I see people here talks Bay like he's in control of everything in Paramount. I believe he doesn't and that's why they hired in all those writers. Because they want to give the oppurtunity to other directors also.
OP - in what way do you think Paramount would be "afraid" of Bay? His movies are shot on time, at budget or under, and make a shitload of money. From a studio perspective, Bay is perfect.
Spielberg and almost $2 billion at your back damn right people will be afraid of you. But I would imagine the studio love him. He's money, and all Studios love money.
Oh they totally are. He busted into an executive meeting one time, half-drunk, waving around a chromed up pistol and rambling about being stuck on bullshit robot movies, and then he gestured with the gun to the window and said he had a surprise. Pointed to some executive's car, and then... And that's why they let him make Pain and Gain.
This The studio isn't afraid OF him, they're afraid without him these 200 million dollar movies won't make a billion dollars.
I heard that when Paramount goes to sleep at night they check under their bed and in their closet for Bay.
I think they are afraid to tell him no on anything because Paramount really doesn't have much shaking in the big tent pole event films. Without a big mega successful franchise to fall back on and with the other studios having the A list superheroes tied up all Paramount can do is hope that Bay can continue to wring a little more cash out of the carcass of the Transformers film franchise.