Since jumping into live-action, the Transformers franchise has spawned seven live-action movies, with director Michael Bay’s ability to showcase action propping up five of them, not including 2018’s Bumblebee. However, outside the fighting, Bay’s Transformers movies have issues with the human plots, making their characters feel less important and uninteresting. Through the good and the bad, the Transformers franchise was launched to new heights, depicting the 1980s heroes on the big screen in a new form and reaching a wider audience.

Unfortunately for Bay, critics and fans alike were divided on his movies, with few becoming “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. Last year’s release of Transformers One, an animated origin story for Optimus Prime and Megatron, was only the second Transformers movie to receive the Certified Fresh label, with the first being Bumblebee. Grabbing a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie gave Bumblebee the spotlight, showcasing one of the live-action movies’ best characters as he hadn’t been before.

Bumblebee Is Transformers’ Coolest Autobot

Michael Bay Changed Bumblebee For The Better

When the Transformers franchise launched in the ’80s, Bumblebee was more of a spy, using his smaller stature to go on missions others couldn’t accomplish. As time went on, he became more of a trusted lieutenant for Optimus Prime, but Michael Bay changed Bumblebee forever with 2007’s Transformers. In Bay’s movies, Bumblebee is unable to speak, utilizing his radio and different sounds to explain his emotions. This made Bumblebee a more unique character, standing out from the crowd and becoming more of a fan favorite as the movies continued.

One constant in all the live-action films is Bumblebee’s ability to bring levity to certain situations, as his sound effects can provide comic relief in heavier moments. Bumblebee’s live-action appearances made him feel like an entirely fresh character, changing who the Autobot was in the comics into something brand new. Bumblebee’s unique style of emotional expression helps drive narratives forward and allows his character to steal every scene he is a part of, eventually leading to his solo spinoff movie.

The Bumblebee Movie’s Focus Is One Reason It Has Transformers’ Highest RT Score

Bumblebee Finally Got The Spotlight He Deserved

Bumblebee, which was the highest-rated Transformers movie on Rotten Tomatoes by nearly 30% before Transformers One, is the franchise’s only spinoff movie, giving the spotlight to the black and yellow Autobot. Adding in the star power of Hailee Steinfeld, Bumblebee is one of the rare live-action Transformers movies to have a solid human storyline. After starting with the war on Cybertron and giving Bumblebee’s lack of voice an origin, the focus shifts to the bond between Steinfeld’s Charlie and Bumblebee. The movie succeeds at showing the emotions on both sides, something the other live-action films consistently lack.

Bumblebee also acted as a reboot for the franchise, but the ending setting up Bay’s first movie before the post-credits scene somewhat contradicts that idea. However, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, a soft sequel to Bumblebee, seemingly confirms as much, with the movie launching a new Transformers trilogy. Rise of the Beasts continues to put Bumblebee front and center, showing that his solo outing wouldn’t be his only time in the spotlight. Now pushed into a more central role, Bumblebee continues to stand out and remains one of the movie’s best characters.

Why A Bumblebee Sequel Hasn’t Happened (Will It Ever?)

No Official Announcement Has Been Made

Despite a Paramount executive calling Bumblebee “solidly profitable“, there has been no official news on a direct sequel. At the time, Bumblebee was the franchise’s lowest-grossing live-action movie at the box office, even though it received the best reviews. The lukewarm box office reception could be a reason, but Rise of the Beasts earned less and has two sequels lined up. With the franchise’s soft reboot, a Bumblebee sequel could bring Hailee Steinfeld back into the fold, or tell an entirely new story without the previously established canon.

However, after its critical success, Bumblebee deserves a proper sequel, giving Charlie and Bumblebee a well-deserved reunion. With additional Transformers movies coming, including a Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover, there’s still room for Charlie’s story to continue without a direct sequel. After its critical success and Rise of the Beast‘s box office failure, it would be a shock if a Bumblebee 2 wasn’t in the cards at some point.