Michael Bay is returning to the helm of a Transformers film once more, to bring us the fourth slice of action that will see him reuniting with the brilliant Mark Wahlberg, following their great experiences on shooting Pain & Gain (due out in Spring 2013).
Following the initial announcement last week, we’ve since heard that the story will be set four years after Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and now Vulture are reporting that Paramount and Bay are looking to set and potentially shoot the film in China.
THR are also reporting that Bay is now in the process of testing a number of young actresses and actors for the role of Wahlberg’s daughter and her boyfriend, confirming the early casting details we heard back in October.
The big news is, of course, the shift to China. The international market has become more and more important, particularly for studio blockbusters, and Japan leads the way as the highest-earning territory outside of the US, with China expected to come in first by the year’s end.
With a lot of money in the budget for Transformers 4, the studio are naturally going to be keen to do everything they can to ensure a high return on their investment, and setting the film in China would certainly be a good way to go about doing that.
“By getting Chinese culture into it, there’s a better chance of getting it into China,” explained one insider briefed on the studio’s plans, “and less chance of getting frozen out.”
Ehren Kruger, who penned Revenge of the Fallen and Dark of the Moon, is in the process of writing the script, and if the reports are true, then we can look forward to the film being at least partially set, and likely shot, in China.
Production is expected to get underway in the spring, and I for one am really looking forward to seeing how this develops. I’m a huge fan of Wahlberg’s work, and think he’s a brilliant choice to re-energise the blockbuster with the reboot.
The as-yet-untitled Transformers 4 was originally slated for a late June release in 2014, but Bay recently spoke of a 4th July, 2014 release date last week, which would make sense, capitalising on the Independence Day weekend in the US. Hopefully we’ll have confirmation one way or the other soon. More as we get it.
