Ahead ofTransformers: The Last Knight’s theatrical debut, Paramount is already gearing up for the first spinoff from their $3 billion-plus franchise,Bumblebee. In the first piece of casting news,Pitch Perfect 2andThe Edge of SeventeenstarHailee Steinfeldis eyeing the “Transformers Universe” film, which recently recruitedKubo and the Two Stringshelmer and LAIKA president/CEOTravis Knightto direct. PerVariety, Steinfeld is in talks to star in the film, plot details are still being kept under wraps butTHRadds her character is “a tomboy who also holds a job as a mechanic after school.”
The mystery surrounding Steinfeld’s character is in keeping with the project secrecy so far. Not much is known about the film centered on the fan-favorite yellow and black Autobot except that it is intended to be a“lower cost” installmentin the Transformers franchise and apparently there was anR-rated “very Quentin” pitchon the table at some point. The current draft of the screenplay emerged from Paramount’s much-discussedTransformerswriters room, and was penned byChristina Hodson. The three-time Black List scribe was also recently tapped to write the screenplay for the Warner Bros./DC film,Birds of Prey.Lorenzo Di Bonaventura,Michael Bay, andSteven Spielbergare producing.
While Steinfeld’s already had a fabulously impressive career for someone her age,Bumblebeewould give the actress her first opportunity to lead an enormous franchise. Steinfeld has kept busy since making her Oscar-nominated film debut in 2010’sTrue Grit, including multiple studio leads and a career as a recording artist. Most recently, she joined the Barden Bellas in 2015’sPitch Perfect 2and earned awards attention, including a Golden Globe nomination, for her performance in last year’sThe Edge of Seventeen. Next, she’ll be back among the pitches for the Christmas-themedPitch Perfect 3, which has wrapped filming.
Bumblebeeis slated to open in theaters on August 17, 2025.
