Michael Bay’s Transformers film series isn’t known for its subtlety. The movies have earned a reputation for being bombastic and over the top, but that might change with the introduction of Travis Knight’s spinoff film, Bumblebee.
The movie will place Bumblebee in the starring role this time, opposite Hailee Steinfeld. Optimus Prime is rumored to make an appearance too, but that’s where the similarities end. According to Knight, the film will focus on a small slice of the expansive universe Bay created.
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“I wanted to approach this massive, expansive franchise and really focus in on a tiny corner of the canvas,” Knight said in an interview with Empire. “Everything I’ve tried to do at Laika, searching for an artful blend of darkness and light, intensity and warmth, humour and heart, I wanted to bring to the Transformers franchise.”
Knight is best known for his work at Laika, which is responsible for producing Kubo and the Two Strings, The Boxtrolls, ParaNorman and Coraline, all of which were visual effects wonders that focused on personal stories. It sounds like Knight will be taking the Transformers franchise in a new direction, which will undoubtedly excite fans eager to see a new take on the series and its beloved characters.