Upcoming Live-Action Film Rumors

[Undead Scottsman]

A pair of rumors for upcoming Live Action films hit, so I figured we should start a new thread about future movies now that Transformers One sounds like a dead end. (Pour one out for a real one!)

First, to be filed under "my own personal hell," Michael Bay is rumored to be coming back to direct a new live action film. I honestly can't see this doing anything but underperforming like a mediocre Marvel movie, but maybe 20 years is just right for nostalgia for that first film to hit. Hell, if we can get a conclusion to that Unicron stuff, I'll consider it a wash.

We start the morning with quite an unexpected rumor. According to Twitter/X user @HollywoodHandle and movie insiders with verified track records of reliability, Michael Bay will return to direct a new ‘TRANSFORMERS’ movie at Paramount.

RUMOR: Michael Bay will return to direct a new ‘Transformers’ movie?

We start the morning with quite an unexpected rumor. According to Twitter/X user @HollywoodHandle and movie insiders with verified track records of reliability, Michael Bay will return to direct a new ‘TRANSFORMERS’ movie at Paramount. We suggest to take this with a grain of salt at the moment...

news.tfw2005.com

Secondly, Josh Cooley, director of Transformers One, is apparently also rumored to be directing a new live action TF film as well, and apparently Paramount has five TF projects in development. That worked out so well last time they thought about doing that, and given the performance of recent TF fims, I don't think flooding the market is a terribly great idea but some of those projects might just be brainstorms that never see the light of day.

Also, hey, first mention of the GI Joe/TF film in awhile.

Most notably, Transformers One director Josh Cooley has reportedly signed a deal to direct a live action TF film.

Additionally, this and the Bay film are said to be two of five Transformers projects that Paramount has in development. What the other three will be, or if they will even see the light of day, remains to be seen. It’s stated that the TF/GI Joe crossover movie may still be one of them.

Rumor: Josh Cooley to direct a live action Transformers film + 5 projects in development?

In addition to the rumor this morning about Michael Bay returning to Transformers, Puck is also bringing us a few other big rumors regarding Paramount's plans for the franchise. Most notably, Transformers One director Josh Cooley has reportedly signed a deal to direct a live action TF film...

news.tfw2005.com

As always, these are rumors so don't treat them as gospel. Honestly the five projects thing sound a little far fetched given how unsuccessful the franchise has been in theaters lately.

 

[Sabrblade]

We'll see about this. And if I'm being honest, I find it a hard pill to swallow that any new movie would be coming soon since Hasbro announced not too long ago that they will no longer be financially supporting any film adaptations of their IP. So if Paramount or anyone wants to make another movie, they're going to have to do it without Hasbro and pay for it out of their own pocket.

 

[Undead Scottsman]

We'll see about this. And if I'm being honest, I find it a hard pill to swallow that any new movie would be coming soon since Hasbro announced not too long ago that they will no longer be financially supporting any film adaptations of their IP. So if Paramount or anyone wants to make another movie, they're going to have to do it without Hasbro and pay for it out of their own pocket.

Yeah, but that's how a lot of films are made. The question is whether or not Paramount thinks (regardless of whether it's true or not) that hiring Bay will tap into enough nostalgia for those first films to be worth funding a new one.

 

[Steevy Maximus]

Yeah, but that's how a lot of films are made. The question is whether or not Paramount thinks (regardless of whether it's true or not) that hiring Bay will tap into enough nostalgia for those first films to be worth funding a new one.

In fairness, aside from a slight bump in RotB domestic numbers, NONE of the films since Bay left have made as much as even the WORSE performing Bay film. From a purely business perspective, I’m not inclined to fault Paramount to wanted to court him back. But the additional news about Cooley makes me think Paramount is still in the “exploring options” stage for another film. To me, it sounds like Paramount IS still interested in Hasbro’s franchises, but the last 3 films have made them exceptionally cautious. It’s all a “we’ll see” situation, Hasbro has a graveyard starting to rival Lucasfilm’s of abandoned projects.


Transformers is an almost fascinating examination of the correlation between a film’s general perceived quality and its box office. It is the only franchise I know where the WORST films generally made the MOST money. While, arguably, the best Transformers film (TFOne) saw the WORST box office performance since 1986.
I’m worried that Hasbro backing out (financially) is going to see us backslide into the garbage fire the cumulative “Bay films” turned the general reputation of the brand into. Despite 3 good-to-fantastic films, post-Bay, that near decade of films still dominate the general public’s view of the brand, especially overseas.

 

[Sabrblade]

Despite 3 good-to-fantastic films, post-Bay, that near decade of films still dominate the general public’s view of the brand, especially overseas.

It really wouldn't surprise me if, after hearing of Bay possibly coming back to direct more TF movies, the primary reaction of general audiences would be "Oooh, maybe this means he can get Megan Fox to come back too!"

 

[ZacWilliam1]

A pair of rumors for upcoming Live Action films hit, so I figured we should start a new thread about future movies now that Transformers One sounds like a dead end. (Pour one out for a real one!)

First, to be filed under "my own personal hell," Michael Bay is rumored to be coming back to direct a new live action film. I honestly can't see this doing anything but underperforming like a mediocre Marvel movie, but maybe 20 years is just right for nostalgia for that first film to hit. Hell, if we can get a conclusion to that Unicron stuff, I'll consider it a wash.

RUMOR: Michael Bay will return to direct a new ‘Transformers’ movie?

We start the morning with quite an unexpected rumor. According to Twitter/X user @HollywoodHandle and movie insiders with verified track records of reliability, Michael Bay will return to direct a new ‘TRANSFORMERS’ movie at Paramount. We suggest to take this with a grain of salt at the moment...

news.tfw2005.com

Secondly, Josh Cooley, director of Transformers One, is apparently also rumored to be directing a new live action TF film as well, and apparently Paramount has five TF projects in development. That worked out so well last time they thought about doing that, and given the performance of recent TF fims, I don't think flooding the market is a terribly great idea but some of those projects might just be brainstorms that never see the light of day.

Also, hey, first mention of the GI Joe/TF film in awhile.

Rumor: Josh Cooley to direct a live action Transformers film + 5 projects in development?

In addition to the rumor this morning about Michael Bay returning to Transformers, Puck is also bringing us a few other big rumors regarding Paramount's plans for the franchise. Most notably, Transformers One director Josh Cooley has reportedly signed a deal to direct a live action TF film...

news.tfw2005.com

As always, these are rumors so don't treat them as gospel. Honestly the five projects thing sound a little far fetched given how unsuccessful the franchise has been in theaters lately.

I'll be honest I think too many have failed now to make any more without some serious time passing to clear the pallet.

Maybe I'm wrong but I'll believe these are really happening when filming has started.


-ZacWilliam, it's a shame because the last 3 were the best ones and did the worst, which doesn't bode well for the studios to have learned good lessons

 

[Badgertron]

It's really starting to feel like the live action TF films are "too big to fail" with Paramount. Same with GI Joe it seems, aren't they developing a new one of those too, even though noone really liked the previous ones (though they had their moments)?

 

[LordGigaIce]

Giving Bay one movie and Cooley another does seem like a good way to try and appease the entire fandom

 

[Sabrblade]

Giving Bay one movie and Cooley another does seem like a good way to try and appease the entire fandom

Still need to hear about any scriptwriters for either, though.

 

[lastmaximal]

Giving Bay one movie and Cooley another does seem like a good way to try and appease the entire fandom

It's not a bad way to eat the cake and have it too. Have Bay helm TF/GI Joe if they're still forcing that to be a thing. Have Cooley do more prequel fun. BUT assign competent writers to both and rein Bay in. I don't mind having his era's visual styling and action shots back, but it's only going to work if it's not written like ass.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

It really wouldn't surprise me if, after hearing of Bay possibly coming back to direct more TF movies, the primary reaction of general audiences would be "Oooh, maybe this means he can get Megan Fox to come back too!"

I'm just going to say that I remember liking her character (Mikaela, was it?) in those AU comics where Sam died in the final battle of the first film, and wouldn't mind seeing more of that... but somehow, I question if Bay is the guy to deliver that.

Also, it's been a long time, maybe those weren't as good as I remember.

 

[Sabrblade]

I'm just going to say that I remember liking her character (Mikaela, was it?) in those AU comics where Sam died in the final battle of the first film, and wouldn't mind seeing more of that... but somehow, I question if Bay is the guy to deliver that.

Also, it's been a long time, maybe those weren't as good as I remember.

Generally speaking, the movie tie-in stuff from IDW, Titan Comics, and the various prequel and sequel novels were all way better than the actual movies they were made to tie in with.

 

[The Mighty Mollusk]

Not setting a high bar there.

 

[Undead Scottsman]

The thing that gets me is, like..

Rise of the Beasts was already a return to the Bay formula.. it had the same repetitive plot, the same radical redesigns of characters (my poor boy Wheeljack), the same ignoring all but a handful of the transformers as actual characters. It was a Bay film, just with the Bay eccentricies stripped out. And you know what, I don't think adding them back in would have made a better film. What would you have honestly gotten if Bay had been behind that film? A less likable lead character? More military fetishism? Sexualization of the female lead? Worse humor?

I feel like all they get with this is Bay's name, and I'm not sure if that's worth much in this era of cinema.

 

[MrBlud]

They think Bay directing means 800 million to a Billion dollar box office.

It doesn’t.

At absolute best, you might get 500 million. Which is only about 60 million more than ROTB which would just about cover Bay’s directing salary.

People are aware Transformers films are garbage and aren’t going to pay theater prices to see them. Doesn’t matter who directs them.

They need a really long break and then a competent plan.

 

[Sabrblade]

Rise of the Beasts was already a return to the Bay formula.. it had the same repetitive plot, the same radical redesigns of characters (my poor boy Wheeljack), the same ignoring all but a handful of the transformers as actual characters. It was a Bay film, just with the Bay eccentricies stripped out. And you know what, I don't think adding them back in would have made a better film. What would you have honestly gotten if Bay had been behind that film? A less likable lead character? More military fetishism? Sexualization of the female lead? Worse humor?

Well, if I'm being brutally honest, I doubt the leads would have even been Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback in the first place, had Bay been in the director's chair.

 

[Undead Scottsman]

Well, if I'm being brutally honest, I doubt the leads would have even been Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback in the first place, had Bay been in the director's chair.

True, I meant to imply that but rereading my post I can see I really didn't.

 

[Sabrblade]

If this really does turn out to be the case and Bay does return to direct another movie, then it really is sad that Paramount has seemingly learned nothing after the guy literally stopped AOE dead in its tracks to explain to the audience why statutory rape is considered A-OK in Bay's book, and especially after the man literally had Nazi banners hung from the walls of Winston Churchill's estate for TLK.

I mean, YIKES, Paramount. As if those weren't the biggest of all red flags, right there.

 

[LordGigaIce]

The thing that gets me is, like..

Rise of the Beasts was already a return to the Bay formula.. it had the same repetitive plot, the same radical redesigns of characters (my poor boy Wheeljack), the same ignoring all but a handful of the transformers as actual characters. It was a Bay film, just with the Bay eccentricies stripped out. And you know what, I don't think adding them back in would have made a better film. What would you have honestly gotten if Bay had been behind that film? A less likable lead character? More military fetishism? Sexualization of the female lead? Worse humor?

I feel like all they get with this is Bay's name, and I'm not sure if that's worth much in this era of cinema.

I'd argue that RotB is a Bay film without the sauce. For all of Bay's faults, his movies have a style and energy to them that makes them appealing. RotB and Battleship are what happens when you try to make a Bay movie without Bay, and it doesn't work.