Author’s Note: If you haven’t seen Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, we encourage you to bookmark this page. You will want to discuss the twist ending and mid-cred scene. Spoilers are coming! Enough said. You’ve been warned. On with the show…
It’s a perplexing time we live in regarding movies. So many brillaint moviemaking minds out there, but it seems 98% of them took an extended leave because most of the flicks coming at us are inane sequels, impatient prequels, and all those damn reboots.
And just when you thought you were going to the movies for another saga in the trilogy, you walk out of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts thinking, “Yo, Joe!”
Wait, what?!
It’s time to put Michael Bay‘s explosion porn on the fireplace mantle and those hamhanded GI Joe movies back in the Walmart $5 DVD bin (although Snake Eyes had serious promise). Hasbro had an ace up their sleeve and surprised everyone who went to see the latest project.
That’s right, sports fans. It appears there is much more than meets the eye. (Shout out to anyone who saw what we did there.)
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and the HCU
Back in the glorious 1980s, Hasbro owned shelves and endcaps in big box chains and toy stores. You couldn’t go anywhere without two things happening: 1.) Seeing a Transformer or GI Joe doll and 2.) Watching some kid have a Grade-A fit because mama wouldn’t buy it.
Fast forward 25 years to see the acclaimed toy manufacturer get into the movie business. In 2007, Transformers shocked all those kids from yesteryear when Michael Bay brought the Autobots and Decepticons to life. The film made $319M blazing a trail for what is a $1.5B empire.
Two years later, Hasbro thought it was time for their second most successful brand to have some screen time. In 2009, we watched GIJoe: The Rise of Cobra. Channing Tatum and, excuse me, Marlon Wayans brought in $302M. Four years later, Marlon went back to his brothers and here comes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for a $375M payday.
That was it. At least for seven years, when Hasbro went the way of X-Men with an origins film, Snake Eyes with Henry Golding. It had promise, but with a lackluster hot tortilla slap in the grill, the movie only made $70M.
Michael Bay’s toys were taking a back seat to Bumblebee. And the soldiers of the GI Joe task force were all but retired. People weren’t expecting much with Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, namely since fans thought this was a possible prequel. So, movie goers didn’t know what to think. Until now, as we were introduced to the Hasbro Cinematic Universe (HCU).
Crossing Over and Going Commando
Don’t front. If you saw that scene when Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) flipped that business card, you smiled a little. Maybe, more than that as you were transported back to your 1980s or 1990s bedroom with Destro beating the crap out of Megatron in a duel to the death as the robot gets hurled over the top bunk, like it was Mankind v. Undertaker in 1998.
Thanks to that huge surprise twist and mid-credits scene in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, it looks like this is just the beginning of a new era for both of Hasbro’s major brands. More importantly, this has the makings of what could be a productive and profitable venture because these two family brands have been together since the late 1980s.
There is so much canon the minds behind both film galaxies can merge into one cohesive universe. Now, before you get excited about the Hasbro bench joining the HCU, they may stop here. There is only so much My Little Pony can do against Decepticons armed with a scary Nerf gun and an Easy-Bake oven.
But, there’s always hope Peppa Pig could show up in a future post-cred scene driving a dualie Tonka truck. Yo, Joe indeed!
