Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts got a mixed reaction from the critics, but certainly appears to have connected with audiences, knocking Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse from the top of the of the Stateside box office for a $61 million opening and almost $80 million globally. Which has Paramount, of course, throwing early development of another entry in the franchise into a higher gear and, kicking off formal talks with Beasts director Steven Caple Jr. to return.
Talking to Deadline's Crew Call podcast, Caple Jr. confirmed that he was certainly talking to the studio about a return engagement while specifying that he hasn't been formally hired yet. Still, as he says, there's a lot of "we" going around as he discusses the next film with the producers and studio executives.
Now, before we continue, a SPOILER WARNING for those who have not seen Rise Of The Beasts…
And what might that film entail? If you've seen the most recent entry, you'll know that a final scene ends with a reference to GI Joe, that other big Hasbro property that has had even more mixed fortunes on the big screen than Optimus Prime and co.
"For me, it would be for sure. I would love to," he says. "I have some ideas of how to branch out that IP in the franchise. And if I can do thew crossover I want to do, I think we can still feed Transformers fans while doing something cool with that other legendary Hasbro property that I have loved since I was a kid. There are characters and elements that have never been used before, so I'd be thrilled to incorporate them and do something cool."
We'll wait and see if that all transpires, but for now, it appears Paramount has found their new multi-film Transformers director.