Just because the upcoming Bumblebee spinoff feels "different" compared to the main Transformers installments, don't think that the yellow Autobot is the only giant robot showing up. The first Bumblebee trailer debuted back in June, and in it a Decepticon was seen transforming from a military fighter-bomber into its humanoid self. While some Transformers fans are speculating that's Starscream, one of the recurring villains in the first three Transformers movies, this character still has yet to be officially identified. However, two more Decepticons have been revealed for Bumblebee: Shatter and Dropkick, and you can check out how cool they look, below.
We'll have to wait a little longer to learn who this previously-revealed Decepticon is and who's voicing them, but as EW learned, Shatter and Dropkick are being voiced by Angela Bassett and Justin Theroux, respectively, in Bumblebee. Shatter turns into a cherry-red Plymouth Satellite, while Dropkick turns into a blue AMC Javelin. The spinoff will only focus on this trio of Decepticons, but as director Travis Knight noted, Shatter and Dropkick, who are described as "muscle cars," will have more personality than usual. Or if you prefer, there's more to them than meets the eye. As Knight put it:
When the cast is too big, and you have a finite amount of time, there's only so much you can do to create an investment in them. This is a more personal, intimate, and character-driven story, so it felt right to keep the villain plot relatively simple and contained. If you keep things lean, you can add a lot of other stuff on top of it that makes it more enjoyable.
So while the still-unidentified Decepticon will be taking to the skies in Bumblebee, Shatter and Dropkick will stay on the ground when they track and undoubtedly battle the main protagonist. Although Peter Cullen is expected to reprise Optimus Prime for Bumblebee, all signs point to Bumblebee dealing with these adversaries alone. It's also worth mentioning that a fourth Decepticon is appearing in Bumblebee, as Jess Harnell confirmed he's reprising Barricade. However, given that Travis Knight didn't bring up Barricade, one could imagine that his role in the movie will be minor at best.
Set in 1987 (20 years before the first Transformers movie), Bumblebee follows the eponymous protagonist taking refuge in a small California town, where he's discovered by a teenage girl named Charlie Watson, played by Hailee Steinfeld. Along with having to deal with the pursuing Decepticons, Bumblebee and Charlie will also find themselves being hunted down by the government agency known as Sector 7, led by John Cena's Burns.
Bumblebee rolls out into theaters on December 21, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for continuing coverage. You can also look through our 2018 release schedule to learn what other movies are arriving later this year.
