Michael Bay, the director who, among other things, helmed the first five Transformers movies and the first two Bad Boys, is reteaming with his former producing partner Brad Fuller in time for a new distribution deal for their company. Together, they created Platinum Dunes with then-partner Andrew Form in 2001. Fuller and Form would leave Dunes in 2018, splitting themselves in 2020.
Bay would go on to form Bay Films. Fuller is currently the principal of his production company Fuller Media. Despite previously parting ways, Bay and Fuller continued to stay close. Courtesy of Deadline, a source close to the two said that Bay and Fuller had begun getting back together four months ago.
Besides that, Dunes has also signed a new first-look deal with Universal, who was behind Bay’s most recent action movie, April’s Ambulance. The heist movie, which starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Eiza González, was about two brothers who team up to get money for desperately needed hospital care.
“Partnering with Donna [Langley], Peter, Jeff [Shell] and the entire team on Ambulance was a great experience, and I can’t wait to work with them on the exciting projects in the Platinum Dunes pipeline,” said Bay.
Ambulance made $51.3 million worldwide. Because of that, it was considered a box office. However, Universal was happy with the film and with Bay, so they are keen on continuing the good vibes. Previously, Dunes had a first-look deal with Paramount and was recently set up at Sony.
“Michael Bay is not only one of the world’s preeminent directors, but together with Brad Fuller, he has established Platinum Dunes as one of the most consistently successful and innovative production companies in the industry. We are excited to welcome Michael and Brad to the Universal lot and look forward to building upon their amazing track record at Platinum Dunes for many years to come,” said Peter Cramer, president of Universal Pictures.
More about Platinum Dunes
The movies of Platinum Dunes have grossed over $2.7 billion at the box office. One genre that Dunes has brought plenty of is horror and remakes. Their slew of remakes began in 2003 with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The company also did remakes of Friday the 13th in 2009 and A Nightmare on Elm Street the following year. Besides that, they’ve also given the public both The Purge and Ouija franchises, though the latter two were made for Universal.
“The experience we had with the Universal team on The Purge and Ouija franchises could not have been more collaborative, and we are thrilled to formalize our ongoing partnership with this new agreement,” Fuller said.
It wasn’t until the John Krasinski-directed A Quiet Place that the company found new levels of success, both critically and financially. It and its sequel, A Quiet Place Part II, are about a family who must survive against a horde of dangerous aliens with super-hearing. A third installment in the franchise, A Quiet Place: Day One, will come out next year and will be directed by Michael Sarnoski.