Yesterday saw a Transformers: The Last Knight featurette released offering a first look at Anthony Hopkins, which may have revaled the actor as playing Winston Churchill.
Now Michael Bay, who is no stranger to explosives, is on the hot seat as his Transformers: The Last Knight set features Nazi material, with Winston Churchill’s actual house decked out in Nazi attire especially angering people.
The UK’s Sun posted images of Churchill’s birth home, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, with Nazi banners, angering local residents and veterans (see below).
Michael Bay responded by stating people haven’t seen the scene in question and don’t know what Transformers: The Last Knight is about.
“I just want to say, people were not fortunate enough to read the script, and they don’t know that Churchill in this movie is a big hero. And Churchill would be smiling about Last Knight,” Bay told the BBC. “They haven’t seen the movie, they don’t know the ending, and they don’t know how Churchill is a hero in this movie. So, as the staff said, ‘He’d be smiling right now.’”
Regarding it being disrespectful to put Nazis banners on Winston Churchill’s birthplace, Bay offered: “When you see the movie, you’ll understand. I for one, probably more than any director in the world, have shot more veterans and more active military men and women in my movies, and you can actually look it up [13 Hours and Pearl Harbor]. I would do nothing to disrespect veterans.”
“Transformers: The Last Knight” has a June 23, 2017 release directed by Michael Bay starring Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, Stephen Merchant, Isabela Moner, Jean Dujardin, Jerrod Carmichael, Allen Phoenix, Lauren Haddock, Stanley Tucci, John Goodman, Ken Watanabe, Tyrese Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, with Peter Cullen returning as the voice of Optimus Prime.
@GeentyJohn apparently for @transformers 5 Bay has transformed Blenheim Palace into Nazi HQ…..hoping this is a false story pic.twitter.com/diVbY5FEdS
— RockMeAmodeus (@AmoMostofi) September 23, 2016