Transformers fansite TFW2005.com recently attended the UBS Best Of Americas 2012 Conference, where Hasbro president Brian Goldner talked about the company's plans for the future – including Transformers 4 and Stretch Armstrong.
The key point taken from his otherwise toy-centric speech is that fans can expect brand new robot characters in the next film, if only because sales of the plastic children distracters for the third film were somewhat disappointing.
"Transformers: Dark Of The Moon did well in box office," says Goldner. "Regarding toy sales... it’s because of same characters in all three movies. This is why Transformers 4 will have a new cast of [robot] characters and it will be a story revolving around these new characters."
Another key tidbit Goldner let slip was that Stretch Armstrong will have a movie as well as a TV series in 2014, but it was the chance to speculate about which new robots Transformers addicts can look forward to seeing smashing stuff up in the upcoming fourquel that really got people excited.
As they appeared in the surprisingly good video game tie-in, Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron, perhaps there might dinobots this time around. For those not in the know about dinobots, they're essentially transformers that change into a dinosaur or similar prehistoric animal. Think Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, that sort of thing.
Of course, that will require some complex plot jiggerypokery from Michael Bay and company, but as this is a reboot (of a sort) then it's best not to rule anything out at this point.
Transformers 4 is set for a 2014 release, though no specific dates have been announced yet.