Autobot Drift Gets an Upgrade in Latest Transformers 5 Photo

Ever since production started on Paramount's Transformers: The Last Knight, director Michael Bay has been sharing photos of the vehicles that will be used in this highly-anticipated sequel. We've already gotten glimpses of Megatron, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and the new Transformer Squeeks, and today the filmmaker has unveiled another returning Autobot, Drift. We also have word that the growing cast has a new addition, with Santiago Cabrera coming aboard.

Drift made his Transformers franchise debut in 2014's Transformers: The Age of Extinction, where his automotive form was a 2013 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse.MichaelBay.com reveals that, inTransformers: The Last Knight, this Autobot will be a Mercedes AMG GT R. Ken Watanabe voiced Drift in the last Transformers movie, but it isn't known quite yet if he will return to voice the character in this follow-up.

In related news, Santiago Cabrera has joined the cast in an unspecified role. The Last Knight centers on Optimus Prime, who has been searching through the cosmos for the Quintessons, the beings believed to be responsible for the creation of the Transformers race. Meanwhile back on Earth, Wahlberg's Cade Yeager will be facing a new alien threat that brings Josh Duhamel's Lennox and Tyrese Gibson's Epps back into duty. Isabela Moner is playing the female lead, though no character details have been revealed. The cast also includes Jerrod Carmichael, Laura Haddock and Antony Hopkins.

Michael Bay is directing from a script by Iron Man writers Art Marcum & Matt Holloway. They are joined by Black Hawk Down writer Ken Nolan on the screenplay. The team were part of Paramount's writer's room that generated several ideas for Transformers sequels andspinoffs. It isn't known how long principal photography will last, but Paramount has already set a June 23, 2017 release date for the sequel.

Santiago Cabrera is perhaps best known as Isaac Mendez in the first season of NBC's hit series Heroes. He has also starred on Merlin, Dexter and The Musketeers. We'll be sure to keep you posted with more updates on Transformers: The Last Knight as production continues. In the meantime, take a look at the new photo of Drift below.