Michael Bay Says He Isn't In Talks Over TRANSFORMERS 4

On Monday we heard that director Michael Bay and producer Steven Spielberg were in 'active discussions' with Paramount and Hasbro over Transformers 4, the next installment of the multi-billion dollar robots battling franchise that will likely be announced early next year. The news stemmed from a conference call Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner had on Monday morning and was then followed up with the news that Transformers 4 would be shot back-to-back with Transformers 5 with Jason Statham eyed as Shia LaBeouf's replacement for the two movies. The latter move the majority seemed pleased with if nothing else. However, Michael Bay has just updated his website with the following;

I am currently not talking to Paramount on T4 and T5 despite reports. I'm looking at a lot of possibilities coming my way right now weighing options. Most likely going to be doing the low budget Pain and Gain, a true story crime thriller. It's a very quick shoot and quite funny. Also just finishing the 3 disc set of the Transformer trilogy. Michael

Or in other words, he's playing hard ball. Of course we all know Bay is doing his small crime thriller Pain and Gain next as a way to prove to somebody that he can actually make movies that don't involve a lot of stuff blowing up with huge budgets behind them. Everybody knows that. It's kind of irrelevant in terms of how Transformers 4 and 5 are shaping up as whether they are one or two movies they probably won't be shot until late next Summer anyway, probably just under 12 months time, so he can very much return then if he wants too. The question is AFTER he has made Pain and Gain, then will he make Transformers 4 & 5? In the end of course it all comes down to money. The Transformers series has made him a very rich man but there's no doubt he will have huge offers to direct other franchise films elsewhere. But I imagine a deal will be made somewhere down the line and Bay will be back helming Transformers 4 at the very least before you know it.