Transformers Spinoff Finds A Director

Paramount has hired an Oscar nominee to take on directing duties for their upcoming Transformers spin-off Bumblebee.

Deadline reports that Kubo and the Two Strings director Travis Knight has signed on to direct the project, which will follow the fan favorite character. While plot details are unknown at this time, the script comes from someone familiar with the Transformers franchise: Christina Hodson, who, according to Variety, joined the Transformers writers room last year to help brainstorm ideas for other movies in the universe. Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Michael Bay, Steven Speilberg, Brian Golner, and Stephen Davis will executive produce.

This will be Knight's first live-action film. In addition to an Academy Award nomination for best animated feature film for this year's Kubo and the Two Strings, Knight is also an Academy Award nominee for 2014's The Boxtrolls, which he produced. Knight, the president and CEO of animation house Laika, is also known for ParaNorman and Coraline. Variety reports that the studio was apparently looking for a director with background in animated features, also meeting with The Lego Batman Movie director Chris McKay, who recently signed on to direct a live-action Nightwing movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter's Borys Kit, Jaume Collet-Sera (Unknown), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses), and the Nee brothers (Band of Robbers) were also considered.

Bumblebee is due out in 2018, but first we'll see Transformers: The Last Knight, one of the movies that are going to blow everyone away this year. The movie flies into theaters on June 23.