The rumor machine behindTransformers 5probably won’t kick into high gear until after13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazihits theaters early next year. Right now, directorMichael Bayis focusing all of his energy on that true-life action drama. In the meantime, awriters' roomfull of stellar talent led byAkiva Goldsmanis concocting the prefect screenplay for Transformers 5, which will hopefully get the okay fromMichael Bay. One of the voice actors behind the franchise has opened up just a tiny little bit about what we can expect. And according to Mark Ryan, we’re going to see this latest adventure split into two distinct directions.
Mark Ryan has voiced Jetfire inTransformers: Revenge of the Fallenand returned to voice Lockdown inTransformers: Age of Extinction. Speaking during the “Wings and Wheels” convention in the United Kingdom, he explained that Transformers 5 will go down two very separate roads. The first storyline will followMark Wahlberg’s Cade Yeager as he and the Dinobots set out to save Earth from an impending threat. And he will have a few Autobots helping him out as well.
It is rumored that Transformers 5 is yet another reboot of the franchise, with plans to focus more on the Autobots and Decepticons as Paramount prepares for an onslaught ofspinoffs, prequels and solo movies. This will be set into motion with the second storyline in Transformers 5, which sees Optimus Prime heading into space to find the creators of his race, known as the Quintessons. This was set up at the end ofTransformers: Age of Extinction. And it will lead to Optimus confronting the giant transformer known as Unicron. Mark Ryan was unable to confirm which of these story lines is gaining more traction in the writers' room. It’s possible that the movie could be set up likeStar Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, where it jumps back and forth between both parts of the narrative. Or it may just follow one strict narrative storyline.
Transformers 5probably won’t just follow the Transformers in space, though.Mark Wahlberghas stated many times in the past that he will return asCade Yeagerin a 5th movie. There have also been rumors, some perpetuated by the writers' room itself, that The Beast Wars will finally be brought to the big screen in Transformers 5, and might figure into the plot revolving around Optimus' trip into outer space. Some believe aG.I. Joecrossover is on the horizon, too, but that’s one rumor no one associated with the movie wants to comment on for the time being.G.I. Joe 3is planned for a 2016 release date, but we’ve heard little about the sequel in recent months. ProducerLorenzo di Bonaventurahas stated in the recent past that a crossover, if it happens, will come later than sooner.
“I think later on that’s a possibility but I don’t think in the near future… It’s not something we talk about either. There’s a lot more story to be told in both cases. If at some moment we all think ‘You know what? It’s time to bring the two of them together’ we’ll do that, but I think they’re strong enough to exist on their own.”
Mark Ryan claims that Transformers 5 will start shooting early next year for release in 2017. Though, as a voice actor, his schedule will be much different than the actors working on the movie. Unless, as rumored, there are no humans in the movie. It should also be noted that Lockdown is killed off inTransformers: Age of Extinction, but Mark Ryan is a permanent fixture in the Transformers universe, and will likely voice a new, different character. In an interview from earlier this year,Akiva Goldsmanclaimed that he and his writing staff were going to focus more on the preexisting history of the Transformers toys and cartoon series, bringing more aspects from both to the big screen. We have no idea what that means just yet.
