The Story Behind Transformers Studio Series Bumblebee Concept Art Megatron

We get all the deep details and behind the scenes about Transformers Studio Series Leader Class Bumblebee Movie Concept Art Megatron. The story from designers Sam Smith, Yuya Onishi and Emiliano Santalucia about how they turned this concept into reality!
Originally recorded: 10/30/2023
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[@GladDestronger]

What do you think Predacon Scorponok be retooled/recolored into? Besides the obvious ones.

[@MrPooPooJohn]

That first tank concept by Emiliano is so fucking awesome. It looks like a futuristic muscle car with tank parts. It looks like it would be crazy fast and powerful. It’s kind of terrifying. Getting the toy to match that design while also turning into a jet must have been a tall order.

[@dinoknight1252]

I wonder if Hasbro will use that same concept art idea for other Transformers lines like Legacy? They could use that to release the cancelled Marauder Megatron and Powermaster Optimus Prime figures from Animated.

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

Honestly I love this Design, this megatron is killer, and if you are autobot who sees this Megatron. Your first thought isn’t “I must fight” or even “I got to run”. Instead it’s “I’m already dead”. Also glad Megatron isn’t that much taller than Optimus. I don’t like having the 2 having big height difference. Unless it’s Animated.

[@AfterthymeGaming]

Imagining BB Megatron chasing a human, similar to how the 2007 movie scene with Megatron chasing Sam, it looks as if being chased by a giant toy. And in my head it looks goofy.

[@genyakozlov1316]

​@@AfterthymeGamingEveryone in the rebooted universe looks goofy.

[@AfterthymeGaming]

@@genyakozlov1316 Bumblebee, Shatter and Dropkick looked fine, Scourge is okay and Nightbird and Battletrap are great. It's just the popular characters that look goofy. Even Wheeljack. He's the goofiest. But he doesn't look like a giant toy. Edit: At this point, I'm just being a Bay and Prime whiner. I whine about things being G1 and not their own thing like Armada, Cybertron/Unicron triligy, Animated, Bayverse and Prime. And don't blame me for it. G1 is everywhere now. War for Cybertron Trilogy, Cyberverse and even the movies starting Bumblebee.

[@sheolsheep6168]

Megs as a tank is the most logical conclusion to his design all things considered. Since he can't be a gun, his massive arm cannon has to go somewhere and what better place for it to be if not a tank turret?

[@tffan1029]

Well, gee. All this about Bumblebee Movie Megatron now has me thinking: I sure would love to see what other Bumblebee Movie Autobots and Decepticons were planned to appear before being scrapped and using all the characters that do show up in the movie.

[@bphater31]

Preordered it. This will be my new favorite live action megatron. Can't wait

[@Widow-Maker2k23]

I absolutely love this Megatron and it’s a must buy for me immediately when it’s available hopefully soon

[@BatFan1]

the art by Emiliano made the tank mode look like the Tumbler from the Dark Knight Trilogy

[@braydenpage1808]

I prefer the size they went with over the yolopark size. Yolopark's size was way too big. Megs being a head taller than Optimus has always been my preferred height. Great video 👍 this guy is a definite pickup for me.

[@ZedMazaus480]

Love it. Want it. And I'll go full Rambo on anybody that tries to mug Santa for my copy. LOL I love the idea of the concept line. It allows us to get figures we normally wouldn't get otherwise. For example, we got protoform Optimus Prime from the 1st Baye movie with the deluxe figure, but no other characters. With this line not only could we get a better figure for that Optimus, but get the protoforms for everyone else in the films. And not just the movies, but the games as well. Who wouldn't be curious to see characters like Hotrod, Kup, or skyLynx get a videogame War for Cybertron makeover to see what they might be like from the game.

[@neometallX]

He does look like a Metal slug tank. This will be the most accurate Megatron that's G1 and modernized. Fun fact. Even the designer said the modes were based from Marauder Megatron and Super/Ultra Megatron inspired modes!

[@catpin]

I hope they release this Megatron toy in The Transformers The Movie live action remake toyline base 1986 animated film same and story.

[@somkiat_alexavier]

Ok, Really excited about this one. I have a feeling this is going to be another one that’s gonna be hard to get when it finally hits the market just like studio series grim lock.

[@giovonniiclayton]

I don’t understand why hasbro is making concept figures instead of doing missing figures for characters that actually showed up in the movies

[@thebatman7347]

FINALLY AFTER ALL THIS YEARS... MOVIE BUCKETHEAD!!!!!

[@Skywarpandthundercrackerfanboy]

Cant wait to get him rumble and the other figures

[@giovonniiclayton]

So instead of getting figures for in movie characters like 86megatron or AOE optimus we’re getting concept figures now

[@vustvaleo8068]

the irony is Bee Movie Megatron stole G1 Blitzwing's gimmick as Bee Movie Blitzwing is a Seeker body-type like Starscream and not a Triple Changer.

[@johnosbourn4312]

This new take on ol' Megs, looks fantastic!

[@Brandon-McFadden.]

This Megatron is great, it's exactly how I'd want a live action version of G1 Megatron to look. Hope we get a ROTB Rampage since he has Concept art and a CG model.

[@tristanwilliams4180]

He is gonna Look Amazing With my Rotb Optimus Prime

[@Brandon-McFadden.]

@@tristanwilliams4180 Yeah definitely, love that figure 👍.

[@tristanwilliams4180]

I don’t have prime tho But I’ll get him for Christmas if I see him

[@Brandon-McFadden.]

@@tristanwilliams4180 even if you can't get a hold of him the mainline ROTB one is still pretty good.

[@user-qu7zs3ko1s]

I can’t wait to buy one thanks for the great news

[@Windcharger84]

Sunstreeker and rumble are the most interesting ones, I didn't even know they had concepts to begin with

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

Most likely they are hidden in. About that just not available in public. I know a few buddies who worked on projects but can’t post what the artwork they did, because it go against their contract they signed.

[@Windcharger84]

@@JohnWilliams-wl9px I guess we'll find out what they were, but as of now there classified information

[@crossover1015]

The stop motion videos starring this figure are gonna be SO good!

[@ProtoArrow]

I just wish he had the back pipe

[@EliElijah-gh1ft]

I can hear the voice of Frank Welker through this figure

[@joesumner1076]

Consept studio series 86 commander class Rails!!

[@atilanoiiiamores4742]

this Megs would look better with purple or orange....to break the silver, gray, and red

[@TheSorcererAhrimanahsul]

Where do we go to Preorder This Megatron

[@silverback5730]

Hasbro Pulse has pre-orders up now.

[@jameshopkins166]

yeah it would not have been good if Megs was in the BB movie. because by the time of the BB movie Megs was already in the Hoover Dam. that would have left a hug hole in the continuity.

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

There was some artwork that Megatron was intended to be revealed in what would have basically been a post credit scene. Basically a giant door opening up revealed a giant silhouette that’s roughly the same as this Megatron. Even in the earlier version that were shown that had the movie as a prequel Megatron wasn’t with the Decepticons, but Blitzwing was shown in Starscream spot.

[@megrimlock6034]

Where are the SS available for preorder? They aren't on Pulse.

[@brianwelborn5220]

It’s still g1 it’s just a new transformers g1 timeline the designs don’t mean nothing to be because there is over 11 transformers timelines they are not all the some but I have heard that they are going to do a multiverse for transformers where the original timeline g1 meats the bayverse and other transformers timelines so we can see all Optimus primes and megatrons in the multiverse that will be cool

[@inconsoleble]

Mega-tonk or metal slug?

[@benjaminwiseman6567]

Rise of the Beasts mainline figures have proven that giving the designers creative freedom not slavish to any particular movie design lead to the best movie-verse figures, and this is no exception.

[@slicerneons3300]

Concept Movie Figures means Studio Series Slash is on the table, plus A Parasaurolophus. Also a bunch of Constructic9ns. Use the names Tread, Trample, & Kickback from The Veiled Threat Novel. (If they did, pretty please a Core Beachbreak.) Plenty of idea to keep SS going for years. But there is a lot of noise about bot enough Bayverse figures per wave. Concept characters do and dont fix this at the same time since they are live action film designs but not the characrers collectors are asking for to complete their set per each movie. I feel like this is a problem Hasbro manufactured and could easily fix by finishing off the In Film characters 1st before starting yet another subline when 86 is not finished RotB will be replaced by Transformers One, and GE just started and is ongoing(with mixed reception). A lot of arguments online would not be puttingcfans at each others tgroats if they hust Finished a subline before starting two more. Also annoyimg how much there is to say about this problem that it results in long comments like this.

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

Proto had said this a couple of times. Hasbro never actually finish lines because they don’t want those buyers to ever be like “well I got my fix I’m done” It’s why we never got G1 designed recreated in the modern era until WFC trilogy.

[@slicerneons3300]

@JohnWilliams-wl9px unfortunately sounds just like Hasbro to do such a thing. Evn if it costs them heaps of goodwill and causes division within the fan base. They need to get their act together.

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

@@slicerneons3300 this problem flat out used to be worst. Back when Generations got started a common technique was Hasbro releasing a figure that was clearly based on certain character but off, hoping collectors would buy it just to customize to be more like the character they actually wanted. Only to release the retool/repaint not long after. That be like during Siege the Hot Shot retool was released in the mainline, only for Siege Hound (not an earth mode mind you) to release in Earthrise line.

[@slicerneons3300]

@@JohnWilliams-wl9px But that example is false, Cenertron Defense Team Hot Shot is a Hen Selects Exclusive, while Siege Hiubdwas a mainline figure, with a repaint in the Wal-Mart Netflix line as well.

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

@@slicerneons3300 I didn’t say that what happened dude. I was giving you an example of the type of practice Hasbro USED TO DO, by using a modern figure. Hasbro used to put repaints in retools first then say the character it was actually made for at a later point.

[@edeff1119]

Thank you so much for all your effort and knowledge. Fig looks like trash. Will wait for eventual repaint...

[@predaking8230]

I am praying this leads to concept Cybertronian Optimus Prime as well as Cybertronian Dropkick and Shatter.

[@moxymized00]

We need justice for Emiliano's alt-mode designs. The engineering was the same as the concept Marauder Megatron from Transtech. The two alt modes now really do not look good. I'm certain there was a way to make them turn into the robot mode. I hope they do a Tankor based on a tank or better, come up with a Marauder Megatron as a concept.