UPDATED: Hear our opinion on this news from Episode 373 of our podcast. Read the rest of the story below.
It's been a bumpy road for the Transformers live action movies. Things have been great in animation, action figures and even the comics. So it was definitely time to take a step back and look at where to go from here on the big screen. Now things are headed in a new, but familiar, direction.
During a virtual event to celebrate the kickoff of production, we learned that the name of the upcoming film would be Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. This all but confirms that we're headed for a live action version of Beast Wars. This also appears to be an origin movie, which makes a lot of sense.
Here is the early synopsis: "Returning to the action and spectacle that first captured moviegoers around the world 14 years ago with the original Transformers, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure and introduce the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons."
We know that Steven Caple Jr. will direct and Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback will star in the film. Executive producers include Steven Spielberg, Brian Goldner, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Brian Oliver, Bradley J. Fischer and Valerii An. Also producing will be Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto & Don Murphy, Michael Bay, Mark Vahradian and Duncan Henderson. Of course, anyone who has watched a Transformers movie in the last decade will see Michael Bay's name stand out on that list. Whether you think that is a good thing or a bad thing is up to you.
The release date isn't as far off as you think. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will be in theaters June 24, 2022 from Paramount Pictures and Skydance in association with Hasbro and New Republic Pictures. Keep checking back for updates.
Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures