Transformers 4 now, Twitch.tv has posted an overview of the supposed (it's not been confirmed) shooting schedule for Transformers 4 from June to October this year. The production list includes Chicago and Michigan (June, July and August), Hong Kong (September) and China (October).

HK-TF have posted some new images of the Transformers Generations Legends 2-packs for Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. The images, which have been mirrored below, also include some additional images which were posted online yesterday by RobotKingdom.

The Michigan Motion Picture Studios have started to build sets for the principal photography of Transformers 4, which is due to start in in late May. The 535,000 square foot facility is in in Pontiac, MI and is one of many locations that Transformers 4 will be shooting this yeah

"They are in the process of pre-production right now," Wenson told MLive Detroit, when asked if Bay's film crew is in town. "They are filming in several other states, too. The majority of their shooting, I believe, will be done in the state of Michigan.

"In addition to working on our stages, they’ll also be working throughout the state at different locations. We’re really excited that they’re here. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to service another film.”

Michael Bay has spoken to Collider at the Cinemacon regarding some of the technology he will be using to film Transformers 4.

"Over the last few years, IMAX has been quietly developing a smaller digital camera with amazing resolution. And while that would be great on its own…the new camera would also shoot in 3D! However, since no one had been talking about it recently, I figured IMAX was stuck trying to get the tech to work and it’d be years before we’d see it in action. I thought wrong. Tonight on the CinemaCon red carpet for Paramount’s presentation, Michael Bay told me he’s going to be shooting the big showcase scenes in Transformers 4 with the new, smaller IMAX 3D digital camera!"

Michael Bay has announced that Stanley Tucci has signed on to join the growing cast for Transformers 4 and that he will be announcing another cast member shortly.  An Emmy Award winning actor, Stanley played the Scientist Abraham Erskine in the movie Captain America: The 1st Avenger.

It was confirmed yesterday that Paramount Pictures have signed a "Cooperation Agreement" with the China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises for the production of Transformers 4.  The basic summary is that they will help finance / produce the movie which will include shoots in China and most likely feature some Chinese actors / actress in some portions, or extended portions, of the film.  Here is a copy of the press release.

Los Angeles, CA – April 2, 2013 – Paramount Pictures, China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises announced today that they have entered into a Cooperation Agreement regarding the production of “Transformers 4” in China. The Cooperation Agreement was signed on April 1, 2013 in Beijing and Los Angeles.

Pursuant to the agreement, China Movie Channel, under the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT), will cooperate with Paramount in broad-based support of the production of the film in China. “Transformers 4” is expected to be released in China on or about June 27, 2014. The parties also intend to cooperate in a number of other areas related to “Transformers 4,” including the selection of filming sites within China, theatrical promotion, and possible post-production activities in China as well as casting of Chinese actors and actresses in the film.

This agreement represents the first time that China Movie Channel will work with a western studio in the production of a major motion picture.

The unprecedented agreement followed a meeting with Mr. Tong Gang, Vice Minister of SARFT with the Transformers 4 production leaders including director Michael Bay, producer Lorenzo DiBonaventura and Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Moore, along with Jiaflix Chairman Sid Ganis and President Marc Ganis at SARFT’s official Reception Hall in Beijing. Minister Tong expressed support for the newly formed China Movie Channel/Jiaflix cooperation with Paramount.

The “Transformers” movies are among the most popular films ever released in China, and Michael Bay is among the most popular directors with Chinese audiences. Transformers 3, Dark of the Moon, released theatrically in 2011, grossed $165 million in China and over $1.1 billion worldwide.

“I’m proud and honored by how ‘Transformers’ has been embraced by Chinese audiences,” said Michael Bay. “I look forward to working with China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises to help reach more people here and deepen their passion for this ongoing story and its characters.”

“China Movie Channel and our official movie web site M1905.com have been long term trusted partners with Jiaflix,” said Yan Xiaoming, Chairman of China Movie Channel. “We have been working together in the field of importing Hollywood movies for Chinese television and internet, including Paramount movies, as well as introducing Chinese movies to the North American market and are very delighted with the results we have accomplished together.”

“This is the beginning of a new era of collaboration with the Hollywood studios,” Mr. Yan continued. “We are very confident that the China Movie Channel/Jiaflix cooperation with Paramount will result in the famous Transformers brand being an even bigger success.”

Jiaflix, through its partners, Sid Ganis, Marc Ganis and Kenneth Huang, was the driving force in bringing the new arrangement to fruition. Said Sid Ganis, Chairman of Jiaflix, “Paramount was the first major studio to officially join with us for the distribution of its films over the Jiaflix platform in China, so we are delighted to join our partners at China Movie Channel together with Paramount on this groundbreaking initiative. ‘Transformers 4’ are paving the way.” Jiaflix has recently entered into a long term agreement with Paramount, under which Paramount will supply more than 250 films a year to the new video streaming partnership between Jiaflix and M1905.com, a unit of China Movie Channel.

“We are excited by and grateful for the opportunity to work with China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises on the production and promotion of ‘Transformers 4,’” said Paramount Vice Chair Rob Moore. “We see this relationship as a reflection of the global power and appeal of both this unique franchise and Michael Bay’s talents as a filmmaker.”

Wrecked Magazine have reported a new sponsorship deal between the Hasbro and Paramount and Otto Graven's “Ultimate 86” Formula D team which will see Hasbro become co-title sponsors. The original casting call for Transformers 4 announced that the studio were looking for a "male who will play her (the lead female character) on screen boyfriend who is a Texas race car driver in his early 20s". This character has been confirmed as being played by Jack Reynor with Mark Wahlberg playing the father of the female.  Therefore, it can be deduced that he is likely to be driving for the "Ultimate 86" Formula D team.

"In a huge deal, Otto Graven has announced a co-title sponsorship of his “Ultimate 86” as being split between longtime Scion partner Rogue Status and Hasbro’s “Transformers” brand. This is a great new brand coming to Formula D, one that I’m sure many fans have grown up admiring. Rogue Status is upping their sponsorship from a partner level to a co-title sponsorship as well. For a driver who wasn’t in the series last season, this is a HUGE announcement coming through in a season where many drivers are struggling to find sponsorship dollars. Will this help Otto earn his first FD Podium in 2013?"

Reel Chicago have officially confirmed that Chicago has been choosen as another location for the fourth live-action Transformers movie. Transformers 4 will be the third of three sci-fi movies filming within the city this year, with the other two being Divergent and Jupiter Ascending. It has also been reported that actor Mark Wahlberg is currently looking to rent a property within the area for a four month period over the summer.

Credit to Seibertron.com for the news

Incase anyone was still doubting it, live-action Transformers director Michael Bay has once again confirmed to Forbes that Transformers 4 will not be a reboot.

Will that change the way you do anything on Transformers 4?
We’re going to start off smaller. There’s a brand new cast. To freshen the franchise we’ve redesigned everything from top to bottom. The history of the first three movies is still there, we start four years later and there’s a reason why we’re meeting a new cast.
Mark is really excited about it and it’s a great redesign. I said that 3 [which grossed $1.1 billion] was going to be my last one. Paramount was letting me do Pain & Gain and the Transformers ride was opening at Universal and it was bittersweet to think of passing it off. I wanted to set it up on a really sure footing and to bring someone else in on that, it would have been overwhelming.

So is 4 a reboot?
No, that’s wrong. We keep the Transformers the way they were, it’s just four years later. There’s a reason the Transformers are redesigned. We’re trying to broaden the franchise and give it more places to go.

Mr. Bay also confirms what the winner of Doritos Superbowl Commercial Contest will do at the set of TF4:

What will the winner actually get to do on the Transformers 4 set?
Replace me as director. No, we’ll see who the person is and depending on what he is interested in being, a producer or a director, we’ll try to tailor the job. It’s all hard work with you’re working on a movie.

Visit Forbes for the full article.

The official website of Michael Bay has updated his website with a new statement from the Hollywood movie director confirming that he has signed Jack Reynor to star along side Mark Wahlberg in the fourth live-action Transformers movie which is due to start production this year.  In the same statement Mr Bay throws in a comment that this film will be the first of a new trilogy of films.  You can read the full statement below.

"I just hired a great new actor for Transformers 4 to star against Mark Wahlberg. Jack Reynor, he is an Irish kid that came to America with 30 bucks in his pocket. Pretty ballsy. Seriously who does that? Anyway I spotted him in a great little Irish movie WHAT RICHARD DID. This kid is the real deal.

Transformers 4, is not a reboot. That word has been floating around on the net.

This movie takes place exactly 4 years after the war in Chicago. The story makes a very natural transition, and reason as to why we have a whole new cast. This Transformers will feel very different than the last three. We are embarking on a new trilogy.

Michael"

You will no doubt notice some Transformers and non-Transformers websites reporting that they have a copy of the Transformers 4 script. This script if fake. We received a report of this script on the 11th December at 9:31am and decided not to publish since it is clearly not true. However since the news story is starting to do the rounds we wanted to posted the "report" we received to help highlight the background of the document

Below is the news submission we received. Again the script is fake, it does not fit with what is known regarding the fourth live action Transformers film and contains references to characters which will be too costly to put onto the big screen and not enough Human focus:

"A friend of mine is in the document disposal business, he works for a company similar to this:
 
http://www.ironmountain.com/Services/Secure-Shredding.aspx
 
The actual company I will not disclose since doing so could easily cost him his job, based on what follows...
The other day he was going about his business, when he came upon the document that is linked below. Needless to say he was torn given the implications, but took a risk and saved it from destruction. He passed it along to me to let me weigh in on it, and I do believe this is worthy. What is has going for it:
 
It pretty much meshes with everything that has been revealed so far, and promises to be an epic story.
 
What it doesn't have going for it:
 
It was in a disposal bin awaiting destruction.
 
So it could be one of two things, an early draft, which is being revised, or there were one to many copies floating around so they decided to elminate the excess. Either way I think it's significant since it lets us know what they are thinking...
 
These links will likely expire quickly, that's why I have provided two different sites.
 
https://www.box.com/s/2fs8feyct9pes49aemvd
 
and
 
http://www.sendspace.com/file/5taj5e
 
Merry Christmas
Darth Chaleo
 
P.S.  I did some checking, and since it was considered refuse, there shouldn't any issue with posting it.  But the main thing is you don't actually poesses it, nor did you upload it, but I've covered my tracks just in case."

Twitch are reporting that Brenton Thwaites and Nicola Peltz have joined the Mark Wahlberg as members of the cast for Transformers 4. Nicola Peltz will play "Marky Marks" daughter in the film whilst Brenton Thwaites will play her boyfriend.

The 23 year old Australian born Brenton Thwaites, is best known for portraying Luke Gallagher in the Fox8 teendrama series SLiDE as well as the Home and Away character Stu Henderson, whilst 17 year old Nicola Peltz is best known for her role as Katara in the The Last Airbender.

Update: In an update on ShootForTheEdit.com, Michael Bay's site admin posted that the story reported by Twitch is false. However, Twitch were the first site to report Mark Wahlberg joining the franchise and S4tE have been wrong in the past. So for now, this story should be treated as a  40/60 chance of being true

It's been confirmed that Mark Wahlberg will be taking over the lead role in the Transformers franchise.  Below you will find the official release of the news

HOLLYWOOD, CA (November 8, 2012) – After an exceptionally successful collaboration on the upcoming “Pain and Gain,” Michael Bay has cast Academy Award®-nominee Mark Wahlberg in the highly anticipated “TRANSFORMERS 4.” The film will hit theaters June 27th, 2014.

“Mark is awesome. We had a blast working on “Pain and Gain” and I’m so fired up to be back working with him. An actor of his caliber is the perfect guy to re-invigorate the franchise and carry on the Transformers’ legacy,” said Bay.
Bay will direct the next installment in the “TRANSFORMERS” series, which begins shooting next spring. From Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom, Inc., in association with Hasbro, the film will be produced by Don Murphy & Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Ian Bryce, and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Bay, Brian Goldner and Mark Vahradian.

Bay’s first “TRANSFORMERS” film was a box office sensation in 2007, opening at #1 and earning more than $700 million worldwide. His second installment “TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN” in 2009 grossed more than $830 million worldwide. In 2011, “TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON” was an even bigger hit worldwide, grossing more than a billion dollars to become the 5th highest grossing film of all time. To date, the franchise has earned more than $2.6 billion worldwide.

No word as yet on who his female companion will be though

Paramount Pictures have begun casting for the new lead roles in Transformers 4 which is currently being referrered to simply as the "Untitiled Transformers Sequel" by studio representatives.  Filming for Transformers 4 will begin in April / May 2013 with an aim for a June 27th 2014 release. The casting call being published over on acting-auditions.org.

The casting call asks for a lead female role (18 or over) who can play "high-school senior age" as well as a male who will play her on screen boyfriend who is a Texas race car driver in his early 20s.

The screen play is once again by Ehren Kruger (Revenge of the Fallen and Dark of the Moon).

Paramount Pictures granted a license to developers who plan to create a theme park in north Kent here in England which, at £2bn, is aimed to rival Disneyland Paris.  The Paramount Pictures themed park could include a copy of Transformers: The Ride, if it goes ahead - Read more on the BBC.