'Transformers' Cinematic Universe Coming Soon
Paramount Pictures has big plans for the "Transformers" franchise. Beyond plans for more film sequels, Paramount wants to create a "Transformers" cinematic universe, much like the one created by Marvel. The company is negotiating to get the help of Akiva Goldsman, writer of "A Beautiful Mind," to put their plan into action.
As reported in Deadline, Goldsman is not going to write any of the "Transformers" film, but will look for and oversee an assemblage of writers who will come together, brainstorm and write the upcoming films in the universe. This concept, the report says, is borrowed from James Cameron's tactics with the three "Avatar" sequels and that of Disney's strategy to put together more sequels and spinoffs for "Star Wars."
Goldsman is supposed to facilitate meetings with producers Steven Spielberg, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and director Michael Bay, as well as writers who will form part of a "writer's room." This group will reportedly "incubate ideas for a potential multi-part 'Transformers' sequel, and come up with potential spinoff films based on the billion-dollar franchise culled from the Hasbro toy line."
The last film of the franchise, the 2014 "Transformers: Age of Extinction" was not considered a box office hit, but according to another report in Deadline, the film is 2014's "most valuable blockbuster" grossing $1.1 billion worldwide, including $324 million gross earnings in China alone. This almost matched the gross earnings of the 2011 "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." For Paramount, this meant that the franchise is still going strong. All four Transformers films earned Paramount a whopping $4 billion.
The Deadline report also mentions that this development and writing process must happen quickly, as director Michael Bay will be soon occupied with directing the Benghazi film "13 Hours." It would be ideal for him to start working on the next "Transformers" film after he finishes "13 Hours."
