Although, strong rumors about Michael Bay ditching Transformers 5 have been doing the rounds for quite sometime now, the lack of any official confirmation coupled with a recent interview with Mark Wahlberg hints at the possibility of the director maybe coming back on board.

Age of Extinction Sequel To Start A Fresh Phase In Transformers Series?

In a recent interview with MTV, Mark Wahlberg stated that filming for the movie would start soon, and he couldn't speak for Mr. Bay. It seems unlikely that the producers would have found a suitable director at such a short notice. Bay could also be in negotiations with the studio to get a sweeter deal on the next in the franchise. Also, Wahlberg confirmed that he had signed a three-movie contract for Transformers with Paramount, which means Bay might have also signed on for the trilogy as there has to be some sense of thematic semblance between the films. But there is also enough reason to believe that Bay has left the franchise for good.

Variety reported that the director has signed on to helm a Paramount movie based on the book, Thirteen Hours: A Firsthand Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff. The book investigates the terrorist strike on the U.S. Special Mission Compound & CIA Annex in Benghazi.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Director Helming Age of Extinction Sequel? 

On August 11, IndieWire reported that Bay had hinted at the fact that he might not be as keen on directing the sequel to Age of Extinction. The revelation came from an MTV interview, the director did just after wrapping work on Transformers 4. "There's a lot that's unexplored, but that's for the next director to figure out," he said.

Bay also went on to talk about how tough it was working on the series and it took a lot of time and effort.

"They're hard movies to do and it takes every day for two years. They're fun, but they're hard," he said.

There had been plenty speculation about Bay not coming on board for the next movie, including talk of him only agreeing to direct Transformers 5 on the condition that the producers allow him to direct a smaller, passion project, like Pain and Gain last year, before working on the mega blockbuster franchise.

"There's kind of a new chapter, a new direction in movies I want to make," Bay said. "I have a lot of stories to tell. And it's about flexing new muscles."

Transformers: Age of Extinction hit theaters on June 27, 2014.

Watch the trailer for Age of Extinction here: