Fox reprised her role in the sequel, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” in 2009, which despite its success, received mixed reviews, including being ranked among her lowest-rated films on Rotten Tomatoes. By the time the 2011 installment, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” rolled around, Mikaela was absent. Instead, Sam was paired with a new love interest, Carly Spencer, portrayed by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The storyline suggests that Mikaela parted ways with Sam between the events of the second and third movies, yet the Autobots remained loyal to Sam post-breakup.

Many fans are curious about the reasons behind Megan Fox’s departure from the “Transformers” series. While some followers are well-acquainted with the backstory, others might not have caught the drama that unfolded back then. Here’s a look at the circumstances surrounding her exit.

Although “Transformers” wasn’t Fox’s debut, it certainly reshaped her career. Director Michael Bay’s decision to cast her as Mikaela Banes played a pivotal role in her rise. In a 2009 interview with Wonderland magazine, Fox candidly discussed her experiences with Bay. Her remarks about the director, known for his explosive filmmaking style, were unexpected.

While “Transformers” wasn’t Megan Fox’s first acting role, it’s the one that — ahem — transformed her career. Director Michael Bay played a major part in this, because if he had cast someone else as Mikaela Banes, Fox may have never had the career she’s had. In 2009, Fox spoke to Wonderland magazine about a variety of topics, including what it was like to work with the master of Bayhem, and her response about the blockbuster director caught everyone off guard.

“He’s like Napoleon and he wants to create this insane, infamous mad man reputation,” she said. “He wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is. So he’s a nightmare to work for but when you get him away from set, and he’s not in director mode, I kind of really enjoy his personality because he’s so awkward, so hopelessly awkward. He has no social skills at all. And it’s endearing to watch him.”

Fox also said that Bay put her and co-star Shia LaBeouf (who was never the same after “Transformers”) through the wringer while making the first two “Transformers” movies, claiming that the director got them to “do some really insane things that insurance would never let you do.” It didn’t take long for other media outlets to pick up on this story, especially the part of the interview in which Fox compared Bay — who is Jewish – to Adolf Hitler.

Megan Fox’s comments about Michael Bay were criticized by three unnamed crew members who claimed to have worked on the first two “Transformers” films. In a scathing joint statement, they vehemently defended Bay from Fox’s comments and suggested that Fox was the difficult one to work with. “We’ve had the tedious experience of working with the dumb-as-a-rock Megan Fox on both ‘Transformers’ movies,” the open letter reads, in part. “She’s as about ungracious a person as you can ever fathom. She shows little interest in the crew members around her. We work to make her look good in every way, but she’s absolutely never appreciative of anyone’s hard work.”

Bay subsequently posted a message on his website in which he stated that he didn’t approve of what the crew said about Fox, nor what she had said about him. “[Fox’s] crazy quips are part of her crazy charm,” Bay wrote. “The fact of the matter [is] I still love working with her, and I know we still get along. I even expect more crazy quotes from her on ‘Transformers 3.’” It seemed like Bay was ready to draw a line under the whole thing and welcome Fox back for the third “Transformers” film, but then news broke that she was out. The actor’s reps claimed that it was her decision not to return, but Deadline’s Nikki Finke called this a “pantload,” adding: “I stand by my scoop that Paramount and Michael Bay kicked her to the curb by not picking up her option to do the threequel.”

Everyone wanted to know the dirty details about Megan Fox’s departure from the “Transformers” franchise once it was made official, with a variety of reports claiming different things. An anonymous insider from Fox’s camp told The Wrap that she quit the project because Michael Bay was “verbally abusive” to her, adding that “she had enough and decided to get out early.” When the outlet contacted Fox’s publicist to confirm this version of events, they would only say that Fox “left the project on her own and wishes the franchise well.”

Also speaking to The Wrap, Paramount Pictures insisted that it was merely a business decision to not make use of Fox’s contractual option since the story for the film had changed. In a statement, the studio said: “Paramount had the unilateral right to exercise an option for Megan Fox to appear in ‘Transformers 3.’ Paramount at its sole election allowed the option to lapse.” This didn’t tally with “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” screenwriter Ehren Kruger’s interview with GQ, in which she confirmed that Fox had been there for rehearsals.

The drama reached new levels when Bay claimed that he ended up firing Fox at the behest of Steven Spielberg, who is an executive producer on the “Transformers” franchise. “She was in a different world, on her BlackBerry,” Bay said. “You gotta stay focused. And you know, the Hitler thing. Steven [Spielberg] said, ‘Fire her right now.’” Spielberg disputed this version of events. When Entertainment Weekly asked him if he told Bay to fire Fox, he said, “That’s not true. That didn’t happen.”

A few years after “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” Megan Fox was cast as April O’Neil in 2014’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” While Michael Bay didn’t direct the film, he was an executive producer, so he likely had a hand in the casting. So, had they made up since the “Transformers” drama? In short, yes. In fact, they never truly fell out. In 2014, Fox told E! News that she and Bay clashed in the past because of their “very willful, powerful personalities,” but that they never hated each other. “We’ve had our battles in the past but even when I’ve been really outspoken about difficulties we’ve had, I’ve always followed up by saying that I have a particular affinity to him,” she said.

A few years later, in 2017, Megan Fox provided a brutally honest take about her exclusion from “Transformers 3.” Speaking to Cosmopolitan UK, she called the experience “the low point of [her] career” and admitted that it could have all been avoided if she had just apologized to Bay over her inflammatory comments there and then. “It hurt me and a lot of other people,” she said. “However, that darkness that descended caused enormous and brisk spiritual growth. Once I realised I brought it on myself, it was an invaluable learning experience, looking back on it.”

So, there you have it. Despite comments from her camp to the contrary at the time of her dismissal from “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” Fox has owned up to the fact that Mikaela Banes got the boot because of her actions. Does that mean she’s gone for good? Not necessarily. There’s always a chance that Fox could reprise her role at one stage, and it could be the boost the franchise needs — we think the “Transformers” films are long overdue a Mikaela Banes renaissance.