There will be at least three more movies in the money-printing "Transformers" series, with studio Paramount announcing on Friday release dates for the fifth, sixth, and seventh installments in the franchise.

Fans of the series should be pleased, since they're guaranteed a new film in the franchise every year for at least three years, beginning in 2017. "Transformers 5" is slated for release on June 23, 2017, followed by "Transformers 6" on June 8, 2018, and then "Transformers 7" on June 28, 2019.

Like Marvel and DC before them, it seems that Paramount is rolling out an ambitious "Transformers" schedule in an effort to establish itself as an anticipated annual presence at the summer box office. The series will face some big competition from the DC camp and Warner Bros. when "Transformers 5" opens against "Wonder Woman" next summer. It will then go head-to-head with "Godzilla 2" (another Warner Bros. property) when "Transformers 6" hits in 2018.

The first four "Transformers" flicks have earned a combined $3.8 billion at the worldwide box office, and Paramount no doubt hopes that there's plenty more where that came from. Director Michael Bay will be back at the helm for his fifth outing with the franchise, though he's said it will be his last "Transformers" flick. "Transformers: Age of Extinction" star Mark Wahlberg is also set to return.

[via: The Hollywood Reporter]