I believe that these headlines are overselling the idea of how much control Michael Bay has over the Transformers
A Link to interview thatlead to this idea
https://variety.com/2023/film/features/ ... 235679142/Robbins calls it having “a big idea.” And in the case of the latest “Transformers” film, that eureka moment was to have G.I. Joe enter the robots’ cinematic universe, bringing together two of Paramount’s biggest franchises. But that required Robbins to convince Hasbro, the toy company behind both sets of characters, and producers Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay, to let the studio bring the worlds together. And Bay’s approval was tricky, because he was worried that merging the series would cheapen the other “Transformers” movies. “I called him 50 times,” Robbins says. “I would not let him off the hook. And when he finally stopped dodging my calls, we got him to sign off.”
Here is what Wikipedia describes what an movie executive producer does:
In films, executive producers may finance the film, participate in the creative effort, or work on set. Their responsibilities vary from funding or attracting investors into the movie project to legal, scripting, marketing, advisory and supervising capacities.
Executive producers vary in involvement, responsibility and power. Some executive producers have hands-on control over every aspect of production, some supervise the producers of a project, while others are involved in name only.
According to TFWiki, his role is also described as associate producer, so here is what I found about them
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER DESCRIPTION
What is an associate producer?
An associate producer is a below-the-line producer that works under the supervision of another producer. They are often referred to as the ‘AP.’ They assist another producer in putting a film or television episode together. Strong writing and editing skills are necessary.
As an associate producer in film, you’ll may find yourself:
Coordinating meetings with creatives, agents, and producers.
Making short lists for creative positions.
Making short lists for possible talent.
Representing the producer on marketing calls.
An Associate Producer works on the set of a film, television, theater or other production to assist the Producer in completing tasks like writing, editing or basic assisting tasks to keep the production running smoothly. Their duties include pitching story ideas, organizing scripts and collaborating with the Editor to make shot selections.
Sources:
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what- ... oducer-do/ https://www.wrapbook.com/blog/associate-producer https://www.indeed.com/hire/job-descrip ... e-producerWe can conclude while Michael Bay still gives his feedback to ideas and other aspects, he is a part of
larger team. Paramount and Hasbro show to understand that Transformers are too big, to have just one voice deciding everything.