After every Transformers movie, Michael Bay says, 'Never again', and then a few months later he's back in talks to return to the franchise. That's happened again, as despite Bay saying Dark of The Moon was most definitely his last Transformers movie, Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner has revealed that the toy company is in "active discussions" with Paramount Pictures for Transfomers 4, and that executive producer Steven Spielberg and director Michael Bay are involved in the talks.
That's a long way from saying Bay will definitely direct, as he could just be producing the next installment, but Variety reports on one way they might try and bring him back, which is to shoot parts 4 & 5 back-to-back.
Screenwriter Ehren Kruger, who wrote both Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, is said to have an idea for both sequels, which Paramount Pictures is keen on. The development process is still very early though, and they are still hashing out ideas. It is said that rising costs for big-budget movies like this, and Hasbro's need for an increased licensing window, are a few reasons why they might go back-to-back.
One certainty for these sequels is Shia LaBeouf will definitely not return as Sam Witwicky. Insiders close to the production indicate Jason Statham's name has come up numerous times as a possible replacement for Shia LaBeouf (a slightly odd choice, but he's definitely a lot cheaper), but at the moment it's largely speculation.
If Bay does return, the plan is apparently that'll he'll shoot his long-gestating movie Pain And Gain, which he put off to make Transformers 3, early next year, before going back to the robots in late 2012 and early 2013.