With some franchises, there is but little origin soil to dig from. However, with others, the source material is so vast in rich that the treasure trove is bottomless. And, with the Transformers franchise, there is a lot of material to explore.
Michael Bay introduced his cinematic vision of the Transformers to global audiences in 2007. According to Screenrant,
“it was director Michael Bay who gave the Cybertronic shape-shifting robots the Hollywood treatment when the first Transformers film,”
Ultimately, it was a successful venture spawning several follow-up features, one that will soon be released. However, many took issue with Michael Bay’s production, citing it had little tie to the comics. In fact, it was deemed to be supremely divergent. As Screenrant noted,
“Fans of the original series have also been heavily critical of the American filmmaker for straying too far from the canon in favor of big-budget effects and larger-than-life storylines.”
Currently, fans are waiting for the upcoming film Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, set to release on June 9. Curiosity is often the companion of anticipation. One question that always raises its head when a sequel arises is, is this the end, or what could be next? Rumors run thick, and for those who haven’t heard, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is assuredly not the franchise’s end. Reportedly Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will be a prelude to another set of Transformer films. And they are already in progress. ScreenRant reports,
“The studio is developing multiple Transformers movies that will release in the next several years.”
Reportedly, there will be Transformers 8 and 9 released, with the ninth film’s release being predicted for 20028-2029. However, given how far out that remains, there are no details about what those films may encompass. Nevertheless, there are a few theories on what might work if explored.
Transformers: Two Unique Possibilities
Considering the amount of untapped material in the Transformers comics, there are numerous possibilities for the franchise’s future. Two possibilities include a Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover. Another could be an exploration of the New Avengers/Transformers crossover. Why these two storylines? Because both capitalize on very popular franchises already in existence. Thus, if done right, it has the propensity to maintain interest in the franchise and bridge the fandom, resulting in a larger box office and greater reception.
New Avengers/Transformers
According to Comic Book Resources, New Avengers/Transformers crossover was a miniseries that introduced “Robots in Disguise.” “Robots in a Disguise” was a comic series encapsulated in an animated film featured on Netflix in 2015. There is a lot of reason this direction could work. One reason is Marvel’s current trajectory. It is public knowledge that Marvel has two New Avenger films set for release in 2025, one being Secret Wars. This could solidify a premise for a New Avenger/Transformers crossover. According to Comic Book Resources,
The miniseries [New Avengers/Transfomers] sees the Auto bots team with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to stop Megatron from provoking a war between Doctor Doom’s homeland Latveria and the neighboring Symkaria.”
Additionally, it was rumored that Dr. Doom could be a feature character in Marvel’s upcoming slate following Kang the Conqueror’s time as the big bad of the multiverse saga. However, given the current timeline and the upcoming Transformer films on the docket, this could be a hypothetical rationalization that will never see the light of day.
Transformers and GI Joe Crossover
The comic world has seen several crossovers between Transformers and GI Joe. While only a little has been made of converting such to film, it holds great promise for exploration. This being the age of mining for gold in creative projects that already exist in some form makes it an equally exciting prospect. While both series have separate fan bases, both stand the possibility of suffering from fan fatigue. There is too much of the product that it becomes watered down, clichéd, and banal. The only way to re-invigorate is to explore a new angle. Such a feature would serve the purpose of finding a new angle while maintaining and benefiting from current franchise fans. Of course, fans love to see crossovers, and the combination of different franchises uniting under one film, so their inclusion could light up the box office if this ever came to fruition.
This is theoretical. While things sound good theoretically, they may not pan out well when actualized. It is given that the Transformers series is crossing the threshold where it’s close to wearing on the frayed nerves of fans. While fans know what to expect in the near future, there is always room left to wonder what could lie beyond the horizon. But what comes to fruition, only time will tell.
