Megan Fox will not be returning in Michael Bay‘s third installment of the Transformers franchise. Paramount Pictures and the director have reportedly decided not to pick up her option for the sequel. Sources say that Bay wants to take the story in another direction and plans to cast another actress as the love interest for Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf).

Deadline is reporting that it “ultimately” came down to Bay’s decision and he opted to drop her. A studio spokeswoman confirmed Fox will not be back as Mikaela Banes.

Some are suggesting that Fox may have been let go because of her personal digs at the director in the press, comparing Michael Bay to Hitler during an interview last year.

Transformers 3 is slated to hit theaters July 1, 2011.