After directing five “Transformers” films from the original in 2007 to “Transformers: The Last Knight” in 2017, filmmaker Michael Bay stepped back from the franchise to pursue other projects.
In the near decade since, neither he nor the “Transformers” franchise reached the box-office success of those films. Bay went on to “6 Underground” which went straight to Netflix, while “Ambulance” flopped despite decent reviews.
Meanwhile, the “Transformers” franchise released the well-received “Bumblebee” which only came in at $468 million – well under Bay’s worst performing “Transformers” film ($605 million). “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” fared even worse, and the animated “Transformers One” was a straight-up bomb.
Now, Puck News reports that Bay is developing a new “Transformers” movie at Paramount Pictures, one that he intends to direct:
“Bay approached the studio last year to come back as a hands-on producer and possibly director, and he’s got writer Jordan VanDina (“Animaniacs,” “Dodgeball 2″) working on a script. It’s one of five or so Transformers projects in development that David Ellison and Skydance will inherit if/when the Paramount sale closes.”
The report adds that “Transformers One” helmer Josh Cooley has closed a deal to pursue a new live-action film, while a “possible G.I. Joe/Transformers crossover in development, and the studio has two separate ideas in early stages.”
However with Bay back in the mix, it’s not clear if the planned crossover will still be moving forward. No word as to when any of these projects will happen, but the studio has several years before a film has to be released to retain the rights.
