Michael Bay's
Transformers films, while mega blockbusters, were often perceived as loud, empty spectacle that did a disservice to the brand. Following the poor reception of the last film in the series, it was clear that a change had to be made in order to revitalize the franchise.
Travis Knight comes from an animation background. He is the President and CEO of Laika Studios and has produced films like
Coraline,
ParaNorman and last year's
Kubo And The Two Strings.
In the featurette below, Travis talks about how his film will focus on character and story. The film will be a coming-of-age tale reminiscent of Spielberg films from the 80s.
Speaking as someone who never enjoyed the Bay movies, I like what I've seen so far and remain optimistic that this film will be a pleasant surprise when it debuts in Christmas this year.
Bumblebee races towards theaters on 21st December 2018.
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.