Written by Edwin Francisco
Set photos from the prequel to Michael Bay’s Transformers reveal a change in one of the Autobots.
A fan shared images of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts on social media.
The film is the seventh installment in the franchise.
Paramount Pictures will release the movie on June 24, 2022.
However, the photos caused stirred disappointment and fear with those who loved the original animated series.
After all, 2018’s Bumblebee won over audiences with its OG ’80s designs.
Director Michael Bay’s lack of faithfulness to the Transformers‘ cartoon and toy roots angered the base.
Although his Transformers movies earned billions globally, fans bashed the alterations; moreover, the series gradually lost box-office steam.
In the 1984 cartoon, Mirage (also known as Dino) looked like a 1979 F-1 Ligier JS11 Formula-1 racer with white and blue colors. (Jazz is also known to have blue and white colors but he is a Porsche 911.)
If you are familiar with Michael Bay’s Transformers, you should know that Mirage became a red Ferrari 485 Italia.
Dark of the Moon unveiled this version of Mirage.
In addition, he was also featured in the video game of the same title.
That version was also criticized for not looking anything close to the original Mirage.
But I suppose at that point anything Michael Bay makes in the Transformers universe didn’t make any sense.
Prequel to Michael Bay’s Transformers: Change in Autobot Might Upset Fans
None of the characters look anything resembling their original designs in the G1 animated show.
The images shared on Twitter showed two identical Porsche 911s.
Both are painted in silver with a touch of blue details. At least the colors now are a little closer to Mirage.
Having multiple cars in a TV or movie shoot is not unusual.
The film might take advantage of Mirage’s special abilities.
Mirage can make illusions, copies of himself to use as a distraction.
Image: Daniel Arseneault “Protoman”
Some people highlighted that the Mirage in Rise of the Beasts is still not close to the original look from the cartoons.
Although it has to be pointed out that there are a lot of factors when films use cars as their highlight, they need to get the rights to use them.
Furthermore, having an F1 running around the streets will not help if the Autobots are trying to hide in the first place.
Despite that, it should be noted that Optimus Prime will retain his appearance from Bumblebee, which was a 1987 Freightliner FLA semi-truck.
This is good news since it looks very close to his cartoon version counterpart.
Image: Paramount Pictures
Peter Cullen will return to voice the iconic Autobot leader.
Arcee is also noted as a Ducati 916, which is reminiscent of Michael Bay’s vision. Arcee showed up in Bumblebee but only in robot form.
In the ’80s cartoons, she transforms into a Cybertronian hovercar.
Nevertheless, it would have been also great if they made her into a Honda S2000 to at least give a nod to Transformers: Alternators.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is set in the 1990s, setting it up as a sequel to Bumblebee and a prequel to the Michael Bay movies.
The movie will feature the Maximals. They include Optimus Primal (voiced by Ron Perlman), which transforms into a gorilla.
Prequel to Michael Bay’s Transformers: Change in Autobot Might Upset Fans
Image: Hasbro
Moreover, there’s Rhinox, which transforms into a rhinoceros, and Airazor, which becomes into a falcon.
The Maximals will time travel from the future.
The film will have the Terrorcons as their main villains together with the Predacons.
No announcement of who the Predacons will be, but the Terrorcons will include Scourge and Nightbird.
We originally thought that Scourge and Nightbird were Decepticons, but apparently, they are not.
Image: Claster Television, Sunbow Productions International
The main reason is that they are resurrected Cybertronians.
It is possible that they were originally Decepticons; however, they have changed allegiances since their resurrection.
The movie is heavily inspired by James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day, which does involve time travel.
We presume that this is the movie that will reboot the Transformers franchise while still acknowledging Michael Bay’s pentalogy of films. Similar to what happened to J. J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot.
Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II) will direct Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. It stars Anthony Ramos (In The Heights), Dominique Fishback (The Deuce), and Lauren Velez (Dexter).
Michael Bay is not creatively involved despite a producer credit.
Related: Marvel Netflix Veteran To Write Transformers Movie
