Transformers to open at Universal Studios Singapore on December 3

October 26, 2011, 7:31 PM · The highly anticipated new Transformers ride from Universal Creative will open on December 3, Universal Studios Singapore announced today.

Transformers concept art
Concept art from Transformers at Universal Studios Singapore

The press event will happen the day before and feature Transformers film director Michael Bay, who consulted on the attraction.

The breakthrough attraction will feature 12 scenes, comprising sets blended seamlessly with hyper-realistic 3-D digital media and special effects to bring tactile realism to every moment. Guests will be unable to discern illusion from reality as they get transported onboard advanced motion-based ride vehicles into the TRANSFORMERS universe, and partake in the ultimate 3D battle against the DECEPTICONS right alongside the AUTOBOTS.

Transformers also will debut at Universal Studios Hollywood in the spring of 2012.

Replies (12)

October 27, 2011 at 6:46 AM · I hope the ride is better than the movies. I found them too frenetic and visually confusing and when they made the latest one in 3D I think somebody went into wacky overload. Sometimes you have to slow things down a bit to get more effect. Some CGI movies succeed at doing this but, for me, Transformers missed the mark.
That does not mean that the ride can't be a fantastic experience. Just don't throw too many fast motion things at people's eyes so they can't focus on anything because it's pointless. Spiderman 3D does this to great effect so it can be done.
October 27, 2011 at 8:20 AM · The problem is that Michael Bay is the worst movie director working these days, and he is the creative consultant of this ride.
October 27, 2011 at 9:41 AM · I agree with Daniel and Rob! I won't say Michael Bay is the worst director right now as there are a few others like M.Night Shamalamadingdong, Uwe Boll (yes he's actually still working), and Zack Snyder (300 was only good because the source material translated well to movies... everything else though? He failed).

Michael Bay has the mind of a teenager that only wants over-stylized explosions and sexy women to be important in his "movies". He even says he changes scenes if he sees test groups fidgeting or looking at their phone during the movie. Nothing about making the robots actual characters. Nothing about having an actual good script. No character development. Even Real Steel had better everything!

But hopefully this attraction will be what Waterworld the Stunt Show is to Waterworld the movie.

October 27, 2011 at 10:15 AM · Gotta agree with everyone else (I hate Micheal Bay). Now I highly doubt this will be better than Spiderman, but we'll see.
October 27, 2011 at 2:29 PM · I agree with everyone here in that I absolutely hate "The Transformers" movies. They're made for the dumbest possible audience. But I also hate Stephen Sommers' movies, with "Van Helsing" being one of the worst movies I've ever sat through. I hate the "Mummy" movies, but Sommers' was one of the creative folks behind Universal Orlando's "The Mummy's Revenge" and that ride blew me away. It's possible that guys like Sommers and Michael Bay might make better ride designers than movie directors. These rides don't need well rounded characters or involving stories, and they only last around five minutes. That's perfect for guys like that.
October 27, 2011 at 5:01 PM · Absolutely, Ron. I think if you look at what most appeals about Bay's movies (and they make a ton of money, so they do have appeal for a lot of people), it's the same sort of stuff that makes for a great theme park attraction - immediate, in-your-face action and spectacle. There's no danger of 60 minutes of incomprehensible plot bloat in a theme park attraction. There's no time for that.

Personally, I cannot wait to see a car unfold into a multi-story Transformer bot for real. (And that is part of this attraction, according to Universal Creative's Mark Woodbury.)

October 27, 2011 at 7:20 PM · This ride is going to be awesome. Can't wait for the Hollywood version but its going to be interesting to see what people say of the Singapore version.

As for Michael Bay, there seems to be a lot of bad feelings directed toward him here. I guess its "cool" to criticize him as nobody on the internet likes him. But while everybody is busy criticizing him, his movies(especially the Transformers ones) are making a ton of money. I'm a fan. I like his movies and I hope he brings a part of his cinematic touch to this ride.

October 28, 2011 at 8:17 AM · I enjoyed all three of the Transformers movies, and I wasn't even really into the cartoon series when I was younger. Shame this won't be coming to Orlando, but I can't help but think that's why they've taken the time to (finally) demolish the old Hard Rock Cafe building that's been sitting there for, jeez, what, a decade? Then magically they remember it's there and tear it down?

That's my guess, anyway. I'm sure not flying out to California just for this one ride. I happen to like my Orlando-based theme parks. ;)

October 28, 2011 at 12:52 PM · California (specifically Disney's California Adventure) will also have Cars Land as a new and unique attraction. Yes, I will be venturing to the West Coast to check all of it out.
Robert is right; the same things that turn some people off the movies will work great in a ride. Does anyone know if it will have AAs and sets, or will it be all 3D/4D?

This is opening 13 years after Spider-Man, so I expect it to be the next technological leap in 3D rides.

October 28, 2011 at 2:22 PM · A little off topic but who pays for 3D movies anyway?

I'm excited for this attraction to open at USH. Glad to see more attractions happening at this park.

October 28, 2011 at 6:42 PM · Wait nobody likes the mummy films they are my fav sure branden fraiser has his list o horrible movies such as journey to the center of the earth and there coming out with a 2 movie still mummy is a good movie and ride
October 29, 2011 at 10:14 AM · I love the tranformers movies is to bad it wont open at Orlando but I will go this summer to california to go to the new cars land and to ride transformers I never been to California so un exited

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