The Next 'Transformer' Film Will Introduce Characters From 'Beast Wars'

Source: Noam Galai / Getty

The next installment in the long-running Transformers film franchise is going the Beast Wars route.

It’s been 14 years since Michael Bay brought the insanely popular cartoon franchise Transformers to the big screen. Since then, fans have enjoyed (and hated) numerous films with the latest movie, 2018’s well-received Bumblebee, that helped reboot the film franchise that lost its way with some critically panned films.

Recently it was announced a new film was indeed on the way, and it would star two of Hollywood’s brightest stars Anthony Ramos (In The Heights, She’s Gotta Have It) & Dominique Fishback (Judas and The Black Messiah), alongside the giant human-like robots. During a recent virtual event on Tuesday (Jun.23) that marked the beginning of the film’s production, director Steven Caple Jr. and producer Lorenzon Di Bonaventura revealed the title for the film Transformers: Rise of The Beasts and some major plot details.

Per USA Today, the film will take place in Brooklyn in 1994, where the action in the film will take place before they span the globe. In addition, Rise of the Beasts will not only introduce Ramos character Noah (a former soldier and electronics expert) and Fishback’s Elena, who she described as a “researcher of artifacts,” but also the Maximals descendants of the Autobots and Predacons decedents of the Decepticons. Both were introduced in the 1990 Transformers cartoon series Beast Wars.

Optimus Primal, the leader of the Maximals, who changed into a gorilla in the cartoon, will be in the film, and Rhinox, who is described as an armored rhino type, will battle with the Predacons, which Caple Jr. says are “reptilian in nature.” To spice things up, even more, the film will introduce a new villain called the Terrorcons, which Caple Jr. hints will add “a new flare to the whole thing.”

“When (the Terrorcons) disrupt our movie, you’re going to feel it,” he further added.

Rise of the Beasts will, of course, see the return of the Autobots fearless leader Optimus Prime who the legendary Peter Cullen will voice. Di Bonaventura revealed it was a no-brainer bringing back Prime’s iconic voice, adding, “There was no discussion without him. Peter’s aboard.” Like Bumblebee, Rise of the Beasts will also tell Optimus’ backstory, revealing why the Cyberton native has such an affinity for protecting Earth. “I want to discover more about Optimus Prime, dig under the metal,” Caple Jr. said.

Speaking of Bumblebee, of course, he will be by Optimus Prime’s side in the film and will have a new look. His Camaro vehicle mode will be getting the off-road treatment for this film, “We’ve never done an off-road version of a transformer. So new territory,” the director added.

Other Autobots returning will be the rebel Mirage who transforms into a Porsche 911, and Arcee, a female Autobot who made her big-screen live-action debut in Bumblee during the epic Battle for Cybertron opening sequence. “I saw a glimpse of her in ‘Bumblebee,’ I wanted to see more of her,” said Caple Jr.

With all these different kinds of Transformers in the film, Di Bonaventura vows it will be “a grand finale epic ‘Transformers’ experience.” We sincerely hope so because the last two Transformers films were not it.

It wouldn’t be a Transformers movie if there weren’t any exotic locations. Caple Jr. revealed the filming would be taking place at Peru’s famed 15th century Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, with the director revealed it would be no easy task.

Transformers: Rise of The Beasts arrives in theaters on June 24, 2022.

Photo: Noam Galai / Getty