Michael Bay Confirms Plans For New TRANSFORMERS Trilogy; Epic New Grimlock Still Released
Michael Bay confirms that Transformers: Age of Extinction is indeed the first part of a new trilogy, and addresses everything from Grimlock's origin story to the big screen debut of Lockdown and the decision to not bring back Shia Labeouf. Check it out!
"It’s kind of like a new Transformers," Michael Bay told Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview. "We had three, the first trilogy, and this is going to be the next one." When asked to clarify whether or not he was referring to the next trilogy or simply the next movie, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles producer revealed: "Yeah, it’s the first of a new trilogy. I’m not necessarily sure that I’m doing [the others], but that’s what it’s meant for."
Now, as you can see from the epic new still above, the Dinobot known as Grimlock looks set to be a major new addition to the Transformers franchise. However, Bay wouldn't reveal just how much of his origin story will make it into this live action adaptation. "I like to keep things very much in the dark," he teased. "But yes, you’ll understand why they’re there when you see the movie. If you think I’m supposed to give away a lot of story points? No way! Keep it secret." However, the site does reveal that he'll be, "150 feet long from tail to nostrils, 63.5 feet tall from the ground to the top of his horns, and weigh 850 tons."
Bay then went on to talk about a Transformer who is neither Autobot or Decepticon, but is instead a bounty hunter named Lockdown, whose alternate form is a Lamborghini Aventador. "Lockdown is an interesting character. He travels the galaxy, he works for somebody else. And he’s here for one person, one alien, and then he’s out of here," Bay revealed. "So he doesn’t really want to take sides. The cause and balance of the galaxy is kind of messed up when different species play with different species. And that opens up a whole other gigantic world for Transformers. Lockdown’s ship has a lot of meaning that can go into other movies. There’s a lot of backstory about that ship that’s not laid out here. You’re going to see a few things where you’re like ‘What is that? And what is that?’ And you’re going to see a couple shots like, ‘Wait a minute, who are they?’ But we don’t answer those questions."
Finally, talk turned to what led to Shia Labeouf not returning for this fourth movie. "It’s all good. He’s a good guy, but three movies, the same guy, it’s time, you know what I’m saying? It’s always good to freshen it up and change the story." Bay then went on to insist that the eccentric actor wasn't fired; the director just felt like it was time for some fresh blood. "No, no it was mutual. He only wanted to do three, and I think that’s all. Then I pulled Mark into this after Pain & Gain, because we had a great time working together."