Michael Bay is not directing Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and there is a good reason why. Paramount launched its live-action Transformers movie franchise in 2007 with Michael Bay directing the first installment after being courted by Steven Spielberg. It marked the beginning of a very lucrative run for the franchise under Bay's leadership, which turned the films into a significant part of the studio's plan. Over the course of the first five movies in the series, Transformers became synonymous with Michael Bay thanks to how he brought epic action, a heightened military presence, and more to the movies.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is the seventh installment in the franchise overall, even though it follows in Bumblebee's footsteps as a prequel to Michael Bay's Transformers movies. It takes place about a decade before the events of the original 2007 film starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. Whereas Michael Bay played a pivotal role in shaping the Transformers franchise and turning the movies into massive box office hits, he is not directing Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. The decision to not have Michael Bay return was made for several reasons.
Michael Bay Left Transformers Because He Made Too Many Of The Franchise's Movies
Michael Bay stopped directing Transformers movies after Transformers: The Last Knight. This was because he started to be burned out by making so many films in the franchise in a short amount of time. The success of his Transformers movies led Paramount to push for a new entry to release in theaters every two years at first. Considering Michael Bay did not want to direct Transformers at first, the expectations left him with very little time to pursue other projects. He originally considered leaving the Transformers franchise after the third film, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and once again contemplated stepping away after Transformers: Age of Extinction.
The fact that the third and fourth Transformers movies Michael Bay directed made over $1 billion made him indispensable to the franchise in Paramount's eyes. The studio repeatedly lured him back with big paydays. Bay has since revealed (via Unilad UK) that Steven Spielberg told him to stop after completing the trilogy. He even admitted that he "made too many of them" in reference to directing five Transformers movies over the span of a decade. Michael Bay emphatically declared he would not return after Transformers: The Last Knight, which became a reality after the box office drastically dropped and reviews got even worse.
Rise of the Beasts Is Part of the Franchise's Move Away From Bay
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is the latest effort from Paramount to move the Transformers franchise away from Michael Bay. Bumblebee took the story back to the 1980s and brought the classic G1 character designs to the screen. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts continues the story in the mid-1990s with more G1 designs, brand new human leads, and the introduction of Beast Wars characters. It still has some of the main Autobots that Michael Bay used and technically serves as a prequel to his movies, even though it could include more franchise retcons.
With Michael Bay not directing Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, that responsibility falls to Steven Caple Jr. The former Creed II director steps into the franchise to become only the second person to direct a live-action Transformers movie not named Michael Bay. The other is Travis Knight, who directed Bumblebee and successfully brought the franchise back to a smaller scale with more heart and humor than other recent entries. While Michael Bay is not directing Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, he is still involved as a producer and was on set with Steven Caple Jr.
Will Michael Bay Ever Return To Transformers?
It does not appear that Michael Bay will return to the Transformers movies as a director ever again. He has managed to find better career opportunities behind the camera away from the Hasbro toy movies. 2022's Ambulance was a significant return to form for Michael Bay, as it earned him the best reviews of his career. It marked a step up from the likes of Pain & Gain or 13 Hours, which received mixed-to-positive reviews. Bay has even found success away from Transformers with Netflix's 6 Underground, as Ryan Reynolds' action movie was a huge hit for the streaming service despite poor reviews.
Now that so many years have passed since Michael Bay directed a Transformers movie, he should retain the freedom of being away from it as long as he and the franchise continue to find success separately. There is certainly a scenario where Paramount asks Bay to return and help resurrect the franchise if Transformers: Rise of the Beasts does not launch a new trilogy as planned. Considering he has several other projects in the works and appears happier not doing Transformers movies, even that might not be enough to lure Michael Bay back.
