The Transformers live-action film continues to motor toward its July 4, 2007, release date, according to executive producer Steven Spielberg and producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura.

Spielberg discussed the film publicly for the first time at the recently lauched official website for the feature film, which can be accessed at www.transformerslive.com.

"I think for as long as there have been Transformers, I've been one of the biggest fans," he said. "I'm not talking about buying the toys for my children and watching them play with them and enjoy themselves -- I'm talking about buying these toys for me!"

Spielberg said that the chance to direct the film is "a dream come true."

"I always thought there was a movie somewhere in this concept," he said. "I'm just really proud that here we are in 2005, that we're now starting our first, but certainly not the last Transformers movie. I hope it will be an enduring franchise, and that we will make many many Transformers films in the future, but we're gonna make the best one first."

"I'm just really priveleged that I get to be part of this," Spielberg said.

In related news, producer Di Bonaventura said that it is likely that new voices will be used to bring the robots to life in the film, according to darkhorizons.com.

When asked during a press appearance to promote another film what he thought of bringing back the original voices, Di Bonaventura said, "I don't believe that is going to happen. I don't know why you would want the original voice-over actors."

"This is going to be the process -- we are going to meet a lot of people for the voice-overs, and those guys might end up being it, but making the assumption going in is I think kind of silly, actually," he said. "I think people want the best actors to do it."

Di Bonaventura said that the script has been completely rewritten since the early draft created by John Rogers.

Does that mean that fans will see drastic changes in the long-lived robot characters? The producer won't allow it. "We are going to stay true to the Transformers," he said. He also confirmed that its likely the movie will be entirely shot within the United States.