Hasbro Unleashes Dark‑Side Bumblebee Toy for Transformers 40th Anniversary

Somen Halder Sep 23, 2026 0

Dark Bumblebee Emerges from the Optimus Prime: Awakening Short

Hasbro has taken a bold step by reimagining Bumblebee, the ever‑friendly G1 Autobot, as a menacing antagonist. Inspired by the newly added short film that accompanied the 40th‑anniversary screenings of The Transformers: The Movie, this Deluxe Class figure swaps the classic yellow‑gold palette for a sinister red‑eyed visage and sharp, horn‑like extensions on the robot head.

Design Details and Play Features

Standing roughly 4.5 inches tall, the toy transforms in 39 steps into a compact coupe that leans more toward a Mini Cooper silhouette than Bumblebee’s original Beetle form. The roof of the vehicle mode doubles as a mount for a miniature fusion cannon, echoing Megatron’s own weaponry and giving the figure a unique battle‑ready edge.

Release Timing and Pricing

Set to hit shelves in November 2026, the dark Bumblebee will be priced at $29.99 and is already available for pre‑order on sites like Entertainment Earth. Its launch aligns perfectly with the upcoming home‑media release of the anniversary edition, which is expected to bundle the short film that inspired this twist.

Now available to order from websites such as Entertainment Earth for $29.99, Transformers Optimus Prime: Awakening Studio Series Deluxe Class Bumblebee is expected to roll out to fans in November 2026. This is around the time that the 40th anniversary edition of The Transformers: The Movie is scheduled to hit home media, with the DVD and Blu‑ray versions both likely having the Optimus Prime: Awakening coda film included.

Bumblebee’s survival after the original 1986 movie made him a nostalgic favorite, but his journey has been anything but linear. After a brief hiatus due to licensing quirks, he resurfaced in the 2006 Classics line, then exploded onto the big screen with a radical redesign in Michael Bay’s live‑action movies. The recent Devastation video game revived his classic G1 styling, even bringing back Dan Gilvezan as his voice, setting the stage for this darker reinterpretation.

// FAQs

The figure is modeled after the dark‑eyed Bumblebee seen in the Optimus Prime: Awakening short, featuring red glowing eyes, prominent horns, and a built‑in Megatron‑style fusion cannon.

It is slated for a November 2026 release and can be pre‑ordered now through retailers like Entertainment Earth for $29.99.

The figure coincides with the home‑media re‑release of the 40th‑anniversary edition, which includes the Optimus Prime: Awakening coda that inspired the new design.