The Last Knight drops this week and fans are already looking ahead to the future!
This week the fifth installment in Michael Bay’s Transformers saga hits the theaters in what is sure to be a box office smash. I’m excited to see how they tie the movies thus far together, this movie definitely has the feel of a culmination that has been building since 2007. It’s time for some payoff! As the dust settles shortly after the release, fans will already be asking what is in store in the future for the Transformers franchise.
Swan Song
After 10 years and 5 films director Michael Bay may be ready to lay down the trusty Transformers clap board. In recent interviews, such as for Fandango, Bay has stated:
“I’ve done it enough, and I’ve had a great time doing it. I’m going out with a bang on this one, and I feel like you gotta go out while you’re ahead, you know. I think I’ve had a good run, and I’ve got a lot of other movies I want to do.
So, is he serious this time?
This is definitely not the first time he has delivered the “this is my last one” line. Originally, Dark of the Moon was to be his last entry into the saga, making it a trilogy. Trilogies are all the rage, you can thank Star Wars for that. These films are massive endeavors and even passionate directors are bound to get burned out from time to time. But the call was too great, and he went on to direct the next “last” film, Age of Extinction. This too was set to be his last time in the directors chair for the franchise, future films were to be under new directorial leadership.
Well…..maybe one more.
So, will this be the last one? Marketing is certainly billing it as the last Transformers movie, even though there are several more projects in the works. At least that are known. The studio is currently looking for a director for the confirmed but untitled Transformers 6. It even has a release date set; June 28, 2019.
The Universe Branches
Due to the popularity of the Paramount movies, and the Transformers in general, the future of the films is going to branch out in a big way.
Paramount has put together an all-star crew of vetted writers in their own version of a “story group” to guide the franchise further. This includes some heavy hitters like Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead), Zak Penn (The Incredible Hulk) and Christina Hodson (Shut In). A brain-trust, tasked with crafting a cohesive story. With a vast history of TV series, comics and books to mine ideas and concepts from, they have currently fourteen story ideas that have the potential to be filmed.
Among these, and aside from the numbered films, is a spin off solo film centering on an Autobot favorite; Bumblebee. Sam Witwickys personal bodyguard will be getting his own movie, interestingly set here in the 1980s. Fitting, as the original TV series, Generation 1, was also set during that time period.
Next up is another prequel story of sorts, but an animated endeavor this time. Set during the Autobot/Decepticon civil war on their home planet of Cybertron. This is a story that definitely needs to be explored in detail, and an animated movie format will give it the proper boundaries to do it justice.
Some minor details have just recently came to light about another potential spin off, this one taking place in Ancient Rome. Gladiator style combat and Transformers is a match made in heaven. And precedent has been set throughout the films; Transformers have been here on Earth in various time periods, influencing and interacting with humanity.
A Future Filled With Toys
Transformers is first and foremost about the toys. Always has been and always will. The live-action movies have expanded on this, and ensured proper peg space at the store level. But the toys were going strong before and continue to do so in their non-movie toy lines.
The current run is under the branding of “Titans Return”. Titans Return is the second of three sub-lines under the Prime Wars trilogy. The first was Combiner Wars and the final installment will be Power of the Primes.
The story takes place forty years after the “Great War” in a time where there are no more Autobots or Decepticons. Instead, a restored Cybertron is ruled by members of both former alignments. An ancient artifact known as the Enigma of Combination sparks new conflict and threatens to destroy their short lived peace.
There has been some cool cross marketing with this line. IDW comics have put out story supplements in their comic lines, and Machinima produced an episodic CG cartoon that debuted last year for Combiner Wars, with more in the works for the remaining two story lines.
Till All Are One
I hope you’ve enjoyed this lead up to The Last Knight over the last few weeks, it’s been a blast to cover. It’s such an amazing franchise, one that is near and dear to so many, stretching back to their childhoods. Transformers are here to stay. So whether it’s the toys, movies, comics or all of it; enjoy it. It’s a fandom like, and at the same time unlike, any other, and fandoms are big enough to glean whatever entertainment value you can get out of them. Have fun with it!
Previous articles in the Rolling Out Transformers: The Last Knight series can be found here, here, here and here.
Mike Harris hails from the suburbs of Chicago and has been a fan for most of his life. Working as an industrial radiographer and raising a family with his wife take up most of his time, but there’s always room for Star Wars books and podcasts! Just looking to give back to Star Wars and the fan community, it’s been a source of fun and learning for him for so long.