Last week, we told you that director Michael Bay was urging everyone who saw Transformers: Dark of the Moon to do so in 3-D.  Bay and distributor Paramount were aggressively promoting the fact that because the film was shot in 3-D, it was meant to be seen in 3-D.

Many in Hollywood saw Transformers as a potential turning point for 3-D.  With the format waning this summer, it was up to the Autobots and the Decipticons to battle not only for Earth but also the potential future of the format.

So, is 3-D safe?

It appears it may be, for now.

According to EW, 60% of tickets sold in the United States were for the 3-D version of the film.  The number jumps to 70% of tickets sold worldwide for the opening weekend of the film.  EW reports that this is seen as a “step in the right direction.”

It indicates that, while audiences are no doubt being pickier about when they choose to spring for those premium ticket prices, there is still a healthy demand out there for 3-D movies — at least when they involve giant robots. If nothing else, the added 3-D booty helped give Transformers 3 bragging rights as the biggest Fourth of July opening ever, despite the fact that the previous record-holder, Spider-Man 2, actually sold more tickets.

But will Transformers 3?s relatively strong performance in 3-D be enough to turn around perceptions and reignite enthusiasm for the format? Or will it be seen as just a brief and illusory uptick in a generally downward trend? With the first 3-D movie in the Harry Potter series due July 15 — and 3-D offerings from heavy-hitters like Steven Spielberg (The Adventures of Tintin, Dec. 23), Martin Scorsese (Hugo, Nov. 23), Peter Jackson (The Hobbit, Dec. 14, 2012), and James Cameron (the Avatar sequels and a 3-D Titanic) at various stages in the pipeline — Hollywood still has a major investment in the format. But do moviegoers have a long-term emotional investment in 3-D? That’s the real question, and the giant robots haven’t answered it. They just kicked the can down the road.