‘Transformers’ Rolls Out Movie Plans for the Next 10 Years

10. That’s the number of years we have left in the Transformers franchise…for now. This year, Paramount and writer / producer Akiva Goldsman recruited a brain trust of writers to formulate plans for Transformers sequels, as well as potential spinoffs and animated projects. Their work yielded plans for Transformers 5, as well as an animated origin story prequel. But how many more films are in the works? Rumor has it they have plans for at least five.

Hasbro Studios President Stephen J. Davis was the keynote speaker at MIP Junior in Cannes, where he revealed a few more details about the future of the franchise (via ComingSoon):

Well, you’re going to see a new Transformers movie coming from Hasbro and Paramount and Michael Bay and our other partners. In fact, we just finished, as some of you may have read, just an incredible experience. We decided that we wanted to plot out the next 10 years of the Transformers franchise, so we got together in a room over a three-month period of time. Nine of some of the most creative writers I have ever worked with, shepherded by Akiva Goldsman, who many of you may know won an Academy Award for A Beautiful Mind and written a bunch of great movies. And they plotted out the next 10 years of Transformers. Similarly, we are doing the same in television and in digital. So stay tuned, Transformers 5 is on its way, and 6 and 7 and 8.

That’s four direct sequels, with no mention of spinoffs. Add that to the animated origin movie which will tell the story of how the Autobots and Decepticons came to be, and that’s five. Last we heard, producers Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay and other Paramount executives heard pitches from the nine writers in the brain trust and selected about five solid ideas. Could there be more? Could there be potential plans for Transformers to extend beyond 10 years? Can you imagine watching this franchise when you are 60 years old?

The brain trust includes Ant-Man writers Andrew Barrer and Gabrier Ferrari, who are developing the animated film, while Goldsman himself will deliver the script for Transformers 5. They’re joined by fellow writers Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man), Jeff Pinkner (Lost), Zak Penn (Pacific Rim), Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down), Black List writers Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Christina Hodson, Daredevil Season 1 showrunner Steven S. DeKnight, and Lindsey Beer.

Transformers 5 is currently slated for a 2017 release date, with Michael Bay in talks to return to the director’s chair and Mark Wahlberg set to reprise his role from Age of Extinction.