The fifth installment of the Transformers franchise, currently dubbed Transformers 5, is finally underway and has confirmed to begin filming this year in Michigan. Director Michael Bay confirmed to return to the director's chair, however, he also clarified that the project will be his last Transformers movie.
The Transformers franchise is set to return in Michigan once again in the setting of its first film. According to Movie News Guide, the state and Paramount Pictures will go with the studio's planned Michigan tax credit. The studio also offered to return half of its planned tax credit of $42 million.
Michigan Film and Digital Media Office commissioner Jenell Leonard said that they are expecting the project to utilize the same setting they used for their previous installments. The filming for Transformers 5 is also expected to bring jobs to locals as the studio is required to hire people from out of the state and local people from Michigan in a 1:1 ratio.
Details on the film's cast are currently scarce, but director Michael Bay has been confirmed to return to helm the upcoming film. However, as reported by Breathecast, Bay confirmed that the fifth installment will be his last in the franchise.
"I'm doing Transformers ... 5, is it? I've taken on a lot of work. ... It's fun to do a movie that 100 million people will see," Bay said. "But this is the last one. I have to pass the reins to someone else. J.J. [Abrams] told me, 'You're the only guy that could do this.' But it's time to move on. One more", he added.
Per Day Herald, the next installment is speculated to feature two plots. One arc could pick up where Optimus Prime was left off during the "Age of Instinction" where he was headed to space to come face to face with the leader of the Quintessons. Another side of the plot could feature Cade Yeager and Ultra Magnus who will try to manage the events on Earth.
Aside from Mark Wahlberg who will reprise his role as Cade Yeager, no other actors have been officially casted for Transformers 5. Akiva Goldsman is set to oversee the script, although he will not take part in its actual writing. The upcoming film is expected to hit theaters in June 23, 2017.
