Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie

Friday, March 3rd, 2017 2:01AM CST

Categories: Movie Related News, People News
Posted by: Va'al Views: 42,874

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Fellow Seibertronian EvasionModeBumblebee has sent us a link to a new Deadline article, confirming the appointment of the director for the Paramount 2018 Bumblebee spin-off movie, which may or may not follow from the upcoming Transformers: The Last Knight movie!

The name is Travis Knight, which some of you might recognise from the excellent Laika stop-motion film Kubo and the Two Strings - but you can find out more below; give it a read, and let us know what you think in the Energon Pub.

Bumblebee, the first spinoff of the Transformers franchise based on a popular character in the series, just landed as director Travis Knight, the helmer of the Oscar-nominated stop-motion animated success Kubo And The Two Strings. That film was Knight’s directing debut. Bumblebee would mark his first live-action film.

This time, Knight will be taking on a very different project, a big-budget 2018 tentpole for the studio. The screenplay, which emerged from Transformers director and Paramount’s writers room project, is from Christina Hodson. Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg are producing with Hasbro’s Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis.

Knight, the son of Nike founder Phil Knight, is also president and CEO of Laika. Based out of Portland, the animation house was founded about 11 years ago and since then has created high-quality and beautifully created features including The Boxtrolls, ParaNorman and Coraline. Along with Kubo, Boxtrolls was also nominated for an Oscar.

Credit(s): Deadline

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Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864056)
Posted by ToaLeePrime on March 3rd, 2017 @ 2:50am CST

Bloody hell, a movie that isn't directed by Micheal bay?! Perhaps he was serious this time :shock:

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864057)
Posted by Decepticon Stryker on March 3rd, 2017 @ 2:57am CST

ToaLeePrime wrote:Bloody hell, a movie that isn't directed by Micheal bay?! Perhaps he was serious this time

6812b235ace93c1a42d4da04b38cba1b.jpg

Edit: Might as well add this:

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864065)
Posted by BumbIebee on March 3rd, 2017 @ 5:43am CST

Have new-found hope for this one!

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864067)
Posted by EvasionModeBumblebee on March 3rd, 2017 @ 6:15am CST

As much as I've enjoyed the previous films, I'm looking forwards to see what another director can do. Not only that, but it's all about Bumblebee! I can't wait for this!

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864080)
Posted by Adimus Prime on March 3rd, 2017 @ 8:49am CST

Since Bay isn't touching this one, it could be called, "Bumblebee, A New Hope."

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864084)
Posted by It Is Him on March 3rd, 2017 @ 9:08am CST

Whoa. We could actually get a good Transformers movie? And I don't mean good in the way the 86 movie is relatively good, or the way that the Bay movies are relatively good, but critically good? It's almost hard to believe.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864092)
Posted by SlyTF1 on March 3rd, 2017 @ 11:48am CST

It Is Him wrote:Whoa. We could actually get a good Transformers movie? And I don't mean good in the way the 86 movie is relatively good, or the way that the Bay movies are relatively good, but critically good? It's almost hard to believe.

Just so you know, the writer for this movie has only written one movie. That one movie sits at a 6% on Rotten Tomatoes. People always seem to forget that the writer is usually mostly responsible for how critically successful a movie is. Not the director.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864105)
Posted by DedicatedGhostArt on March 3rd, 2017 @ 1:03pm CST

As soon as I saw this, I thought, "Man, that guy is gonna get a lot of jokes about him supposed to have been the director of The Last Knight." Or jokes like "Bay has a movie called 'The Last Knight'. We in the Bumblebee movie have got the REAL last Knight."

Travis Knight? Get it?

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864137)
Posted by It Is Him on March 3rd, 2017 @ 2:50pm CST

SlyTF1 wrote:
It Is Him wrote:Whoa. We could actually get a good Transformers movie? And I don't mean good in the way the 86 movie is relatively good, or the way that the Bay movies are relatively good, but critically good? It's almost hard to believe.

Just so you know, the writer for this movie has only written one movie. That one movie sits at a 6% on Rotten Tomatoes. People always seem to forget that the writer is usually mostly responsible for how critically successful a movie is. Not the director.

Oh my god, 6%. If it's any consolation Hollywoo films do often get multiple writers (X men first class had like 6). It's highly likely it could get a rewrite if it's equally that bad.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864142)
Posted by Deadput on March 3rd, 2017 @ 3:10pm CST

SlyTF1 wrote:
It Is Him wrote:Whoa. We could actually get a good Transformers movie? And I don't mean good in the way the 86 movie is relatively good, or the way that the Bay movies are relatively good, but critically good? It's almost hard to believe.

Just so you know, the writer for this movie has only written one movie. That one movie sits at a 6% on Rotten Tomatoes. People always seem to forget that the writer is usually mostly responsible for how critically successful a movie is. Not the director.

Sly are you actually serious right now?

Kubo has 97% not 6% do you actually have to lie now?

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864143)
Posted by Deadput on March 3rd, 2017 @ 3:13pm CST

Adimus Prime wrote:Since Bay isn't touching this one, it could be called, "Bumblebee, A New Hope."

No it will always be the same even without Bay all the other people are still going to be there and the movies will always end up like his.

Bay's influence will be there forever and no whining or complaining will ever change that.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864149)
Posted by SlyTF1 on March 3rd, 2017 @ 3:38pm CST

Deadput wrote:
SlyTF1 wrote:
It Is Him wrote:Whoa. We could actually get a good Transformers movie? And I don't mean good in the way the 86 movie is relatively good, or the way that the Bay movies are relatively good, but critically good? It's almost hard to believe.

Just so you know, the writer for this movie has only written one movie. That one movie sits at a 6% on Rotten Tomatoes. People always seem to forget that the writer is usually mostly responsible for how critically successful a movie is. Not the director.

Sly are you actually serious right now?

Kubo has 97% not 6% do you actually have to lie now?

WRITER. Can you not read?

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864151)
Posted by Nexus Knight on March 3rd, 2017 @ 3:47pm CST

It Is Him wrote:Whoa. We could actually get a good Transformers movie? And I don't mean good in the way the 86 movie is relatively good, or the way that the Bay movies are relatively good, but critically good? It's almost hard to believe.

Actually, by all accounts, the 1986 movie wasn't actually very good. And I'm saying this from a 2007 perspective. it had a very basic story and almost no characterization. You would be extremely lost if you watched this movie without seeing seasons one and two of The Transformers cartoon. BUT that said, it is a very fun movie and is classic cartoon movie in my eyes.

Also, if this movie is better than the rest, I may just puke. Unless they can make Bumblebee feel less... annoying.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864217)
Posted by President-prime on March 3rd, 2017 @ 11:55pm CST

Lino was actually not that great. It was predictable and preachy. It stretches too long and it was boring st times. Having the same director for Transformers may not be good either. It doesn't matter, I'm not going to watch it. Bumblebee is annoying. Unless some miracle, Optimus or Orion Pax made an appearance

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1864218)
Posted by President-prime on March 3rd, 2017 @ 11:56pm CST

Kubo, I mean. Stupid iPhone auto correction

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1872300)
Posted by Va'al on April 6th, 2017 @ 2:00pm CDT

We've heard a couple of things about the 2018 Bumblebee solo project from Paramount, written by Christina Hodson and directed by Travis Knight, but it seems we finally have confirmation that the movie will indeed be a prequel story of sorts, according to Michael Bay himself. In an interview with MTV, which you can watch below, he states among other things that:

"It'll go a little younger, and it will deal more with his character and it's just about him."

While Bumblebee may not be the sole character in the movie it might be the case that he's the only Cybertronian around. But he may also meet a character we will discover in The Last Knight, if the reports and rumours from the Super Fan footage are to be believed... Let us know what you think in the Energon Pub!

How to Share With Just Friends

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1872316)
Posted by Carnivius_Prime on April 6th, 2017 @ 2:50pm CDT

Cool cool. Is that Bumblebee figure used in the news picture a posable figure or a statue?

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1872319)
Posted by EvasionModeBumblebee on April 6th, 2017 @ 3:15pm CDT

Deadput wrote:
Adimus Prime wrote:Since Bay isn't touching this one, it could be called, "Bumblebee, A New Hope."

No it will always be the same even without Bay all the other people are still going to be there and the movies will always end up like his.

Bay's influence will be there forever and no whining or complaining will ever change that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1nS-nqqINA

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1872330)
Posted by Va'al on April 6th, 2017 @ 3:54pm CDT

Carnivius_Prime wrote:Cool cool. Is that Bumblebee figure used in the news picture a posable figure or a statue?

Comicave figure, a statue!

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1872332)
Posted by kurthy on April 6th, 2017 @ 4:08pm CDT

SNARK ----

Wait, people still watch MTV?

---- END SNARK

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1872366)
Posted by griftimus prime on April 6th, 2017 @ 5:07pm CDT

this guy is the worst reporter on the planet. he has been doing this for a long time. he never asks people questions about the movie they are promoting.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1872464)
Posted by DeathReviews on April 6th, 2017 @ 11:11pm CDT

Just keep that Shia Leboof guy away from the 'prequel'. Now there's somebody who's gone round the twist...

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1881517)
Posted by Va'al on May 14th, 2017 @ 9:06am CDT

Here's some buzzworthy news for a Sunday: Hasbro has applied for a new symbol with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) this past week, to be used with ' Toy action figures, toy vehicles and toy robots convertible into other visual toy forms ' and featuring the description: 'The mark consists of A stylized design of a bee.'

With 2018 bringing us the Bumblebee spin-off movie, directed by Travis Knight and written by Christina Hodson, there is sufficient ground to speculate that this symbol may indeed have something to do with the Cybertronian yellow scout. Check it out below, and let us know what you think!

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1881529)
Posted by Carnivius_Prime on May 14th, 2017 @ 10:18am CDT

Heh, i like it. it's wings look like Bumblebee's doors.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1881556)
Posted by RAR on May 14th, 2017 @ 11:40am CDT

Bumblebee has already had a logo for 10 years it's on his airfreshener in his car mode in the 2007 movie.

Also this would make a great unit patch marking for World War II bee too.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1881585)
Posted by Autobot Roadburn on May 14th, 2017 @ 1:35pm CDT

I know this is super picky but it really bugs me that the antennae aren't symmetrical.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1881631)
Posted by Ultra Markus on May 14th, 2017 @ 5:07pm CDT

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1881663)
Posted by Ultra Markus on May 14th, 2017 @ 8:26pm CDT

RAR wrote:Bumblebee has already had a logo for 10 years it's on his airfreshener in his car mode in the 2007 movie.

Also this would make a great unit patch marking for World War II bee too.

14592090_1125248264256930_3610260470050586624_n.jpg

slightly different bro ;)^

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1881668)
Posted by BG the Robit on May 14th, 2017 @ 9:13pm CDT

Autobot Roadburn wrote:I know this is super picky but it really bugs me that the antennae aren't symmetrical.

Same.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1881686)
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on May 14th, 2017 @ 11:04pm CDT

Carnivius_Prime wrote:Heh, i like it. it's wings look like Bumblebee's doors.

I agree! It looks cool!

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1883820)
Posted by william-james88 on May 23rd, 2017 @ 10:49pm CDT

Licensing Expo 2017 is currently underway and Paramount is there to showcase their wares. They want to remind you and everyone that there is a Bumblebee solo film coming out next year and got a poster up for the occasion. It is Bumblebee's face with the words "Transformers Universe: Bumblebee" below followed by the release date of June 2018.

The image below was found on Comingsoon.net.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1885549)
Posted by Va'al on May 31st, 2017 @ 5:28pm CDT

Fellow Seibertronian SnoopDawg has sent us a notification of a new piece up on The Hollywood Reporter - which may be entirely unfounded, so grab your salt packs - about next year's Bumblebee spinoff movie from the Paramount Transformers cinematic universe. Apparently, 20 year old True Grit cast member Hailee Steinfeld is in talks for the movie, as a 'tomboy who also holds a job as a mechanic after school'. Check out the full piece here, and an extract below!

Hailee Steinfeld is in negotiations to star in Paramount's Transformers spinoff Bumblebee.

Travis Knight, who directed the stop-motion movie Kubo and the Two Strings, is helming the project.

Bumblebee is the yellow and black striped Autobot that appears as one of the main characters in the Transformers film series.

Plot details are being kept on the dark side of the moon but it is known that Steinfeld will play a tomboy who also holds a job as a mechanic after school. Christina Hodson (Shut In) wrote the script.

The movie project is the first spinoff in what the studio hopes will be a Transformers Cinematic Universe that will include prequels and offshoots from a line of movies that have generated over $3.7 billion worldwide with the latest one, Transformers: The Last Knight, set to hit theaters June 23.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1885553)
Posted by the_neptrix on May 31st, 2017 @ 5:33pm CDT

Huh. They really like their female mechanics. Kubo was good, so I have higher expectations for this one.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1885582)
Posted by Prowl4 on May 31st, 2017 @ 7:19pm CDT

Long live Michael bay helming the mainline movies instead of this nonsense already starting in the spin off.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888672)
Posted by william-james88 on June 11th, 2017 @ 12:21pm CDT

We knew Hailee Steinfeld was in talks to be in the Transformers Spinoff Bumblebee movie but now it is confirmed. Not only that, but the film will be starting to shoot soon. Of course, it has to, since the film is still scheduled to come out next year, but it's good to know things are on track.

Here is what Hailee had to say to News.com Australia:

“I am so excited to know that is the next movie I am working on,” she said as the news broke last week.
“Obviously I’m coming to Australia and when I come back, we start shooting.”

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888678)
Posted by Prowl4 on June 11th, 2017 @ 12:57pm CDT

Bee bounces off male characters better. Not looking forward to this and looking at who is writing it should probably not encourage much excitement with this lame person as the lead.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888686)
Posted by SlyTF1 on June 11th, 2017 @ 1:34pm CDT

Yeah, this movie's going to be trash. This is the first movie in the franchise I'm not looking forward to at all.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888692)
Posted by william-james88 on June 11th, 2017 @ 1:49pm CDT

SlyTF1 wrote:Yeah, this movie's going to be trash. This is the first movie in the franchise I'm not looking forward to at all.

I cant believe i am reading these words from you Sly. What dont you like about this? It has a good director and it will give us a chance to see a different point of view rather than Michael Bay. This intrigues me quite a bit.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888707)
Posted by SlyTF1 on June 11th, 2017 @ 3:05pm CDT

william-james88 wrote:
SlyTF1 wrote:Yeah, this movie's going to be trash. This is the first movie in the franchise I'm not looking forward to at all.

I cant believe i am reading these words from you Sly. What dont you like about this? It has a good director and it will give us a chance to see a different point of view rather than Michael Bay. This intrigues me quite a bit.

Bumblebee, my least favorite Transformer in the movie universe is going to be one of the only Cybertronians in the movie. I don't care about him, period. What could he possibly do on his own that we haven't seen done before?

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888708)
Posted by Kurona on June 11th, 2017 @ 3:06pm CDT

Even Sly doesn't like Bumblebee? What sort of hellish alternate universe have I stumbled into?

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888712)
Posted by SlyTF1 on June 11th, 2017 @ 3:16pm CDT

Kurona wrote:Even Sly doesn't like Bumblebee? What sort of hellish alternate universe have I stumbled into?

I never liked him. The scene in ROTF where he pulled Ravage's spine out his ass was cool, but that's about the extent of it.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888716)
Posted by DedicatedGhostArt on June 11th, 2017 @ 3:28pm CDT

Kurona wrote:Even Sly doesn't like Bumblebee? What sort of hellish alternate universe have I stumbled into?

I like him though. He's kinda cute and does some cool things. At least he's not an ass like some of the other 'Bots. Though, Crosshairs is kinda my kind of a jackass.

ALSO, who can bet on how many modes Bee's gonna get in this movie? Four? Twelve?

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888720)
Posted by SlyTF1 on June 11th, 2017 @ 3:35pm CDT

Now, I'd live to see Crosshairs, Hound, or Drift get their own movies. Hell, give Ironhide and Ratchet a movie. But Bumblebee? Nah.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888732)
Posted by Deadput on June 11th, 2017 @ 4:51pm CDT

I actually started to like Bumblebee more over the years while he's never been my fave because of my "curse" of being unable to like the main character that much, Bumblebee and Prime are one of the few that I'm able to like but I'm still unable to consider them favorites in any context... still don't care for Megatron much either since he is always the most generic of the Transformers in both looks and personality in every continuity besides Beast Wars and he's kinda not the same character.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888750)
Posted by Optimum Supreme on June 11th, 2017 @ 5:33pm CDT

Kingpin sums up my reaction perfectly.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888764)
Posted by william-james88 on June 11th, 2017 @ 7:01pm CDT

Kingpin is always shown as a well educated, sophisticated man who likes to stay up to date in the arts. He would know Hailee, she is probably the best actress to ever be in a Transformers film aside from Francis McDormand. She was the main character (even though the Academy called it a supporting role) of True Grit, which was nominated at the Oscars in 2010 for the following:

It was nominated for ten Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Bridges), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Steinfeld), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing.

She's also Trinity in this Taylor Swift video:

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888765)
Posted by Kurona on June 11th, 2017 @ 7:03pm CDT

william-james88 wrote:Kingpin is always shown as a well educated, sophisticated man who likes to stay up to date in the arts. He would know Hailee, she is probably the best actress to ever be in a Transformers film aside from Francis McDormand. She was the main character (even though the Academy called it a supporting role) of True Grit, which was nominated at the Oscars in 2010 for the following:

It was nominated for ten Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Bridges), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Steinfeld), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing.

She's also Trinity in this Taylor Swift video:

I think it'd be more likely Spiderman wouldn't know who Hailee is - something for which Kingpin would kill him with a car door.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888843)
Posted by Windsweeper on June 12th, 2017 @ 3:15am CDT

I'm looking forward to this. I never liked G1 Bumblebee but i do like movie Bee.

It's a shame they kill off the cooler designed Autobots like Jazz, Sideswipe, Jolt and Arcee and keep shoving the ugly ones like Brains, Hound and Drift in our faces.

At least this movie has a new director.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888952)
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on June 12th, 2017 @ 6:02pm CDT

See, I am still excited for the movie. I love the live action films and Bee is one of my favorites, especially in the looks department. Plus, he was my first Autobot toy, so I have a very special soft spot for him.

Re: Travis Knight To Direct Transformers Bumblebee 2018 Spin-Off Movie (1888957)
Posted by DedicatedGhostArt on June 12th, 2017 @ 6:13pm CDT

You know why I'm excited for this movie? Because it might actually be clean enough to watch with the youngsters. I just hope Bee doesn't get 10 alt modes in this movie.

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