The first Bumblebee trailer shows that this Transformers prequel will be injected with warmth and heart—a huge departure from Michael Bay’s empty CGI-fest.
The Transformers film franchise has never been well-received. However, for reasons unknown, it has filled the coffers of Paramount Pictures—with a current $4.3 billion total via a series of five films. There are many theories as to why the franchise has sustained: the Transformers brand may just be that strong; audiences really love CGI; or people are just a glutton for punishment and want to see how bad films can really get.
Luckily, for true Transformers fans, Paramount isn’t resting on its laurels. It knows it can do better. And it seems this “improvement” has come in the form of Bumblebee—the latest installment. Set twenty years before the first Transformers installment, the film will see Optimus Prime’s most loyal and trusted lieutenant, Bumblebee, befriending a teen girl (Hailee Steinfeld) and facing off with a band of Decepticons.
We at Fantinuum definitely had our qualms about this prequel. First, the overall film series should’ve just died. The first film was the best of the lot and it was mediocre. Every subsequent film was a lost opportunity to tell an interesting story. Stories that should’ve been inspired by the animated series from the 1980s or even the comics. Second, and probably the biggest reason, Michael Bay is not that great of a storyteller. He’s a great visual artist (when it comes to a million different ways of portraying an explosion), but his skills at constructing any sort of compelling narrative are seriously lacking.
So, when the studio announced plans for Bumblebee, you can imagine the echoes of grumbles and “really, they’re still beating this dead rusted metal horse?”. But those low expectations were definitely turned around with the release of Bumblebee’s first trailer. Gone are the days of Bay’s unrecognizable trash-heap-looking Autobots and Decepticons. Even the tone is one of optimism and emotion. Check it out if you don’t believe us:
This is seriously looking good! And, if you didn’t notice, Starscream looks like his G1 self! The grey, red, and blue color scheme is undeniable. We’re thoroughly, yet cautiously, excited for this. Now, one of the biggest reasons as to the tonal change may be the director. Travis Knight, of Kubo and the Two Strings fame, will be replacing Bay. This will be Knight’s first live-action endeavor. His past experience has mostly been in the realm of stop-motion animation. But that doesn’t matter. Those films—Coraline (2009), Paranorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), and Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)—have all been extremely well-received.
More Movies: First Trailer For The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part Has Arrived
This could be the reboot all Transformers fans have been looking for—something that is in line with those sweet memories from decades ago. If it’s true, then come December, Paramount will be giving every person who was a child in the ’80s a great Christmas present.
Bumblebee will be released in the United States on December 21, 2018.
Leave a Reply