During a conversation with Jason Schwartzman on ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,’ Johansson expressed her thoughts on the movie.
The most recent animated Transformers movie to hit theaters was a departure from the typical Saturday morning cartoon designed solely to sell toys. The Transformers: The Movie, released almost four decades ago, delved into deeper emotional territory and now, after much anticipation, a new animated film is in the works. Entitled Transformers One, it will recount the origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron on their home planet of Cybertron, detailing how their once-close relationship deteriorated as they found themselves on opposing sides of a conflict. This plot requires substantial depth and emotionality, and according to Scarlett Johansson, who is involved in the project, it delivers exactly that.
During a press junket for Asteroid City, Scarlett Johansson, who plays Elita in Transformers One, shared her thoughts on the film with Collider’s Steve Weintraub. Although she couldn’t reveal much about her character, she praised writer-director Josh Cooley for his work on the film, saying he brought it all together with the right tone. She also expressed admiration for the animation work done by Industrial Light and Magic, which made the film look wholly unique. According to Johansson, the film approaches the IP in a different way that stands on its own, and she found it to be both funny and heartwarming, like all of Cooley’s work. In short, Johansson is excited about what audiences will see when the film is released.
In a recent interview, Jason Schwartzman discussed the upcoming release of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and his role as The Spot, the villain who threatens the multiverse. The film is highly anticipated and will conclude a star-studded trilogy. Alongside Transformers One, set to be released on September 13, 2024, 2024 is shaping up to be an impressive year for animation. Although he couldn’t reveal much about the film, Schwartzman expressed his excitement and shared that he loved working on the project, which began before his work on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The Transformers One project is set to feature Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry in the roles of younger Optimus Prime and Megatron, along with other talented actors such as Keegan Michael-Key, Jon Hamm, and Laurence Fishburne.
Johansson teased Schwartzman for being hesitant to share details about The Spot, the villain in Beyond the Spider-Verse. However, Schwartzman was able to promise that The Spot would be “bigger, badder, holier” without introducing any plot holes. In Across the Spider-Verse, The Spot starts out as a weak threat but grows in power as he gains control over interdimensional portals. Schwartzman is excited to see how The Spot evolves in the third film, especially since he was already a formidable foe for the Spider Society. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to tell one big story and develop characters in both parts of the film. While both Transformers One and Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse are still more than a year away from release, audiences can catch Johansson and Schwartzman in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, showing in theaters on June 23.