A new Transformers: Rise of the Beasts TV spot appears to spoil a major Autobot death in the upcoming theatrical release from Paramount Pictures.
In the new TV spot shared to Twitter by user ROTBTrailer Bumblebee is seen leaping in air the wielding a giant axe.
His attack never connects as he appears to flail in the air at the last minute allowing Scourge to easily impale him on a deadly blade.
It also appears Optimus Prime might be in the background, so Bumblebee’s attack might have been one out of desperation in order to try and prevent Scourge from attacking Prime. However, it’s hard to tell based on the TV spot and is merely this author’s speculation.
The TV spot then cuts to Scourge saying, “Your world will die.” It then appears to cut back to Scourge and Bumblebee fighting, but instead of Bumblebee being impaled by Scourge, Scourge has his right hand around his neck and is holding him up in the air. He then uses his left hand to obliterate Bumblebee’s chest.
It’s unclear if Bumblebee actually dies, but he most definitely is severely injured from the impalement and then the energy attack straight to his chest.
According to the film’s producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura the film is supposed to be set in the same timeline as the original Transformers films directed by Michael Bay as well as the most recent Bumblebee film.
He told Collider, “But what’s interesting is, and you will appreciate this as a fan, at the end of Bumblebee, Optimus comes to Earth. What he’s experienced is failure, probably for the first time in his life, right? He’s had to retreat, he’s leaving the planet Cybertron. What’s happened to him from that experience? When we meet him in 2007, he’s a particular person, if you would. In 1994, he’s not the same person. He still has growth to do between ‘94 and 2007.”
“So the character arc for Optimus in this, and the fun for the audience is, when you first meet Optimus – and we’ve had this experience because we’ve watched it with audiences and we’ve heard them talk about it – they’re like, ‘It’s definitely Optimus, but there’s something a little different…’ At first, they’re like, “Wait, what, who… what Optimus is this?” And by the end of the movie, Optimus has become the guy that you’ve recognized from the Bay movies. Emotional,” he asserted.
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It’s unclear how the timelines will coalesce given the first Transformers movie has the Autobots and especially Optimus Prime arriving on Earth for the first time in 2007 while in Bumblebee they arrive on Earth in 1987. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts takes place in 1994.
It’s possible there could be some kind of time travel shenanigans involved due to the involvement of the Maximals. In the original Transformers: Beast Wars animated series the Maximals and the Predacons are descendants of the Autobots and the Decepticons. The Predacons led by Megatron are hunting for Energon and are subsequently pursued by the Maximals through a time/space phenomenon and land on Earth in ancient times.
The official description for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts states, “Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformers – the Maximals – to join them as allies in the existing battle for earth.”
The film is directed by Steven Caple Jr. and stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback. It arrives in theatres June 9, 2023.
What do you make of this TV clip? Do you think it spoils Bumblebee’s death?