All future Transformers projects revealed

The Transformers universe is bracing for a serious plot twist, and it’s got Michael Bay’s fingerprints all over it. After stepping away from the chaos, carnage, and billion-dollar explosions he practically trademarked, Bay is now eyeing a high-octane comeback. Yep, the man who turned alien robots into cinematic events might be rolling back into the director’s seat.

But that’s not all. With whispers of a G.I. Joe crossover, new writers, and a possible studio shake-up, the future of the franchise feels anything but predictable. One thing’s for sure: if Bay’s really back, Autobots won’t just roll out, they’ll detonate into something wild. Here's everything we know about the future of Transformers and everything it has in store for fans.

Upcoming Transformers projects fans can look forward to

Michael Bay may be revving up for a dramatic return to the Transformers franchise, and let’s just say, the ground might shake a little. The director, whose signature style of explosive action and chaotic camera angles defined five Transformers films, is reportedly working on a new entry for Paramount Pictures, this time with writer Jordan VanDina on board. And yes, Bay intends to direct.

For context, Bay’s Transformers movies weren’t exactly critical darlings, but they did dominate the box office. Even the “worst-performing” of his five installments pulled in over $600 million, while Age of Extinction crossed the $1.1 billion mark. That’s not a minor flex. However, post-Bay entries like Bumblebee, Rise of the Beasts, and Transformers One (the animated prequel) didn’t quite capture the same financial firepower, despite being better received by critics and longtime fans alike.

According to Puck, Bay approached Paramount last year with the idea of jumping back into the Transformers sandbox, not just as a producer, but as a director too. VanDina, best known for SuperMansion, Animaniacs, and the upcoming Dodgeball 2, is reportedly penning the script. Bay’s project is one of five Transformers titles currently in development that could soon fall under the control of David Ellison and Skydance, depending on the outcome of the Paramount sale.

What’s wild is that this new movie is brewing at the same time as several other potential Transformers offshoots. Josh Cooley, director of the animated Transformers One, has reportedly closed a deal to helm a live-action film. There’s also that long-rumored G.I. Joe/Transformers crossover lurking in the shadows, plus two additional ideas simmering in early development stages. Despite all this activity, there's reportedly no rush to get the cameras rolling. Paramount will keep its rights as long as at least one of these projects is in production by 2029.

Bay’s return throws some uncertainty over those other projects, particularly the G.I. Joe crossover. His involvement may shift the studio’s focus back to spectacle-driven mainline Transformers films, rather than interconnected spin-offs.

Bay, for his part, seems to be feeling reflective. While promoting Ambulance in 2022, he recalled the pressure of making the first Transformers film back in 2007.

"The first one was scary. It was technology we didn’t know would work, and then it became very successful. It was the first time digital effects were that highly reflective, so it broke a lot of new ground. It was a fun experience. It made more than [$709 million], that’s a lot of movie tickets and a lot of people that have seen it."

Still from Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (Image via YouTube @/Paramount Pictures)

However, Bay also acknowledged that he should have walked away when the going was good.

"I made too many of them. Steven Spielberg said, 'Just stop at three.' And I said I’d stop. The studio begged me to do a fourth, and then that made a billion too. And then I said I’m gonna stop here. And they begged me again. I should have stopped. They were fun to do."

Now, after nearly a decade away from the director’s chair in this franchise, Bay seems ready for round six. The fandom is divided; some are eager to return to his bombastic brand of filmmaking, while others are hoping for a more story-driven approach like Bumblebee. But from a business perspective, Bay might be Paramount’s best shot at recharging the franchise’s box office battery.

For now, it’s all still developing. But if Bay’s really back, expect explosions, metal mayhem, and some serious nostalgia-driven hype.

What was the last Transformers project fans got to see?

The last time fans saw the Transformers on the big screen was Transformers One, which hit theaters on September 20, 2024, going back to the beginning. Not the Autobots vs Decepticons war we’ve seen a million times, but the intimate, aching origin of it all. Directed by Josh Cooley, the animated film followed Orion Pax and D-16, better known now as Optimus Prime and Megatron, before their names became legends, before their friendship shattered into a galaxy-spanning feud.

Voiced by Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry, the duo brought heart and heat to a story about brotherhood turned bitter. Critics gave it a strong 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, but fans? They adored it, pushing it to a glowing 97%. Box office-wise, it didn’t roar like the Bay-era behemoths; it brought in around $129 million. It dropped digitally on October 22, and by November, it was streaming on Paramount+, drawing in old-school fans and curious newcomers alike.

While One owned the big screen, Transformers: EarthSpark quietly held its ground on the small screen. Season 3 premiered on October 25, 2024, with its story of “child-born” Transformers navigating human life. It was made for kids, sure, but it didn’t talk down to anyone, and it kept the lore growing.

Not everything was smooth sailing, though. Transformers: Reactivate, the highly anticipated online multiplayer game, was officially canceled in January 2025, leaving gamers more than a little heartbroken. For now, Transformers One stands as the freshest piece of the franchise, blending classic themes with a modern heart. Next up? Transformers: Cyberworld, an animated YouTube series dropping July 12, 2025. Until then, fans can keep rewatching One and dreaming of what comes next.