'Transformers': Paramount Taps 'Judas & The Black Messiah' Star Dominique Fishback For A Lead Role In Next Movie

There have been some signs that Paramount Pictures might be taking a different angle with future “Transformers” movies post-Michael Bay as previously seen with Steven DeKnight‘s quirky 1980s-set “Bumblebee” taking a much less noisy approach and allowing audiences to settle in rather than being bombarded with incoherent explosions. 

READ MORE: Angel Manuel Soto To Direct A New ‘Transformers’ Film From ‘The Defenders’ Writer Marco Ramirez

Their latest installment is on the cusp of production and already has a prime summer release date of June 24, 2022. Paramount had selected “Creed II” director Steven Caple Jr. to direct from a script penned by writer Joby Harold, who recently did some rewrites for Lucasfilm’s “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series that is about to go into production in California. 

READ MORE: Anthony Ramos To Star In Steven Caple, Jr’s Upcoming ‘Transformers’ Film

Earlier, it had revealed that “In The Heights” actor Anthony Ramos was in talks to take a leading role in the film, according to reports, which would feature Autobots leader Optimus Prime. This casting addition has been supported by Deadline, who reports that “Judas & The Black Messiah“s Dominique Fishback will be joining Ramos in the sci-fi action flick in a key role and is in final negotiations with the studio. Hiring two young diverse leads is certainly a huge step in the right direction for the next phase of the franchise. 

Dominique Fishback isn’t a stranger to genre projects, as she recently co-starred with Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the Netflix superpower flick “Project Power.”

READ MORE: Paramount Working On Two ‘Transformers’ Film Scripts Possibly Including ‘Beast Wars’ Reboot

We still don’t have details on the “Transformers” project or how their characters will factor into the new film. Still, Paramount has been reportedly looking to incorporate the 1990s CGI cartoon series “Beast Wars,” where the Autobots transform into Earthbound creatures instead of vehicles and mechanical objects. A “Beast Wars” movie was said to be written by screenwriter James Vanderbilt.