Transformers and ROTF writers Orci and Kurtzman have spoken with Scifi Wire about their work on Transformers 2. I have taken the liberty of summarizing the interview with some bullet points below:

- Both Sam and Optimus Prime are “tested in a very fundamental way”.
- The theme is based on Sam leaving home two years later and his new responsibilities.
- In searching for villains they went back to the source material; comics and cartoons – “and just started looking for kind of the most elemental bad guy that kind of jumped off the material, and we found one in the Fallen.”
- Some characters were chosen by Hasbro and Bay during writer’s strikes as discussion between the film makers and the film writers was prohibited. Others were taken from a brief 20 page treatment. This was necessary to get the designs rolling.
- Orci says “Jolt” (as seen on the toy) should be named “Volt”.
- Jetfire was in the treatment, whilst the goofy sure to be annoying Mudflap (Chevy Trax) was added later.
- “You’re not going to get to know them all”, with respect to piling new characters into the second movie.
- Some discussion about Nimoy and Frank Welker voicing characters.

Read the full interview at Scifi Wire