It’s a popular way to save some money, knocking two movies out in one long grueling shoot, and it’s something that’s now being considered for Transformers 4 and Transformers 5.

Hasbro, the toy company behind the Transformers brand, sees massive dollar signs with the third movie in the film franchise, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, recently pulling in over $1 billion worldwide, as any business would. So, as was just reported, they’re now in “active discussions” with Paramount Pictures, director Michael Bay, and producer Steven Spielberg to figure out what the next step for the franchise will be, and now the added possibility of producing two films in one shot.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Directed by Michael Bay
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, John Turturro, Patrick Dempsey, Peter Cullen, Hugo Weaving, Leonard Nimoy
Release Date: June 29, 2011

Say what you will about Michael Bay, the man is not a fan of subtlety. It’s pretty well established that, if he could make money doing it, he would release a movie that is just pyrotechnics followed by credits. The third movie in Bay’s Transformers film trilogy actually comes pretty close to that, but surprisingly, it’s still better than the movie that proceeded it. While that doesn’t make Transformers: Dark of the Moon a great movie, it certainly hits the mark it is aiming for.

Perhaps learning from the mistakes he made with Revenge of the Fallen, Bay severely cut down the exposition, leaving an overwhelming majority of the two and half hour film to be filled with mindless action sequences. When the first Transformers film came out, some people were disappointed that there wasn’t more fighting between the giant CGI robots. This time around, it’s unlikely anyone will say the same, as the entire last hour of the film is dedicated to one long battle.

2009. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen wins the never-prestigious Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture of the year, amidst near-unanimous savage reviews, beating out such duds as Land of the Lost (horrid), and All About Steve (forgettable).

The movie also made about $850 million worldwide, making a strong case that no one actually gives a shit about reviews. Given the choice, I think you’d take almost a billion dollars if all you had to endure was fanboy sniveling. Watchmen was nearing the end of its theatrical run at the time, so it’s possible they needed something new to whimper about.

Other than those idiotic, racist, unfunny Autobot twins, I didn’t mind ROTF, as I tend not to put too much emotional stake or critical thinking into any movie that involves giant robots turning into other machines. I liked the cling-clang mindless stupidity of it, but can understand why some (or even most) didn’t.

Having said that, I’m amazed that Transformers: Dark Of The Moon was ever made, because of all the negative REVIEWS. You’d think that all the hate generated towards director Michael Bay would have forced him to cower into a hole before making a third installment, but I guess all those negative REVIEWS didn’t quite match up to that house and car all those residuals bought him. I guess he and producer Steven Spielberg will have to dry their tears with hundred dollar bills.

It’s time to get out your favorite shorts and tropical shirts, the summer movie season is upon us once again.

As always, we at Geeks of Doom present our guide to some of the more anticipated titles on the way so that you can figure out the ones you want to mark off on your calender and the ones you want to skip altogether.

This year we’ll also be jumping back to an older format of ours as well, where we discuss the anticipation element and potential suckage factor of the movies that are coming out.

You can check out the entire list of summer movies by clicking on over to the other side now, and please share what you’re most looking forward to in the comments below!

Ok, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, you got me now.

Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Star Trek alum Leonard Nimoy will be providing the voice for Sentinel Prime in the upcoming third Transformers film.

The character Sentinel Prime is the Autobot Optimus Prime’s predecessor. You can see the character around the 2-minute mark in the teaser trailer for the film; he’s the wrecked body that is found on the Moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts in 1969.

Sentinel Prime will be seen later in the movie after he’s brought to Earth and will take the form of a red fire engine truck.