The next Transformers film may be running a little later than originally planned - but those movie universe rumours appear to be true.
NewsAs more Transformers films arrive, the reviews have been getting increasingly hostile. And yet the box office takings have remained powerful (and that's quite the understatement), with the hugely maligned Transformers: Age Of Extinction crossing the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office (aided by $300 million from Chinese cinemas).
It's been a certainty for some time that Transformers 5 was on the way, and more recently, it's been revealed that Paramount is developing a Transformers movie universe too. Brian Goldner, the president and CEO of Hasbro, has given an update too, as part and parcel of his latest financial reports.
"Our plan right now with the studio and filmmakers, you may have read something about some writers being hired," he said. "We have in fact brought in [Akiva Goldsman, as had been reported] to lead a group of writers to really create a strategic plan around Transformers - we think there's any number of stories to be told."
That appears to be confirmation of the Transformers movie universe right there.
Moving on, he added that "it's a brand that's been around for 30 years with amazing canon and mythology. We would expect the sequel to the Transformers movie to happen in 2017."
Originally, it was thought that Paramount was to push Transformers 5 for 2016, but that was increasingly looking like a tight turnaround. It's feasible anyway that the studio is waiting for Michael Bay, who is currently working on the drama 13 Hours. It's not clear yet if Bay will direct the next Transformers film, but there's no way he's not getting first refusal.
Mark Wahlberg is expected to return for Transformers 5. More on the movie as we hear it.
