Paramount is going back to the original formula. According to Deadline, Steven Spielberg has returned to the Transformers franchise in a more hands-on creative capacity, overseeing all creative aspects of the eighth live-action film alongside longtime producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. His involvement was last this direct on the first two entries in the series.
Michael Bay is in early talks to direct. Bay helmed the 2007 original and four sequels through Transformers: The Last Knight, then stepped away for Bumblebee and Rise of the Beasts. According to Deadline, he has read Jason Fuchs's screenplay, met with Spielberg, and entered early deal negotiations. No contract has been signed.
Fuchs wrote the script for a modern-day setting. Plot details are under wraps. The franchise has grossed over $5.4 billion globally across seven films. Additional producers include Mark Vahradian, Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto, and Hasbro.
Shia LaBeouf will not return. Other casting is in early stages. The new film moves away from the G.I. Joe crossover arc established by Rise of the Beasts, targeting a tone closer to the franchise's early Spielberg-shaped entries. No release date has been announced.
