We know the upcoming Bumblebee film will be taking the franchise back to the 1980s, 20 years before the setting of Michael Bay’s first film back in 2007. This looks like another attempt at filmmakers hopping into the 1980s setting bandwagon in which we’ve seen successes in films like last year’s It and the hit science fiction series Stranger Things. However, that may not be the only case.
Screenwriter for the film, Christina Hodson spoke to Screen Rant at San Diego Comic-Con and discussed the reasons for having the film set in the 1980s. One of the main reasons for the setting has a lot to do with paying tribute to the original Generation 1 animated series. The series ran from 1984 to 1987 and together with the Hasbro toy-line, it was a pop culture phenomenon. However, that’s not the only basis for an 80s setting as she further discusses:
“Honestly, I want to tell a pretty timeless story with this one…I grew up on Amblin movies. I always loved the way those movies did kind of feel timeless. They felt like they could exist anytime, anyone in this small town that felt almost like a bubble. And the 80’s felt like a natural fit. I grew up in the 80’s. It’s when Transformers became a big thing. It’s when a lot of people fell in love with Bumblebee, so it made sense to do it then.”
Amblin Entertainment is a gem in the film world founded by the legend himself, Steven Spielberg. Many beloved classics have fallen under the banner of Amblin including Spielberg classics such as E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial along with other notable 80s hits such as The Goonies and Back to the Future. It seems that Hodson definitely has a place in her heart for those films as many film buffs do as well. Director of the film Travis Knight does as well comparing the excitement felt by those films to the Transformers. He explains:
“I was around when the first wave of Transformers hit our shores,” he said. “I love these characters. The first feeling that I got when I saw the Transformers was wonder. I couldn’t believe it. I’d never seen anything like it. I thought they were so completely awesome, but at the same time I grew up, you know, loving ’80’s cinema and there was nothing for me that was more meaningful than those great Amblin, Spielberg, Spielberg-ian coming of age stories.”
Knight further explains how he’d want to bring the experience of watching those films to Bumblebee so yeah, they’re basically trying to capture that 80s nostalgia that we’ve been seeing in the aforementioned titles. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing by any means… hell, we could use that these days to be honest and if they’re able to finally bring this franchise back through this, go ahead. They have Spielberg as executive producer too so maybe he can lend a hand.
Source: Screen Rant
