24 Jun – Paramount recently announced that its latest Transformers film will be released sometime in June next year and will see something more than just your usual Autobots vs Decepticons. In an announcement made in a virtual press event on 22 June, filmmaker Steven Caple Jr. revealed that the new movie, "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" is inspired by the 1990s Transformers cartoon, "Beast Wars" - a favourite of his growing up. "There are different breeds of Transformers," said Caple. "In our particular film, they are prehistoric animals who travel through time and space, and we find them here on Earth." The upcoming movie will also be shot in New York as well as other locations, including Peru, with the director saying that audiences will feel the hip-hop culture of the '90s Brooklyn in the movie. "Rise of the Beast" will also have Optimus Prime as its main protagonist, though Caple stressed that the character will appear in its G1 form - his classic look from the 1980s toy line. Peter Cullen will continue to voice the character. Meanwhile, Scourge - the leader of the Terrorcons, will be the main villain.
In addition, the new movie will also feature Maximals and Predacons, including Maximals gorilla leader, Optimus Primal. "We want to deliver a film that has the scale and spectacle of the Bay films with the heart and humour we were able to achieve in "Bumblebee", and Shia's [LaBeouf] relationship with Bumblebee [in the Bay films]," said producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. As for the human characters, "In the Heights" actor Anthony Ramos and "Project Power" star Dominique Fishback will lead the movie.