Paramount Pictures, in association with Hasbro, announced today that principal photography has commenced onBumblebee. The film’s shoot will take place entirely in California, including in Southern and Northern California. The production has brought on new stars John Cena (Daddy’s Home 2,Trainwreck), Pamela Adlon and Kenneth Choi (American Crime Story) to join aBumblebee castof rising stars. The studio has also released the first plot details forBumblebee, confirming the year that the story takes place.
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary,yellow VW bug. Directed by Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings,Coraline), the film starsHailee Steinfeld(Edge of Seventeen), Stephen Schneider (Comedy Central’sBroad City), Jorge Lendeborg Jr.Spider-Man: Homecoming), Jason Drucker (Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul), Ricardo Hoyos (Degrassi: The Next Class), Abby Quinn (Landline,The Sisterhood of the Knight), Rachel Crow (Deidra and Laney Rob a Train), and Grace Dzienny (Zoo).
The film is produced byTransformers franchiseveterans Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Michael Bay, along with executive producers Steven Spielberg, Brian Goldner and Mark Vahradian. Chris Brigham (ArgoInception) will also executive produce. The screenplay is written by Christina Hodson (Unforgettable).Paramount Pictureshas also announced that the movie will now be released on June 14, 2025, pushing it up a few months from its previous date on June 26, 2025. It will now be going up against Warner Bros.Aquaman, which is still in production. If it would have stayed put on July 30, 2025, it would have gone up against another Warner Bros.' movie, their all-femaleOcean’s Elevenspin-offOcean’s Eight, starring Sandra Bullock.
This project was birthed from theTransformers writers room, which Christina Hodson was a part of, including writers such as Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), Art Marcum & Matt Holloway (Iron Man), Zak Penn (Pacific Rim 2), Jeff Pinkner (The Amazing Spider-Man 2), Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari (Ant-Man), Lindsey Beer (Barbie, Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down) and Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Tomb Raider). These writers put together ideas for a whopping 14 movies, although it hasn’t been confirmed which project will come next after thisBumblebeespin-off. With production now getting under way, hopefully we’ll get our first look at Bumblebee as this 1980s VW Bug sooner rather than later.
While best known as a WWE Superstar in the ring, John Cena has put together a solid acting resume as well. He has most recently starred in comedies likeTrainwreck,Daddy’s HomeandSisters, along with this year’s indie thrillerThe Wall, which he starred in alongside Aaron Taylor Johnson. He will next be seen reprising his role as Roger inDaddy’s Home 2, in theaters November 10, and he is also voicing the title character in the animated comedyFerdinand. He is currently filmingThe Pactalongside Ike Barinholtz and Leslie Mann. With production onBumblebeeunder way, hopefully we’ll find out more about this spin-off soon.
