Paramount Pictures has appointed Steven Spielberg to guide creative direction for the whole Transformers franchise, Hypebeast reported. The move comes as the studio starts development on an eighth live-action film based on the Hasbro property.
What Spielberg will do
According to Hypebeast, Spielberg will executive produce Transformers 8 alongside Lorenzo di Bonaventura, a longtime producer on the series. Beyond that single film, he will take a hands-on role in shaping the direction of the broader property.
Hypebeast describes the pairing as an effort to recapture the tone of the earlier entries, which it says Spielberg helped shape when the franchise began.
What is known about Transformers 8
Jason Fuchs is writing the script, and the film will be set in the present day, per the report. A director and plot details have not been announced.
Casting and the crossover
Paramount also confirmed that Shia LaBeouf, a former star of the series, will not return for the new installment, Hypebeast said.
The studio further revealed that a previously teased Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover film has been shelved. Hypebeast reports that this lets the two properties develop as separate franchises.
Why it matters
With the crossover off the table and a single creative overseer named, Paramount has set out a clearer structure for how Transformers will proceed. Key questions, including who directs and what the story is, remain open.
Reporting sources: Hypebeast, “Steven Spielberg to Oversee Entire 'Transformers' Franchise”.