Jeremy here...
When I first learned Akiva Goldsman had been tasked with assembling a "writers room" for the next TRANSFORMERS movie and its myriad sequels/spinoffs, I had visions of him assembling a crack squad of dopey white dude screenwriters who'd brainstorm story ideas over hotly contested bouts of beer pong. Thus far, it seems like he had the same idea.
Okay, that's not entirely fair. The first writers he brought on were Robert Kirkman and Zak Penn, and they're pretty good (even though I have zero use for the former's wildly popular THE WALKING DEAD). Then he added Jeff Pinkner (one of several writers credited with making a mess out of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2), and the writing team of Art Marcum & Matt Holloway (two of several writers credited with assembling 2008's IRON MAN), and the Paramount Lot Sausage Festival was on!
Now comes news that he's hired Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari, who did some writing on ANT-MAN after Edgar Wright's departure. I'm sure they're fine young men, but if I gave a shit about this franchise, I'd have to ask why the writer's room is comprised solely of white males. TRANSFORMERS is a four-quadrant property that appeals to all kinds of people. So if you're doing a top-down overhaul and building out an "expanded universe" (e.g., there will apparently be a Cybertron-set origin story), wouldn't you like to have different kinds of voices with different kinds of experiences in there?
Fortunately, I don't give a shit about this franchise, so feel free to bro it up, Akiva.
