The short version: Michael Bay is in final talks to direct the eighth Transformers movie for David Ellison’s Skydance, nearly a decade after he walked away from the franchise following Transformers: The Last Knight (2017). The one sticking point in negotiations: Bay wants final cut.
What We Know
Multiple sources tell Page Six that Bay, 61, is close to signing on to helm the next installment for the newly formed Skydance studio. Bay directed the first five Transformers films for Paramount between 2007 and 2017 — a run that generated a combined $4.38 billion at the worldwide box office.
After Bay’s exit, the franchise changed course: Travis Knight directed the well-received Bumblebee (2018), and Steven Caple Jr. helmed Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), which earned $441.6 million worldwide — a respectable number that nonetheless suggested the series could use a jumpstart.
Why Now
The timing is no accident. David Ellison’s Skydance inherited the Transformers franchise when it acquired Paramount — and then completed its blockbuster takeover of Warner Bros Discovery this week. Ellison has a track record with exactly this kind of popcorn property, having produced Top Gun: Maverick, the Terminator films, and Mission: Impossible. A Bay-directed Transformers fits squarely into the new studio’s mold.
Bay himself first approached Paramount about a return last year, according to earlier reporting. The irony: before The Last Knight, Bay told Rolling Stone he was burned out on the sequels — “this is the last one. I have to pass the reins to someone else.” Nine years later, the reins are apparently coming back.
What Changes
This would be the first Transformers film without Peter Cullen, the legendary voice of Optimus Prime, who died earlier this year — a milestone the franchise cannot sidestep emotionally or practically.
No release date, cast, or plot details have been announced. With Bay reportedly holding out for final cut, the deal isn’t done yet — but for a franchise that has been searching for its spark since 2017, the biggest name in its history returning is the clearest signal yet of where Skydance wants to take it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Michael Bay directing Transformers 8?
He is in final talks to direct it, per Page Six sources, with final cut as the remaining negotiation point. No official studio announcement yet.
How many Transformers movies did Michael Bay direct?
Five: Transformers (2007), Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Dark of the Moon (2011), Age of Extinction (2014), and The Last Knight (2017).
When does Transformers 8 release?
No release date has been announced.
Will Peter Cullen voice Optimus Prime in Transformers 8?
Cullen, the longtime voice of Optimus Prime, died earlier this year, so the new film will be the first without him.