Bay Hints at Bigger Role for Leo Spitz in Transformers 3

Published by Jeff Leins on June 30, 2009

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is currently drawing monstrous numbers at the box office, passing the $400 million worldwide mark on Monday and climbing to the third largest movie of 2009 domestically.  While I’m sure it will easily top the charts over the holiday weekend, fans are already clamoring for details on a third Transformers.

In an LA Times profile of Ramon Rodriguez today, director Michael Bay “hinted” at a larger role in Transformers 3 for the young actor who played Leo Spitz, the conspiracy theorist roommate of Sam (Shia LaBeouf).  The role was originally offered to Jonah Hill (who might have been much better suited for the comic relief), but he passed on the opportunity.  After Hill declined, Bay discovered Rodriguez who the filmmaker describes as having a “street edge.”  Like those controversial Twin robots?

In the interview, Rodriguez talks about how he auditioned for the part: “For 90 minutes, he had me jumping, running, diving over the furniture in his office — that was the audition. I was drenched in sweat. He told me, ‘OK, hide behind the desk!’ ‘Now, run over here!’ And man, I was looking in his eyes, and he was enjoying it. He’s got a passion for action. It shows in the movies too.” This sounds similar to Megan Fox’s “screen test” for the 2007 original where she was asked to pretend to work on Bay’s Ferrari while he filmed her.  I guess he liked what he saw.

There’s no doubt Rodriguez’s career is heating up.  He appeared in eight episodes of the best HBO series “The Wire” as Omar’s gun-toting sidekick and recently as a henchman aboard the hijacked train in The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3.

Unfortunately, while Bay is busy winking about an expanded role for Rodriguez, the script hasn’t even started yet.  Writing partners Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman have publicly stated they are done with Transformers and won’t be returning for a third screenplay.

Of course, they could possibly be lured back with more money, but Paramount will have to shell out the big bucks to bring back Bay sooner rather than later.  The director has repeatedly insisted on taking a break to work on a smaller project, which is likely an adaptation of “Pain & Gain” about a gang of criminal bodybuilders.