Despite being around for decades prior, Michael Bay’s Transformers movies brought the famous Autobots into live-action for the first time. Despite critics disliking them, his films were very successful at the box office, with two surpᴀssing $1 billion. Fans loved the action but argued that the Transformers human characters could use some work, which became a common criticism. Despite the criticism, Bay revived the franchise and set it up to be where it is now. Along the way, he made some significant changes to the lore, but that may be for the better.
Peter Cullen’s Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots and his decades of work with the character is iconic. However, Bay chose to focus not just on him but also on the other Transformers as well. While the overarching plot still revolved around Optimus being in charge, other characters had important moments along the way, leading to a lot of unique moments. By taking characters that were originally used as sidekicks, Bay changed the team dynamics by making one character more than just a sidekick.
Michael Bay’s Transformers Is Responsible For Making Bumblebee Popular Again
Bumblebee Went From Sidekick to Main Character
When the first generation of Transformers was released, Bumblebee was designed more for the younger crowd, operating as a trusted lieutenant for Optimus Prime. Throughout Michael Bay’s films, Bumblebee takes over as the heart of the team. By allowing him to take a bigger role in the franchise, Bay opened up new avenues to explore his relationship with the other Autobots and expand his role. No longer stuck in Optimus’ shadow, Bumblebee flourished to the point of getting a spin-off prequel that was well-received critically despite underperforming at the box office.
“Ultimately, Bumblebee is not just a good prequel to the main Transformers franchise, it’s the best entry in the series so far – even better than Bay’s original 2007 movie.” – Molly Freeman – Screen Rant’s Bumblebee Review
Despite not being directed by Bay, his influence was felt throughout Bumblebee‘s runtime. Set before any of the other films, this allowed him to take the spotlight and show how he became the character he is. His growing bond with Hailee Steinfeld is one of the most genuine parts of the film, marking one of the best human stories in the franchise. With fans hoping for Bumblebee 2 to happen, Bumblebee looks to be a pillar of the Transformers cinematic universe. However, the only upcoming movie announced is the Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover movie, so he’ll be hard-pressed to stand out.
How The Bayverse’s Bumblebee Was Different From Previous Versions
Taking Away His Ability to Speak Made Him Unique
One of the biggest changes Michael Bay made to Bumblebee was his ability to speak. The removal of his voice box doesn’t just make it harder to communicate; it separates him from the other Autobots. His noises added additional drama or humor to scenes, as the music included made him feel more expressive. The unspoken bonds he forged with characters felt genuine due to the expressive nature Bay crafted him with, giving more weight to emotional moments. In addition, watching Bumblebee lose his voice box in his solo movie becomes more heartbreaking, as you understand how he got there.
Transformers One gave Bumblebee the ability to speak again, with Keegan-Michael Key entering the role. Played as more of a motormouth, Transformers One showed Bumblebee was better when not talking as a character, feeling too much like the other Autobots in the film. In live-action, he was the only character with his affliction, setting him apart and making him feel special. Losing that ability makes him just like the rest. Michael Bay’s choice to make Bumblebee unique made him a better character, changing the Transformers franchise for the better.
