Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a 2011 American science fiction action film based on Hasbro's Transformers toy line. It is the sequel to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) and the third installment in the Transformers film series. Like its predecessor, the film was directed by Michael Bay, and written by Ehren Kruger. Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Dunn, and Julie White reprise their roles from the previous films, with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Patrick Dempsey, John Malkovich, and Frances McDormand joining the cast. In the film, Optimus Prime and Sam Witwicky must lead the Autobots against Megatron and the Decepticons as they battle to possess powerful technology abandoned on the Moon in order to restore Cybertron.
Development of a third Transformers film began in May 2007. The film employed both regular 35 mm film cameras and specially developed 3D cameras, with filming locations in Chicago, Florida, Indiana, Milwaukee, Moscow, and Washington, D.C. The visual effects involved more complex robots than the previous films, which took longer to render. The release date was moved from July 1 to June 29, in order to monitor an early response to footage.
Early screenings took place on June 28, 2011, one night before worldwide release by Paramount Pictures. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $1.124 billion worldwide, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film in history at the time, and the second highest-grossing film of 2011. Like the first film, it was nominated for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards. It was followed by Transformers: Age of Extinction in 2014.
Plot
The Ark spacecraft escapes Cybertron carrying an invention that could end the war between Autobots and Decepticons, and crash-lands on the dark side of Earth's Moon in 1962. NASA detects the crash, and President John F. Kennedy authorizes a mission to put a man on the Moon as a cover for investigating the spacecraft. In 1969, the crew of Apollo 11 lands on the Moon and secretly inspects the Ark before returning to Earth.
In the present day, three years after the battle of Egypt, the Autobots help humanity prevent major conflicts. During a mission to the site of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster to investigate suspected alien technology, the Autobots are attacked by Decepticon scientist Shockwave and his giant worm Driller. After the two escape, Optimus Prime discovers the technology is an Ark fuel cell. The Autobots travel to the Moon and find Sentinel Prime, the Autobots' leader before Optimus, in a comatose state along with five Pillars he created to establish a "Space Bridge", a wormhole that can teleport matter between two points. On Earth, Optimus uses the Matrix of Leadership's energy to revive Sentinel.
Meanwhile, Sam Witwicky lives with his new girlfriend, Carly Spencer, but cannot work with the Autobots. At his new job, co-worker Jerry Wang gives him information about the Ark before the Decepticon Laserbeak assassinates him. Sam contacts Seymour Simmons to investigate the Decepticons' murders of people connected to the American and Soviet lunar space missions. They locate two surviving cosmonauts, who show photos of hundreds of Pillars on the Moon, and realize that the Decepticons raided the Ark long before the Apollo 11 mission and left Sentinel and the five Pillars for the Autobots to find, knowing that Sentinel was the key to activating the Pillars. The Autobots rush to return Sentinel to their base for protection, but he betrays them and kills Ironhide, revealing that he made a deal with Megatron to ensure Cybertron's survival.
Sentinel uses the Pillars to transport hundreds of concealed Decepticons from the Moon to Earth. Dylan Gould, Carly's boss, is revealed to be working with the Decepticons and captures Carly with Soundwave, disguised as Carly's car. At the Decepticons' demand, the Autobots are exiled from Earth, but Starscream destroys their ship as it takes off. The Decepticons invade Chicago while placing Pillars around the world to begin transporting Cybertron to the Solar System, planning to use humanity and Earth's resources to rebuild their homeworld. Sam teams up with former NEST soldier Robert Epps to go into Chicago to save Carly and arrest Dylan. The Decepticons nearly kill them before the Autobots, who anticipated the trap and survived their ship's destruction, intervene. Sam, along with NEST teams led by Lennox and Navy SEALs, rescue Carly and begin fighting the Decepticons. During the battle, the Decepticons execute the Autobot Que, and Bumblebee kills Soundwave, while Optimus fights Sentinel. Laserbeak, Starscream, Shockwave, and the Driller are also killed in the ensuing battle. Meanwhile, Wheelie and Brains sneak onboard and sabotage the Decepticon mothership.
Carly convinces Megatron that Sentinel will replace him as Decepticon leader. Sam fights Dylan and knocks him into the Pillar, which electrocutes and kills him. Bumblebee destroys the Control Pillar, closing the Bridge and causing the partially transported Cybertron to implode. Sentinel overpowers Optimus, but is incapacitated by Megatron, who is determined to regain his leadership. Megatron offers a truce, but Optimus refuses and kills Megatron by tearing off his head, then executes Sentinel for his betrayal. Sam and Carly are reunited, and the Autobots remain on Earth as their hopeful home.
Cast
Humans Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky: The Autobots' human ally who's now a recent college graduate and once again must help stop the Decepticons. Josh Duhamel as Colonel William Lennox: A U.S. Army Rangers officer who commands the classified strike team NEST, an international joint task-force battling Decepticons with the Autobots. John Turturro as Seymour Simmons: Former agent in charge of the terminated Sector 7 unit and now a successful professional writer. Tyrese Gibson as Retired U.S. Air Force Combat Controller Chief Master Sergeant Robert Epps: The former NCO-in-Charge of the NEST strike team who now works at Kennedy Space Center. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as Carly Spencer: Sam's new girlfriend and an Autobot ally. Patrick Dempsey as Dylan Gould: A wealthy car collector and Carly's employer who is secretly working with the Decepticons. Kevin Dunn as Ron Witwicky: Sam's father. Julie White as Judy Witwicky: Sam's mother. Ken Jeong as Jerry "Deep" Wang: Paranoid software programmer at Sam's work. Alan Tudyk as Dutch Gerhardt: Simmons' personal assistant. Tudyk said he played the role as the same character from the 2000 film 28 Days. Glenn Morshower as General Morshower: The director of NEST, who communicates with the squad from the Pentagon. Lester Speight as "Hardcore" Eddie: A former member of NEST. John Malkovich as Bruce Brazos: Sam's employer and boss at Accuretta Systems. Frances McDormand as Charlotte Mearing: The Director of National Intelligence. Elya Baskin as Cosmonaut Dimitri: One of the two surviving Russian cosmonauts who gives Sam information on the Moon missions. Josh Kelly as Stone, a former member of NEST. Ravil Isyanov as Voskhod: a Ukrainian government official who learns the existence of the Ark's fuel cell in Chernobyl. He is assassinated by Laserbeak after disclosing the information to Lennox. Andy Daly as Donnie: A mailroom worker who loathes Wang. Keiko Agena as the aide and assistant of Charlotte Mearing. Buzz Aldrin as himself: Meeting Optimus Prime at the NEST headquarters. Bill O'Reilly as himself: Interviewing Simmons through his television program The O'Reilly Factor. Markiss McFadden Jr. as "Baby Face": A young NEST soldier. Tom Virtue as NASA Technician Bonecrusher the Mastiff as Bones: Mikaela's pet dog, now in Sam's care. Jesse Heiman as Office Worker
Transformers
Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime: The leader of the Autobots and keeper of the Matrix of Leadership who transforms into a red, yellow, orange, and blue 1994 Peterbilt 379 semi-trailer truck Leonard Nimoy as Sentinel Prime: Optimus's mentor and predecessor as the leader of the Autobots who transforms into a red and black Rosenbauer Panther fire truck. He is later revealed as a traitor and partner to the Decepticons. Nimoy previously voiced Galvatron in the 1986 Transformers animated film. Hugo Weaving as Megatron: The leader of the Decepticons and Prime's nemesis who is still badly wounded from the battle in Egypt and transforms into a rusty, modified 10-wheeler 2011 Mack Granite M915 LHRT oil tanker truck. Jess Harnell as Ironhide: The Autobot weapons specialist and Optimus Prime's second-in-command who transforms into a black 2009 GMC Topkick C4500. Robert Foxworth as Ratchet: The Autobot medical officer who transforms into a white and green 2009 search and rescue Hummer H2 ambulance. James Remar as Sideswipe: The Autobot combat instructor from Revenge of the Fallen who transforms into a silver 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible, who was previously voiced by André Sogliuzzo Francesco Quinn as Dino / Mirage: The Autobot spy who transforms into a red 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia. This was Quinn's final role before his death shortly after the film's release. George Coe as Que / Wheeljack: the Autobot engineer who invents gadgets, equipment, and weapons and transforms into a blue 2009 Mercedes-Benz E550. Tom Kenny as Wheelie: A former Decepticon drone turned Autobot from Revenge of the Fallen who transforms into a blue radio-controlled toy monster truck. Reno Wilson as Brains: Wheelie's partner and a fellow former Decepticon drone who transforms into a Lenovo ThinkPad Edge laptop computer. Charlie Adler as Starscream: Megatron's second-in-command who transforms into a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. Frank Welker as: Shockwave: The Decepticon scientist and assassin. Soundwave: The Decepticon communications officer who transforms into a silver 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Barricade: A Decepticon scout who mysteriously disappeared after the final battle in the first film. Ron Bottitta as Roadbuster (also credited as "Amp"): An Autobot Wrecker who transforms into Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard 2011 Chevrolet Impala. John DiMaggio as Leadfoot (also credited as "Target"): The leader of the Autobot Wreckers who transforms into Juan Pablo Montoya's Earnhardt Ganassi Racing No. 42 Target 2011 Chevrolet Impala. Keith Szarabajka as Laserbeak: A condor-like Decepticon who is fiercely loyal to Soundwave and frequently changes transformation modes. Greg Berg as Igor: A deformed Decepticon who serves as a personal servant to Megatron in his exile.
Non-speaking characters Bumblebee: The Autobot scout who is Sam Witwicky's friend and guardian who transforms into a yellow and black 2011 Chevrolet Camaro. Crowbar: The Leader of the Dreads who transforms into a black Police 2011 Chevrolet Suburban. Crankcase: A Decepticon Dread who transforms into a black Police 2011 Chevrolet Suburban. Hatchet: A quadruped Decepticon Dread who transforms into a black Police 2011 Chevrolet Suburban. Driller: A giant worm-like tentacled Decepticon and Shockwave's pet. Devcon: A quadruped Decepticon who participates in the Battle of Chicago and transforms into a MAZ-543P 8x8 Soviet missile launcher. Topspin: An Autobot Wrecker who transforms into Jimmie Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Lowe's/Kobalt 2011 Chevrolet Impala.
Production Development