northwood University students, with more than 800 students from all curriculums and numerous businesses from across Michigan and beyond the state participating in the event. Other show highlights include: More than 500 new domestic and import vehicles; an extensive aftermarket exhibit; Sunday Classic Car Show, featuring more than 75 historic vehicles; concept cars; and a classicAirstream trailer offering a unique multi-media experience focused on the latest innovations from Scion.