Travis Knight‘s Bumblebee, the first Transformers spin-off and the first film of the franchise not to be directed by Michael Bay, has been a success at the box office. So after passing $400 million worldwide this week, it’s no surprise to hear that Paramount is considering making a sequel.
Reportedly, the studio wants fan favourite Optimus Prime in the sequel alongside the titular vehicular hero. If you’re wondering why a spin-off designed to introduce new characters is now set on bringing back the main autobot that starred in every other Transformers film, remember that Bumblebee is set in the 1980s, giving merchandisers a whole new set of 80s-inspired autobots to market and sell.
The spin-off was also intended to be a step away from Bay’s explosive, anarchic take on the franchise, so producers may want Optimus Prime more humanised (even though he’s a robot) in a more family-friendly environment.
Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, a longtime producer of the Transformers franchise, said of the first spin-off:
“Part of our obligation was to bring people back who had left the franchise or never experienced it which worked well […] We are finding our way. Our intention was we wanted to please the core fans but also bring a new audience.”
It’s also worth noting that Bumblebee is yet to open in Japan, where it is expected to reel in another healthy box office sum, so its overall worldwide gross could be looking even stronger quite soon.
A sequel was always a very likely proposition, so this isn’t particularly surprising news. It will be worth tracking whether Knight intends to return if a sequel is commissioned, or if the studio seeks out a new name to direct.
#Peace.Love.Bumblebee
