With Transformers: The Last Knight underperforming (by Transformers standards) at the box office, and the only confirmed followup the Bumblebee spinoff, the Transformers cinematic universe is off to a shaky start. Paramount launched their ambitious plans by hiring Akiva Goldsman, a producer and writer who has done pretty much everything in the business, to lead their writers room of heavy-hitters.
With longtime director Michael Bay and star Mark Wahlberg announcing their departure from the franchise, the future was certainly in question. And now it's even more in doubt as Slashfilm has learned, from Goldsman himself, that he has also left. They spoke to him at the Television Critics Association and when asked if he was still involved with Transformers, the answer was simply, "No."
It may be that Goldsman was done with his chosen task. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura clarified the writers' rooms goals recently: "The writers room, which was set up by all of us, was set up to explore the mythology more. It was set up for a few different reasons but the biggest thing that happened in it was they expanded the mythology of Transformers in a way that allowed us to go to King Arthur. There’s different areas, like we’ve examined World War II, etc."
Goldsman has a ton on his plate, anyway. He's deeply involved in the Star Trek franchise, and is producing the new series Star Trek Discovery, while also being one of the producers behind this week's release of The Dark Tower.
Next up for Transformers is the Bumblebee film, which opens on December 18th 2018 and faces stiff competition from Aquaman, opening that same weekend. Something's gotta give, right?
