A Transformers/G.I. Joe Crossover Hasn’t Been Earned
As you’ll recall, following their successful fight against the Terrorcons and their master, Unicron, the Autobots proclaim Earth as their new home, given they are unable to return to Cybertron. Noah Diaz, back to the rigors of normal life after saving the world, lands an interview for a security job. But, lo and behold, this is no normal security job but an invitation to join the secret military organization G.I. Joe.
It was a moment that was legitimately surprising and well-received, to say the least, but it isn’t what is needed right now. Furthermore, it hasn’t even been earned. Transformers is really only starting to get good now, with the last three films — Bumblebee, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and Transformers One — all correcting the course for the franchise. However, while the films have fared better critically, that hasn’t translated at the box office, where Transformers: Rise of the Beasts has the lowest earnings of the live-action films, while Transformers One narrowly beat out the iconically bad Joker: Folie à Deux.
If You’re Gonna Do a Transformers/G.I. Joe Crossover, Do It Right
Logically, which has never been a strong suit of movie studios at the best of times, moving ahead with a Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover film is going to go one of two ways. In scenario one, the strengths of the Transformers franchise elevate G.I. Joe, overcoming whatever perceived obstacles there may be and making a crap-ton of money. In scenario two, G.I. Joe drags Transformers down, with the latter only just now building a stronger footing, and is spread too thin to support the weight of both franchises.
But it’s unlikely that the opinion of yours truly is going to prevent the crossover film from happening right away, so to quote Wham!’s 1985 hit “I’m Your Man,” “If you’re gonna do it, do it right.” The story can’t be this big world-is-coming-to-an-end apocalyptic event that brings the two forces together, but something more grounded, something that allows them to build real chemistry before being thrown into whatever threat they’re up against. The former just becomes a bombastic, formulaic action-adventure that both franchises have been saddled with before, where the latter builds on what made Bumblebee so effective, an earned chemistry between Hailee Steinfeld’s Charlie and Bumblebee.
In the aforementioned interview with Collider, di Bonaventura is certainly saying the right things, so at least publicly, it sounds like they’re aiming towards just what we’re talking about here. Of course, there’s lots of movies that have promised great things that failed to deliver, so until the film hits theaters, we simply don’t know. And as G.I. Joe has taught us, “Knowing is half the battle.”
Conclusion
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is available to stream in the U.S. on Paramount Plus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is a Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover a good idea?
A: No, it hasn’t been earned and it’s not what is needed right now.
Q: What’s the problem with the G.I. Joe franchise?
A: The franchise has been at a full stop since 2021 and hasn’t even found a course that’s average, let alone above it, and has been critically panned.
Q: Can a Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover work?
A: It’s possible, but it would require careful planning and execution to make it work. The story would need to be grounded and allow the characters to build real chemistry before being thrown into whatever threat they’re up against.