Move aside Shia LaBeouf, the Mack Granite is the real star of Transformers 3

Moviegoers are flocking to the latest in the Transformers saga, “Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon,” starring Shia LaBeouf, but there is no doubt who the real star of the movie is. A Mack Trucks’ Granite.

Transformers 3, which opened this week, stars a Mack Granite in the role of Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. This is the second appearance for a Mack in the Transformers series, both a Pinnacle tractor and Granite mixer appearing in “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.”

And yet no Oscar. Why?

(Watch the movie trailer):

In Transformers 3, Megatron takes form as a Granite military truck and leads the Decepticons in an epic battle against the Autobots.

“Mack trucks are known around the world for their ruggedness and durability,” said Kevin Flaherty, Mack senior vice president, U.S. and Canada. “The Mack Granite is designed to handle tough jobs, making it a great choice for the hard-to-destroy Megatron.

“When we were approached again for the third movie, given the nature of the role, we immediately agreed with the selection of a Mack military truck to play the vehicle mode for Megatron,” said Flaherty. “Our customers, fans and employees are always excited to see a Mack on the big screen, and, in this case, front and center – it also introduces the brand to an even wider audience.”

(Megatron getting ready for his big movie role at Mack’s Customer Center in Allentown, PA.)

And the Granite will not just be on the big screen, but also on store shelves. Hasbro will offer its Transformer line of toys to coincide with the movie and no less than five Megatron action figures will be available, each switching from robot mode to Mack truck mode. There will also be a video game that will feature Megatron.

The toys will be available at national retailers and online at the Mack Shop.

I’ll be one of the first in line to purchase one of the toys. Then maybe my 4-year-old son will allow me to be a Mack Granite when we play “Transformers” rather than Red Bumblebee.