Corona | Coming Attractions

This just in from a Chi-town reader: The Chicago Tribune website has published a whole boatload of images from shooting on the Magnificent Mile, in fact, over 100 images can be seen on their site. The photos show base jumpers leaping off a skyscraper and parachuting down into the action; Shia LaBeouf and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley running for their characters' lives; extras dressed as soldiers running afoot; and the crew prepping the scene with fires and smoke effects.

View the action in the Tribune's photo gallery.

We were sent this photo of what the sender claims is from the Chicago set of Transformers 3. This is the view that they see when looking out of their window. As you can tell there are flipped over cars and lots of fake rubble, suggesting that this is the aftermath of a battle.

Five spy photos showing Shia LaBeouf, Rose Huntington-Whiteley and Tyrese Gibson working on the set of Transformers 3 have sprouted over at Just Jared. The trio and extras dressed up as soldiers are acting on an exterior set made up to resemble a fallen building. According to a JJ source, the building got tipped over by a Decepticon that crashed into it.

USA Today uncovered new plot details for the third Transformers movie. The info comes straight from director Michael Bay and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura so what follows is 100% legit and confirmed:

• Shockwave is the villain of Transformers 3. Introduced in the 1980s as a Decepticon that remained behind on Cybertron in lieu of the absent Megatron, it sounds like the purple cyclops that transforms into a laser gun will be a bad guy to both the movie's Autobots and Decepticons.
• Part of the movie's plot concerns the true reasons why there was a space race between the Soviet Union and America, and how the Transformers had a hand in it. "The movie is more of a mystery," Bay told the paper. "It ties in what we know as history growing up as kids with what really happened."
• We already know that the two Autobot twins won't be in the three-quel but Bay insures us that the kid-level comedy will also be heavily toned down. Only the return of John Tuturro was given as the new movie's comedic outlet.
• Transformers 3 sounds like it's the end of the road for Michael Bay's involvement with the franchise. "As a trilogy, it really ends," he said. "It could be rebooted again, but I think it has a really killer ending."
• Whomever dies in TF3 will remain dead. No resurrection by the All-Spark, no magical visitation from the Transformers afterlife; whomever dies this time around the Transformers creative team insists will stay dead.
• Said by producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura: "Shia has this great line: 'You know, I've saved the world twice, but I can't get a job.'"
• The TF3 storyline will be more improved over the heavily criticized Transformers 2 faults. "We tried to do too many things in the second movie, which didn't give enough time in any one of them. We were constantly jumping to the next piece of information, the next place," said di Bonaventura.
• On the departure of Megan Fox and the hiring of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as Shia Labeouf's new love interest, the actor had this to say: "I love Megan and I miss the girl," LaBeouf says, flecked with fake blood and dirt during a break between shooting. "But Sam and Mikaela became one character, and here ... you have discovery again from a new perspective."

Bay's website has confirmed Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has got the job as the new Transformers female lead.

According to Deadline the hunt for a replacement for Megan Fox is down to three contenders: Victoria's Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Sarah Wright (The House Bunny) and Brooklyn Decker, a Sports Illustrated model-turned-actress.

The site updated its story to say that the role is Huntington-Whiteley's to lose and that it's been offered to her. Michael Bay calls action on the set on May 17.

Responding to a posting made on his official forum, Transformers director Michael Bay said that the two Autobot "twins" introduced in the second film, Skids and Mudflap, won't be coming back in Transformers 3. You may recall that the two robots ruffled the sensibilities of movie critics who believed that the characters were racist and offensive for their ghetto speak and gold teeth.

However, there are two reports that appear to cast doubt on what Bay said. Both come from a blog devoted to following the live-action Transformers films and include what may be photos of new Chevy designs for Skids and Mudflap. The second report includes eyewitness reports from a location shoot in Sherman Oaks, California where people claim to have seen "Autobot twin cars" racing around the set.

Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey is joining the cast of the three-quel, playing the boss of Megan Fox's Mikaela Banes. The actor has already told the press that his character is a "dark" one when compared to the others in the film.

The Bay has emerged from his directing cave and given the world an exclusive update on the sequel's development that includes casting news and word about what kind of car a new Autobot character will be. Read on for what Michael has to say.

"Hey, it's been a long time since I've posted. Just been a little busy.

"Transformers 3 has been going very well. We are going to shoot in LA, Chicago, Washington DC, Florida, Texas, Africa, Moscow, and China. On the talent front, we just locked in Frances McDormand and John Malkovich. Both amazing actors I've always wanted to work with. We also just got Ken Jeong, he is the super funny actor stuck in the trunk from Hangover and the Doctor from Knocked Up.

"We start shooting pre-shoots in about one month.

"I also was at a Ferrari charity event this week raising money for a hospital being built by Ferrari in Haiti. I announced that night the newest Autobot to join Transformers: the Ferrari 458 Italia.

"I also want to thank everyone on this site that donated to the Make -A-Wish charity. We raised $20,000 which I will personally be matching. This is a great charity where they make wishes come true for kids who are very ill. We have had many Kids from Make-A-Wish visit us on our Transformers sets and this time we will be posting video of their visits on Transformers 3."

The webmaster of Michael Bay dot com gives us a small scoop on where to expect the 'bot battles next time: "Spoke with Michael today and got some little info on TF3: there will be big action sequences shot in Chicago and Moscow this time around."

In a news report covering Shia LaBeouf signing for representation with CAA, Deadline Hollywood's Mike Fleming reports that Transformers 3 will "likely" start filming come May.

Michael Bay has told his website readers that he's signed on to direct the third Transformers movie and that today marked the first day of work:

"Well its official: We have a great Transformers 3 story. The release date is now July 1st 2011. Not 2012.

"Today is Day One. This morning started with an ILM meeting for five hours in San Francisco. Currently I'm flying with writer Ehren Kruger to Rhode Island to talk to Hasbro about new characters.

"P.S. Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture. Please consult your Physician when working under my direction because some side effects can occur, such as mild dizziness, intense nausea, suicidal tendencies, depression, minor chest hair growth, random internal hemorrhaging and inability to sleep. As some directors may be hazardous to your health, please consult your Doctor to determine if this is right for you.

"Pain and Gain is right after shooting of Trans 3.

"Michael"

Anyone want to take a stab and guess how much money was in the dump truck that pulled up to Bay's home yesterday?

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal about the amazing success of Revenge of the Fallen, Michael Bay is asked if he'll be back to direct Transformers 3.

"I just want to take some time off. It’s been almost three years that I’ve devoted myself entirely to this world of robots," he answered. "At some point, enough is enough—and I literally carried this movie on my back. I only finished it in the last week. It was a tough movie for me to finish—especially with the writers strike, the possible SAG strike. At one point, we were the only union movie in America shooting—Hollywood was so messed up from those two events."

But if Bay isn't back for a third round of Decepticon and Autobot battling and the studio wants to move right away on a second sequel he doesn't know who they'll find for the job. "I don't know who [would] want to take on my shoes with this franchise. We might just take a year down."

Bay says that he's developing a "dark comedy, a true story, with actors just acting, no effects. I’m done with effects movies for now."

In an L.A. Times profile piece about Revenge of the Fallen co-star Ramon Rodriguez, nestled in the body of the article there's a mention that "Michael Bay has a third Transformers film in mind, and if it plays out as he expects, the next installment would have a more substantial role for Rodriguez."

On Don Murphy's message forums screenwriter Roberto Orci revealed that he and writing partner Alex Kurtzman may not return for the three-peat and pen the screenplay for Transformers 3. "Not clear who is coming back yet, but the main reason we would move on is because we risk getting stale and comfortable. If you only sing one song for too long, you miss the opportunity to sing news songs. We'll see."