From the origins of Optimus Primal and the threat of Scourge, to the influence of the
'90s TV series "Beast Wars," here is all you need to know before seeing "Transformers:
Rise of the Beasts."
"Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" hits theaters in 2023.
It was originally set to premiere on June 24, 2022, however, the seventh installment
of the robot franchise was bumped back by almost a full year.
Now, the film is set to be released on June 9, 2023, in the United States, Canada, and
the U.K.
It will arrive in some European countries, including Italy, France, and Iceland, a little
earlier, premiering on June 7.
Other countries such as Australia and New Zealand will have to wait a little longer,
until June 22, to see the film.
June 2023 will be a pretty crowded month for blockbusters and tentpole movies.
"Rise of the Beasts" will find itself competing against some pretty awesome 2023 releases
such as "Elemental," "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," and "The Flash."
"Rise of the Beasts" has a comparable budget to "The Flash," coming in at $200 million.
But with the controversy surrounding the film's lead, Ezra Miller, it's unclear how the highly
anticipated movie will fare.
So, we'll be fascinated to see if "Rise of the Beasts" can defeat its theatrical foes
and claim the title of the summer movie champion.
"Rise of the Beasts" sees the Autobots and Decepticons duking it out again, while also
ushering in new characters and a different story to breathe life into the franchise.
The seventh "Transformers" installment, which is set in 1994, will follow a veteran named
Noah, a man who loves his family and is looking for redemption for past mistakes.
The female co-lead is named Elena, a museum researcher whose knowledge of artifacts will
no doubt factor heavily into the plot.
It's possible that through her work, she, Noah, and the Autobots discover the existence
of three new tribes of Cybertronians: the reptilian Predacons, the villainous Terrorcons,
and the heroic Maximals, who all make their debut in this film.
While Optimus Prime and Bumblebee have often been the most notable Autobots, taking the
lead in the original trilogy and the 2018 prequel respectively, it's Mirage who forms
the closest bond with the humans in this film.
He'll likely be Noah and Elena's introduction to the Autobots, the same way that Bumblebee
was for Sam Witwicky.
The movie's official synopsis doesn't reveal a lot, but it does confirm that the Maximals
will ally themselves with the Autobots in a battle against the Terrorcons, Predacons,
and Decepticons.
Since this is a prequel, we know that the heroes don't succeed in wiping out the Decepticons,
but fan-favorite characters like Optimus Prime and Bumblebee will live to fight another day.
For the most part, the "Transformers" franchise is Michael Bay's gigantic, explosive, musclebound baby.
The blockbuster auteur helmed the first five films of the franchise to huge box office
earnings and mixed critical acclaim.
For the 2018 prequel, "Bumblebee," directing duties were given to Travis Knight, who also
directed the animated film "Kubo and the Two Strings."
Now, a third filmmaker will enter the franchise, as Steven Caple Jr. is directing "Transformers:
Rise of the Beasts."
Caple made his feature-length directorial debut with 2016's "The Land," a tale of four
teenage skateboarders earning the wrath of a crime boss after stealing a car full of drugs.
He followed that up with "Creed II," which saw Michael B. Jordan's titular boxer grappling
with his past and battling a Russian bruiser.
He's also worked on the TV shows "Rapture" and "Grown-ish."
Speaking with Trey Mangum of "Shadow and Act," Caple explained what he's going for with "Rise
of the Beasts," saying,
"There's a lot of heart and emotion that I draw from.
If you've seen any of my work, I love to stay grounded, even though the scope could be here
and we're blowing up stuff."
At their core, "Transformers" stories are about good versus evil, truth, freedom, the
importance of humanity, and doing the right thing even when it's hard.
These themes are showcased through unlikely heroes like Sam, Cade, and Charlie.
This will be the case again in "Rise of the Beasts," and director Steven Caple Jr. has
made it clear he wants the movie to show that heroes come in all different shapes and sizes.
The entire creative team is in support of this messaging and is keen to make sure audiences
meet new heroes and aren't just getting another version of the same old battle between the
Autobots and the Decepticons.
Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura teased during an interview with "Collider,"
"I wanna start by saying that what we're trying to do with this movie is to give the audience
a lot of new.
If you've seen and been a fan of the other movies, you're gonna see villains you've never
seen before, you're gonna see Autobots you've never seen before, and you're gonna see a
lot of elements that we've never done before."
"Rise of the Beasts" brings a lot of new elements to the big screen franchise, but one constant
that viewers can count on is Peter Cullen who is back voicing the Autobot Optimus Prime.
As the strong and steady leader of the Autobots, Optimus is the common thread throughout the
"Transformers" franchise.
But, leaning into that theme of new, viewers are going to see a different side to him this
time around.
As a prequel, there's an opportunity for fans to see Optimus grow as a character, since
at this stage, he's still figuring out his place on Earth.
"You've never faced anything like this."
"Let them come."
His journey to becoming the planet's protector is just beginning.
During an interview with "Collider," the director said,
"In this film, it's forming why he has a link to humanity and why he has a link to Earth,
and that's emotional.
It's not home yet to him.
He's like an ex-pat here.
He's landed, he's an alien, and he's never been here before.
That allows us to get underneath the stoicism of what we've traditionally presented in Prime."
And so at this stage, he's going to look less like the Optimus from the Michael Bay films
and much more like the G1 robot viewers saw in "Bumblebee."
As well as some returning cast members, there are some fresh faces as well.
The new human lead characters are played by Anthony Ramos {RAH-mos} of "Hamilton" and
"In the Heights."
He stars as Noah.
Dominique Fishback of "Judas and the Black Messiah" plays Elena.
Despite being new to the franchise, both actors have long histories with "Transformers," making
them perfect for these roles.
Ramos spoke to People about his long love of "Transformers," revealing that it was the
animated show "Beast Wars" that got him into the franchise when he was growing up.
He said,
"I was [in front of the TV] every week watching 'Beast Wars.'
So when I read the script, I saw we were gonna have them in the movie, my head almost exploded
off of my body."
Meanwhile, Shia LaBeouf was Fishback's window into the "Transformers" universe.
The Disney Channel fan said in an interview with "Collider,"
"I used to watch Shia on 'Even Stevens,' so to watch him go from this Disney kid to this
movie star and being in the 'Transformers' films, I was like, 'Oh, man, I wanna do something
like that!'
I couldn't imagine that almost 20 years later, I would be doing it as well."
"Rise of the Beasts" also boasts several other notable cast members.
The Lord of Casterly Rock himself, Peter Dinklage, voices the villainous Scourge.
Ron Perlman plays the silverback Optimus Primal, a character he portrayed before in the animated
"Transformers: Power of the Prime" series.
Pete Davidson takes over the role of Autobot Mirage from the late Francesco Quinn, and
Michelle Yeoh voices Airazor.
"Optimus, we must trust each other to protect the home we all share."
One character notably missing from this list is Bumblebee, who was voiced by Dylan O'Brien
in his 2018 solo outing.
O'Brien's return to the franchise hasn't been confirmed and his commitment to other features
like "Ponyboi" has no doubt been keeping him busy.
However, a voice role in the movie is definitely not out of the question, and viewers may just
have to wait until the film is released to get confirmation.
To tell this new story, the creative team behind "Rise of the Beasts" are introducing
three new robot tribes — Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons — to the existing battle
on Earth between the Autobots and Decepticons.
The introduction of these new Cybertronians will change the course of the Autobot-Decepticon
war that viewers have seen so far.
Lorenzo di Bonaventura explained to "Collider,"
"We had somewhat exhausted, I would say, [that] battle ... So, our hope was, how do we find
a new set of villains and a new set of priorities for the villains?"
However, the producer quickly noted that there were lots of tribes and new characters from
the extended "Transformers" universe who had yet to be seen on the silver screen.
The Predacons and Terrorcons fall on the side of the Decepticons, while the Maximals are
a new tribe of heroes.
These new transformers turn into robotic animals and birds.
Optimus Primal is the leader of the Maximals and transforms into a gorilla-like beast.
Teasing a little more about what viewers can expect from these animalistic heroes, Caple
explained to "USA Today,"
"In our particular film, they're these prehistoric animals that travel through time and space,
and we find them here on Earth."
"Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" introduces both the Predacons and Terrorcons as two new
factions of Decepticons, but one should be feared more than the other.
In an interview with "Collider," Caples said,
"When the Terrorcons enter the screen and disrupt our movie, you're gonna feel it."
These robots are the main villains of the film, and they are led by Scourge, a merciless
predator who takes pleasure in stealing insignias from the fallen Autobots he defeats.
Caple was particularly excited about including Scourge, who was a blank slate for big-screen viewers.
He said,
"It felt like Scourge was someone that was untapped.
That not only allowed me freedom, but it also created this super ruthless and scary character."
Scourge's right hand is the shape-shifting Terrorcon Nightbird.
She has been adapted from the "Beast Wars" cartoon for the movie and, according to the
director, she's had some modifications made to her.
She has a vehicle form that is new but also possesses ninja traits.
Teasing more about her history, Lorenzo di Bonaventura said,
"What I find very interesting is that she switched sides and now she's a Terrorcon who
has joined that side of it.
Her history is one that has had flexible alliances, which is fun."
It's pretty common for "Transformers" to explore different locations across the globe, showcasing
how widely spread the robots have become.
They don't just exist in cities like New York and Chicago, they also hide out in the deserts
of Egypt and Jordan, as seen in "Revenge of the Fallen."
Meanwhile "Age of Extinction" took viewers off to far-flung locations like China and Iceland.
"Rise of the Beasts" follows a similar pattern.
The film traverses continents, taking viewers to locations like New York and Peru.
Additionally, the movie was filmed in a few more places, including Los Angeles and Montreal.
However, it was the South American locations that most excited the film's director.
He revealed to "Collider,".
"Very few films have been shot, not only in Peru, but also Machu Picchu, and they opened
the doors for us.
I'm grateful to collaborate with Peru and highlight Peru's culture and the ancient civilization.
They have beautiful landscapes and sites, but most importantly, beautiful people, and
I'm excited about that."
This location is no doubt going to be important for the character of Elena.
As a museum researcher, this may be where she discovers one or more important artifacts
relating to the Terrorcons.
The "Transformers" movie franchise sprang into action in 2007 when Shia LaBeouf played
Sam Witwicky, a shy but smart high school kid.
But, with the help of Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and their transforming friends, as well as
Mikaela Banes, Colonel William Lennox, and Agent Simmons, he became an earth-saving hero.
LaBeouf returned twice more with his companions, but in his third outing, Mikaela was replaced
by his new love interest, Carly.
This was Sam and Carly's last appearance and director Michael Bay went on to helm a new
duology starring Mark Wahlberg and Nicola Peltz-Beckham.
After this, Travis Knight took the franchise back a couple of decades to 1987, introducing
a younger Bumblebee to Hailee Steinfeld's Charlie.
"Rise of the Beasts" is set eight years after Charlie's adventures with the Transformers.
Following the emotional ending of "Bumblebee," which saw Charlie and Bee part ways after
saving the day together, Charlie chose to stay with her family and friends, while Bee
had to embark on a new mission of his own.
"Goodbye, Bumblebee."
After his adventures with Charlie, Bumblebee's new mission was to reunite the Autobots, and
it appears that in the years since, he has done just that.
"Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" picks up with the fan-favorite robots back together.
Discussing how the setting of 1994 came about, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura explained,
"We were thinking about it as a progression.
Bumblebee was in 1987, so then how do we move it forward and also not run into the timeline
of the Bay films?
We had picked '94, in part because there was great music during that time period, so it
felt like that natural extension."
This fits perfectly with director Steven Caple Jr's vision for the film.
After reading the script, he felt very connected to the time period and wanted to continue
this story.
He also noted that along with the music Bonaventura plans to capture, there's going to be a lot
of '90s culture and aesthetics throughout the film.
So, it sounds like viewers can expect a great nostalgia trip from "Rise of the Beasts."
Steven Caple Jr. grew up watching the animated "Transformers" TV series "Beast Wars," which
ran from 1996 to 1999.
And since the movie takes a lot of inspiration from the show, it's no wonder Caple found
himself at the helm.
He told "Collider,"
"What brought me to the project was the chance to imagine on a different level and to dream.
That's what 'Transformers' means to me.
Dealing with robots, dealing with humans, and creating that bond, it's all about the
emotion and where we can take our new characters."
Despite the inspiration "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" takes from the '90s show, not
every element of it is being carried over exactly as it was.
For "Transformers" fans who are familiar with "Beast Wars," it's important to note that
the 2023 movie has taken some creative liberties, including introducing a whole new crew of
voice actors.
Time travel is one element from the series that Caple has indicated will be carried over.
However, it won't be in the same way viewers have seen before.
The movie's timeline will differ from the one established in "Beast Wars," which is
set 300 years in the future.
Every director brings their own ideas and creativity to a project.
Michael Bay did this with the first five "Transformers" films, putting his unique stamp on the franchise
and delivering on the themes of heroes and villains, good overcoming evil, and hope overcoming loss.
But moving forward from those films, Bonaventura said Steven Caple Jr. brought a must-needed
new perspective.
He explained,
"We were trying to accomplish a certain change up from the movies we did with Michael [Bay].
We wanna deliver a film that has the scale and spectacle of the Bay films with the heart
and humor that we were able to achieve in Bumblebee."
The director's new perspective brought with it a darker tone to the movie.
The fact that the main villains have the word "terror" in their name should instantly instill
fear, according to the director who is planning to take that darker energy and run with it.
He teased,
"I wanna dabble more in horror in this one and make people jump out of their seats."
You can't stop the "Transformers."
After all, they've earned over $4.8 billion at the worldwide box office, and they finally
got some critical cred with their last venture, "Bumblebee."
If Paramount gets its way, "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" won't be the last time
these robots take over our theater screens.
In February 2022, "Collider" reported that the official Paramount Twitter account had
announced "Rise of the Beasts" would be the first installment of a new trilogy.
Assuming that it does solid business, chances are good we'll see Noah, Elena, the Maximals,
and Optimus Prime back on the big screen again.
"I'm nobody.
I ain't even seen nothing.
I'm not even seeing anything right now."
A CG-animated "Transformers" theatrical film will also follow in 2024 but is separate from
the upcoming trilogy.
The upcoming animated feature will be an origin story for Optimus Prime and Megatron.
It will be set on Cybertron and have "Superman" and Krypton influences, according to producer
Lorenzo di Bonaventura.
In an interview with "Collider," producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura talked about how much
action viewers can expect to see in "Rise of the Beasts."
He confirmed that the film will strike a nice balance of CGI and practical elements.
This means real-life stunts, which is where Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback's newly
minted driver's licenses might come in handy.
Alongside a stacked cast, there's also plenty of talent behind-the-scenes.
Joining Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Steven Caple Jr. is Joby Harold, who created the
story for "Rise of the Beasts" and co-wrote the screenplay.
Sci-fi fans will know Harold best as the producer behind the Disney+ series "Obi-Wan Kenobi."
He's also worked as a writer on DC's 2023 movie "The Flash," which is in direct competition
with this "Transformers" feature.
Additionally, "Rise of the Beasts" will be rated PG-13 like all the other movies in the
"Transformers" franchise.