The Transformers film series is one of the most lucrative blockbuster franchises spearheaded by Paramount Pictures and the most successful movie property to come out of the distributor's deal with the toy company Hasbro. The franchise is now ready to continue and the studio is taking the film series in an exciting new direction, as the next live-action installment has officially been titled Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
The franchise is undoubtedly profitable, having grossed a collective total of $4.85 billion dollars worldwide, but the individual films have been hit or miss with critics. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Age of Extinction, especially, are regarded by some critics as two of the worst movies ever made (let alone Hollywood blockbuster films), with the series as a whole garnering 34 Razzie nominations. The most recent entry in the franchise, a prequel titled Bumblebee, was received by fans as a step forward due to its restrained scope, as it focused primarily on the bond between a teenager and the titular Autobot—but it may take more than one film to firmly establish a course correction for the franchise.
Now, Rise of the Beasts is ready to continue the franchise's legacy. Peter Cullen, who has voiced Optimus Prime since the first film, will return to reprise the role, while In the Heights star Anthony Ramos and Judas and the Black Messiah actress Dominique Fishback will be starring as the main human characters. Creed II director Steven Caple Jr. will helm the film, with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword writer Joby Harold credited as the screenwriter. The tweet posted by the official Transformers account stated that the film's screentime will not only be populated by Autobots and Decepticons, but by Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons as well.
Ramos recently talked about Transformers 7 in an interview with Variety, celebrating the fact that he has been selected to follow in the footsteps of Shia LaBeouf, Mark Wahlberg, and Hailee Steinfeld as the lead actor of a Transformers film. The Hamilton cast member stated that it was exciting to add diversity to the franchise alongside Fishback. The specific nature of their roles in the film is currently under wraps, but Ramos's enthusiasm for the project is exciting for fans and critics alike.
Whether Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is closer to the bombastic conflict and scale of the Michael Bay Transformers movies or the departure hinted upon by Bumblebee remains to be seen, with earlier reports stating that the sequel won't look anything like the others. However, as it stands, moviegoers will undoubtedly be excited to see Optimus Prime and his crew of Autobots return to the big screen. Between the inclusion of Transformers characters not yet shown on the big screen (such as Maximals and Predacons) and Paramount's evident dedication to diversity, the next Transformers film is looking to be one to watch out for.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will roll out to theaters on June 24th, 2022.
Source: Paramount Pictures