While they were not his first movies, theTransformersseries was the definitive franchise ofMichael Bay’s career. The toy-based movies began in 2007 withTransformersand have collectively become a multi-billion-dollar franchise.
Recently,Puckreported that Bay would return to theTransformersfranchise. According to the source,the filmmaker is developing a newTransformersfilm and wants to direct it this time.The script will be written by Jordan VanDina.
If this happens, this is big news for the action franchise. Bay helped launch the modern version of the franchise, which has now made over $4.3 billion. But despite the potential hope surrounding his return, I have my doubts about how this might go.
Michael Bay’s Transformers Movies Were Fun - Until They Weren’t
They Went Downhill Quickly
In the 2000s, Bay started on a positive note withTransformers. While these are not works of fine art, there is a reason why the movies have done so well at the box office, andthat is because they are a lot of fun.This was the case with bothTransformersand, at minimum,Revenge of the Fallen.
The most recent film Bay helmed in the franchise wasTransformers: The Last Knight, which is one of the biggest disappointments of the series.
However, Bay’s later movies within the five live-action films start to get far more iffy.Dark of the Moonhas redeemable qualities, but the same cannot be said aboutAge of Extinction.That movie managed just an 18% Tomatometerand was pretty thoroughly a mess.
Bay’s most recent film in the franchise wasTransformers: The Last Knight, which is one of the biggest disappointments of the series. Despite its lofty $217 million budget, the film made $605 million worldwide, significantly less than some predecessors.
So, while the filmmaker started strong,his history with directingTransformersmovies is far from flawless.This poses a risk for him directing another movie in the franchise, as it could end up being the franchise’s best or worst.
Transformers' Movies Without Michael Bay Were Pretty Great
The Franchise Does Not NEED Bay
The last few years have also shown thatTransformersdoes not need Bay to succeed. After the disappointment ofThe Last Knight,the franchise’s quality took a positive turn withBumblebee. This movie subbed out Bay for Travis Knight in the director’s chair.
Bumblebeegot the strongest reviewsof any movie in the franchise, boasting a 91% Tomatometer. The installmentalso scaled the budget down and still made decent returns, making $467 million on an estimated $135 million budget.
Last year’s animated feature,Transformers One, also stepped out from Bay in a positive way. While it was not nearly the box office darling with just $129 million, the feature was universally regarded as a great prequel.
Transformers Onereported budget is between $75–147 million.
Transformers: Rise of the Beastswas not nearly as strong as the other two, but even that had enjoyable moments and a positive audience response.These films have really demonstrated the franchise’s great potential outside of Bay, and thus make me feel like the director’s return is less urgent.
Michael Bay Just Started Finding Success Away From Transformers, Too
And He Might Be Wise To Stay Away From The Franchise
While stepping away fromTransformersmovies, Bay himself has also reworked his artistic capacity. His immediate film afterThe Last Knight,6 Underground, got mixed reviews, but he made up for this in 2022 when he releasedAmbulance.
Ambulancehad everything that made the earlier Bay works great. It was a genuinely entertaining action film with moments of goofiness, but that, at its heart, kept the audience compelled and entertained.
Bay also recently directedWe Are Storror, an action sports documentary about parkour athletes. While the movie has yet to get a wide release, the early reviews are great. As a documentary, the film also serves as a testament to his versatility.
After a negative Rotten Tomatoes streak with the last fewTransformersmovies,Bay is finally trending upward once again. As such, the director is finding more success outside theTransformersmovies, potentially indicating that a return to the franchise is not best for his career.
Michael Bay & Transformers Are Better Being Together
So Their Return Makes Sense
WhileTransformersmay not be the best franchise for Bay’s artistic integrity, it makes sense that their reunion is happening. After all, he brought the franchise to life in 2007 and made it the success it is today.
The first film made an impressive $709 million on an estimated $150 million budget, and the total only went up from there withRevenge of the Fallen, which made $836 million. Even with negative reviews, the third film,Dark of the Moon, managed to rake in over $1 billion.
There isalso something unapologetically over-the-top about Bay’s filmmaking that fits well withTransformers.Even in movies likeArmageddonorPearl Harbor, I see the qualities ofTransformersin broad strokes.
In this sense, Bay andTransformersare a logical pairing. If he leans into the kind of spectacle that makes these movies fun summer blockbusters, this next film could be a success.
Transformers Still Needs Non-Michael Bay Movies Too
They Should Not Ignore Their Upcoming Films
TheTransformersfranchise currently has other projects in developmentoutside of Bay’s prospective film. This includes movies in the main franchise, a sequel toTransformers One, aTransformersandG.I. Joecrossover film, and aBumblebeesequel, among others.
Some of these films are the sequels to the franchise’s best works. This includes bothBumblebeeandTransformers One, whose story continuations could be great.
As Bay embarks on his project,it is important that the studios still commit to these other movies. After all, while he could produce a fun entry into the franchise, these films outside of him still have great potential. There needs to be space for both in theTransformersfranchise.
