Last month, it was revealed that Paramount Pictures was moving forward with a plan that would expand the "Transformers" franchise into not only sequels, but also spin-offs. Now, during an earnings call, Hasbro spoke about the plan, revealing when the next sequel will be released.
"You may have read something about some writers being hired," said Brian Goldner, CEO of Hasbro. "We have in fact brought in [Akiva Goldsman] to lead a group of writers to really create a strategic plan around 'Transformers.' We think there's any number of stories to be told. It's a brand that's been around for 30 years with amazing canon and mythology. We would expect the sequel to the 'Transformers' movie to happen in 2017."
Goldsman (I Am Legend) will lead the team of writers, along with Michael Bay, Steven Spielberg and Lorenzo di Bonaventura. Goldman won't actually write any of the scripts, but it's been reported that Bay will return for a fifth installment after he completes work on his "13 Hours" Benghazi movie.
Mark Wahlberg, meanwhile, has been hinting that he'll be back as well. "Yeah, I committed to doing a couple more. I can't speak for Mr. Bay, but something tells me we'll be on set soon."
