New “Bumblebee” Trailer Is A Sweeping Shockwave of Nostalgia

(UPDATE: As of a few weeks after this article went up, we found out that the Decepticon pictured in the trailer was NOT Generation 1 Starscream, but a completely different Decepticon named Blitzwing. It’s a shame, but Gen-1 Bumblebee is still something to look forward to.)

 

Drop everything you’re doing right now and watch this trailer if you haven’t:

That’s right, we’re getting a new Transformers movie! But it’s not directed by Michael Bay. (WHAT?) Nope, this time Paramount Pictures have signed on Travis Knight, the director of the animated spectacle that was ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’, to direct this movie.

Starring Hailee Steinfeld and former WWE Superstar John Cena, the movie seems to be heading into a different direction than the high-intensity, explosion-riddled and action packed Transformers that Bay popularized and has stuck by for the past decade. (The first Bay Transformers movie was released in 2007.) We do not currently know if this particular movie will be set in the same universe, or be a standalone film with no relation.

One of the most prominent parts of the trailer is that Bumblebee is shown here in his Generation 1 transformation, an old Volkswagen Beetle. We also see the Decepticon Starscream in his G1 colours as well. This comes as a welcome surprise, as well as a rush of nostalgia to fans of the original Transformers animated cartoon, which first aired more than 30 years ago in 1984. There’s also a nice callback to the first Transformers movie, by way of a quote from the used car salesman who sold Bumblebee to Sam Witwicky.

However, more concrete plot details are scant, and it seems we’ll just have to watch the movie when it comes out to get an idea of what is going on. All we know is, there is no Optimus Prime or Megatron in sight yet, so as of now, it’s Bumblebee against the world.

The trailer does a good job of not showing too many story details, but managing to keep viewers interested. If you haven’t, this movie should be kept on your radar. I personally cannot wait to see the movie myself.

Bumblebee is slated for a Christmas 2018 release. To some, that might just make it the best Christmas present ever.