"Transformers 4: Age of Extinction" was not a huge box office success but still did well enough to keep the franchise strong.

There will undoubtedly be a fifth installment, and while there is little known about the film, which could be released in 2016, here are things we can seemingly bank on:

Michael Bay May be Done

The director and the franchise are almost synonymous with one another. However, it seems that the auteur, known most for his massive explosions and indulgent style, may be looking to move on.

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

Bay has never been a critical darling, but the robot franchise earned him some of the worst reviews of his career. "Age of Extinction" had an 18 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which rated among the lowest scores of his career. Unsurprisingly, the Transformers film to receive the top marks was actually the first.

So, while this decision could alter the identity of the franchise, it might be best for Bay -- and most importantly for the franchise -- that the two no longer be associated with each other.

Mark Wahlberg May Not be Back

All three of the major actors in this film could make returns to the franchise. At the end of "Age of Extinction," they are all alive and well. But without Michael Bay at the helm, it is possible that the franchise takes a completely new direction under a new helmer.

These are the kinds of movies that Wahlberg excels at, but a new director might try to completely reboot and disassociate a new "Transformers" movie from what came before. This would mean a completely different cast, new story and maybe even a new style to the franchise.

Wahlberg has not really made any mention of his commitment to the franchise.

New Film Will Re-instate the Trend of a "Transformers" Movie Every Two Years

The first film in the franchise came out in 2007. Two years later, "Revenge of the Fallen" graced the screen. Then in 2011, "Dark of the Moon" made its appearance in theaters.

But then, Bay bucked the trend by waiting three years and releasing "Age of Extinction" in 2014. The next film is reportedly set for a 2016 release date. The timing has not really had much bearing on the quality as the first and third have actually been the best reviewed, while the second and fourth were the worst of the franchise, according to critics. So could it simply mean that odd numbers are best? Would that mean that the next movie will be an improvement?

Transformers 5 Could be the Lowest Grossing Film of Franchise

This year, the Transformers franchise hit an all-time low domestically. After the first three films were able to make over $300 million, "Age of Extinction" made $243 million. The franchise seems to be losing fan base, and audiences have been experiencing franchise fatigue. It could be possible that the next film will end up being the worst grossing in the U.S., especially after the fourth film was received so negatively by audiences and critics.

Paramount, however, can rest assured that foreign audiences will still flock to cinemas. Even though domestic audiences are growing tired of these tentpole films, "Age of Extinction" grossed $811 million, which was an all-time high in the international markets.

Related