Two of Hasbro’s most popular toy lines are set to be combined onscreen as the Transformers and GI Joe franchises are all set for a crossover movie.
A movie crossover between Transformers and GI Joe has been on the table for a long, long time. We first heard it mooted all the way back in 2016 when Hasbro pulled together a writers’ room to hash out a cinematic future for its action-centric toy lines.
In the years since, both franchises have faced waning interest so to Hasbro and Paramount, it looks like sticking them together to try and reinvigorate interest in both properties seems like as good an idea as any other.
In fairness, the comic book histories of both Transformers and GI Joe have a rich history of crossover stories. There was one in the 1980s that fans really enjoyed, while one more recent tale that transplanted the robot and human warriors to a World War I setting was quite good.
If Paramount can capture some of the spirit of those books, then perhaps the project could be be a success. But given that the latest release in each series (Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts and Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins respectively) grossed less than the entry before, there’s little doubt that Paramount hopes that smooshing two declining franchises together will somehow give both a boost.
This one has clearly been in the works for a while, given that last year’s Rise Of The Beasts teased the crossover film. No release date for the film, announced at CinemaCon (via Deadline) has been announced.
On the subject of Transformers, later this year will see the release of Transformers One, an animated film ‘that sees Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry voicing younger versions of Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively in a time when the pair are friends and “lowly worker bots who can’t transform”. That film is due in September.
In other Transformers news, we’ve also seen plans for 40th anniversary screenings of the classic 1980s show headed to cinemas next month, complete with extra bonus bits too, so look out for that one if you’re a fan of the Robots in Disguise. We’ll bring you more on this crossover project as further details emerge.
Read more: Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts review | Robots are still smashing things
