Transformers fans have a lot to potentially look forward to as not one, but two new movies are in the works. Paramount Pictures and Hasbro are looking to expand the franchise following 2018’s Bumblebee, which served to get the series back on track and in the good graces of fans and critics alike. Now, more than a year later, two different writers have been hired to pen new installments that will, keeping optimism in place, keep the ball rolling in the right direction.
According to a new report, Joby Harold and James Vanderbilt have been hired to pen scripts for projects based on the popular toy line. There are few details available at this time, only that they will both be working on separate projects. Though, it’s said that Vanderbilt’s project may be based on the popular Beast Wars cartoon. No directors are attached at this time and no release dates have been set. The move mostly shows Paramount’s dedication to the franchise, as they’re looking to develop multiple projects at the same time in the hopes of reviving what was once a major cash cow property for them.
Joby Harold previously penned King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and he also co-wrote Army of the Dead, the upcoming zombie movie being produced by Netflix that serves as Zack Snyder’s follow-up to Justice League. Harold also worked on both John Wick: Chapter 2 and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. As for James Vanderbilt, he’s worked on a wide range of big movies including The Rundown, The Amazing Spider-Man and Independence Day: Resurgence. He’s probably best known for his work on David Fincher’s Zodiac, which is certainly a standout credit.
The first Transformers live-action movie, directed by Michael Bay, was released in 2007. It starred Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. The adaptation proved to be a massive success, grossing $708 million at the global box office. Four sequels were produced, with both Dark of the Moon and Age of Extinction grossing more than $1.1 billion globally. However, things tapered off in a big way with 2017’s The Last Knight, which earned just $602 million against very poor reviews. Be that as it may, the series has earned, in total, more than $4.8 billion globally and the brand remains quite strong. Paramount and Hasbro have every reason to believe this franchise can still work.
The evidence is in Bumblebee. The spin-off scaled things back a bit and, under the direction of Travis Knight, things paid off. The movie made $465 million worldwide, which is relatively by the standards set by earlier entries in the franchise, but it also had a slightly smaller production budget. Plus, it was received very well by both critics and moviegoers alike. As it pertains to these new projects, that is of crucial importance. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as any further details are made available. This news comes to us via The Hollywood Reporter.
