Paramount Pictures has rolled out a newBumblebeeposter for the upcomingTransformersspinoff. The film is set in the 1980s and effectively serves as a prequel toMichael Bay’s pentalogy ofTransformersmovies that grew bigger and louder (and dumber) with each successive entry.Bumblebeegoes the other direction, as LAIKA president and CEO andKubo and the Two StringsfilmmakerTravis Knightmakes his live-action directorial debut on the film, which boasts a smaller budget and more intimate storyline.
Indeed, as the title suggests this film focuses just on Bumblebee, as the character befriends a teenager (Hailee Steinfeld). As tends to happen when you befriend alien robots, the government catches wind and Bumblebee and the girl are then forced to go on the run. Complicating matters is the revelation that evil Transformers—called Decepticons—are also on Earth and don’t take too kindly to Bumblebee’s existence.
The 1987-set film has been marketed as a throwback to the Amblin era of films, so this poster is actually pretty swell when viewed through that lens—it’s a bit of a throwback. As for the movie itself, while it’s nice to see someone other than Michael Bay making one of these films, the “metal crushing metal in a hodgepodge of action” just isn’t for me. Though it’ll be interesting to see how audiences respond, as Bay’sThe Last Knightwas the lowest grossing installment of the franchise by far, pulling in a whopping $500 million less than its predecessor. This series certainly needed a reboot of sorts, so maybeBumblebeewill do the trick.
Check out the newBumblebeeposter below. The film also starsJohn Cena,Jorge Lendenborg Jr.,John Ortiz,Jason Drucker, andPamela Adlonand features the voices ofAngela BassettandJustin Theroux.Bumblebeehits theaters on December 21st.
Here’s the official synopsis forBumblebee:
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.
