Michael Bay confirms he’ll direct ‘Transformers 5’ and then quit franchise
While the cash rolls in for Transformers films, the fans and critics are not being kind to the franchise and now director Michael Bay is confirmed to return for another film, the fifth in the series.
During an interview with Rolling Stone: “I’m doing Transformers … 5, is it?” Bay continued: “Transformers, I still have a great time. It’s fun to do a movie that 100 million people will see. But this is the last one. I have to pass the reins to someone else.”
Bay expressed similar sentiments after Transformers: Dark of the Moon (the third film) and Transformers: Age of Extinction (the fourth and most recent film). “I know,” admitted Bay. “J.J. [Abrams] told me, ‘You’re the only guy that could do this.’ But it’s time to move on. One more.”
While promoting 13 Hours, based on the attack on Benghazi, Bay seems to take a jab at his critics.
Bay has spent his 20-year career going bigger, louder, more explode-y. Together, his 11 films have grossed a staggering $5 billion-plus, making him the fourth-most-successful director of all time. “That’s international,” corrects Bay politely. “Domestic, I’m number two.”
Other familiar names are returning for Transformers 5: Mark Wahlberg will once again star, Lorenzo di Bonaventura will once again produce, and Steven Spielberg will once again executive produce.
The script was written by Ken Nolan, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway, based on a story dreamt up by the Transformers writers room led by Akiva Goldsman. No release date has been set, but Transformers 5 is likely to land sometime in 2017.
