River North devastation glimpsed in <I>Transformers</I> trailer

River North devastation glimpsed in Transformers trailer

(Above) In a frame from a new trailer for Transformers 3, a person appears to be falling as either Willis Tower collapses or something crashes into it. The building on fire in the distance at right is John Hancock Center. Many buildings in River North appear heavily damaged, including Marina City, which looks to have suffered an attack near the rooftop deck of its west tower.

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February 9, 2011 – A new movie trailer for Transformers 3 shows what we knew would happen – Chicago gets mugged by alien robots.

The 30-second television spot, unveiled during the Super Bowl on Sunday, offers glimpses of devastation in Grant Park, on Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive, and throughout the Loop.

Most of the movie is set in Chicago. On his website, director Michael Bay said his film is “lean and mean,” presenting more of a “small-team, commando tension.”

A team of commandos will fly between skyscrapers in scenes filmed last July near Trump International Hotel & Tower.

A showdown between two extraterrestrial clans of robots, Autobots and Decepticons, will be triggered when a spacecraft belonging to one of the clans is found on the moon. The Autobots, according to IMDb, “race against the Decepticons to reach it and learn its secrets.”

The film stars Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Patrick Dempsey, and John Turturro. It opens on July 1.

(Above) Seen from Trump International Hotel & Tower, giant airships fire on the upper floors of Hyatt Regency Chicago.

A battle scene in front of 35 East Wacker Drive. In upper right corner, with fire damage to its northeast corner, is Unitrin Building.

Watch the trailer