Why Indiana Jones Fans Will Want To See Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts
You would think after six films, the "Transformers" film series would start to run out of steam. However, after the 2018 spinoff film, "Bumblebee," set in the 1980s, it was abundantly clear the franchise had plenty of gas left in the tank. Once again, these movies will venture into the past thanks to the seventh film to come out about the Autobots — "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts."
That title is bound to grab the attention of anyone who watched the "Beast Wars" TV series of the 1990s. That likely won't be the only treat in store for '90s kids, as the film is also set to take place during that decade, as it takes a new cast of characters from New York to Peru. As expected, the Terrorcons will finally make their big-screen debut, and despite all of the recent announcements, a few surprises are probably still waiting around the corner.
There's a lot for fans of the "Transformers" toys and TV shows to feel excited about going into this next step of the franchise. However, they're not the only fandom with a reason to mark "Rise of the Beasts" in their calendars. Director Steven Caple Jr. has quite a lot to say about how "Indiana Jones" influenced his vision.
Steven Caple Jr. borrowed the 'sense of discovery' from the Indiana Jones movies
The "Transformers" movies have always traveled around the globe, from Egypt to the United Kingdom. "Rise of the Beasts" will take the series where it's never gone before — Peru — and based on what the creative team has to say about it, the movie will treat the locale differently than destinations of the past. Naturally, most people think of Machu Picchu when Peru comes to mind, and producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura spoke to Slash Film about the purpose of this particular journey: "The Incan traditions can reflect on the movie, we can reflect Incan traditions, and they affected the storyline that's here."
Steven Caple Jr. further elaborates on this by stating, "There's just a sense of discovery. I look at classic films like Indiana Jones, where you actually went on a journey but learned something en route. Something I hope to bring to the table is highlighting a culture and the people." Interestingly enough, the "Indiana Jones" franchise visited Peru as well in "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." A report published at the time of that movie's release in The Sydney Morning Herald emphasized how many Peruvians felt insulted by their country's depiction in the fantasy flick.
It sounds like the team behind the next "Transformers" movie have learned from these missteps, as Slash Film also reports that Caple Jr. and his team have worked with locals to ensure a respectful depiction. Few Hollywood films have held production in Peru. Even "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" shot the Peru scenes in Hawaii. Caple Jr. describes the experience as containing "beautiful landscapes, beautiful sights, but also beautiful people."
With these kinds of influences, "Rise of the Beasts" sounds like it will be unlike any other "Transformers" film that's come out so far.