The next Transformers movie has been announced, with an official image and a short press release sent to Transformers World 2005 by Paramount Pictures. The prequel is titled Bumblebee: The Movie and will explore the origins of everyone’s favorite yellow Autobot. Instead of a shiny new Chevrolet Camaro, Bumblebee apparently started life on Earth as an old Volkswagen Beetle.
The origin story is set in a California beach town in 1987 where a wounded Bumblebee takes shelter as a late ’60s VW Bug. Pop singer and actress Hailee Steinfeld plays Charlie, a 17-year-old who finds the yellow Beetle and “restores” it, quickly discovering that there is more to this car than meets the eye.
Yes, the plot does share plenty of similarities with the 2007 Transformers film starring Shia LaBeouf, but this one features a fresh cast; aside from Steinfeld, the cast includes John Cena, Pamela Adlon, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., and Jason Drucker. Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings) is coming on board to direct the film, and Michael Bay and Lorenzo di Boneventura are returning to produce the movie along with Stephen Spielberg as an executive producer.
Paramount Pictures says Bumblebee: The Movie is set to release on December 21, 2018. With the franchise seemingly losing its appeal with fans after every sequel, this film will hopefully emulate what made the 2007 movie so lovable. Move over Herbie, Bumblebee is the new king of the sentient Beetles.