Transformers And G.I. Joe Crossover Movie Is Happening, As Rise Of The Beasts Foretold
Cue the Linkin Park song and get ready to roll out, because the Autobots are back, and this time they're bringing friends. The prophecy is finally fulfilled, and we are getting the much-promised Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover teased in the final moments of "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts."
The news was formally unveiled during Paramount Pictures' presentation at CinemaCon 2024, where /Film's own Ryan Scott witnessed the announcement of the union between the two titanic franchises.
This was, if nothing else, anticipated by fans. "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" helmer Steven Caple, Jr., who previously promised the next chapter in the franchise would bring the Maximals, Autobots, and Joes together, is expected to return to the director's chair, although there's no news yet about which (if any) human cast members will also be back. Is "Rise of the Beasts" lead Anthony Ramos going to be the new Sam Witwicky and a member of The Order of the Witwiccans? Or will someone else serve as the non-supersoldier human in a cast full of giant robots? More importantly, will scene-stealer Pete Davidson return to voice Mirage?
Knowing is half the battle
This crossover has been a very long time coming. Since 2013, there has been a history of maybes, with Paramount executives starting to take the idea seriously once the "Transformers" franchise saw a decline in box office returns. Still, that hasn't stopped fans and even creatives from imagining what if. After all, these are two hugely popular franchises that have come to define American pop culture since the late 20th century. Granted, "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" have crossed over before, in comic book form, but this would be the first feature film to bring the two worlds together.
And it could not come at a better time, because the "Transformers" movie franchise desperately needs a lifeline, as does the "G.I. Joe" film franchise (which has never fully gotten off the ground to begin with). As Jeremy Mathai noted in his "Rise of the Beasts" review for /Film, the movie "confirms what we already knew: not even Pete Davidson can save a franchise running on fumes."
It remains to be seen how exactly the G.I. Joe characters will come into play within the "Transformers" world, or how the film will reintroduce the characters after not one, but three different movies tried to do the same and failed. Hopefully, the fourth time is the charm, and we'll finally get the promised image of Snake Eyes riding atop Optimus Prime as they take down some bad guys.