Last week, in the run up to the release of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”, director Michael Bay spoke with MTV and dropped a few hints about a “small, intimate” film that he wants to direct before he begins work on “Transformers 3”.

“I have a small, little movie I keep wanting to do,” said the director.

To me, this smacked a bit of Nolan-envy on Bay’s part. We all know that Christopher Nolan has stuck to his guns about pursuing less blatantly commercial projects in between bouts of the Bat, and the fact that - after the crazy success of “The Dark Knight” - Michael Bay has suddenly discovered a yen for the “small and intimate” seemed suspiciously timed at best.

Today I could just smack myself for being so cynical. It turns out that this ‘little movie’ has been on Bay’s radar for ten years – the cool of Christopher Nolan has nothing to do with it!

According to a tip sent in to /Film, Bay’s dream project is based on a 1999 Miami Herald article called “Pain & Gain” about felonious bodybuilders. Here’s the slugline: “They were local bodybuilders with a penchant for steroids, strippers and quick cash. And they became experts in the use of a particular motivational tool: Torture.”

Sounds kind of cool, don’t you think? Like an Elmore Leonard movie with a little extra torture thrown in! Bay hasn’t mentioned his “little” movie’s plot or title yet (he’s going with the always popular “Untitled Michael Bay Project” for now) but he does seem serious about taking time off before “Tf3” gets underway. He recently smacked down the Paramount/ DreamWorks press release that made July 1, 2011 the day to expect more robots in disguise. 2012 is more what Bay had in mind, giving him 12 whole months to kick back with some steroids and strippers. Hey, every man needs a hobby…

To imagine what a small, intimate bodybuilder would look like click here