Bumblebee returns, but it has shed its Camaro skin

In a newly released movie trailer for Bumblebee, one of the CGI stars of the Transformers franchise, the film’s namesake sheds its Camaro skin and returns to its Volkswagen Beetle roots as we learn the origin of the well-known Autobot. Look closely and you can also see that at some point in the film Bumblebee takes the shape of a Jeep, possibly a CJ-3B, with its characteristic vertical-slotted grille.

The trailer opens with a voiceover in which Bernie Mac’s used car salesman (from the first Transformers film) notes, “The driver doesn’t pick the car, the car picks the driver. It’s a mystical bond between man and machine.” Set in 1987, the movie shows Bumblebee seeking refuge in a small southern California town, where he is discovered and revived by Charlie, the films human protagonist. The stage is then set for what will certainly be nothing short of an exhilarating ride.

Bumblebee marks the first Transformers film not directed by Michael Bay. It also comes at a time when the franchise is hoping to turn things around a bit, with box office sales lagging following Transformers: The Last Knight.

In the quick cuts of this first trailer, we can already see there are going to be some awesome vintage cars featured in the midst of the action, including a sweet green Vista Cruiser. We will have to wait till December 21st to know for sure, however.