According to Variety, Academy Award nominated actress Hailee Steinfeld (The Edge of Seventeen, Ender’s Game) is in talks with studio execs about possibly starring in Bumblebee, the first entry in what is going to become the expanded Transformers movie universe.
Bumblebee, which unsurprisingly focuses on the popular Autobot of the same name, will be written by Shut In scribe Christina Hodson, while LAIKA CEO Travis Knight will direct. That’s right, the guy behind Kubo and the Two Strings is directing a Transformers movie. Not a bad pedigree.
While plot details are still unknown, early reports suggest that Steinfeld will play a tomboy mechanic, who falls in with the world’s most famous Camaro. The role will no doubt be a departure from those Steinfeld is used to. As an actress, she is more synonymous with drama and so-called real acting, rather than smash mouth Michael Bay action movies. It will be interesting to see how she holds up.
To date, the Transformers Cinematic Universe has generated over $3.7 billion worldwide — with the latest sequel, Transformers: The Last Knight, set to hit theaters on June 23rd. Although the franchise’s popularity may have diminished somewhat, it is clearly still a money spinner that can rely on the casual fans money more than the die-hard fans who grew up with the animated series.
Plans are in place for the expanded universe to include prequels, sequels and spin-offs. It’s a tried and tested formula that has worked for Marvel and Disney’s Star Wars universe, so why not Transformers?
Bumblebee is slated for a June 8th, 2018 release.
