Paramount recently announced via Variety that a third Transformers movie would come out on July 1st, 2011, maintaining the two-year break between films.  Awesome, right?

Not exactly.  Following the news break, Michael Bay posted a retraction of sorts on his own website:

Paramount made a mistake in dating Transformers 3 - they asked me on the phone - I said yes to July 4[th weekend] - but for 2012 - whoops! Not 2011!!! That would mean I would have to start prep in September. No way. My brain needs a break from fighting robots.

Three things may result from this bit of news.  From least likely to most likely:

1. Paramount fires Bay and finds someone else to release the movie in 2011.

2. Paramount offers Michael Bay a staggering amount of money to get it in theaters by 2011, and he accepts, because let’s face it, he’s a hack and everybody likes money.

3. Paramount lets Bay push the release date back a year, because he’s made them obscene amounts of money and he can do what he wants.

Ironically, the least likely among those (#1) is probably the most cost-effective.  Get a lesser-known director and pay him a tiny percentage of Bay’s asking fee, and secure a surefire 2011 hit.

Would fans be mad?  What a strange world that would be, when fanboys get mad about Michael Bay leaving a franchise.