The latest trailer for Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts showcases a lot of automotive action and naturally some fighting robots, too. The new film takes place in 1994, so there are plenty of retro machines on display. The movie premieres June 9.
In addition to the Autobots, there are now the Maximals, which are transforming animals. You might remember them from the computer-animated Beast Wars series from the late 1990s.
For this installment, Optimus Prime gets to be a classic, red Freightliner cab-over semi-truck, just like the original toy. There’s also a silver, 964-generation Porsche 911 as Mirage. A brief moment in the trailer appears to show an R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R with a tall wing. Bumblebee continues to be a yellow-and-black, second-gen Chevrolet Camaro. A shot also catches the robot Arcee riding in a Volkswagen Transporter avoiding a rocket.
The trailer reveals that Unicron is the major threat in the new film. This character was also the big bad in The Transformers: The Movie from 1986, and it was the final role for Orson Welles.
The Maximals include Ron Perlman as the gorilla Optimus Primal. Recent Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh is the peregrine falcon Airazor.
The non-robot cast has Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback as the film’s stars.
Judging by the trailer, a big battle is a major set piece in the film. The heroes are ripping apart and shooting lots of robot scorpions. Also, there is a bit where Bumblebee is stabbed through the chest. It’s hard to imagine the film would kill such a beloved character, though.
Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts is the seventh installment in the live-action franchise and the second entry not to have Michael Bay in the director’s chair. Creed II director Steven Caple Jr. has the job for this one. Travis Knight directed the previous entry Bumblebee.
