Michael Bay’s Transformers: Age of Extinction was meant to be the start of a new trilogy.
Gone were Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, replaced by Mark Wahlberg, Nicola
Peltz and Jack Reynor. And with Bay behind the "wheel" of this massive
sequel, the fourth Transformers movie did what previous Transformers movies have done: disappointed critics while earning boatloads of money.
Despite the fact that the formula continues to work, Paramount has promised sweeping changes for the Transformers franchise by the time Transformers 5 rolls into theaters. Since massive pieces already are moving into place on the upcoming sequel, we figured now was a great time to get the lay of the land and catch you up on everything we know about the ongoing cinematic battle between the Autobots, the Decepticons, and mankind.
Despite the fact that the formula continues to work, Paramount has promised sweeping changes for the Transformers franchise by the time Transformers 5 rolls into theaters. Since massive pieces already are moving into place on the upcoming sequel, we figured now was a great time to get the lay of the land and catch you up on everything we know about the ongoing cinematic battle between the Autobots, the Decepticons, and mankind.
Michael Bay
Love him or hate him, Michael Bay has been the face of the Transformers
franchise, the driving creative force since Paramount unveiled the
inspired-by-toys franchise in 2007. But from early indicators, Bay will move away from the massive robot series with the next movie. He recently told USA Today that he has different plans that don’t include Transformers
movies, stating, "There's kind of a new chapter, a new direction in
movies I want to make. I have a lot of stories to tell. And it's about
flexing new muscles." That being said, Bay wavered on his interest in
the Transformers series prior to settling in for Age of Extinction, and he cleansed his palette with Pain & Gain before stepping back behind the camera and staying with the series. Could Bay change his mind and direct Transformers 5? Absolutely. Something tells me if he left, he’d miss that classic give-and-take he has with fanboys and critics.
Mark Wahlberg
Speaking of Pain & Gain, it was Michael Bay’s collaboration with Mark Wahlberg on that film that led to the Happening actor taking a lead role in Transformers: Age of Extinction.
But will Wahlberg and his character, Cade Yeager, stay in the story if
Michael Bay moves on? It’s possible – original star Shia LaBeouf carried
the initial trilogy – but unlikely. Right now, all casting is limited
to rumors (as Paramount hasn’t confirmed anything), but during promotion
for Transformers: Age of Extinction, Wahlberg explained to the media
that he didn’t view that movie as a sequel, and that he "thought of it
more as a stand-alone thing. I’ve never done a sequel." Which is true.
Would he start now, for Transformers 5? He could, sure. If the
price is right, and the story is there, Mark Wahlberg could be convinced
to come back. Having him on the marquee helps. But the belief on
Transformers has usually been that the robots sell tickets, not the
all-star cast. So a new director could mean a new direction for Transformers 5, and that might mean a departure for Mark Wahlberg, as well.
Release Date
Paramount will have to make a decision on the director and possible star(s) of Transformers 5
rather quickly, because the sequel already has a release date. At
CineEurope earlier this year, Paramount Pictures International SVP
Edward Ryan confirmed the release date of June 24, 2016. This should come as no surprise. The Transformers
movies have enjoyed the weekend leading into the July 4 weekend, giving
themselves plenty of run up to what has become a lucrative box-office
weekend in years past. Will that date stick? Probably, though it is
worth reporting that the usually reliable Box Office Mojo has no listing for Transformers 5 on that date. The only summer 2016 release they have from the studio is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 on June 3, 2016, while Universal has The Mummy (2016) down for Transformer 5’s weekend. So we’ll see if anything changes between now and then.
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