To cap it off, the team officially revealed
Bumblebee Movie Studio Series Arcee. Read on to check out some notes from the event along with pics. * This story will be updated over time as we process two hours of notes.
Update 1 : Added paraphrased notes from the event.
Update 2 : Added official product images for discussed Studio Series and Kingdom figures.
Transformers Studio Series Roundtable for December 2021 – Quick Recap
Ben MacCrae, Rachel Fleming, Mark Maher, Evan Brooks, Sam Smith
** Below are very short notes from the Transformers Brand Team roundtable today. This is ALL PARAPHRASED, jotted down quickly during the event. We will review the audio and refine later today. **
Introduction Tidbits
Originally weren’t going do Bumblebee movie bots, didn’t have alt modes. Created them in house.
Wanted to stay true to screen form, while making them transform.
Often time licensed vehicles in movie lines and need to nail vehicle mode, need to compromise. This was opposite, could let bot shine.
Shockwave could get a larger version later, just because it’s done in core doesn’t rule out other size classes later.
Q n A session:
Jeremy D –
New Brawn head – design process? That comes from the movie side.
Rodimus Primal –
Core & other classes back and forth? Just the start, can definitely do both classes for each.
Kevin L. –
Manufacturing, boats, time frame on these? – 2/1/2022.
West D. –
Is Soundwave based on old GI JOE crossover comic inspiration? Not the direct intent, possible concept artists referenced. Had multiple concepts before this was chosen. Needed functioning chest cavity and accurate bot mode.
TFW2005 –
Possibility of doing toys based on concept art for characters that looked different or never made it into the movies? Right now because they were in movie at least in one form – that’s how they justify it going into Studio Series. But if there is demand, they would consider concept art versions or similar.
Vangelus –
Digs concept idea. Ravage – inspired by Threezero version? No that was from ILM. All doors open on what is possible in Studio Series going forward.
Ryan Y –
Don’t forget about OG on-film guys that need to be done. Fallen, Frenzy, Brains – etc. They know they have a lot of work to do to fill the rosters. Movie 5 for example.
Brain K. –
Do these alt modes become canonical in movies or other mediums later? Nothing off table, but each partner will make a decision. It will be another point of influence.
Anthony B. –
Why did they do a wheeled car mode for Wheeljack when historically he was a hover based vehicle? Movie team was influenced by G1 earth mode / WFC video game, so they worked with what the bot mode had to get it working. They did discuss possibilities.
Anthony K. –
Concept art of the vehicle modes and design process – any way to collect that? They would love to do something, have had discussions. Paramount would need to be involved on the movie side.
BaCon –
Will we see other cassette bots? – Love idea, but would basically be completely made up. No concept art for others done at movie level. Matt G. –
Who was most challenging to create the alt mode? – Soundwave and Brawn.
Ben Y. –
Comment – Animation Studio Series – Beast Wars aka Mainframe, Animated TV show, get show accurate versions as a sub-line like 86.
Question –
Kingdom Wave 4/5, was it originally one and split, or always meant to be two? Kingdom – was decided to do another wave so new stuff through the Christmas season.
Commentary – Pre-orders showing up early and late, fans having issues with managing pre-orders and CC bills all at once, stuff showing up early throws people off and need to cancel at times. They will take that info back to team, normally buffer is so that fans don’t get mad at it being late even tho it may arrive earlier.
Matt K. –
Slammer a partial? He is a partial, based off airwave. Try to keep them unique even if partial.
What’s robot mode based off of? Most research seemed fan related, not a lot of official reference. Takes it all in, comes up with concept, back and forth with engineering multiple times.
Update: Slammer does have a connection point for Metroplex, or can stand alone as a tower.
Brand Team Notes
Four waves per year historically, that’s the plan in 2022 as well – mix of sources.
Studio Series 2022 Wave 2 – May 2022. Arcee and others.
Core Rodimus is Core Wave 5, December or early 2022.
That’s about it. We would like to thank the Transformers Design and Marketing teams along with their PR reps for putting this together! We will update and refine this through the day.