WithTransformers: The Last Knighton the horizon, audiences are expecting an experience similar to the last fourTransformersmovies. Lots of explosions, big action, and comedic bits here and there. And while the film aims to expand theTransformersmythology by revealing a new backstory, it’s still aMichael BayTransformersmovie—we have a pretty good handle on what that feels like by now. But Bay saysThe Last Knightwill be his final go-around with theTransformersfranchise, and Paramount Pictures now has the firstTransformersmovie not directed by Bay set for release:aBumblebeespinoffthat’s due to hit theaters on July 09, 2025.
Before Bay committed to directingThe Last Knight, he and executive producerSteven Spielbergput together a writers room to come up with story ideas for futureTransformerssequels and spinoffs. One idea that came out of that room was a spinoff focused on the Bumblebee character, written byChristina Hodson. Paramount moved quickly, hiring LAIKA CEO andKubo and the Two StringsdirectorTravis Knightto make his live-action directorial debut, and the film is reportedly eyeingHailee Steinfeldto star.
But whenBumblebeehits theaters next year, audiences can expect averydifferent kind ofTransformersmovie. Collider’s own Steve Weintraub recently spoke with producerLorenzo di Bonaventuraat the press day forThe Last Knight, and he teased a distinctive film while confirming thatBumblebeewill indeed take place in the 1980s:
“I know we’re doing a spinoff first in the Bumblebee movie, and that is a very distinctive departure from what you’ve been seeing so far… The objective of that movie is to develop more time with less robots in a way, and to go back to 1985 and go back to sort of the original heritage if you would of the Transformers. G1.”
1985 is an important year inTransformerslore—it’s the year after the toy line was first introduced, and the year that the “Generation 1” versions of all the Transformers really took off with the launch of theTransformersTV series. So it’s possible we could see some heavy nods to the toy history of this franchise in this film, and if Knight really wants to have some fun we could see a nod or two toBack to the Future, which was released in 1985.
Di Bonaventura also confirmed thatBumblebeewill indeed have a female lead:
“So it has a very distinct idea in it, and then whatever is gonna happen with the chemistry is what’s gonna happen, but it really is a young female lead opposite Bumblebee, and I think Optimus is gonna be jealous that Bumblebee has his own movie.”
As for the “less Transformers” line, di Bonaventura stresses the distinctiveness ofBumblebee, and just focusing on just one or two Transformers in the course of a film will be a very different kind of dynamic from the previous movies:
“There are dramatically less Transformers. We hired purposefully Travis Knight, who is a very distinct filmmaker. You can’t compete with Michael—you’re gonna lose. And also I think the audience wants something different all the time, let’s keep them interested. They’re gonna get a very emotionally complex story, a very tight story in terms of its location and in terms of its storytelling.”
It’s here that di Bonaventura offers his most tantalizing tease yet by comparing the film to the classicThe Iron Giant:
“In fact it reminds me a little bit ofIron Giantyears ago when I did that movie at Warner Bros. It just reminds me a little bit of that where it was very contained and yet it didn’t feel small.”
Knight is an incredibly talented filmmaker and the idea for a more contained, 1980s-set, female-ledTransformersmovie is certainly promising. It’ll be interesting to see where the franchise goes after Bay leaves and these massive, $250 million versions take a break, and it really sounds like they’re going to be kicking things off with a bang with thisBumblebeemovie.
Look for Steve’s full interview with di Bonaventura on Collider soon.
