Having just announced release dates for three more Transformers films, Paramount has now given us a look at what one of those films will be all about. Previously, it looked like the Transformers saga would continue with Transformers 5 set to open on June 23, 2017, followed by the sixth and seventh installments in June of 2018 and 2019 respectively. However, in light of new information, it appears that the Transformers film opening on June 8, 2018 will actually be a spin-off film centering on the fan-favorite Autobot, Bumblebee.

News of this development came courtesy of an investors update from Hasbro at this weekend's Toy Fair 2016 in New York (via CS). While specific details weren't available, we do know that the films will now go: Transformers 5 (2017), Transformers: Bumblebee Spin-off (2018), and then presumably Transformers 6/7 (2019).

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Image via Paramount

Here's what the Hasbro folks had to say about the upcoming Transformers slate of films:

This summer we worked closely with a talented team of A-list screenwriters to map out the future of the Transformers cinematic universe, and as Brian announced earlier, things kick off in a major way in 2017 with the release of Transformers 5 in June. And we’re working on a spin-off movie centered around Bumblebee for 2018 and the next chapter for 2019.

So it sounds as if Paramount is taking a page out of Disney's Star Wars book when it comes to setting up the future of their franchise films. Rather than continue along in a linear series, the next story arc will be punctuated with a full-on Bumblebee feature, which will be interesting to say the least since the voiceless Autobot must rely on various movie and TV clips in order to communicate. Could this perhaps be an origin story for the toy-friendly 'bot? We'll find out when it opens opposite Godzilla 2 on June 8, 2018.

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Image via Paramount Pictures

As for Transformers 5, we know that Michael Bay will be back to direct from a script cobbled together by the studio's assembled screenwriting team. Mark Wahlberg is also set to return as the heroic Cade Yeager.

For more on Transformers, be sure to get caught up with our recent coverage provided at the following links:

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