Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot

Friday, January 4th, 2019 2:37pm CST

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“Someone described Bumblebee to me as, ‘99% prequel, 1% not’.” “I was like, ‘What was the 1%?’ He said, ‘It is the scene where Optimus and all the other guys come to Earth at the end.’”



“I was like, ‘That doesn’t contradict anything we have said before. Who is to say they haven’t been around Robots In Disguise since then.’”



“That scene was always imagined but in many different versions. We didn’t do that scene until we’d shot the movie. Because we felt the movie was going to dictate that scene a little bit. What happened is that you got to see Haliee return to her family. Bumblebee needs to return to his family. Otherwise what happened to poor Bumblebee? That was our thinking.”



“Plus Optimus said we are going to go to Earth. We are gonna regroup. And then we are gonna go back. In our minds they went back out. It had nothing to do with the other films, and was completely about the emotional journey of Bumblebee.”



The percentage in the title is not a turn of phrase nor something inferred in any way, it comes from a quote by Bumblebee movie producer Lorenzo Di Bonventura. Whether Bumblebee is a prequel or reboot (or anything in between) has been a hot topic for fans , especially those who want to distance themselves as much as possible from the previous films made by Michael Bay. These debates have reached Bonaventura who sat down with Metro and explained why to him, the Bumblebee film was 100% a prequel and nothing else. Here is everything he said. Of course, please be advised that it contains Credit(s): https://www.metro.us/entertainment/movies/bumblebee-transformers-lorenzo-dibonaventura

This article was last modified on Friday, January 4th, 2019 2:39pm CST

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Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002519)

Posted by

So... what about all the other stuff that flies in the face of canon?



Or do we just go with the whole ' you couldn't possibly comprehend something so complex ' justification (like how Megs needed OP to die and come back with the matrix to wake up Sentinel). Posted by Lucky Logician on January 4th, 2019 @ 2:54pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002520)

Posted by

Lucky Logician wrote: So... what about all the other stuff that flies in the face of canon?



Or do we just go with the whole ' you couldn't possibly comprehend something so complex ' justification (like how Megs needed OP to die and come back with the matrix to wake up Sentinel).

I still dont know what made Prime so special that only he had the power to kill the fallen. All he did was kick his ass in a fight, only Primes know how to kick and thrown punches?



Anyways, in all honesty the only thing that doesnt work with any explanations is the TLK film but that just means to me that that's the one which is taken out of continuity which I am MORE THAN FINE WITH. I still dont know what made Prime so special that only he had the power to kill the fallen. All he did was kick his ass in a fight, only Primes know how to kick and thrown punches?Anyways, in all honesty the only thing that doesnt work with any explanations is the TLK film but that just means to me that that's the one which is taken out of continuity which I am MORE THAN FINE WITH. Posted by william-james88 on January 4th, 2019 @ 3:03pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002527)

Posted by

Old Bony is a great Producer, He doesn’t wanna sacrifice any DVD and BluRay sales of the first five movies. By telling everyone its a soft reboot. IMO they should want to distance themselves from the Bay movies. People that absolutely loathed the Micheal Bay movies loved BumbleBee. Regular old casual movie goers. Posted by RodimalToyota on January 4th, 2019 @ 4:00pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002534)

Posted by

RodimalToyota wrote: Old Bony is a great Producer, He doesn’t wanna sacrifice any DVD and BluRay sales of the first five movies. By telling everyone its a soft reboot. IMO they should want to distance themselves from the Bay movies. People that absolutely loathed the Micheal Bay movies loved BumbleBee. Regular old casual movie goers.

Wasn't it the regular casual movie goers the ones who made lots of money for the franchise till the last knight? I mean who else would have made revenge all those millions otherwise?



Also I agree with Will, I'm more than happy to loose tlk from the mix and keep the others. Wasn't it the regular casual movie goers the ones who made lots of money for the franchise till the last knight? I mean who else would have made revenge all those millions otherwise?Also I agree with Will, I'm more than happy to loose tlk from the mix and keep the others. Posted by ZeroWolf on January 4th, 2019 @ 4:22pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002535)

Posted by

I dunno. Sounds like someone having to tow the company line. Posted by Shuttershock on January 4th, 2019 @ 4:28pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002539)

Posted by

ZeroWolf wrote: RodimalToyota wrote: Old Bony is a great Producer, He doesn’t wanna sacrifice any DVD and BluRay sales of the first five movies. By telling everyone its a soft reboot. IMO they should want to distance themselves from the Bay movies. People that absolutely loathed the Micheal Bay movies loved BumbleBee. Regular old casual movie goers.

Wasn't it the regular casual movie goers the ones who made lots of money for the franchise till the last knight? I mean who else would have made revenge all those millions otherwise?



Also I agree with Will, I'm more than happy to loose tlk from the mix and keep the others. Wasn't it the regular casual movie goers the ones who made lots of money for the franchise till the last knight? I mean who else would have made revenge all those millions otherwise?Also I agree with Will, I'm more than happy to loose tlk from the mix and keep the others.



To be fair we didn't really know Revenge was going to be as "bad" of a film as it was till people watched it for the first time since the 2007 film while not perfect was still viewed in a semi positive light back then, review sites like RT weren't as big back then as they are these days. (Not that it was small but you certainly see more people going to movie review sites first these days more often then the early 2000's, at least that's my experience anyways)



Sadly there is a way to fix the obvious TLK mistakes, they can have WW2 Bumblebee simply be a movie version of Centurion and/or have Burton simply be mental with all the "history" artifacts and posters be photoshopped or commissioned by him, there is nothing saying that those statues of AOE Prime weren't made after that movie since there is a few year timeskip between AOE and TLK.



Can explain things like Hot Shot having a Lambo body in that photo with it simply someone photoshopping an actual photo with Hot Rod, he was hanging around with Burton so he could of had pictures taken of him for such a purpose.



There isn't any obvious dialogue that Bee and Hot Rod know each other which can make the whole Centurion thing work, also Bumblebee doesn't recognize Burton so the latter's claims that he knew the Autobot can be addresed with Burton getting Bee and Centurion confused.



I hope this doesn't happen but there is a way they could make it work. (If your bloody reading this Lorenzo or anyone else involved, do not do this, just reboot please, even if I am a fan of the previous movies I want a new timeline.) To be fair we didn't really know Revenge was going to be as "bad" of a film as it was till people watched it for the first time since the 2007 film while not perfect was still viewed in a semi positive light back then, review sites like RT weren't as big back then as they are these days. (Not that it was small but you certainly see more people going to movie review sites first these days more often then the early 2000's, at least that's my experience anyways)Sadly there is a way to fix the obvious TLK mistakes, they can have WW2 Bumblebee simply be a movie version of Centurion and/or have Burton simply be mental with all the "history" artifacts and posters be photoshopped or commissioned by him, there is nothing saying that those statues of AOE Prime weren't made after that movie since there is a few year timeskip between AOE and TLK.Can explain things like Hot Shot having a Lambo body in that photo with it simply someone photoshopping an actual photo with Hot Rod, he was hanging around with Burton so he could of had pictures taken of him for such a purpose.There isn't any obvious dialogue that Bee and Hot Rod know each other which can make the whole Centurion thing work, also Bumblebee doesn't recognize Burton so the latter's claims that he knew the Autobot can be addresed with Burton getting Bee and Centurion confused.I hope this doesn't happen but there is a way they could make it work. (If your bloody reading this Lorenzo or anyone else involved, do not do this, just reboot please, even if I am a fan of the previous movies I want a new timeline.) Posted by Deadput on January 4th, 2019 @ 4:36pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002542)

Posted by

God damn it Lorenzo making this a prequel limits what stories can be told by a huge martian.



You can't have the mass populace finding out about the Transformers because they don't know till 2007 unless you pull off the whole Men In Black mind wipe scene (Or the military nukes the town or executes/silences civilian witnesses.) So that limits where the movie can take place and where the Transformers can be in robot mode.



You have to make Sector 7 the only actual military involved with the Transformers since the most of USA doesn't know anything in 2007 (I think the current President at the time knows about Sector 7 but not that they had Megatron if I remember the film correctly)



You can't have Megatron around on Earth at all which limits his presence to flashbacks and prequels on Cybertron because he's frozen since sometime before 1897 where he was first discovered by Sam's great grandfather and then at Sector 7's base in the 1930's at Hoover Dam (Which was created to keep the Allspark in the first place, and let me remind you that Shatter and Dropkick were inside the base and give full access to all of Sector 7's equipment, there is no logical reason why they did not find out about either the Allspark or Megatron, they were able to detect Bumblebee's signal from Saturn's moon so they must have some good scanners.)



You limit the fates of characters in the films and who can show up, you can't kill certain characters who appear in the other films and character development is wasted on them because they die off later with little characterization which will leave people unsatisfied or dread at the fact that say Jazz is going to die in the first Transformers film anyways so what's the point of giving him any role? Like no fan is going to get invested in them, Bay fan, G1 fan or otherwise.



Ah yeah at some point you need to "upgrade" the characters to Bayverse looks like Starscream has to stop being a Seeker and turn into a dorito at some point or Soundwave becoming vastly different and gaining a new voice.



You put someone new like Bludgeon on Earth and then you got to kill him off because he can't be around by 2007, can't bring in any tech like Space Bridges or Matrix because of the other films.



I'm starting to ramble but my god making this a prequel or at the very least not going into a new direction is absolutely idiotic.



Did The Last Knight not happen or something? Will nothing have been learned? Posted by Deadput on January 4th, 2019 @ 4:51pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002543)

Posted by

In all honesty, it doesn't really matter, but for the sake of *geek talk*, there are way to many inconsistencies in ALL the live action movies. I tried to squint and head-canon things for myself, but once I saw the TLK, the damage to the continuity was pretty much irreparable. I'm just glad BB was a decent film, and I dont place it in any context or continuity with any other film. I don't get caught up with what to call it, other than just a "Transformers Film", plain and simple.



The Autobots general unfamiliarity with earth Culture in the first film, to me, pretty much indicates it was supposed to be their first time on Earth. Not sure how you could process that any other way, and that's just scratching the surface. Each successive film presents a problem/problems, and causes a larger contradiction as time goes on. Posted by o.supreme on January 4th, 2019 @ 4:52pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002544)

Posted by

They just need to stop interviewing this guy. He is not the only one part of the project, and seeing how successful it is, you should just stop trying to make it a Prequel and justifying an even bigger continuity headache.



Just call it a reboot! Let it happen! Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on January 4th, 2019 @ 4:57pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002545)

Posted by

o.supreme wrote: In all honesty, it doesn't really matter, but for the sake of *geek talk*, there are way to many inconsistencies in ALL live action movies. I tried to squint and head-canon things for myself, but once I saw the TLK, the damage to the continuity was pretty much irreparable. I'm just glad BB was a decent film, and I dont place it in any context or continuity with any other film. I dont get caught up with what to call it, other than just a "Transformers Film", plain and simple.

I don't care for being super strict to the continuity of things generally even if plot holes bug me, but I don't think that trying to salvage a film franchise that breaks continuity with each film is going to be worth it.



TLK tanked, if that's not a wake up call, then franchise suicide will be the eventual fate, I don't want the Transformers films to just stop for a long time because stubborn people don't try to fix their mistakes.



Are any of us going to be invested as much when a reboot is announced 10 years later? G1 will be even older at that point and the 80's folks will be much older then so your losing the prime opportunity to draw in those people, who's going to care for Transformers at 50 or 60 years old? I don't care for being super strict to the continuity of things generally even if plot holes bug me, but I don't think that trying to salvage a film franchise that breaks continuity with each film is going to be worth it.TLK tanked, if that's not a wake up call, then franchise suicide will be the eventual fate, I don't want the Transformers films to just stop for a long time because stubborn people don't try to fix their mistakes.Are any of us going to be invested as much when a reboot is announced 10 years later? G1 will be even older at that point and the 80's folks will be much older then so your losing the prime opportunity to draw in those people, who's going to care for Transformers at 50 or 60 years old? Posted by Deadput on January 4th, 2019 @ 4:58pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002548)

Posted by

D-Maximal_Primal wrote: They just need to stop interviewing this guy. He is not the only one part of the project, and seeing how successful it is, you should just stop trying to make it a Prequel and justifying an even bigger continuity headache.



Just call it a reboot! Let it happen!

This is the same guy who tried to sabotage Peter Cullen's audition for the 2007 film and in general has a major need to attempt to avoid anything from the G1 era.



He's got a bigger ego about the film franchise than Micheal Bay, and I don't think the latter's ego was that much of a problem most of the time.



I will always blame this guy mostly for the previous 5 movie's shortcomings, mostly TLK since he's the one who decided to combine a bunch of separate scripts into one movie. (Aoe Sequel, Knights, WW2, Refugee stuff with Canopy and Izabella) This is the same guy who tried to sabotage Peter Cullen's audition for the 2007 film and in general has a major need to attempt to avoid anything from the G1 era.He's got a bigger ego about the film franchise than Micheal Bay, and I don't think the latter's ego was that much of a problem most of the time.I will always blame this guy mostly for the previous 5 movie's shortcomings, mostly TLK since he's the one who decided to combine a bunch of separate scripts into one movie. (Aoe Sequel, Knights, WW2, Refugee stuff with Canopy and Izabella) Posted by Deadput on January 4th, 2019 @ 5:02pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002551)

Posted by

Deadput wrote: who's going to care for Transformers at 50 or 60 years old?



Original Star Trek fans are still very much into their *Trek* despite all the reboots and re-imaginings. They hold those original 3 TV seasons and 6 theatrical films as *gold*. If I'm still alive in another 10-20 years, I'll still be into Transformers. Even if the brand is ruined by horrible changes, that doesn't undo the original toys and show I grew up enjoying. Original Star Trek fans are still very much into their *Trek* despite all the reboots and re-imaginings. They hold those original 3 TV seasons and 6 theatrical films as *gold*. If I'm still alive in another 10-20 years, I'll still be into Transformers. Even if the brand is ruined by horrible changes, that doesn't undo the original toys and show I grew up enjoying. Posted by o.supreme on January 4th, 2019 @ 5:13pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002552)

Posted by

o.supreme wrote: Deadput wrote: who's going to care for Transformers at 50 or 60 years old?



Original Star Trek fans are still very much into their *Trek* despite all the reboots and re-imaginings. They hold those original 3 TV seasons and 6 theatrical films as *gold*. If I'm still alive in another 10-20 years, I'll still be into Transformers. Even if the brand is ruined by horrible changes, that doesn't undo the original toys and show I grew up enjoying. Original Star Trek fans are still very much into their *Trek* despite all the reboots and re-imaginings. They hold those original 3 TV seasons and 6 theatrical films as *gold*. If I'm still alive in another 10-20 years, I'll still be into Transformers. Even if the brand is ruined by horrible changes, that doesn't undo the original toys and show I grew up enjoying.

True I said that without thinking about other franchises, I mostly meant that because Transformers is a mostly kid's franchise, more so then Star Trek or Star Wars and people tend to out grow things...sometimes.



Since Earth has that point of view that your a man child if you still "play with toys" and that kind of thing. True I said that without thinking about other franchises, I mostly meant that because Transformers is a mostly kid's franchise, more so then Star Trek or Star Wars and people tend to out grow things...sometimes.Since Earth has that point of view that your a man child if you still "play with toys" and that kind of thing. Posted by Deadput on January 4th, 2019 @ 5:14pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002554)

Posted by

Thanks for clearing that up, Lorenzo. It’s nice to know that you and other Hollywood types totally and completely understand how a movie is perceived by fans. Now I question why I questioned the continuity in the first place. But now it all makes sense.



The above quote was 100% sarcastic. Posted by Nemesis Maximo on January 4th, 2019 @ 5:16pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002556)

Posted by

Deadput wrote: o.supreme wrote: In all honesty, it doesn't really matter, but for the sake of *geek talk*, there are way to many inconsistencies in ALL live action movies. I tried to squint and head-canon things for myself, but once I saw the TLK, the damage to the continuity was pretty much irreparable. I'm just glad BB was a decent film, and I dont place it in any context or continuity with any other film. I dont get caught up with what to call it, other than just a "Transformers Film", plain and simple.

I don't care for being super strict to the continuity of things generally even if plot holes bug me, but I don't think that trying to salvage a film franchise that breaks continuity with each film is going to be worth it.



TLK tanked, if that's not a wake up call, then franchise suicide will be the eventual fate, I don't want the Transformers films to just stop for a long time because stubborn people don't try to fix their mistakes.



Are any of us going to be invested as much when a reboot is announced 10 years later? G1 will be even older at that point and the 80's folks will be much older then so your losing the prime opportunity to draw in those people, who's going to care for Transformers at 50 or 60 years old? I don't care for being super strict to the continuity of things generally even if plot holes bug me, but I don't think that trying to salvage a film franchise that breaks continuity with each film is going to be worth it.TLK tanked, if that's not a wake up call, then franchise suicide will be the eventual fate, I don't want the Transformers films to just stop for a long time because stubborn people don't try to fix their mistakes.Are any of us going to be invested as much when a reboot is announced 10 years later? G1 will be even older at that point and the 80's folks will be much older then so your losing the prime opportunity to draw in those people, who's going to care for Transformers at 50 or 60 years old?

To be fair, to get my interest, they just have to say no G1 or just say we're doing beast wars. They do that and I'm there. Also, I expect a new tf reboot in the next 6 years, and to be integrated with their hasbro movie verse they want, gi Joe vs the Transformers (though we know how it plays out and despite the beginning of the film, it's Joe's and Autobots vs Cobra and cons at the end)



Personally I believe the tf franchise needs to keep looking forward instead of constantly going back to the past, there will be a time when that tactic fails... Then what do you do... To be fair, to get my interest, they just have to say no G1 or just say we're doing beast wars. They do that and I'm there. Also, I expect a new tf reboot in the next 6 years, and to be integrated with their hasbro movie verse they want, gi Joe vs the Transformers (though we know how it plays out and despite the beginning of the film, it's Joe's and Autobots vs Cobra and cons at the end)Personally I believe the tf franchise needs to keep looking forward instead of constantly going back to the past, there will be a time when that tactic fails... Then what do you do... Posted by ZeroWolf on January 4th, 2019 @ 5:18pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002558)

Posted by

D-Maximal_Primal wrote: They just need to stop interviewing this guy. He is not the only one part of the project, and seeing how successful it is, you should just stop trying to make it a Prequel and justifying an even bigger continuity headache.



Just call it a reboot! Let it happen!

Very much this. Since when are Producers ever the people who have any clue?



Kevin Feige is literally the only Hollywood producer without his head up his own ass. Very much this. Since when are Producers ever the people who have any clue?Kevin Feige is literally the only Hollywood producer without his head up his own ass. Posted by Nemesis Maximo on January 4th, 2019 @ 5:19pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002560)

Posted by

Nemesis Maximo wrote: D-Maximal_Primal wrote: They just need to stop interviewing this guy. He is not the only one part of the project, and seeing how successful it is, you should just stop trying to make it a Prequel and justifying an even bigger continuity headache.



Just call it a reboot! Let it happen!

Very much this. Since when are Producers ever the people who have any clue?



Kevin Feige is literally the only Hollywood producer without his head up his own ass. Very much this. Since when are Producers ever the people who have any clue?Kevin Feige is literally the only Hollywood producer without his head up his own ass.

Honestly, this deserves to be a reboot. It deserves to have its own future ahead of it.



Also, I cannot fathom Bee never seeing Charlie again. Or the thought of Charlie dying in DotM or TLK during massive attacks.



Bring them back and keep them back, outside of the other 5 movies. I enjoyed those 5 movies, but let this stand alone in a new universe.



Please. Honestly, this deserves to be a reboot. It deserves to have its own future ahead of it.Also, I cannot fathom Bee never seeing Charlie again. Or the thought of Charlie dying in DotM or TLK during massive attacks.Bring them back and keep them back, outside of the other 5 movies. I enjoyed those 5 movies, but let this stand alone in a new universe.Please. Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on January 4th, 2019 @ 5:23pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002573)

Posted by

D-Maximal_Primal wrote: Also, I cannot fathom Bee never seeing Charlie again. Or the thought of Charlie dying in DotM or TLK during massive attacks. Isn't the San Francisco area (which is where Brighton Falls seems to be near to), like, never attacked in any of the five main movies? If so, I think the Watsons and Memo might be okay. Isn't the San Francisco area (which is where Brighton Falls seems to be near to), like, never attacked in any of the five main movies? If so, I think the Watsons and Memo might be okay. Posted by Sabrblade on January 4th, 2019 @ 6:05pm CST

Re: Transformers: Bumblebee Movie Producer Explains how the Film is 100% a Prequel and not a Reboot (2002575)

Posted by

Sabrblade wrote: D-Maximal_Primal wrote: Also, I cannot fathom Bee never seeing Charlie again. Or the thought of Charlie dying in DotM or TLK during massive attacks. Isn't the San Francisco area (which is where Brighton Falls seems to be near to), like, never attacked in any of the five main movies? If so, I think the Watsons and Memo might be okay. Isn't the San Francisco area (which is where Brighton Falls seems to be near to), like, never attacked in any of the five main movies? If so, I think the Watsons and Memo might be okay.

It wasn't, but who knows what Bay had destroyed during TLK when Cybertron struck, or where they could have moved to It wasn't, but who knows what Bay had destroyed during TLK when Cybertron struck, or where they could have moved to Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on January 4th, 2019 @ 6:14pm CST