Bumblebee to Become a VW Bug in 80s Set Transformers Spin-Off?

The recently announcedTransformersspin-offBumblebeewill be set in the 1980s and it appears as though the popularTransformermay be getting back to his roots with the classic Volkswagen Bug. TheBumblebeespin-off will give fans of the Autobot a peak into what his life is like without Optimus Prime, which is a good choice because Mr. Prime doesn’t seem to be bringing too many viewers into the theaters these days. The spin-off is already getting comparisons toThe Iron Giantwhich is definitely a good thing, especially when compared to the last few Michael Bay directedTransformermovies.

Transformersproducer Lorenzo di Bonaventura recently sat down withEntertainment Weeklyto discuss theBumblebeespin-off. After talking about the movie taking place in the 1980s, Bonaventura revealed thatBumblebeemight possibly be going back to his roots. He says this.

“You might even see a VW Bug. You never know.”

Bonaventura went on to talk about the story of theBumblebeespin-off. It is also mentioned that the movie will serve as a prequel to Bay’sTransformersfranchise. Read what he had to say below.

“It’s the story of a 17-18-year old girl who, through a series of events, she andBumblebeefind each other, and they make each other whole.Bumblebeeis a very lovable character. He’s got a lot of heart, so of course the idyllic life of these two is interrupted by the evil Decepticons. And how are they going to be able to deal with the problem without Optimus and without everybody else?”

Lorenzo di Bonaventura was hinting that theBumblebeespin-off will go back to capture theoriginal classic Transformers spirit. That spirit has been severely missing from the recentTransformersmovies that seem to have lost the plot. Bonaventura also talked about being able to pull from the familiar to make something completely new. He says this.

“The interesting thing about doing a spin-off is it has to have some familiarity with the franchise, and then it has to have its own distinct qualities for it tostand on its own.”

TheBumblebeespin-off is rumored to be a starting off point to see if Paramount can launch other Hasbro properties like M.A.S.K., Micronauts, Visionaries, and ROM into a potentially shared, expanded universe. The thought of a M.A.S.K. movie happening at all is pretty exciting, so hopefullyBumblebeedoes some box office numbers and earns some critical acclaim. The production already seems to be off to a good start and If the comparisons toThe Iron Giantor true at all, we’re in for a treat.

Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings) will direct theBumblebeespin-off andHailee Steinfeld(True Grit,Edge of Seventeen) is reportedly in early talks to play the human role in the movie. Aside from that, not much else is clear, but the movie is supposed to hit theaters onJune 8th, 2018. Let’s just hope it does better thanTransformers: The Last Knight.