Revamped Movie Plans for Transformers & GI Joe Franchise

The producers and director of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Steven Caple Jr., have shared some insight into the upcoming crossover between Transformers and G.I. Joe. The movie's ending saw Noah Diaz discovering the existence of G.I. Joe and being informed by Agent Burke about a larger conflict involving the Transformers. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bonaventura and Caple Jr. teased that the Maximals will make a return in the sequel and hinted at some changes for Michael Kelly's character, Agent Burke.

We are bringing in new Joe characters into the world our existing characters inhabit, and they will play a role in the upcoming events. While we are not finished with the Maximals yet, we anticipate that the next movie will feature Maximals, Autobots, and Joes. Rather than attempting to tackle the entire Joe universe at once, we are integrating them into our existing world to both remind audiences of their presence and give them a meaningful part to play in the story.

It's intentional that Burke's name is a bit generic as it's all part of the facade. Caple Jr. sees Burke as someone they will be playing with in the future, but for now, he's still trying to figure out what to do with the character. Collaborating with Hasbro and Michael Kelly will help Caple Jr. come up with ideas and determine where they could take the character in the future.

Since its debut on the big screen in 2009 with G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the franchise has continued to captivate audiences with its thrilling action sequences and beloved characters. Its success led to the release of a sequel in 2011, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and most recently an origin story film in 2021 titled Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins. And now, with the news that a new film titled G.I. Joe: Ever Vigilant is reportedly in development, fans can look forward to even more excitement and adventure in the shared universe established by Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

The upcoming Transformers 8 film appears to have a Transformers-focused storyline, with G.I. Joe expected to make an appearance but not necessarily be the main focus. Instead, the film will blend the worlds of G.I. Joe and Transformers together, potentially paving the way for a future shared universe. This crossover may also benefit any future standalone G.I. Joe films, which have struggled in both critical reception and box office performance. By joining forces with the popular Transformers franchise, G.I. Joe has the potential to be revitalized and produce higher quality films. Overall, the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts sequel has the potential to set the stage for an exciting and action-packed shared universe.

Source: EW