Shia LaBeouf Says No To 'Transformers 4'; Michael Bay Says Small Crime Flick 'Pain & Gain' Is Next

by Kevin Jagernauth
June 29, 2011 7:45 AM
21 Comments

With "Transformers: The Dark Of The Moon" set to rape your eyeballs and eardrums this long holiday weekend, it looks like if the franchise wants to continue, it may have to do so without two of its key elements thus far.

"When you're a racehorse and you've got 20 trainers, all the trainers want the racehorse to run a certain way," "Transformers" franchise star Shia LaBeouf recently told the LA Times. "...I've been running for a team of people for a long time and I don't take any of it back. ... I've learned a great deal about a certain type of filmmaking. But I have ambitions toward another type of filmmaking that I haven't been allowed to engage in yet."

At only 25 years old, LaBeouf has lived a lifetime already on screen, running from robots hell bent on destroying the Earth while trying to show off his acting chops in films like "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" and his segment in "New York, I Love You." To be fair, before he became a worldwide star thanks to Michael Bay, LaBeouf was already delving into more dramatically oriented work like "Bobby" and "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" and it looks like he wants to move back in that direction and put the series that made his name behind him for now.

"I just don't think right now there's anywhere to take Sam," he told MTV News about any future installments, though leaving the door open. "If you'd asked me fifteen years ago if I would be here, I would've said, 'No way.' I don't have a grand plan. There's not this grand scheme. I just fall into movies. I'm blessed in that regard. The movies I've been involved in, it's never been plotted and planned and picked. I was seventeen when I met Michael, and I'm sort of Michael Bay-raised. I've learned a great deal from Michael, as a person, as an actor, as a person on set. And it's not that I don't enjoy working with Michael. I love working with Michael. I would do any movie Michael wants to do. I just don't think there's anywhere to take it with Sam."

But it's not just LaBeouf who wants to do something different after spending the last half decade steeped in Hasbro lore, as director Michael Bay has already announced his next project. You may not remember, but way back in 2009 Bay said he wanted to do a small movie, based on a Miami News Times article from 1998 titled "Pain And Gain" about a gang of body building criminals, and he says it's still on the slate.

"I'm still going to do it," Bay told MTV. "I'm going to do it next." The project would be budgeted in the neighborhood of $20 million or roughly the cost of 3 minutes of footage from 'Dark Of The Moon.' But actually, it's kind of a fascinating prospect to see Bay go small scale so we kind of hope that happens because the results could be very, very interesting.

But with 'Dark Of The Moon' predicted to take in the neighborhood of $155-165 million this weekend, you can bet Paramount will do all they can to either secure LaBeouf or Bay for another go round. Sure, they could just reboot or retool another entry as a prequel or spinoff ("Transformers 4: The Chronicles Of Huntington-Whiteley" anyone?) but that requires a bit more work in securing talent, writers etc. We figure Bay is done and moving on, but LaBeouf? We'd wager if they can get a director on board that also meets his desires to expand his horizons a little bit that could work and keep the young actor interested in the further adventures of Sam Witwicky.

At any rate, LaBeouf is already going to show a whole different side of himself in John Hillcoat's period bootlegging drama "The Wettest County" due later this year -- his performance and the reception of that film will likely also inform whether or not the actor can leave the Autobots behind. But food for thought as after 'Dark Of The Moon,' Transformers fans may have to wait a little longer for their next robot smashing take on the toys.

More: Films, Actors, Michael Bay, Transformers: The Dark Of The Moon, Shia LaBeouf

21 Comments

| Reply
Padrean khalifa | September 8, 2012 4:01 PMReply

If Shia Doesnt Want To Do It I Promise I'll Do It But One thing I Am A Teenager Give Me A Chance In I'll Make You Millions Or Even Billions Or Even Trillions.I'm A Genius Let Me Do The Job.
Mike | August 13, 2012 4:58 AMReply

Make a war for cybertron movie please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
no gain | April 19, 2012 8:33 PMReply

no shia no movie..there are just some movies you CANT change the characters in..and he is/was one of them ...they will surely loose alot of money if they try to do it without him
Selina Koch | April 9, 2012 10:18 AMReply

Ohne Shai wÃ¤re Transformers dumm !!!
Ohne Shai kein Transformers was wird dann aus Bee wie wollen die das denn machen ???
Sam und Bee Forever !!! ;)
Becca | March 11, 2012 11:31 PMReply

I don't think they should make another movie if Shia isn't in it! He does have a point though. There isn't really anywhere you can take Sam at this point. All the bad guys are dead. Who else would come in? Besides, me being a HUGE Transformers and Shia fan, I would be VERY sad and disappointed if he wasn't in it. Everyone had their part that made this series amazing. But I still love Shia no matter what choice he makes. :) ALSO, if anyone drove Bumblebee in this next movie and if its not Shia then all hell will pay!!!!!!!!!! Bee has one guardian and that's Sam Witwicky!!!!!!
.... | February 25, 2012 1:05 AMReply

NOW IT'S RUINED.
yw4 | January 21, 2012 8:21 PMReply

that sucks they should do that movie it wouldn't be the same with a different director and and a different actor as sam
Tiny | January 20, 2012 3:12 PMReply

Stay stay please Shia will ruin the movies if u leave for sure, bring u n Megan back 100% u want everyone to follow these brill films then Shia n Megan u need to come back. We love u guys, UR Daft if you don't stay mwah
me... | January 12, 2012 5:04 AMReply

Its fair to say that 'nobody' wants Shia LaBeouf to leave Tranformers. Yes i totally agree. Shia makes the films, if he leaves the hole point of Tranformers been based on him (sam) would be a waste of time. I cant think of anyone better to do the part, other then Shia. You've already taken one cast member out aka megan fox.. She (megan) should be brought back too. I feel that if you change the cast members the ratings wont be as good! my opinion. Shia LaBeouf dont leave... me or any of your fans wouldn't like you too. You make the film!!! STAY Shia LaBeouf
I.am.No4 | December 22, 2011 3:20 AMReply

LaBeouf must not leave we already lost megan we cnt afford to loose him, that blonde lady they replaced megan with....tried her best but its just not the same without megan....so please ensure that LaBeouf does not leave......"do it for us the fans...please LaBeouf"
kacki | November 27, 2011 12:54 AMReply

its not transformers without michael bay or shia labeouf. it was already sucky without megan but now no shia... its terrible . PLEZE dont leave
hd | November 16, 2011 9:42 AMReply

shia please don't leave
Ingrid | November 12, 2011 7:19 PMReply

Rosie is extremely HOT!!But Megan brought the SPICE to the movie!!
Me | July 25, 2011 5:14 AMReply

Rosie sucks. Bring Megan back!
Kevin Jagernauth | June 30, 2011 12:26 PMReply

Jess, that sounds like characters from a Nintendo game I once played.
Jessica Kiang | June 30, 2011 6:04 AMReply

Please tell me that "Pain & Gain" will feature two rival bodybuilders, John Pain and Steve Gain.
Joshua | June 30, 2011 2:20 AMReply

If they do involve a new director and Michael Bay moves on, can we bring back Megan Fox? Rosie was okay, but Megan brought the heat and actually has some acting chops. Not the best but better than Rosie
NO | June 29, 2011 12:27 PMReply

The use of the word rape in the first sentence of this post is incredibly unecessary
chad | January 26, 2012 12:12 PM

rape is over the top .... put your personal life aside and take the sentence for what it is .....the man is using the most graphic means necessary to describe how people will feel watching all the cool special effects. So take a chill pill talk to your therapist about what your boyfriend did while you were sleeping and you obviously enjoyed it but felt violated......now lets move on shall we....:P
I.Am.No4 | December 22, 2011 3:24 AM

absalutely not.....i was a bit dazzled too...i mean raping of eyeballs and eardrums.....no.no.no....
hmm | June 29, 2011 9:32 AMReply

19 million was the original Bad Boys budget, so maybe something in that vein