Not only is the upcoming Bumblebee spin-off totally detached from the other movies, it will also focus on fewer Transformers - which will hopefully mean more attention and care is put into each.
Bumblebee stars, singer and actress, Hailee Steinfeld in the lead role as a teenage girl who befriends the rookie Autobot. Thus far, the film is looking to have a very Spielbergian-E.T. vibe so perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised to find out that it was actually Steven Spielberg himself who recommended having Bumblebee pair up with a female lead.
Here's what producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura told Entertainment Weekly:
Steven [Spielberg] had always had an idea that a young girl and Bumblebee would be a great combination, so we headed in that direction.
It’s nice it’s changing. When we were debating it, the idea of a young girl seemed to us to be a real change in our direction.
Bonaventura went onto heap praise on Steinfeld for her proficiency - the actress apparently making zero misteps across the entire shoot.
I’m just amazed at how talented she is. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an actor never miss a beat for the entire shoot. It was crazy. We ended up ahead of schedule because she was just so on it all the time. We could move quicker.
Female characters in past Transformers installments have left a lot to be desired - it seeming as if Michael Bay merely uses them as eye candy, with them precariously posing over a motorcycle or wearing.. frankly nothing. So with such acclaimed talent as Steinfeld in the role and the film taking influence from one of cinema's greatest directors; hopefully Bumblebee will break the mould.
What do you think about Bonaventura's comments? Are you glad to finally see a female leading a Transformers film?
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee the Autobot seeks refuge in a junkyard in a small California beach town. Charlie, on the brink of turning 18 years old and trying to find her place in the world, soon discovers the battle-scarred and broken Bumblebee. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns that this is no ordinary yellow Volkswagen.
Bumblebee will be driving into theatres on December 21st.
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