The January issue of Empire arrives on newsstands both real and virtual this Thursday, and it comes fully loaded with everything you need to know about Transformers: Age Of Extinction. Michael Bay's latest explode-athon graces our cover, and inside is our comprehensive set visit coverage with all the lowdown on what to expect from this new start for the franchise. Check out the cover, and a new and exclusive pic of Bay in action, below.

This film of course sees Mark Wahlberg, Jack Reynor and Nicola Peltz take up the human reins of the franchise, as the war between Autobots and Decepticons once again flares up and humanity gets caught in the middle.

Also in this month's issue, we bring you a huge Oscar special - so if explodey robots aren't your thing, rejoice in features on 12 Years A Slave, Gravity, Labor Day, The Wolf Of Wall Street, The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, The Book Thief, All Is Lost, Her and the Coen Brothers on Inside Llewyn Davis and much, much more. Oh, and we interviewed Anchorman's entire Channel Four News Team.