Paramount Pictures revealed new details about the next Transformers movie on Tuesday. Titled Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, it will be released on June 24, 2022. From the stars and the creative team behind the movie to the logline hinting at an epic plot, it sounds like fans of the franchise are in for a good time.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts seems to draw on versions of the franchise where the Autobots and Decepticons reached earth and emulated dinosaurs or animals rather than man-made vehicles. It will be star Anthony Ramos of In the Heights and Dominique Fishback of Judas and the Black Messiah, with director Steven Caple Jr. heading up the project. Paramount hosted a “kick-off event” with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura in attendance as well.
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The battle on Earth is no longer just between Autobots and Decepticonsโฆ Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons join Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, in theatres June 24, 2022. pic.twitter.com/VtS4CjSxLy
โ Transformers (@transformers) June 22, 2021
The logline reads: “Returning to the action and spectacle that first captured moviegoers around the world 14 years ago with the original Transformers, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ’90s globetrotting adventure and introduce the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons.”
The terms “Maximals, Predacons and Terrorcons” all come from the Transformers: Beast Wars era of the franchise. In the official continuity of the TV shows and comic books, the original Autobots are the ancestors of these new characters. However, it’s not clear how Paramount may intend to work them into the pre-existing story of the Transformers movies made by Michael Bay.
A huge amount of talent stands behind the camera on this project, including executive producers Steven Spielberg, Brian Goldner, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Brian Oliver, Bradley J. Fischer and Valerii An. Other producers are Tom DeSanto & Don Murphy, Michael Bay, Mark Vahradian and Duncan Henderson.
Transformers fans refer to this section of the franchise as the “Beast Era,” encompassing everything from the 1996 series Transformers: Beast Wars to the 2006 series Transformers: Universe. Some of the IDW comic books of that era are included as well. Many fans on social media were overjoyed to hear that the movies would be delving into this era, while others were just glad that the series was getting some kind of a facelift.
If you’re interested in revisiting some Beast Era content before Optimus Primal comes swinging onto the big screen, you can actually stream Transformers: Beast Wars for now on Tubi for free. Otherwise, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is due out on June 24, 2022.