Transformers animated movie in production despite coronavirus lockdown
Unlike live-action films, this new animated Transformers directed by Toy Story 4's Josh Cooley can be produced while still respecting social distancing.
This new animated Transformers series will be considered separate from Michael Bay's previous live-action films.
If you've ever wondered what Optimus Prime and Megatron were like before they had to go save Earth for the 20th time, you're in luck. A new Transformers animated prequel movie is in the works, even as many live-action movies are currently on hold due to coronavirus social distancing.
Toy Story 4 director Josh Cooley is on board to helm the project, Deadline reported. Cooley confirmed his involvement in a tweet on Thursday.
The prequel from Hasbro and Paramount is written by Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, who also wrote Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp. The story is reportedly an origin story about the relationship between Optimus Prime and Megatron, and takes place on their home planet of Cybertron.
Roll out. pic.twitter.com/riVCLbHHYp
— Josh Cooley (@CooleyUrFaceOff) April 30, 2020
Interestingly, while production on other films is on temporary hold due to concerns of spreading COVID-19, animated films seem to be moving forward without much delay.
Unlike live-action films, animated features and TV shows can be produced in isolation via voice actors using their personal audio recording studios and animators working from home so they can respect social distancing during the pandemic. Marvel's What If? animated series, for example, is still in production during quarantine. Others include The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob's Burgers, Hulu's Animaniacs, Netflix's Green Eggs & Ham and HBO Max's Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.
This new animated film is supposedly separate from the previous live-action Transformers films from director Michael Bay, as well as 2018's Bumblebee spinoff movie directed by Travis Knight. This upcoming prequel movie is also different than director Kevin Smith's Transformers series -- Transformers: War For Cybertron Trilogy: Siege -- coming to Netflix sometime in 2020.
The last time fans got to feast their eyes on a Transformers animated feature film in theaters was 1986's animated film Transformers: The Movie.
There's no official word yet on the cast or release date for this new animated Transformers movie. Hasbro and Paramount didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
