"Transformers" Revealed!

Which "robots in disguise" will show up for Michael Bay’s live-action "Transformers" next year? Two of the pic’s screenwriters showed up online this morning to reveal just which Autobots and Decepticons we can look forward to seeing duke it out on the big screen.

Writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (who previously teamed to write "The Island," "Mission: Impossible III" and more) showed up on Yahoo to answer fan questions about the beloved 80s cartoon-turned-blockbuster, which will hit theaters on July 4, 2007.

Some of the characters they cited to appear in the movie:

Autobots:

• Optimus Prime
• Bumblebee — scout
• Jazz
• Ratchet — a medical officer; in the cartoon, he was an ambulance; in the movie, he’ll be some kind of emergency vehicle
• Ironhide — a tough soldier; classic cowboy; Optimus’ oldest friend

Autobot Human:

• Spike

Decepticons:

• Megatron
• Starscream — obeys Megatron, but wants to overthrow him
• Brawl — an extremely pissed off Decepticon
• Bonecrusher — closest thing to a constructicon; hates all other Decepticons except Megatron
• Barricade — hunter of the group, scouting for Autobots; transforms to cop car as an ironic symbol of authority
• Scorponok
• Frenzy — a smaller form, able to infiltrate around you and not be seen — a "stealth spy"; can hide under desks
• Blackout — takes out the ability to fight back; hits electronics (EMP); is the biggest vehicle, transports other Decepticons

Fear not, if these characters (or the entire "Transformers" world) are not familiar to you; Orci and Kurtzman promise that the story will be accessible to the uninitiated while staying loyal to the legions of fans. They also say the story will be told through the eyes of its human characters, who are witnessing the intergalactic Autobot-Decepticon war come abruptly to Earth.

For more of the Q&A, check out the webcast here.