The movie hasn't started production, in fact the script hasn't even been greenlit yet, but Dreamworks and Paramount have already staked out the July 4th weekend of 2007 as the debut date for the live action Transformers film. Dreamworks also confirmed officially for the first time that Michael Bay (The Island, Pearl Harbor) will direct the new Transformers film (see 'Transformers Movie Gets Director?').  Stephen Spielberg, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom De Santo, and Don Murphy will produce the Transformers movie, which Dreamworks will distribute domestically with Paramount handling the international release.

Dreamworks will launch its official Transformers Website this week and the studio brought a huge 18-wheeler truck festooned with Transformers logo to the San Diego Comic-Con this weekend.  For pop culture retailers the revival of the venerable Transformers property (introduced in 1984) offers a number of possibilities.  Hasbro continues to produce Transformers toys, while Diamond Select Toys is releasing a number of Transformers collectibles, and IDW is gearing up for the launch of a new Transformers comic book series (see 'Transformers 0 Priced at 99 Cents').