It is 1987 and Bumblebee, a bright yellow Volkswagen bug, finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers the badly-damaged vehicle and soon discovers that this is no ordinary car.
It is more than 12 years since the first Transformers film began shooting, on the straightforward idea of turning a popular toy – a toy whose various parts can be moved around to change it from a vehicle to a robot action figure and back again – into a movie. And it has surprised even its creators.
That first Transformers and its four sequels have grossed €4 billion, despite coming in for some harsh critical drubbing, with accusations of being nothing more than a bloated action franchise with little depth.
Yet, Bumblebee, with its character-driven story, has seemed to strike an emotional chord.
Known as B-127, Bumblebee is a fierce warrior who has fought in a centuries-long conflict between the longstanding rivals the Autobots and the Decepticons. He is dispatched to earth with a mission: Protect the planet and its inhabitants in the hope of establishing a refuge for his comrades.
Bumblebee’s arrival is complicated when two Decepticons follow him and launch an attack that endangers earth’s inhabitants. Bumblebee attempts to hide from his pursuers disguised as the dilapidated yellow Beetle, but when Charlie decides to restore the vehicle, she inadvertently discovers his true identity.
I had more screen time with the robot than with the people in the film
The film is Bumblebee’s origin story on earth, told via his relationship with Charlie, which goes on to become a rite-of-passage for both of them.
To play Charlie, the lonely and somewhat lost protagonist of the story, the filmmakers were looking for someone who could not only carry a massive global action franchise, but also a skilled performer who could connect with the audience on an emotional level.
Steinfeld was their first choice. “Our goal was to create a hero,” says producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. “So we needed an actor who could make the transition from who Charlie is at the beginning of the film to who she becomes. We knew Hailee would be magical.”
Referring to the conventional wisdom that directing is 90 per cent casting, director Travis Knight adds: “If you find the right actor, a good portion of your job is done. Our leading lady can do absolutely anything. She makes you laugh, she lifts your spirits, she breaks your heart. There is always so much happening behind her eyes.”
Since earning an Oscar nomination for her breakout role in the Coen Brothers’ 2010 film True Grit at the age of 14, Steinfeld has gone on to work in numerous films.
She earned accolades for 2013’s retelling of Romeo & Juliet and 2016’s excellent coming-of-age tale The Edge of Seventeen. The actor was astounded by the reaction on social media and fan sites when the studio announced her casting in Bumblebee.
“I saw how huge the fan base is and realised what an honour it is to be part of this world,” she says. “It truly feels like we made something special. I’m excited for fans, as well as newcomers to the franchise, to see the movie.”
That most of her scenes are with the computer-generated Bumblebee presented a unique situation for the actor. To prepare, Steinfeld watched the previous films in the franchise, concentrating on the original and paying close attention to conversations between the robots and humans.
“I had more screen time with the robot than with the people in the film,” she says, describing the challenge facing her. “Acting against nothing was the massive challenge. But Travis’ vision was so clear from day one. He has a gift for being able to translate the imagery he has in his head to the screen.”
According to di Bonaventura, one thing the franchise has never attempted to do before is allow a Transformer to become a fully developed character in an attempt to allow the audience to get to know one in a way they never have before, and Steinfeld was happy to be a part of bringing a new dimension to the robot.
“There’s nothing not to love about Bumblebee,” she says. “He has so much heart, but he’s also a strong warrior. He’s a protector who would do anything for Charlie. In my imagination, I’ve built my own relationship with this robot that doesn’t exist, which is really special.”