Angel Manuel Soto to helm 'Transformers' standalone movie

As per Variety, Paramount Pictures has made a blind script commitment to develop the new feature. The studio has also hired Marco Ramirez, the showrunner of Netflix's Marvel show 'The Defenders', to write the script for the movie. 

The upcoming project is still in its early stages, with Ramirez taking a fresh approach that will not connect to the 'Transformers' movies directed by Michael Bay or the 'Bumblebee' spin-off helmed by Travis Knight. It was reported last year that 'Creed 2' director Steven Caple Jr was set to helm the seventh 'Transformers' film after the studio decided to go for a soft revamp of the popular franchise, which has collectively made over USD 4 billion at the box office. 

Ramirez is familiar with genre fare, starting as a writer on FX's 'Sons of Anarchy' and Netflix's 'Daredevil' before co-creating and co-showrunning 'The Defenders', which brought together Netflix's four Marvel heroes Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. He also developed CBS All Access' 'The Twilight Zone' reboot with Simon Kinberg and Jordan Peele. Meanwhile, Soto's plate is already getting crowded. Last month, he signed up to direct 'Blue Beetle' for Warner Bros.' DC Films unit. 

'Charm City Kings', an adaptation of the 2013 documentary '12 O'Clock Boys', won a special jury prize at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival for its ensemble. Sony Pictures Classics was originally distributing the film in theatres, but the pandemic led to its acquisition by HBO Max.