UPDATE: Megan Fox is now claiming that she chose not to come back to the franchise.

It looks like a little bad-mouthing can go a long way.

Megan Fox may have compared Michael Bay to Hitler well over a year ago (and even made a “genuine” apology last fall), but it appears the sting from her comments has not yet subsided.

Although it was believed the dark-haired beauty would return to Transformers 3, it’s just been announced that the role of Mikaela Banes has been cut. Sources say the search for a new love interest for Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) has now begun.

While most would assume Fox’s dismissal was somehow connected to the controversy she stirred up with her director and the crew, an insiders tell Variety that Bay simply wanted to go “in another direction.”

Okay - so now I’m confused. Does that mean Patrick Dempsey was never really cast to play “Megan Fox’s boss” in the third installment…or does it mean they’ll have to rewrite his role?