None of these characters you named are so definitively important to the franchise that they can't be reimagined or reworked or have a new spin put on them. Let them try something new, you might be surprised, and they might turn out more memorable than the previously named version(s)!

 

Whoa can't wait to get Nightbirds figure as a gtr...but as for the movie sounds like a lot going on...hopefully the story doesn't suck.

 

When I see a situation pointed south, I can’t ignore it. Sometimes I wish I could.

Lorenzo is involved. Still.

 

Wait a minute....

That orange glow behind a logo looks familar?

 

Well, technically all the characters aren't revealed yet.

 

No. The only Autobot on Earth during the Bee movie was Bee. Until the post credits added Optimus.

Meh. No different than BW calling their villains "Predacons" and then the only name drop was Rampage who isn't even the same guy.

See Also:

 

Well, I don't know what kind of "increased creative control" they have then, you're making them sound as input-less as they were in 2007.

What's eOne's role here? They got mentioned in the press release.

 

Really nervous about the supposed Bayverse connections. Really wish they'd just leave it in the dust and start over

 

Wait, so, Bumblebee it's still considered in the bay continuity? bummer.

 

With this and Snake Eyes, I’m still curious to see where they may go with this new universe.

 

Scourge is gonna have a flaming goatee? Fuckin' rad.  

Lots of great comments here, glad to see people are being both optimistic while cautious at the same time.   Regardless how the movie itself turns out, If we get some awesome figures out of it I guess that'll be some kind of win?

 

They clearly have no idea as to where to take this series. They’re throwing shit at a wall and seeing what sticks.

 

I agree, it's worrying. I mean, they said (exact quote) "the film will show how Optimus Prime becomes the leader we met in the films set in the future".

Not "future films", but "the films set in the future". You don't even have to read between the lines to understand that this is almost surely referring to the existing Bay films (they're the only Transformers films "set in the future" of 1994). I honestly don't see any other way this could be interpreted without doing some major mental gymnastics. It sounds unambiguous to me. And kind of shocking, considering othe recent statements have implied they're hard rebooting the timeline.

And it's not just that one quote. There are other subtle indications. Like the fact that Bumblebee is staying the '77 Camaro and the main villain isn't Megatron and the Decepticons. Not that they need to be...I'm actually cool with a new villain...but it sounds like they're trying to create another disposable villain so they won't step on the toes of the other films.

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I sort of expect this to exist in the same grey area as Bumblebee...like it will have prequel aspects, and other things will be hard to reconcile. Which was fine for Bumblebee, because it was majorly reworked within the few months before it released. The teaser trailer was marketed as a direct prequel, and then they decided to distance it from the Bay movies somewhere between June and December. They almost had to play both sides. But now they've had three years to figure continuity out. And they're still trying to play both sides? It just seems weird.

I'm honestly not a huge continuity/lore buff....I don't really think in-terms of nice neat TFWiki articles. It's just worrying to me from a filmmaking perspective. I just get the feeling they're indecisive and haven't really thought this though as much as you'd think, given they've taken three years. I'm actually still quite excited for this movie, I'm just hearing more red flags than I was hoping for.

 

That's completely irrelevant to what I'm asking.

 

There hasn't been anything listed so far that I want in toy form.

 

This sounds like a mess.

Happy Beast Wars are in it. But Terrorcons(?) too. How complicated?

Then to top it all, after Knight making the G1 characters look well, G1, we're back to this silly Bayverse nonsense again.

It's going to be crap.

And they had a chance to reboot post Bumblebee. Ah... what a shame. These movies are doomed to be f--ked until the old production team are off them entirely.

 

We don't know. They haven't clarified anything which fucking stinks as my excitement around this film hinges on the fact if this is connected to the Bayverse or not. If it's not part of the Bayverse, I'm 100% on board with what I'm hearing.

 

Is this sequel to bumblebee?

 

We don't even know what control they had then to make a claim they have "less" now. But just because they can't force Paramount to sign deals with various car companies doesn't mean they can't exercise creative control where it matters...the plot. So like, maybe this time if someone submits a script where Devastator has balls, Prime murders Frasier or Grimlock pukes up a car they can go "No. No. Please don't do that."

 

So not everyone yet right? Just add Cheetor and I’m content!