TRANSFORMERS AND G.I. JOE CROSSOVER FILM GETS NEW UPDATE FROM PRODUCER

It might take a while before Transformers fans hear the Autobots yell "Yo Joe!"

Speaking to ScreenRant, longtime Transformers and G.I. Joe producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura weighed in on the state of a crossover between the two franchises, which was teased at the end of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Recognizing that when it comes to crossovers, "people think different things about what that means," di Bonaventura described this story as one where "the Joes are going to be in the Transformers world and be present. I think every movie is sort of a balancing act of 'How much do you have this? And in this movie, how funny can we be? How serious? How do you cross that line? How do you hide the villain?' All those sort of balancing things that you're doing."

Transformers One Producer Clarifies the Prequel's Connection to Live-Action Movies

Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura discusses where Transformers One stands in relation to the franchise's ongoing feature film series.

However, he conceded the film's release date isn't set, adding, "We're still in the early process, in a way, of trying to figure out the balance."

While the Transformers and G.I. Joe properties have crossed over in various comics, Rise of the Beasts opened the door for a live-action team-up when, in its closing scene, a mysterious government recruiter gave protagonist Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) an offer to join the Joes. After the film came out, director Steven Caple Jr. alluded to more of G.I. Joe's world seeping into a potential crossover, stating it's "definitely gonna incorporate some Joes characters, but it won't go into, maybe, the true origins of the Joes."

Transformers One Sequel Plans Revealed by Producer

Long-time Transformers franchise producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura addresses the possibility of making a Transformers One sequel.

He also wanted the crossover twist to feel like an extension of Noah's personal drama before meeting Optimus Prime and his team, feeling "it would be interesting if he actually does get a job and his brother's healthcare gets taken care of. But I wanted it to be a military organization and/or the government, and when doing so, the idea of Sector Seven and these other operations just didn't really have enough weight."

Transformers One Draws Strong Early Reviews

While the first two live-action G.I. Joe movies didn't garner positive reviews, Paramount has since tried to reboot the franchise with Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, starring Henry Golding as the fan-favorite ninja Joe. Despite bombing at the box office, both Golding and di Bonaventura claimed "grand plans" for the G.I. Joe franchise are underway, though they didn't clarify more about the Transformers crossover's status.

Transformers, meanwhile, will release the animated prequel Transformers One this week, which currently holds a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes, putting it on par with Bumblebee for the highest-rated Transformers film to date.

Along with G.I. Joe and Transformers, a live-action film based on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is in development, with Nicholas Galitzine playing the titular character. Other castings include Riverdale's Camila Mendes as Teela and Community's Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, with the film marking He-Man's third revival after the CGI series and Kevin Smith-directed 2D series -- including its recent sequel, Masters of the Universe: Revolution -- on Netflix.