Paramount Is Working on ‘Transformers’ 4 and 5 with Jason Statham

It’s not over yet: despite countless interviews in which Michael Bay said the third “Transformers” film would also be the last, Paramount Pictures is currently in talks with him about doing a fourth and a fifth, back to back.

The idea started from Hasbro, word online has it. People from the toy company contacted people from Paramount about the possibility of doing another “Transformers” film after the success of “The Dark of the Moon.”

Since this one made over $1 billion (€731 million) at the box-office, it’s no wonder that Paramount jumped at the chance of milking the franchise for even more cash.

Variety reports that the movie studio is even willing to make more installments without leading man Shia LaBeouf and director Michael Bay.

However, chances are still looking good that Bay may return to the franchise, despite saying repeatedly he was done with “Transformers” after the third.

Then again, voices online are saying, he also said 3D was a fad that would soon die down and that he’d never made a movie in 3D – and look what he did in “Transformers” 2 and 3.

“Hasbro chief Brian Goldner said during a Monday third-quarter earnings call that the toymaker is in ‘active discussions’ with Paramount, Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg on how to move forward. Sources close to the planning process tell Variety two films could be headed into production,” Variety writes.

Paramount would rather it shot two films back to back than do them separately, since that would cut production costs in the long run, the same report says.

Bay is interested in coming back at the helm of another installment, but only on the condition that he’s given some time to pursue other projects first.

“One element that won’t return: Shia LaBeouf, who’s said he's moving on, giving Paramount the chance to pair a new face with the shape-shiftrorobots. Though one name – Jason Statham – has been bandied about by sources close to the production, no offer has been made,” Variety further writes.

Since it’s clear that Paramount is moving fast on everything “Transformers”-related, expect to find out more details about new installments soon – right here.