Who needs press releases and studio announcements when you have Michael Bay?  The Transformers 4 director recently posted confirmation of the hiring of Jack Reynor (What Richard Did) as the second lead opposite Mark Wahlberg.  There was no mention of Reynor's character details, but previous reports suggest he'll be the racecar-driving boyfriend of Wahlberg's daughter.  Bay also commented on the fourth installment of the Transformers franchise, saying it's not a reboot, but a continuation of the story in a new trilogy.  He also gives a little bit of insight into the plot.  Hit the jump to read Bay's comments on Reynor and Transformers 4.Here's what Bay had to say on his blog:

I just hired a great new actor for Transformers 4 to star against Mark Wahlberg. Jack Reynor, he is an Irish kid that came to America with 30 bucks in his pocket. Pretty ballsy. Seriously who does that? Anyway I spotted him in a great little Irish movie WHAT RICHARD DID. This kid is the real deal.

Transformers 4, is not a reboot. That word has been floating around on the net.

This movie takes place exactly 4 years after the war in Chicago. The story makes a very natural transition, and reason as to why we have a whole new cast. This Transformers will feel very different then the last three. We are embarking on a new trilogy.

Michael

Are we excited for Transformers 4 yet?  I'm not familiar enough with Reynor to say whether he's a good fit one way or the other.  What I'm really interested in, as I'm sure you are, is what the new generation of Transformers bots are going to look like and if the action sequences continue to be as haphazard and frenetic as the plot.  I think it's too late at this point to hope for a good adaptation, but maybe we'll get one that's a little easier to watch.  Not holding my breath on this one.  What say you?

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