We all knew that further Transformers sequels were inevitable; even though Shia LaBeouf is done with the series, Paramount and Hasbro aren’t going to let their cash cow lie dormant for too long. Now Variety is reporting that plans are afoot to possibly shoot two new sequels back to back, and what’s more, Michael Bay might be interested in returning. Taking on five movies in a single franchise would be a fairly unprecedented move for a director in Bay’s big league, since most helmers usually move on after completing a trilogy (as Christopher Nolan is expected to do after The Dark Knight Rises, and as Gore Verbinski did after the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies). Variety also claims there’s interest in Jason Statham to star, and while he’s certainly Transformers-adjacent — his girlfriend, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, replaced Megan Fox in the last movie — they do realize that you can’t really punch a 30-foot-tall Decepticon, right? Though we suppose if someone had to, it should be Statham. [Showblitz/Variety]
