Why did Michael Bay really decide to come back and direct Transformers 4? It all had to do with the new Universal Studios ride based on the hit franchise. Also, he couldn't handle the thought of this lucrative series falling into someone else's hands.

Huffington Post recently spoke with the director about the trials and tribulations of getting his next film, Pain and Gain, off the ground. Here's what he had to say about being the king of Hasbro's cinematic empire.

"I thought I was done. Then the ride came out [at Universal Studios Hollywood] and the two-and-a-half-hour lines. And then you're thinking, Oh my God, someone's going to take this over. And you start doing a lot of soul-searching. Like, OK, I'm about to do a little movie, Pain and Gain ... and the studio says they want to restart the franchise. And someone could come in here and screw it up, you know? So I'm thinking that if I do this last one, we set it on a new footing, we change a lot of things -- but we keep the history of the three in place. But we broaden it so it can be set up and be carried on -- it would have a better chance for survival, I guess.

It was just one of those things. It's like, when you look what's going on in the film business with the franchise frenzy right now, why is James Cameron doing two more Avatar movies? Why is Peter Jackson doing three more The Hobbit movies that are in the same world as The Lord of the Rings? When you have a franchise, it's very hard to give it up."

The director than went onto claim that this will not be a reboot in any way.

"No. We're basically taking from the history of where it was -- or where we left it in Chicago. And we're going to carry it on from there."

Michael Bay then confirmed that he will be bringing back Peter Cullen as the voice of Optimus Prime.

To read more of this very funny interview: CLICK HERE