RISE OF THE BEASTS (2022): Optimus Prime Returns for New TRANSFORMERS Prequel

Rise of the Beasts Will be the 7th Entry in Transformers Series

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will be the 7th film in the hugely popular science fiction franchise which was based on popular Hasbro toys from the 1980’s.

What do you do with a hit film series when its old stars Shia LaBeouf and Mark Wahlberg can’t draw huge numbers at the box-office anymore? You reboot the franchise. With 2018’s prequel, Bumblebee, the Transformers series got an overhaul and that film did surprisingly well at the box-office. Now, the cast is getting a nice uplift. Besides the return of Optimus Prime in the new film, Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback are on board for the 7th entry in the franchise, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Peter Cullen will be reprising his role as the voice of Optimus Prime.

Many people’s favorite Transformer, Optimus Prime, will be getting an interesting backstory in this new prequel. Similar to what the film series did with Bumblebee, the 7th Transformers picture will go back in time. Set in Brooklyn, New York in 1994,  the movie will feature characters from a 1990’s animated TV show called “Beast Wars.” The new villains Optimus Prime will be in pursuit of will be called “Terrorcons.” Bumblebee is slated to return and a new parental figure sort of character called “Optimus Primal” will be unveiled.

New up-and-coming stars Ramos and Fishback are coming off critically acclaimed turns in In the Heights and Judas and the Black Messiah. Both of these stars are from Brooklyn which will lend authenticity to their roles in the new picture. However, neither performer has much experience driving since they both have lived in New York City so it will be interesting to see how they adapt to playing their roles in the upcoming film. Their addition to the movie, nevertheless, should greatly enhance audience interest thanks to the acclaim they have received on the previous films.

Although the Transformers series seemed to lose a bit of steam in 2017 when Transformers: The Last Knight crashed and burned with critics, the reboot of Bumblebee was successful enough that producer of the new picture, Lorenzo di Bonaventura has decided to go forth with the new entry in the series. According to USA Today, Bonaventura promises the new film will be a “…grand finale epic Transformers experience.”

It remains to be seen if the Transformers series can get the true overhaul it needs to make this film a huge box-office success but with the stars attached, the odds are optimistic that this will be a big one. Steven Caple Jr. will be directing the film. Paramount Pictures will be releasing it on June 24, 2022.

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