We're in the infamous Hall H at San Diego Comic Con 2018, ready for updates from the Transformers Bumblebee Movie panel, featuring the cast and crew of the movie due out in December 2018 from Paramount!
Present on stage are director Travis Knight, screenwriter Christina Hodson, actors Hailee Steinfeld, Jorge Lendeborg Jr, John Cena. AND STAN BUSH PLAYING THE TOUCH LIVE ON STAGE. Anthony Breznican of Entertainment Weekly moderates the panel.
Some lighting ribbing ofMichael Bay starts off the introduction of Travis Knight, director of the movie. Clip shown as a sizzle reel for the director with the cast talking about his work and background. Background in animation starts from nothing, and animation is a distillation of feelings - this is a movie tha calls back to a smaller cast, the magic that he had as a child of the 80s - each charatcer needed its own silhouette its own canvas, moving back to the original look and wave of the G1 characters.
What could be worked into the new design from the original animation? Lots of moving parts, leaning to the original plating of the G1 design.
How is this different from animation? Process in live-action is much shorter, not terribly different, animators were approached as actors - allows the audience to attach more meaningfully. It's effectively an origin story, Bumblebee has always been the human close character, who he was , why he becomes who he becomes, a deep dive into the character to understand who he is.
What is he doing on earth with no supporting Autobots? Looking at parallels with Charlier and adolescence, trying to fit in or stand out, feeling completely utterly alone - channeling that aspect. Do we get to visit his world in this movie? YES. We will see Cybertron. It is awesome, Travis says.
It is Bumblebee's story, we have a small cast, but there are all manners of layers for fans of the franchise more widely.
Haille Steinfeld ,and Jorge Lendeborg Jr join the stage.
Charlie is trying to find that sense of freedom, to fill the loss she’s feeling, finds this car who isn’t a car, the journey of Charlie with Bumblebee is a beautiful story of discovery. Herself, she wants to start her own life, connect with what’s she’s lost with this sort of escape.
Jorge / Memo is interested in Charlie, leads him into big Bumblebee adventure, trying to see Charlie for who she is. Trying very hard even if it means going versus robot aliens. He had a Larry Bird poster in his room, GoBots are mentioned, he speaks to the inner geek within us all, the things that people might not think that are cool. Looks a lot like Travis’ bedroom as a kid.
A journey of coming of age and discovery for Charlie, Memo develops more confidence and sincerity.
Bad guys, Shatter and Dropkcik, voiced by Angela Bassett and Justin Thoreaux, they're triple changers - muscle cars and air vehicles (chopper and harrier jet) - design was inspired by Nightbird for Shatter, and Megatron for Dropkick.
Jet we saw in trailer IS NOT Starscream, but it is a Seeker (uniform jet design) design: character is called Blitzwing.
Every good hero has a good villain: Agent Burns, played by John Cena.
Going up against shapeshifting alien robots, how is he an antagonist? He thinks he is in the right in the movie, if humans help people such as Transforemrs, those humans are not that nice. Charlie does not - obviously - like Agent Burns. No one is really spilling the beans on the character - the good hook about the character is that he definitely knows he is right, and that makes it compelling as a perspective for a villain.
NEW TRAILER SHOWN
Audience questions:
for Hailee: how do you balance your music with your acting? trying to take everything one step at the time, currently touring on the East Coast, but this is exciting to see all of this coming together.
What would Bumblebee do if he had to fight an actual giant bumblebee robot? Cena: he's compassionate, trying to find out if this is a good or bad Transformer, analyze strength and weakness, he would definitely defeat the bug.
Do you expect to star in more movies after this, John Cena? Kinda depends on audience, but if it doesn't I can still go back to John Cena - do you have anything else in the works?
Another for John: what's it like transitioning from a hero to a villain? the career in the WWE and my character as a 'good guy' in the WWE was an inspiration to be a grey character morally, but definitely not a heel in this.
What was it like working with something that wasn't here? Circus performer was present on stitls in scenes for cast to work with, facial expressions were useful, but then most of the time it's a tennis ball on a stick. It has to be a believable performacne for the audience, and it's a testament to the cast's skill.
What's Bumblebee's favourite song? The Touch, clearly.
Does Bumblebee prefer acting or wrestling? (Travis plugs John Cena) Bumblebee will surpirse people, he has been something of a warrio, but he's believeable and amotional and authentic as an emotional character, credit to the animators.
What did you like a bout TFs as you were younger, Cena? Having a Transformer meant you had two toys in one, it was absolutely amazing, and getting two with one was the best experience.
PETER CULLEN ASKS A QUESTION AS OPTIMUS PRIME
Travis Knight, my name is Optimus Prime, I could not help but notice my absence in much of your footage. (It is called Bumblebee). What does an Autobot have to do to get his own movie?
Let's test emotional range. Show us joyful exuberance. (This goes as expected.)
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