How Will These Five Nineties Hallmarks be Incorporated in “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts?”

From music to technology, will these iconic trends be featured in the Transformers-verse?

Olivia Seaman and Olivia Rainson • June 4, 2023

“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” — the seventh and latest installment of the Transformers franchise — is set to release June 9 and features a star-studded cast featuring Anthony Ramos Jr. and Michelle Yeoh. Serving as a prequel to 2008’s “Transformers,” the film is set in the 1990s; a time of vibrant cultural hallmarks which have quickly returned to the mainstream. Here are five nineties trends we anticipate to see in “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.”

Music

A Tribe Called Quest’s 1993 hit “Electric Relaxation.”
Photo Courtesy / YouTube A Tribe Called Quest

Music is a cultural staple of the nineties, and with a trailer accompanied by the late DMX’s 1998 hit “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” it’s clear the film will incorporate nineties hits to capture the essence of the decade. From A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, LL COOL J and more, the film’s official playlist features chart-topping nineties’ hip-hop classics. How the film will incorporate the music into the scenes comes into question.

Fashion

The nineties were a time of eclectic, grunge and alternative fashion. Any Google search of the decade’s apparel will feature baggy jeans, flannel patterns, bomber jackets and lots of color. While the bots aren’t seen donning the period’s fashions, the human characters (principally played by Ramos Jr. and Dominique Fishback) will hopefully give audiences a nostalgia boost and a glimpse into nineties’ trends.

Technology

The Sony Walkman was a popular MP3 player.
Photo Courtesy / YouTube Techmoan

Despite the feats of the Transformers robots, one clear technological advancement was missing in the nineties — the smartphone. Do the Transformers have car phones built in? Will the soundtrack be played through the headphones of someone’s Sony Walkman? Since “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” is a sci-fi movie, it will be interesting to see how this film accurately portrays the technology of the nineties.

New York City

The ever-changing NYC skyline is displayed front and center in this upcoming film. The city in the nineties was certainly a different culture than it is today, and with the addition of robots wandering the streets, it will be interesting to see how the futuristic components intermix with nineties NYC street culture.

The Cars Themselves

A 1990 Porsche 911 Turbo.
Photo Courtesy / YouTube RMC Miami

What kind of car models can we expect these Transformers to be? Ramos Jr. is thrown out of a 1994 Porsche Mirage that would change gears to drive itself and later turn into a robot in the film’s trailer. With both futuristic aspects of a transforming car and the retro models of the nineties, viewers can anticipate a morphing of the decades.

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About the Contributors

Olivia Seaman, Editor-in-Chief

Olivia is a senior journalism student currently serving as The Torch’s Editor-in-Chief. She previously served as Managing Editor for two years. She's also written for amNewYork, Bronx Times, the Long Island Times and QNS. Outside of The Torch, she is a student ambassador and an undergraduate writing consultant at the University Writing Center. She loves to watch St. John's Basketball, exploring New York City and matcha lattes!

Olivia can be reached at [email protected]

Olivia Rainson, Features Editor & Social Media Manager

Olivia Rainson is a senior English major and creative writing minor serving as the Features Editor and Social Media Manager. She also works at the University Writing Center and is on the editorial board of the Intersections Literary Magazine. Olivia has been with The Torch since the beginning of her sophomore year, and when she isn’t writing, you can find her reading with an iced coffee. Olivia can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected]