After sitting out (or, um, maybe not being asked back for) ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’, Josh Duhamel is returning to the role of Lieutenant Colonel William “Wild Bill” Lennox for ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’, due on June 23, 2017. ‘Age of Extinction’ was intended to be a reboot with a brand new human cast, with Mark Wahlberg taking over the leading male role Cade Yeager, with Nicola Peltz as his daughter and Jack Reynor as her race car-driving boyfriend. (Stanley Tucci and Kelsey Grammer also had large roles.) Of these newcomers, however, it looks as if Wahlberg will be the only star returning for ‘The Last Knight’.
Duhamel announced his return via Twitter:
Lieutenant Colonel Lennox reporting for duty. Let’s do this. #transformers
https://t.co/wibnE21xgW— Josh Duhamel (@joshduhamel) May 17, 2016
He was quickly greeted back to the fold by director Michael Bay, who has helmed all four previous ‘Transformers’ movies and is returning for this one– which, according to Bay will be his last:
@joshduhamel Do you remember your way around set or need some pointers?#transformers pic.twitter.com/QlL7cv7Qqc — Michael Bay (@michaelbay) May 17, 2016
And current star Mark Wahlberg also welcomed Duhamel:
.@joshduhamel welcome back to the #transformers family. This is gonna be good.
— Mark Wahlberg (@mark_wahlberg) May 17, 2016
Thus far, the ‘Transformers’ movies have brought in $3.77 billion worldwide.
Paramount has announced plans to build a shared universe around the franchise. Following ‘The Last Knight’, the studio has scheduled a spin-off movie starring Bumblebee for June 8, 2018 to be followed by the next “mainstream” ‘Transformers’ movie on June 28, 2019.
It doesn’t appear that ‘The Last Knight’ is that far into development. Peter Cullen is slated to return as the voice of Optimus Prime. Wahlberg and Duhamel will be joined by newcomers Isabela Moner (presumably as the new female romantic interest) and Jerrod Carmichael in an undisclosed role. British funnyman Stephen Merchant and French actor Jean Dujardin are reported to be among the cast as well.
Could it be that Bay is looking to bring in more elements of the first three movies? Was ‘Age of Extinction’ too different to fit the series? More updates as they come!
Source: Deadline
