If you’re planning on driving near near the Air Force Memorial Monday night, watch out. Rumor has it that some Decepticons may be prowling the area, cooking up an evil plot to attack the National Mall.
The Michael Bay-directed sequel Transformers 3 has filed an application to film in Arlington on Monday, and we’re told the filming will likely take place at or near the Air Force Memorial.
Pete Lindquist, managing director of the Air Force Memorial, says that there are “a lot of moving parts,” but the current plan is for crews to start setting up in the morning and start filming at night.
“The actual filming will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.,” Lindquist said. He said visitors will still be able to visit the memorial on Monday, but “there may be some interruptions” during filming.
Part of the filming may involve vehicles driving up and down Columbia Pike, which may result in temporary road closures. The Arlington County Police Department will be assisting with traffic control.
Despite the excitement of a big-budget Hollywood film coming to Arlington, there is some bad news to report for Shia LaBeouf fans: Lindquist does not expect any actors to be a part of Monday’s shoot. But all hope is not lost. Transformers 3 is also expected to film several scenes in the District in coming weeks.
Update at 6:15 p.m. — The police department has confirmed that sections of Columbia Pike near the memorial will be periodically shut down between 5:00 and 9:00 p.m. They’re also advising pedestrians to avoid the area “due to security surrounding the film.”
Flickr pool photo by Rozanne Hakala