'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon' Features 'More Mature' Story, Michael Bay Says

While gearing up for the release of "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," director Michael Bay has not been shy about his desire to right the missteps in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen": putting more focus on writing a better story, making the action more accessible, yet "epic" in scale. Based on the footage and trailer MTV News saw on the Paramount lot before a candid chat with Bay on Thursday, it looks like he's making good on his word.

We can't get into specifics, of course, but with regard to the trailer — the 2-D version of which will roll out in theaters on April 28, while a 3-D version will hit in front of "Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides" — it takes the intrigue of the teaser trailer, plus the intensity from the action-packed 30-second Super Bowl spot and adds enough mind-blowing, mesmerizing robotgasm goodness to leave even the most passive of fans slack-jawed. Or googly-eyed. One of the two.

We also saw snippets of returning and new supporting castmembers, a possible Pink Floyd tie-in and a tantalizing, yet not at all overwhelming, 3-D sizzle reel.

Speaking of his latest and likely last "Transformers" installment, Bay began by admitting that he is not trying to capture the magic of the first film.

"You're never going to match the innocence of the first movie and the wonderment," he said. "The genie is out of the bottle there. This one, I think, is a more mature story line. It's definitely darker."

He later explained that the new movie has more of the aliens' backstory. "You learn a lot more about the hierarchy, there's a lot more history of what they've had on Cybertron," he said.

Bay also went into his reasoning and reservations behind the decision to shoot in 3-D, and what (actually, who) convinced him to go ahead with the new technology.

"[James Cameron], at the last minute, goes, 'Mike, come on,' " Bay recalled, imitating the "Avatar" director's enthusiasm with a slightly deep and gravelly inflection in his voice. "This is like my idol. He goes, 'Mike come on, we've done everything.' I'm thinking, 'I haven't done everything.' "

Cameron pushed him to try out this "new toy," and that despite all the headaches that are added to the filmmaking process with shooting in 3-D, he's glad he did it.

"3-D, it's pretty great when you see these robots interact in the space," he said.

Other excitement added into the mix for "Dark of the Moon" are the souped-up action sequences, specifically a scene that involves base jumpers jumping off the Sears Tower and literally flying through downtown Chicago.

"There's a lot of action stuff I've never done before that's pretty cool," Bay said of what makes this installment stand out. "I want to make up for the second one, and I want to leave the franchise as best I can."