Bumblebee writer Christina Hodson knows what a sequel would be about in the event it gets made. Few 2018 movies were as big a surprise as the Transformers spinoff, which received widespread critical praise for its emotional, heartfelt narrative reminiscent of the blockbusters of yesteryear. It's far and away the best reviewed Transformers movie, even earning the Certified Fresh seal of approval by aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. Many fans felt Bumblebee was the Transformers film they wanted all along and would be eager to see more.
The 1980s period piece essentially acts at a soft reboot of the entire franchise and could forge its own path without having to strictly adhere to the continuity of Michael Bay's five installments. Paramount has yet to green light a followup film, but director Travis Knight already has some ideas of what could take place. He's apparently not alone, as another key member of the film's creative team also has something in mind.
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Speaking with Variety, Hodson was asked about the possibility of a Bumblebee sequel. While she was brief in her response, Hodson teased she knows "exactly" what she wants to do if she gets the call:
I do. I know exactly what I wanna do with one. I don’t know if we’re gonna do it — we’ve got to see if audiences go and see this movie. But I know where I want to go with the next one.
Given the audience response to Bumblebee, it would behoove Paramount to keep the duo of Knight and Hodson intact. That being said, it's no guarantee this hypothetical sequel sees the light of day. Bumblebee is shaping up to be the first legitimate Transformers box office failure, totaling $186.9 million worldwide so far. Granted, it still has its Chinese premiere upcoming, but Bumblebee finished as the clear loser in a crowded Christmas field that included other escapist offerings like Aquaman and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. There was only so much money to go around, and unless things turn around quickly, Bumblebee is going to be a sunk cost for the studio. Paramount may determine it's not worth the investment to continue the series, especially after The Last Knight underwhelmed back in summer 2017.
Hopefully, Hodson and Knight get the opportunity to craft their planned sequel (whatever it entails). The film didn't fail because it was critically panned; it fell victim to its poorly-chosen release date. If Bumblebee debuted in a less-competitive window, it likely would have performed much better. And it's not that farfetched a scenario the international box office saves Bumblebee. There are plenty of instances where foreign markets (China in particular) give titles a boost, so Paramount will be hoping for the same thing here.
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Source: Variety