The New 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' Trailer Reassures Us That the BayFormers Are Gone

Back in 2021, I broke the news about Hasbro and Paramount making another Transformers film following the critical praise and, let’s say, delayed box office vindication of Bumblebee. I displayed genuine hope for the project, seeing as how it was tapping into the Beast Wars sequel series and from all accounts was moving away from the visually cluttered cacophony (at best) of the “BayFormers” quintet.

And while part of me is somewhat disappointed that we will never follow up on “Merlin and Harriet Tubman protected the secret of the Transformers” and all the alternate history those words entail, the rest of me really enjoyed Bumblebee and have been excited that the films are at least moving in that direction, even if it didn’t bring in mounds of money that would make even Unicron choke. Even my associate James Field’s less enthusiastic coverage of the teaser trailer still managed to keep my spirits up.

Now we have the first official trailer for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, directed by Steven Caple, Jr (Creed II).

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. Directed by Steven Caple Jr. and starring Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, the film arrives in theatres June 9, 2023.

Speaking of Unicron, that certainly looks like the Biggest Bad of the franchise actually making an appearance (unlike The Last Knight), and he’ll actually have a voice (Colman Domingo). Also appearing in the trailer are the Maximals: Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman), Rhinox, Cheetor, and Airazor (Michelle Yeoh). And the Autobots: Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen, natch), Bumblebee, Arcee, and Mirage (Pete Davidson), as well as Ramos and Fishback as the two human leads, and even a quick shot of Tobe “TRY JESUS” Nwigwe. Instead of Megatron in either form (I guess T-rex and Dragon are off the table for now, THANKS BAYFORMERS), it looks like the villains will be the Predacons (or Terrorcons?) led by Scourge (Peter Dinklage).

Now, I’m already relieved that I can actually SEE what is happening.