I was thinking the other day that it's interesting how Transformers' first attempt into a Cinematic Universe was the movie to flop (after four huge hits). It seems like every franchise (outside of Marvel) is having that same problem. Cinematic Universes just don't seem sustainable. If Transformers 5 had been a straightforward sequel to Age of Extinction, I wonder if it would have gone over better, or if TF5 was always doomed to fail...

I'm going to play the devil's advocate and say I don't fully agree. I'd actually like to see a post-TLK movie, and see more of the characters and world that movie introduced. Keep in mind it's a world where Transformers are practically swarming Earth, because so many have shown up. Not to mention a giant Transformer is buried in the Earth, so they could explore how humanity and Transformers deal with that dilemma. I think they could do a lot with that setup. They don't really need fan-favorite characters to do a good story. I actually really like exploring new characters.

I do think the Bay-era needs to end either way. At this point he seems to be out of original stories, they're getting too repetitive. I really don't think his heart was in the last couple movies. Especially TLK. I think we need new creatives in charge, but I'm all for seeing more of that universe if that's the route the storytellers want to go. I don't really agree with the common notion that the universe is creatively bankrupt. It's only as creatively bankrupt as the storytellers are (which applies to a new universe too).

 

I think that not ALL movie franchises need a universe, it makes me question whether or not a Transformers cinematic universe would even work. Compared to Marvel and DC, there isn’t as many people who are actually interested in Transformers imo, before and after the live action movies.
And I agree it would be interesting to see a post TLK movie. But what I mean is after that movie I don’t think there really that much they can do after. Unicron is as big as it gets, no pun intended

 

I'd love a sequel to TLK. I just would want it to be a better movie than TLK..

 

The problem with Cinematic Universes is that every single time, outside of the MCU, they seemed more interested in skipping directly to having the world building of the 'universe' as opposed to, y'know, actually making a good stand alone film. The Mummy is the posterchild example of this, since they spent so much time talking about the group that, presumably, was supposed to be the lynchpin of the Dark Universe hunting all these monsters, that they forgot to actually make a good film about The Mummy.

Likewise, TLK spent way too much time going on about its 'illustrious' alternate history with Transformers doing Ancient Aliens and having been around this whole time. WWII didn't even need to be in the film (let alone that infamous bit about draping swastikas on Churchhil's home that didn't even end up in the film at all!) and yet it was. Things like the Witwiticans, the Knights, whatever the fuck Quintessa is, those things just were present out of the blue with zero context and were clearly meant to be part of a bigger picture with poor context surrounding them. Hell, the number one thing that keeps people wanting a sequel to TLK at all is the poor copy-paste of 'Unicron is the Earth' plot device where Unicron isn't even in play - sure, his horns pop up, but that's literally it. And given the obvious point of the TFCU trying to compete with the MCU, it's a given that Unicron would have been the Thanos, but that in turn only means Unicron wouldn't have even been referenced (despite, y'know, the two giant ass horns on Earth now) because they wouldn't want to burn that card immediately. The MCU didn't even introduce Thanos until the very end of Avengers (though if you were familiar with the Cosmic Cube, I suppose the mcguffin of Captain America foreshadowed his involvement). The Creators were pretty much forgotten about entirely.

And on that subject, I doubt a straight sequel to AoE would have been any better for the same reasons. Who the fuck cares about The Creators, a faction so poorly explained and implemented that their only importance is to be the ones to blame for everything else? Who the fuck cares about the Dinobots, who aren't even called by name and are instead just random-ass 'knights' Lockdown captured, despite being plastered all over AoE's advertising? What AoE did was basically try to shake up the franchise by dropping in a bunch of 'cool' things that weren't necessarily that well explained or implemented, in the hope of getting a fifth film that would actually have the chance to explore those things. Except as a result of that, very little, if any, actual context for those concepts got drafted, which is why they were so easily tossed aside when TLK's script writing came around - because The Creators and Dinobots carried so little weight in the narrative by design, they could just be cast off based on averaged audience appeal in order to focus on what audiences wanted more of. And the Dinobots won that contest somehow, meaning The Creators were ignored entirely in favor of Quintessa (who at least showed the fuck up to do her own dirty work) and the Dinobots did show up again...in a completely worthless manner that went against what was promised in press releases.

The truth is, even without the TFCU plan, the films were doomed one way or another because they simply didn't have a solid plan for the backstory in the first place and ultimately never did even with the TFCU.

 

Yes it would have been a better film. No doubt. TF5 was doomed to fail because of the cinematic stunt they forced on it.

 

It's a reboot bumblebee is a reboot

 

Yeah, I think this is hitting the nail right on the head. People care about stories, first and foremost. A Cinematic Universe without good stories are nothing but lore, which isn't enough to make a profit.

 

They say the same thing

 

Who and what?

 

About the movie making a profit it’s still not enough

 

It did make a profit. If you think otherwise you’re just plain wrong. It made triple its budget. It boosted toy sales and gave them a lot of money back after TLK. These are facts.

 

Yeah, it's hard enough to be dedicated to a good movie universe. Nobody will want to put effort in following a bad one.

 

Except for the guys at DC and Warner Bros

 

Exactly-and the bayverse is a clear case of diminishing returns, irregardless of how much profit came in. BB turned out to be a good start. I still feel we may not hear any definitive details until late next year. I'm actually fine with that. . .

 

Anyday in 2020

 

See, the skeletons are waiting patiently for news, and they're all antsy in their pantsies now that halloween spooky season is upon us. There's no reason the rest of us can't sit back like those skellingtons with a smile and wait for news to come out when it will.

 

The Netflix series may determine the future path.

 

Exactly. That will be a major part in determining the path from here. . .

 

Rumor: Power Rangers and Transformers Combined Film Universe in the Works - Bounding Into Comics
Well, this just rumor... Not confirm at all...