The blockbuster franchise that refuses to die is officially becoming cinema's latest connected universe franchise.
Deadline reports that Paramount Studios finally has a script for Bumblebee, a spinoff of the confusingly popular Transformers franchise that has grossed more than NZ $5.2 billion across four movies.
There are no plot details, but the website reports that Paramount is preparing to search for directors, with their eyes already set on a release date of June 8, 2018. It will focus on fan favourite car Bumblebee, which has been a part of the franchise since the first movie.
The script comes from Christina Hodson, who submitted it as part of the writer's room set up to expand the franchise. It will be the highest profile film for the emerging writer, whose scripts include Shut In starring Naomi Watts and Unforgettable with Rosario Dawson and Katherine Heigl.
Though the four Transformers movies have all grossed highly, the movies have been poorly received. Age of Extinction (2014) did the worst on RottenTomatoes, earning just an 18 per cent approval rating.
An animated movie focused on the history of Cybertron, the Autobots home planet, has been commissioned. The fifth in the main series, The Last Knight, which will reunite Michael Bay and Mark Wahlberg, is set for release on June 22nd 2018.