Transformers: This virtuoso director who dares the craziest plans, will soon return between the Autobots and the Decepticons?

Michael Bay, 59, is one of Hollywood’s most famous action directors. We owe him many important film successes, such as Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys 1 and 2 or the Transformers saga. In 14 feature films, the American filmmaker can boast that he has earned 6.5 billion dollars at the world box office!

Action boss

Recently, the director delivered Ambulance, a Dante action film starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Unfortunately, the film did not achieve the expected success with only $52 million at the worldwide box office on a budget of $40 million.

Since then, Michael Bay has been content in the producer’s chair for Transformers Rise of the Beasts, Quietly: Day 1 or the future Transformers The Beginning, in theaters on October 23. In this way, the director is keeping an eye on his iconic franchise, which he directed 5 episodes between 2007 and 2017. In total, his Hasbro toy films have grossed 4.3 billion internationally.

The artist then passed on Travis Knight for Bumblebee, Stephen Caple Jr. for Rise of the Beasts, and Josh Cooley for The Beginning. The franchise will continue on the big screen through a crossover with another Hasbro license: GI Joe. In turn, would Michael Bay want to return to direct a Transformers feature film?

Michael Bay to direct the new Transformers?

Interviewed by us at the Annecy festival, the historic producer of the franchise, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, gave a clear answer to this question. “No. Michael feels he did everything. He was a great director, although I wasn’t sure at first. It was an idea Steven Spielberg“The 67-year-old producer confided.

Michael Bay feels he’s accomplished that. He was the perfect director, even if I wasn’t sure at first. It was Steven Spielberg’s idea.

I asked Stephen, “Why him?” He answered me. I asked Michael the same question and got a different answer. With all his experience in explosions and big characters, Michael is mostly called for action movies, but what is it really. It’s the comedy that makes it successful.he continues.

With all his experience in explosions and big characters, Michael is mostly cast in action movies. But what makes it really successful is the comedy.

“If you watch all his hit movies, you realize they’re all very funny. I think when we first tried to sell Transformers, it was all about the robots. We had to make it cool, but if we just did a serious movie. I don’t think comedy was the key to success and Michael brought it.concluded Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, who therefore ensures that Mr. Bay will no longer direct the Transformers films.

Meanwhile, The Beginning hits theaters on October 23. Set entirely on Cybertron, this feature film tells the story of how two brothers-in-arms, Optimus Prime and Megatron, became sworn enemies, leading to the ultimate battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons.

Commentaries on the Annecy 2024 festival collected by Manon Marouf.