So what if Shia LeBeouf doesn’t come back for Transformers 4, why would you need him when you have the Stath? Check out the blurb below from IGN:

Latino Review points out that ShowbizSpy claims Statham is in the running to play the lead in the next film. “It’s clear the franchise still has huge potential but with a new leading man capable of taking Transformers in a new, darker direction,” according to the site. “Jason could be just the man to do that and his relationship with Rosie would be an added bonus in marketing the movie.”

Of course it’s all just rumor now, but imagine how hardcore of a movie Transformers 4 would be with robots not only beating the shit out of each other, but Jason Statham navigating the battlefield in Bumblebee and blasting the circuits out of Decepticons too! It’s too awesome to comprehend! And he’s no stranger to the whole weaponized car deal. (DEATH RACE?)

Of course there’s also already talk about whether or not the fourth robo-extravaganza would be a reboot over at IGN:

“Not so fast,” according to producer Don Murphy.

On the producer’s message board, Murphy wrote: “What happens next? Certainly not a reboot. We haven’t lost the Transformers. They didn’t grow up or become expensive like Tobey Maguire. I don’t know what happens next. I’m pretty sure there will be a second trilogy…”

Interestingly, Transformers director Michael Bay recently told IGN that he thinks a future installment would have to go the way of the reboot.

I think Michael Bay is just straight up retarded here. Or maybe he’s just afraid someone else will pick up where he left off and the franchise continues to be a money maker and it makes him feel less special. There’s still plenty of directions to go with Transformers 4 leading off from Dark of the Moon. Sure Megatron and the other main Decepticons are dead as Dillinger, but as many hardcore Transformers fans are aware, Galvatron is created from the ruined body of Megatron. (Just as Cyclonus and Galvatron’s other minions are made from other fallen Decepticons.) And Galvatron is brought back by none other than Unicron, the biggest of the Transformes; think of a Death Star transforming into a giant robot with a sweet Sentinel Prime beard.

And there are still plenty of Autobots to bring into the mix with Iron Hide dead, and if they decide to off Optimus once and for all. They would just have to bring in Kup, Hot Rod, Blur and Springer, all of whom would make for great incarnations on the silver screen. See? No need for a reboot at all. Just make Autobot city on Earth and go from there!

Sure it’s all way too early to tell what they’ll do at this point and the Statham thing is just one huge rumor, but let’s face it; Pirates of the Carribbean 4: On Stranger Tides isn’t even out of theaters yet and Depp is already about to sign on for the next one. In Hollywood, I believe there is no such thing as early, especially when it comes to milking a franchise for everything it’s worth. What say you all? Any ideas of where the next Transformers movie can go? Or are you sick and tired of robots in disguise?