The Transformers franchise lives on, but the new spinoff doesn’t look like anything Michael Bay has given us. Now in the hands of director Travis Knight, the new spinoff jumps back in time to the ‘80s for a sweet friendship between a young girl and her new Autobot. And yes, all your faves are back as well.

In the new trailer for BumblebeeHailee Steinfeld’s Charlie buys a busted-up yellow VW bug on her 18th birthday, only to soon learn this ain’t your typical used car. The two share a sweet little connection – is it just me or does this trailer give off Pete’s Dragon vibes and suggest this movie is going to maybe induce some tears?! – and Bumblebee asks Charlie to help him and his Autobot pals at war. Enter the other Cybertronians: Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) is back, along side Shatter (Angelia Basset), Dropkick (Justin Theroux), Shockwave, Starscream, Blitzwig, and more. Here’s the full synopsis:

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.

The trailers for the spinoff show just how much Paramount is aiming to reinvent the Transformers franchise, both with a new and more classic visual aesthetic and by bringing some heart to the series. Bumblebee was penned by Christina Hodson (who’s writing the Birds of Prey and Batgirl movies) and Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen), and with the Kubo and the Two Strings director on board this could be a nice little surprise; at the very least, it certainly looks like more than just robot-smashing nonsense full of product placement.

Bumblebee hits theaters December 21.

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