'Transformers 4 And 5' May Shoot Back-To-Back, Jason Statham Could Star

Our box office dollars asked for it and now Paramount is hoping to deliver a double dose. Earlier today, news broke that Hasbro is keen on getting director Michael Bay back behind the camera to shoot a fourth Transformers film. Variety is now reporting the plan is much bigger than that. They're actually considering filming a fourth and fifth film simultaneously – much as Warner Bros. did with The Matrix sequels, Disney did with the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean films and Universal is considering with the sixth and seventh Fast and Furious movies. Transformers: Dark of the Moon screenwriter Ehren Kruger reportedly has an idea for both films and they're current looking for writers. There's more after the jump.

Variety's story states that the decision to film both films in one big chunk actually saves money in the long run because there's not as big a rush on expensive visual effects, no need for difficult contract negotiations with the actors and, in the case of Transformers, more time is given to designing and creating the all-important toy tie ins.

They also report Shia LaBeouf will not be back and that sources close to the production are, in fact, interested in Jason Statham to star in the films but no formal offer has been made.

If this does end up happening – and with the last film grossing over $1 billion dollars why wouldn't it – it would be a massive commitment by all parties. In the past, Michael Bay was very vocal about wanting to move away from these films after three of them, and though doing two films back to back seems to go against that, Variety reports the aforementioned negotiations do suggest he'll return. Personally, while I don't want to see two more Transformer movies, I really don't want to see two more Michael Bay Transformer movies. We've seen it. Let someone else have the huge checkbook.

What are your thoughts on this? Will it happen? Do you trust Ehren Kruger?