Filmmaker Steven Caple Jr. may be out of the “Transformers” driver’s seat for now, but he is not exactly closing the door on that world either. Speaking on an upcoming episode of The Playlist’s Bingeworthy TV podcast while promoting the Netflix thriller “Man on Fire,” which he directs on, Caple said Paramount is still sorting out what comes next on the robot front. Moreover, personally, he was ready for a different creative change after his last run through that franchise, anyhow.
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Caple’s connection to that uncertainty is direct. The filmmaker, who previously directed “Creed II,” also helmed 2023’s “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” the seventh live-action film in the franchise. And that film did not just extend the series — it ended with a post-credits tag teasing a “G.I. Joe” crossover.
Asked whether he had fully stepped away from “Transformers,” Caple made it clear that, at least for now, he had. “Great question. Yes. As of right now, they’re figuring out what they’re doing with it at Paramount,” Caple said.
He then explained that the shift had less to do with any break from the franchise than with where he wanted to go creatively after a giant studio tentpole.
“That’s all I could really say on ‘Transformers,’” Caple explained. “I myself was looking for something different in terms of the palette after ‘Transformers,’ which is when ‘Man on Fire’ came about. It’s just where I was in life, so to speak, but I love the franchise.”
Even so, Caple did not sound like someone ruling out a return forever. He left open the possibility of circling back if the right opportunity came up.
“If it’s something that opens up the door and there’s an opportunity to collaborate again, maybe we can explore it,” he said. “But yeah, as of right now, at the moment, yeah, [I stepped away].”
That pause on “Transformers” did not stop him from dangling one intriguing note about the crossover thread his own film helped tee up. When the conversation turned to “G.I. Joe,” Caple kept it brief, but he did not exactly shut the topic down either. “You may get more,” Caple said coyly. “From what I’m hearing, you may get more. We’ll see. We’ll see,” he added.
If “Transformers” seems to be in a holding pattern, “I Am Legend 2” appears to be further along. Caple confirmed the sequel is still in development, though he would not get into any plot specifics.
“Yes, you’re good. You’re good. Yes, we are still developing I Am Legend 2,” Caple said. He then pointed to Akiva Goldsman as a major reason the project held onto his interest. “Right now at Warner Brothers — I can’t give you any of the plot, can’t give you anything, really,” Caple said. “But ultimately, it’s a really good film—Akiva Goldsman’s writing. Talented writer. I mean, it’s Akiva.”
What makes his endorsement notable is that he did not enter the project automatically convinced that a sequel was worth making. Caple admitted his first instinct was skepticism.
“It was one of those things where I wanted to say no, because I was hoping that there was no story left, no meat on the bones,” Caple recalled. “But knowing Akiva, knowing the parties behind it, they created something really cool and special. I’m like, yeah, ‘I would love to see this.’”
That, he said, is usually the simplest test. “If I got that sort of energy behind a project where I would love to see this on the big screen, then it’s hard to say no to,” Caple said. So for now, Caple’s immediate focus is “Man on Fire.” Beyond that, “Transformers” appears to be in Paramount’s hands, the “G.I. Joe” thread may not be dead yet, and “I Am Legend 2” is still very much alive behind the scenes. More from this “Man On Fire” interview soon. — Additional reporting by Mike DeAngelo.
