There may be more than meets the eye when Transformers 3 makes its way to theaters in 2011. Production on the epic sci-fi actioner begins in May and could very well be in shot in 3D if Paramount Pictures and executive producer Steven Spielberg have their way. Director Michael Bay, however, isn’t a big fan of the whole 3-D craze and is said to be holding off on the idea.

At last year’s ShoWest theater owners’ convention, Bay said:

The way I shoot is too aggressive for 3D cameras. It’s a time consuming thing. Who knows… It might be a fad. I’m kinda old school. I’m old school because I like to shoot on film. I like anamorphic lenses, and that is old school.

While a script is yet to materialize, it’s reported that Shia Labeouf will reprise his role as Optimus Prime’s BFF. Also returning to the fold is Megan Fox, whose highly publicized criticism of Bay and the Transformer films stirred up speculation of an inevitable early onscreen demise (a nasty open-letter rebuttal from Bay’s production team to Fox fanned the flames further).

"Wait. Look. You can see Megan's nipple in this daily."

Transformers 1 & 2 have earned a combined cume of over $1.5 billion worldwide. Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen was also named the bestselling DVD/Blu-ray of 2009.

Transformers 3 is tentatively slated for release on July 1, 2011.