The director has defended his forthcoming movie, which provoked anger last week after Nazi flags were draped over Blenheim Palace

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

The film director Michael Bay has defended his decision to turn Blenheim Palace – the former home of Winston Churchill – into Hitler’s headquarters for the fifth Transformers film, The Last Knight.

Anger as Churchill's home turned into Hitler HQ for Transformers 5 Read more

“I just want to say people were not fortunate enough to read the script,” Bay told the BBC, “and they don’t know that Churchill in this movie is a big hero. And Churchill would be smiling about The Last Knight.

“They haven’t seen the movie, they don’t know the ending, and they don’t know how Churchill is a hero. So, as the staff said, ‘He’d be smiling right now.’”



Bay did not address the concerns of some that the redecoration was disrespectful to the memory of Churchill, but again urged detractors to reserve judgment until the film’s release next summer.

“When you see the movie, you’ll understand. I, probably more than any director in the world, have shot more veterans and more active military men and women in my movies. I would do nothing to disrespect veterans.”

Earlier this year, Bay’s film 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi was released, and was interpreted by many as propagandist tub-thumbing for military intervention by the US in the Middle East. The Guardian’s Jordan Hoffmann described it as “bizarre mix of war pornography and dour isolationist posturing”.