Say it ain't sooo: Bay calls it quits

[donosaur]

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0839146/

According to this article, "Michael Bay has made his last Transformers movie - the director is set to quit the action franchise because he has "had enough" of making big budget blockbusters."

"He adds, 'After the three and a half years I've spent making these movies, I feel like I've had enough of the Transformers world.
'I need to do something totally divergent, something without any explosions.'"

How do we feel about this, guys? I'm sort of conflicted, only if because when all is said and done, Bay is sort of good at what he does. If they replace him for TF3, it'll probably be with a second-rate Bay rather than a competent, non-genre director.

I got the news by following Fake Michael Bay on twitter, which you all should be doing by the way.

[Onslaught Six]

We all knew this already, he said the same thing when shooting wrapped up for this movie, and he's been saying it constantly ever since. Shia and Megan Fox have said the same--there's gonna be a break between these and the third.

Which is good, as now I have more time to get on the soundtrack.

[Dominic]

-thread moved to movie section-


I am not a fan of the movies to begin with. But, I agree with Don that Bay leaving will not be of much help to the movies. They will still be low-grade actioners, just without being branded as "Bay".


Still, I have to wonder if Bay is serious about wanting to do something without explosions.

Dom
-"The Notebook", by Michael Bay.

[Sparky Prime]

'I need to do something totally divergent, something without any explosions.'"

It just wouldn't be a Michael Bay film with out an explosion. Or 10.

But really, I don't think Transformers really needs to have Bay as director. I think he has done a good job so far with them but, I think another director could do just as well, if not better with it.

[onslaught86]

I sincerely hope they don't replace him with a Bay-wannabe, as that would likely be much worse (It's possible! Really!). Transformers as a property has not been the recipient of 'too' many favours at the hands of M. Bay, but I think new and interesting things can be done with the movie franchise's approach to the property.

Let's hear it for.. Transformers 3, as directed by Tarantino and Rodriguez! No?

I choose you, Paul Verhoevan. Now there's a man who knows how to direct an intelligent action movie.

[Mirage]

With our luck, it'd be Brett Ratner. All things considered, probably better if Bay sticks it out, at least for the trilogy (which, it has sound for a while like this is).

And it sounds like that's happening. Bay is now shooting down the rumors of quitting, and just emphasizing that he wants a break. See http://www.michaelbay.com/newsblog/file ... 5-524.html

[138 Scourge]

I sincerely hope they don't replace him with a Bay-wannabe, as that would likely be much worse (It's possible! Really!). Transformers as a property has not been the recipient of 'too' many favours at the hands of M. Bay, but I think new and interesting things can be done with the movie franchise's approach to the property.

Let's hear it for.. Transformers 3, as directed by Tarantino and Rodriguez! No?

I choose you, Paul Verhoevan. Now there's a man who knows how to direct an intelligent action movie.

Which is funny, because I'd be delighted to see "Transformers 3: Directed by Robert Rodriguez". The man can do all-out action, he can do lighter fare, he has a good sense of humor about things...I don't really see where the downside would be. Even if the third movie became some sort of stylized action movie ala Planet Terror...can anything being like Planet Terror ever be a bad thing?

Verhoevan's not a bad choice, either, true fact. But I've been saying (or at least thinking) Rodriguez since before the first movie happened.

And, apropos of nothing, I'd kill to see Rodriguez make a "Power Pack" movie, too. A man can dream...

[Dominic]

Paul Verhoevan?

I grant you that "Total Recal" kinda-sorta works on a meta-level, and it *probably* means to. But, "Starship Troopers" was bad. And, "Showgirls" is basically porn with pretense. I mean, really.

So, who really thinks Bay wants to do a serious movie?

Dom
-counting down to "Revenge of the Fallen".

[JediTricks]

Which is funny, because I'd be delighted to see "Transformers 3: Directed by Robert Rodriguez". The man can do all-out action, he can do lighter fare, he has a good sense of humor about things...I don't really see where the downside would be.

Rodiguez only likes to work in "mid-budget" territory to avoid studio interference and expectations, he wouldn't touch this film with a 10 foot robot-pole.

[onslaught86]

Paul Verhoevan?

I grant you that "Total Recal" kinda-sorta works on a meta-level, and it *probably* means to. But, "Starship Troopers" was bad. And, "Showgirls" is basically porn with pretense. I mean, really.

Robocop! C'mon. I enjoyed Starship Troopers for being an action movie with more brain than most, and for splendidly integrating Verhoevan's distinctive 'media narrative' style, one that would work pretty well with Transformers.

Although I'm not really serious in picking him as director, it'd certainly be interesting.