Has Michael Bay Parted Ways from Transformers?

It's less than a week before Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is unleashed into theaters where upon it will slaughter everything in its path to become the highest grossing film of the year - at least here in the U.S.

A few months back, Paramount and DreamWorks officially set a July 1st 2011 release date for a third Transformers installment - this despite the fact that series director Michael Bay said he had already agreed with the studios on a Summer 2012 date so he could take a year off. In fact, he flat out debuked the claims and later said the matter had been resolved.

Some of us (i.e. me) assumed that the studios went back to their original 2012 plan since we heard diddly dick about Transformers 3 from either parties since then. Well, that shows what I know! Wenn.com (via IMDB) reports that Bay is calling it quits from the "giant robots that beat the shit outta each other" franchise:

"After the three and a half years I've spent making these movies, I feel like I've had enough of the Transformers world. I need to do something totally divergent, something without any explosions."

If you'll remember, Peter and I did an audio article (as a companion to a related piece) discussing the matter where I thought Bay was definitely coming back and Peter didn't. Well, Peter gets bragging rights on this one. *Sigh*

Update: Well, I still might be able to get the last laugh against Peter in this debate just yet! Straight from the horse's mouth, Michael Bay (responding on the forum from his website) has shot down the claims from this morning's rumors. Or as he put it:

Hah,

Love press how they spin. Never said it - just wanted a vacation is more to the point. And no I don't read the good or the bad reviews.