Hollywood taps BW alumnus for next 'Transformers' movie

While some of us dream of a life in Hollywood, Steven Caple Jr. '10 makes his dream a reality. Paramount Pictures and Hasbro Studios selected Caple to direct the upcoming "Transformers" movie, set to debut in June 2022.

The film will be the second "Transformers" movie following the storyline of the character Bumblebee. The original Bumblebee movie brought in $465 million worldwide.

Caple, who earned a B.A. at Baldwin Wallace in film studies and marketing, is known for creating heart in his projects. In directing Bumblebee, the "Transformers" franchise made an intentional turn toward allowing the viewer to become attached to a specific character's story. This focus made Caple the perfect choice to continue building the series.

Directing a legacy of success

"Transformers" will be the second big franchise film for Caple. In 2018, he directed "Creed II," the eighth film in the "Rocky" series. Caple was made director of the sequel by "Rocky" star Sylvester Stallone, who directed the first "Creed" film.

Caple was chosen because he brought a younger eye to the project. Under his direction, "Creed II" received high praise from critics and fans alike. He staged a hometown premiere in Cleveland with some of his old BW professors in attendance.

Creative drive leads to spotlight

In commenting on Caple's earlier work in an article in The Plain Dealer, professor Joe Tarantowski said, "As an undergraduate at BW, he was just very productive outside the classroom. He didn't wait for a class assignment to produce a film. He was always creating something just to work out ideas in his free time. When he finished school, I discovered many saved projects that were never turned in for a grade."

After graduating from BW, Tarantowski and others encouraged Caple to go to graduate school. He earned a master's degree from USC Film School, and HBO picked up his capstone project. His first feature film was 2016's "The Land."