‘Transformers 3’ taking over Chicago streets, setting up July 2011 release
By PBN Staff
CHICAGO – “Transformers 3,” the next installment in Hasbro Inc.’s blockbuster movie franchise, is turning downtown Chicago into a war zone, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.
The Michael Bay action film, starring Shia LaBeouf, is expected to film through Aug. 19 on the streets of the Windy City, using smoke, explosions and simulated gunfire to simulate the battle between the two factions of Transformers, the mechanical life forms that have come to Earth and are continuing a battle started long ago on a distant planet. Release date for the film is tentatively scheduled for July 1, 2011.
According to Box Office Mojo, the second movie in the series, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” stands at No. 10 on the list of all-time greatest domestic gross receipts, at $402.1 million (“Avatar” sits atop the list at $749.7 million).
The movie franchise has had a powerful effect on Hasbro, which owns the Transformers toy line and which is heavily involved in the Paramount-produced films. The company also has added to its bottom line with films based on its G.I. Joe franchise, as well as this summer’s releases, “Iron Man 2” and “Toy Story 3,” which have delivered domestic grosses of $309.4 million and $345.5 million, respectively. Hasbro has strong expectations that next year it will lean on “Stretch Armstrong,” “Spider-Man 4,” “Thor” and “The First Avenger: Captain America” for improved financial results.