Michael Bay is returning to the Transformers franchise, 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 for Transformers was wildly successful, as Michael Bay’s movies grossed $4.3 billion. But, unfavorable critical responses and a franchise low $605 million total with Transformers: The Last Knight led 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 of Puck News reports that Michael Bay is developing a new Transformers movie 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 a Transformers return instead of the studio luring him back.

There’s no word on how far along in development Michael Bay’s new Transformers movie is, nor is it confirmed that he will direct it. At the bare minimum, he’ll be more of a “hand-on producer” per Puck. 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 only Transformers movie in development either. The report notes that Transformers One director Josh Cooley recently closed a deal to direct a live-action film. There is also the Transformers & G.I. Joe crossover movie still 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 to Transformers comes 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, but nothing they’ve done without the blockbuster director behind the camera has truly landed with audiences.

Transformers One was 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, and Cooley recently confirmed a sequel is not coming.

The live-action films have also suffered financially in Bay’s absence. While audiences seemed to reject his approach too by the time Transformers: The Last Knight came out, interest did not pick up with Bumblebee ($467 million) or Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (441 million).

It makes sense then that Paramount would want Bay back involved in Transformers to bring the franchise back to box office glory. That’s why it’s notable that it was Bay, not Paramount, who spearheaded this reunion.

Michael Bay has also struggled to find huge hits without Transformers. His Ryan Reynolds-starring action film 6 Underground did great views on Netflix but was largely hated by critics. Ambulance got 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 mᴀssive 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 of Transformers to 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. Even I can’t deny that this move is still a no-brainer for everyone involved and a bit exciting.

Michael Bay and Transformers clearly 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 characters and narratives.

Transformers is 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 other Transformers movies in development, I won’t be surprised if Bay’s vision is the one that becomes the priority.

Source: Puck News