Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Director Cut Scene Referencing Bumblebee Movie

While only seven years have passed between Bumblebee and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, the latest Transformers installment avoids making substantial connections to its predecessor, but director Steven Caple Jr. recently confirmed that a scene was initially filmed that referenced the 2018 prequel much more explicitly. Rise of the Beasts doesn't contain anything that directly negates the events of Bumblebee, but fans of that Hailee Steinfeld-starring movie were surely wondering why that mythology was seemingly abandoned for Rise of the Beasts, with Caple confirming that wasn't always the case for the project. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is currently playing in theaters.

"We went even further with it where Bumblebee actually took out the Polaroid photo of him and Hailee's character in Bumblebee. She took a selfie of the two of them together, with a Polaroid [camera], and so we actually shot that version," Caple confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. "We probably have it in the deleted scenes; I'm sure we do. Bumblebee showed the photo [to Prime], and he was further pushing how tight he was with a human."

In Rise of the Beasts, Optimus Prime does admit to Bumblebee that he knows he had a connection to a human, but the conversation then pivots away from expounding on this being about Steinfeld's Charlie. In addition to the scene originally featuring that Polaroid, Caple confirmed there was a point where Steinfeld could have even made a return to the franchise and isn't ruling out an appearance in a future installment.

"She was, but not necessarily for Bumblebee's comeback. I think we still have this line in the movie, maybe we don't, but there's a moment where Bumblebee says to Prime, 'They are my friends.' And he's talking about Hailee's character," Caple confirmed when asked about a Steinfeld comeback being in initial talks. "I like Hailee Steinfeld. She's a great actress. I have not met her, but the way our movie ends, there's always possibilities. Maybe she's too busy in the Marvel world, but she's a wonderful actress and I would definitely love to collaborate with her."

While audiences might have been surprised by Steinfeld's absence, she previously recalled that she wasn't surprised and, despite enjoying her time on Bumblebee, didn't approach it as being a long-running role.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is in theaters now.

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