7 Transformers Characters Who Have Driven Bumblebee In The Movies

Bumblebee has been at the center of the Transformers‘ movie franchise, and here are all the characters who have driven the iconic yellow vehicle. Paramount’s live-action films based around Hasbro’s action figures have always made it a goal to keep the biggest Autobots in central roles. Optimus Prime and Bumblebee have appeared in every Transformers movie to date, and the films have consistently changed up what characters they are working with. While that traditionally includes the Autobots fighting Decepticons in their robot-like forms, their vehicular alt forms are also prominently featured throughout the franchise.

Optimus Prime’s red and blue semi-truck form is widely recognizable, but so are Bumblebee’s various yellow car forms. The movies have repeatedly shown him as a Volkswagen Beetle, but his primary car form is some version of a Chevrolet Camaro. Bumblebee’s story in the Transformers franchise repeatedly sees him take on the role of protector or guardian of individual humans. Since Bumblebee’s car form does provide these people with a form of transportation, it is quite common for different people to drive the Autobot. These are the six characters who have driven Bumblebee in the Transformers movies.

7 Sam Witwicky Drove Bumblebee In The First Two Transformers Movies

Sam Witwicky is the Transformers character with the most experience driving Bumblebee. Shia LaBeouf’s character is given multiple sequences in Michael Bay’s original trilogy where he gets to drive Bumblebee. This begins with the original 2007 film and the first time Sam discovers Bumblebee on a used car lot. He drives the 1976 Camaro version of the Autobot often during the earlier portions of the film as he does not yet know that his car is a transforming alien. This gives Sam multiple opportunities to drive Sam, including sequences like giving Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) a ride home.

Sam gets more chances to drive Bumblebee in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Although he originally leaves his Autobot companion behind due to his college’s rules, the 2010 Camaro form returns. When he unexpectedly visits Sam at college, the Transformers character is forced to drive Bumblebee again to get him away. This comes as Alice (Isabel Lucas) attempts to seduce Sam. Even though Sam was driving Bumblebee at the time, the Autobot steps in to frequently remind him that he is with Mikaela and makes Alice hit her face on the dashboard. Sam drives Bumblebee again later on once the story shifts to Israel.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon does not give Sam a chance to drive Bumblebee one more time, though. This is partially due to Bumblebee not being with Sam all the time because he is too busy fighting for the Autobots. Sam Witwicky does still drive an older yellow car with black racing stripes that is reminiscent of Bumblebee’s design. Shia LaBeouf’s Transformers character still rides in Bumblebee a few times, but he never takes control of the wheel in this installment. Whenever Sam is not driving Bumblebee, the Autobot is more than capable of driving himself, as he does many times in the trilogy and future installments.

6 Mikaela Banes Drove Bumblebee In Transformers 1 (Kind Of)

There is also an argument to be made that Mikaela Banes drives Bumblebee during the first Transformers movie. Once she learns that Sam’s car is an Autobot, she is initially even hesitant to sit in the driver’s seat. However, by the conclusion of the film, she and Bumblebee team up in an unexpected fashion. The heroic Autobot is hurt during the final battle and loses his legs. Mikaela then hooks Bumblebee up to a tow truck and drives him around the city. While this means that she does not drive Bumblebee’s actual car alt form, it is a different way that she still drove him.

5 Shane Drives Bumblebee In Transformers: Age of Extinction

Transformers: Age of Extinction lets Shane (Jack Reynor) get a chance to be another Transformers character to drive Bumblebee. The Autobot has a modified 1976 Camaro form in the movie that Shane is allowed to drive momentarily. He gets behind the wheel when the team needs to break into Kinetic Solutions Incorporated’s headquarters. Shane is chastised by Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) for wearing sunglasses as they try not to get caught. He later makes Bumblebee upset when he references how old he is. Otherwise, Shane does not drive Bumblebee often in Transformers: Age of Extinction.

4 Cade Yeager Drives Bumblebee In Transformers: The Last Knight

Cade Yeager spends a lot of time with Bumblebee in Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight, but he rarely gets an opportunity to drive the Autobot. There is a sequence in the film where Cade is behind the wheel during a car chase between Bumblebee and Barricade. Cade appears to be the one who is steering the wheel and driving Bumblebee, but he does at one point claim that he is not really in control. It is unclear if he is being serious or attempting to disregard the criticisms Vivian Wembley (Laura Haddock) has of his driving. Cade typically sits in the passenger seat of Bumblebee’s car.

3 Unnamed Soldier Drove Bumblebee In Transformers: The Last Knight Flashback

Transformers: The Last Knight also gives another Transformers character a chance to drive Bumblebee through a flashback scene to World War II. The sequence explores Bumblebee’s history of fighting wars with humans which included him working with the Devil’s Brigade, the name of an elite American-Canadian unit that fought in Italy and France. The Transformers 5 flashback shows a group of these soldiers arriving at a Nazi base, and one of them is shown to be driving Bumblebee’s old Volkswagen Beetle car form. The soldier does not drive Bumblebee for long before everyone springs into action.

2 Charlie Watson Drove Bumblebee In 2018’s Spinoff Movie

Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld) is another Transformers character who has driven Bumblebee a lot. The 2018 Bumblebee movie introduced a new human pairing for the Autobot with the teenage girl who finds an injured B-127 in a junkyard. Once she takes the time to repair the vehicle and convince the junkyard owner to give her the car for her birthday, Charlie drives Bumblebee for the first time as she takes her new vehicle home with her. She gets several other opportunities to drive Bumblebee as their bond grows, ranging from joyrides with her friend Memo (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) to traveling to the Golden Gate Bridge for their emotional goodbye.

1 Charlie’s Mom Drives Bumblebee Briefly In The 2018 Transformers Film

There is also a quick moment where Charlie’s mom Sally (Pamela Adlon) gets a chance to drive Bumblebee in the 2018 movie. Shortly after Charlie brings her new car home and discovers that it is a robot, she wakes up to hearing her mom taking the car for a ride. Charlie chases her down and stops her mom from continuing to drive Bumblebee so she can take the dog to the vet. It’s ultimately a quick scene for Sally, but it still makes her count as a Transformers character who drove Bumblebee in the movies.