Michael Bay is returning to theTransformersfranchise, as he reportedly has a new movie in development that he plans to direct. Bay shepherded the live-action movie franchise based on Hasbro’s iconic toy line to the big screen in 2007 and directed five movies overall in his initial tenure.
This era forTransformerswas wildly successful, as Michael Bay’s movies grossed $4.3 billion. But, unfavorable critical responses and a franchise low $605 million total withTransformers: The Last Knightled Paramount to make changes. The franchise rebooted and started to find critical success. Yet, that came amid box office totals continuing to slide.
Now, Matt Belloni ofPuck Newsreports thatMichael Bay is developing a newTransformersmovie that he wants to direct. The film currently has Jordan VanDina (The Binge) attached as a writer. The report notes that it was Bay who sought out aTransformersreturn instead of the studio luring him back.
There’s no word on how far along in development Michael Bay’s newTransformersmovie is, nor is it confirmed that he will direct it. At the bare minimum, he’ll be more of a"hand-on producer"perPuck.It’s unclear if the film would be a continuation of the continuity he previously established, exist in the rebooted timeline, or be a complete reset.
But, this is not the onlyTransformersmovie in development either. The report notes thatTransformers Onedirector Josh Cooley recently closed a deal to direct a live-action film. There is also theTransformers & G.I. Joecrossover moviestill in the works, which previously cast Chris Hemsworth. Another two mystery films are in early stages of development too.
What Michael Bay’s Return Means For Transformers' Future
The Franchise Needs Some Direction
Michael Bay’s return toTransformerscomes at a time when the franchise has no clear direction. Paramount tried to expand the franchise in various directions after Bay stepped away from the series, butnothing they’ve done without the blockbuster director behind the camera has truly landed with audiences.
Transformers Onewas meant to be a new franchise starter when it launched last year. The animated film had glowing reviews and perfectly set up an entire trilogy following Optimus Prime and Megatron’s war over Cybertron. Yet, the movie tanked at the box office, making $129 million, andCooley recently confirmed a sequel is not coming.
Audiences seemed to reject his approach too by the timeTransformers: The Last Knightcame out
The live-action films have also suffered financially in Bay’s absence. While audiences seemed to reject his approach too, by the timeTransformers: The Last Knightcame out, interest did not pick up withBumblebee($467 million) orTransformers: Rise of the Beasts(441 million).
$709 million
$836 million
$1.123 billion
$1.104 billion
$605 million
$467 million
$441 million
Transformers One(2024)
$129 million
It makes sense then that Paramount would want Bay back involved inTransformersto bring the franchise back to box office glory. That’s why it’s notable thatit was Bay, not Paramount, who spearheaded this reunion.
Michael Bay has also struggled to find huge hits withoutTransformers. His Ryan Reynolds-starring action film6 Undergrounddid great views on Netflix but was largely hated by critics.Ambulancegot some of the director’s best reviews, but the movie couldn’t find an audience in theaters.
It appears that Michael Bay is missing the days of having his films skyrocket up box office charts, and presumably the massive paydays that come with them.
Our Take On Michael Bay’s Transformers Return
The Partnership Is Needed For All
I was as ready as anyone for the Bayverse era ofTransformersto be over by the time the franchise and director parted ways, and I’ve been mostly pleased with the movies that have come in the franchise since 2017. EvenI can’t deny that this move is still a no-brainer for everyone involvedand a bit exciting.
Michael Bay andTransformersclearly need each other. The action series is a great fit for Bay’s strengths as a director, and he’s the only one who has so far proven he can make a box office hit with these characters.I just hope Bay’s movie learns some lessons from the recent films he didn’t direct and infuses his action filmmaking with strong charactersand narratives.
Transformersis too well-known an IP for Paramount to let it sit idle, or worse, let it continue down a path audiences are seemingly not connecting with. While there are otherTransformersmovies in development, I won’t be surprised if Bay’s vision is the one that becomes the priority.
