New image from the forthcoming Bumblebee live-action movie

Courtesy of Empire online.

New Empire day continues with this exclusive still from Transformersspin-off Bumblebee. Hailee Steinfeld is the latest sidekick for the vocally challenged, heroic Autobot. Bumblebee himself, meanwhile, is no longer the other movies’ Chevy Camaro, but a VW Beetle, as he was in the original cartoons.

TFW2005 has listed the contents of a press release that accompanied the photo:

On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.

BUMBLEBEE is produced by “TRANSFORMERS” franchise veterans Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Michael Bay, along with executive producers Steven Spielberg, Brian Goldner and Mark Vahradian. Chris Brigham (“ARGO,” “INCEPTION”) will also executive produce. The screenplay is written by Christina Hodson (“UNFORGETTABLE”).

Directed by Travis Knight (“KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS,” “CORALINE”), the film stars Hailee Steinfeld (“EDGE OF SEVENTEEN”), Pamela Adlon (“BETTER THINGS,””LOUIE”), John Cena(“DADDY’S HOME 2,” “TRAINWRECK”), Stephen Schneider (Comedy Central’s “BROAD CITY”), Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (“SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING”), Jason Drucker (“DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LONG HAUL”), Kenneth Choi (“AMERICAN CRIME STORY”), Ricardo Hoyos (“DEGRASSI: NEXT CLASS”), Abby Quinn (“LANDLINE,” “THE SISTERHOOD OF THE NIGHT”), Rachel Crow (“DEIDRA & LANEY ROB A TRAIN”), and Grace Dzienny (“ZOO”).

BUMBLEBEE WILL BE RELEASED IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE ON DECEMBER 21, 2018.