1. Universal is now basing movies on toys that aren’t even released. The studio has acquired a mysterious monster from Mattel, around which “Hairspray” team Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman will construct a musical. No word on what the creature will be, or the sort of showtunes he/she/it’ll belt out. “It will spin the monster genre on its ear,” teased producer Craig Zadan. I’m guessing a zombie Liza Minnelli. With spinning ears.

One of the most watched YouTube mash-ups of recent times is “Transforminators,” which -- precisely no prizes for guessing -- edits together bits of the two killer-robot franchises.

It’s one of those clever pieces of DIY new-media repurposing that makes you hope the person behind it (a) gets some sunlight occasionally and (b) one day lands a paying gig as an editor.

1. Why is it that filmmakers so love Boston accents? They’re going to dominate Martin Scorsese’s “Shutter Island.” Apart from that, the trailer looks like the most expensive B movie you’ve ever seen -- not that there’s anything wrong with that. Check it out and then discuss: “Is the whole thing just the hallucination of Howard Hughes?”

In his breakout role, an Aussie hunk hurtles down a post-apocalyptic highway in a banged-up truck, with merciless motorbikes in hot pursuit …

* One of the most anticipated films of the year is an adaptation of a classic, visionary piece of sci-fi literature, largely because it’s the third film from an acclaimed, visionary director. But it struggles at the box office …

1. The funniest quote of the week has to go to Michael Bay. “After the three and a half years I’ve spent making these movies, I feel like I’ve had enough of the ‘Transformer’s' world,” the filmmaker told WENN. “I need to do something totally divergent, something without any explosions.”

FROM THE DESK OF MICHAEL BAY

To: Viacom, Paramount, General Haters, Philistines, McG
Date: 23 June 2009
Re: Where’s the love?

Dear Non-believers, Under-miners and Facilitators of Negative Public Zeitgeist,

So, what’s the deal? Do you think "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" is like, say, "The Hurt Locker" or "Surveillance"? A little movie that people have to discover by themselves?

1. If DreamWorks is looking for its next animated comedy hit, it could do worse than an “Over the Hedge- style romp called “Off Their Heads," focused on totally baked Aussie animals getting up to ke-razy UFO-contact mischief. Sound far fetched? Check out this story about wacked-out wallabies making drug-crop circles.