Michael Bay in Talks for ‘Transformers 5,’ Animated Origin Movie Coming From ‘Ant-Man’ Writers

After months of brain-storming, the Transformers writers room has finished their work…for now. Writers room head Akiva Goldsman is officially scripting Transformers 5, with Mark Wahlberg confirmed to return and Michael Bay in talks to return to the director’s chair after declaring he was finished with the franchise. In addition, that previously rumored animated spinoff is officially happening with the writers of Ant-Man.

One of the things that was unclear about the new Transformers brain trust was exactly how the writers would share the credit. According to Deadline, we at least know that Goldsman will be credited for writing Transformers 5, which is looking to begin filming in June. Goldsman has completed a “blueprint” for the screenplay, with Bay in talks to return as director, and Wahlberg confirmed to reprise his role from Age of Extinction.

Ant-Man writers Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari are writing an animated spinoff which will tell the origin story of the Transformers, and takes place on their home world of Cybertron.

The remaining writers — Zak Penn (Pacific Rim), Jeff Pinkner (Lost), Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man), Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down), Christina Hodson, Lindsey Beer, Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Steven S. DeKnight (Daredevil) — all came up with ideas for sequels, prequels and spinoffs for the franchise, and each pitched their ideas to Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, and their fellow producers.

While not all of these ideas were solid enough to support additional feature-length films, Spielberg reportedly felt as though they came up with at least five potential new films of the nine suggested.