Transformers 8 Shocks Fans With Major Twist: Rise Of The Beasts Director In Talks for Next Installment

Director Steven Caple Jr. may be taking the helm of Transformers 8 after his success with Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, which continues the prequel/soft reboot storyline introduced in Bumblebee. The new film sees Optimus Prime leading the Autobots and joining forces with the Maximals to battle the Terrorcons and prevent the planet-devouring Unicron from arriving.

Steven Caple Jr. revealed in a recent appearance on Deadline's Crew Call Podcast that he is currently in talks with Paramount about potentially directing Transformers 8. While he cannot confirm whether or not he is officially signed on for the project, Caple Jr. did mention that he set up a lot of elements in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts for future films, implying that he is invested in the franchise's future. It seems that Paramount is also keen to have him back for more, as discussions about the future of the franchise involve Caple Jr. as part of the team.

How Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Set Up Multiple Sequels

Paramount had already announced that Transformers: Rise of the Beasts would be the first of three new installments even before its release. However, the announcement of a CG-animated prequel movie Transformers One and a new Nickelodeon show at the same time made it uncertain if the other two mentioned would also be live-action sequels. Despite narrowly surpassing Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in its opening box office, it's likely that Paramount will strive to replicate the same level of success on the big screen.

In addition to bringing back Pete Davidson's Mirage after his near-death in the previous movie, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts surprised audiences with a twist ending that saw Anthony Ramos' Noah recruited to join G.I. Joe. While producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura has expressed his desire to create a Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover, Paramount was previously hesitant. Now that the Joes are officially part of the Transformers universe, it will be intriguing to see if the next movie in either franchise will explore this crossover concept.

The future of the sci-fi franchise hinges on whether Transformers 8 will serve as a prequel to the Michael Bay movies or a continuation of them. Rise of the Beasts takes place just over a decade prior to the first Transformers, leaving little room before returning to the era of the Shia LaBeouf-led film. Nevertheless, with Unicron now recognized as a significant threat in the series and director Caple Jr. hinting at Thanos-level schemes for the character, it's apparent that he has a clear direction for the franchise.