| Transformers | |
|---|---|
 Logo used for the first three films in the series | |
| Directed by |
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| Based on | Takara Tomy andHasbro’sTransformers action figures[note 1] |
| Produced by |
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| Distributed by |
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Release date | 2007–present |
Running time | 1002 minutes (7 films) |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.274–1.42 billion |
| Box office | $5.29 billion |
Transformers is a series ofscience fiction action films based on theTransformers franchise.[note 1]Michael Bay directed the first five live action films:Transformers (2007),Revenge of the Fallen (2009),Dark of the Moon (2011),Age of Extinction (2014), andThe Last Knight (2017),[1][2][3] and has served as a producer for subsequent films. A sixth film,Bumblebee, directed byTravis Knight, was released in 2018, while a seventh film,Rise of the Beasts, directed bySteven Caple Jr., was released in 2023.
The series has been distributed byParamount Pictures andDreamWorks Pictures, with the latter working on the first two films. While theTransformers film series has received negative to mixed reception,Bumblebee received positive reviews. Despite its critical reception, theTransformers film series has generally been successful at the box office, withDark of the Moon andAge of Extinction grossing over $1 billion each; the latter was thehighest-grossing film of 2014. It is the14th-highest-grossing film series, with a total of $5.29 billion grossed over seven films to date.
| Film | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transformers | July 3, 2007 (2007-07-03) | Michael Bay | Roberto Orci &Alex Kurtzman | John Rogers, Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman | Lorenzo di Bonaventura,Tom DeSanto,Don Murphy &Ian Bryce |
| Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | June 24, 2009 (2009-06-24) | Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman | |||
| Transformers: Dark of the Moon | June 29, 2011 (2011-06-29) | Ehren Kruger | |||
| Transformers: Age of Extinction | June 27, 2014 (2014-06-27) | ||||
| Transformers: The Last Knight | June 21, 2017 (2017-06-21) | Art Marcum & Matt Holloway,Ken Nolan | Akiva Goldsman, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway & Ken Nolan | ||
| Bumblebee | December 21, 2018 (2018-12-21) | Travis Knight | Christina Hodson | Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Don Murphy, Michael Bay &Mark Vahradian | |
| Transformers: Rise of the Beasts | June 9, 2023 (2023-06-09) | Steven Caple Jr. | Joby Harold, Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber, Darnell Metayer & Josh Peters | Joby Harold | Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Don Murphy, Michael Bay, Mark Vahradian &Duncan Henderson |
| Transformers One | September 20, 2024 (2024-09-20) | Josh Cooley | Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari | Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari | Lorenzo di Bonaventura,Tom DeSanto,Don Murphy,Michael Bay,Mark Vahradian & Aaron Dem |
For the film, producerDon Murphy was planning aG.I. Joe film adaptation, but when the U.S. launched theinvasion of Iraq in March 2003,Hasbro suggested adapting theTransformers franchise instead.[4]Tom DeSanto joined Murphy because he was a fan of the series.[5] They met with comic book writerSimon Furman, and cited theGeneration 1 cartoon and comics as their main influence.[4] They made theCreation Matrix theirplot device, though Murphy had it renamed because of thefilm seriesThe Matrix.[6] DeSanto chose to write thetreatment from a human point of view to engage the audience,[7] while Murphy wanted it to have a realistic tone, reminiscent of adisaster film.[6] The treatment featured theAutobotsOptimus Prime, Ironhide,Jazz,Prowl,Arcee, Ratchet, Wheeljack, andBumblebee, and theDecepticonsMegatron,Starscream,Soundwave, Ravage,Laserbeak, Rumble,Skywarp andShockwave.[8]
Steven Spielberg, a fan of the comics and toys,[5] signed on asexecutive producer in 2004.John Rogers wrote the first draft, which pitted four Autobots against four Decepticons,[9] and featured theArk spaceship.[10]Roberto Orci andAlex Kurtzman, fans of the cartoon,[11] were hired to rewrite the script in February 2005.[12] Spielberg suggested that "a boy and his car" should be the focus.[13] This appealed to Orci and Kurtzman because it conveyed themes of adulthood and responsibility, "the things that a car represents in theUnited States".[14] The characters of Sam and Mikaela were the sole point of view given in Orci and Kurtzman's first draft.[15] The Transformers had no dialogue, as the producers feared talking robots would look ridiculous. The writers felt that even if it would look silly, not having the robots speak would betray the fanbase.[11] The first draft also had a battle scene in theGrand Canyon.[16] Spielberg read each of Orci and Kurtzman's drafts and gave notes for improvement.[13] The writers remained involved throughout production, adding additional dialogue for the robots during the sound mixing (although none of this was kept in the final film, which ran fifteen minutes shorter than the initial edit).[17] Furman'sThe Ultimate Guide, published byDorling Kindersley, remained as a resource to the writers throughout production.[17]Prime Directive was used as afake working title. This was also the name ofDreamwave Productions' firstTransformers comic book.[18]
Michael Bay was asked to direct by Spielberg on July 30, 2005,[19] but he dismissed the film as a "stupid toy movie".[20] Nonetheless, he wanted to work with Spielberg, and gained a new respect for the mythology upon visiting Hasbro.[19] Bay considered the first draft "too kiddie", so he increased the military's role in the story.[19][21] The writers sought inspiration from G.I. Joe for the soldier characters, being careful not to mix the brands.[22] Because Orci and Kurtzman were concerned the film could feel like amilitary recruitment commercial, they chose to make the military believe nations likeIran were behind the Decepticon attack as well as making the Decepticons primarily military vehicles.[23] Bay based Lennox's struggle to get to the Pentagon phone line while struggling with an unhelpful operator from a real account he was given by a soldier when working on another film.[19]
Orci and Kurtzman experimented with numerous robots from the franchise, ultimately selecting the characters most popular among the filmmakers to form the final cast.[5] Bay acknowledged that most of the Decepticons were selected before their names or roles were developed, as Hasbro had to start designing the toys.[24] Some of their names were changed because Bay was upset that they had been leaked.[25] Optimus, Megatron, Bumblebee and Starscream were the only characters present in each version of the script.[11]Arcee was a female Transformer introduced by Orci and Kurtzman, but she was cut because they found it difficult to explain robotic gender; Bay also disliked her motorcycle form, which he found too small.[22] An early idea to have the Decepticons simultaneously strike multiple places around the world was also dropped, being used later in the film's sequels.[15]
In September 2007, Paramount announced a late June 2009 release date for the sequel toTransformers.[26] A major hurdle that was overcome during the film's production was the2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, as well as possible strikes by theDirectors Guild of America and theScreen Actors Guild. Bay began creatinganimatics of action sequences featuring characters rejected for the 2007 film; this would allow animators to complete sequences if theDirectors Guild of America went on strike in July 2008, which ultimately did not happen.[27][28] The director considered making a small project in betweenTransformers and its sequel, but knew "you have your baby and you don't want someone else to take it".[24] The film was given a $200 million budget, which was $50 million more than the 2007 film,[29] and some of the action scenes rejected for the original were written into the sequel, such as the way Optimus is reintroduced in this film.[30]Lorenzo di Bonaventura said the studio proposed filming two sequels simultaneously, but he and Bay concurred that was not the right direction for the series.[31]
WritersRoberto Orci andAlex Kurtzman originally passed on the sequel because of a busy schedule. The studio began courting other writers in May 2007, but as they were unimpressed with theirpitches, they convinced Orci and Kurtzman to return.[27] The studio also signed onEhren Kruger, as he impressed Bay and Hasbro presidentBrian Goldner with his knowledge of the Transformers mythology,[32] and because he was friends with Orci and Kurtzman.[33] The writing trio were paid $8 million.[27] Screenwriting was interrupted by the2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, but to avoid production delays the writers spent two weeks writing atreatment, which they handed in the night before the strike began,[33] and Bay expanded the outline into a sixty-pagescriptment,[34] fleshing out the action, adding more jokes,[33] as well as selecting the majority of new characters.[35] The three writers spent four months finishing the screenplay while "locked" in two hotel rooms by Bay: Kruger wrote in his own room and the trio would check on each other's work twice a day.[36]
Orci described the film's theme as "being away from home", with the Autobots contemplating living on Earth as they cannot restore Cybertron, while Sam goes to college.[37] He wanted the focus between the robots and humans "much more evenly balanced",[38] "the stakes [to] be higher", and the science fiction elements more prominent.[39] Lorenzo di Bonaventura said that in total, there are around forty robots in the film,[29] whileILM's Scott Farrar has said there are actually sixty.[40] Orci added that he wanted to "modulate" the humor more,[41] and felt he managed the more "outrageous" jokes by balancing them with a more serious plot approach to the Transformers' mythology.[42] Bay concurred that he wanted to please fans by making the tone darker,[43] and that "moms will think its safe enough to bring the kids back out to the movies" despite his trademark sense of humor.[44][better source needed]
BeforeTransformers was released, producer DeSanto had "a very cool idea" to introduce the Dinobots,[45] while Bay was interested in anaircraft carrier, which was dropped from the 2007 film.[46] Orci claimed they did not incorporate these characters intoRevenge of the Fallen because they could not think of a way to justify the Dinobots' choice of form,[37] and were unable to fit in the aircraft carrier.[47] Orci also admitted he was also dismissive of the Dinobots because he does not like dinosaurs. "I recognize I am weird in that department", he said,[48] but he became fonder of them during filming because of their popularity with fans.[49] He added "I couldn't see why a Transformer would feel the need to disguise himself in front of a bunch of lizards. Movie-wise, I mean. Once the general audience is fully on board with the whole thing, maybe Dinobots in the future."[50] Bay said he hated the Dinobots and they had never been in consideration for being featured in the movies.[51] It is the last film in the series to be distributed by DreamWorks.
For the third film, as a preemptive measure before the release ofRevenge of the Fallen, Michael Lucchi and Paramount announced on March 16, 2009, that a third film would be released inIMAX 3-D on July 1, 2011, which earned a surprised response from director Bay:
I said I was taking off a year fromTransformers. Paramount made a mistake in datingTransformers 3—they asked me on the phone—I said yes to July 1—but for 2012—whoops! Not 2011! That would mean I would have to start prep in September. No way. My brain needs a break from fighting robots.[52]
ScreenwritersRoberto Orci andAlex Kurtzman, who had worked on the two previousTransformers films, declined to return for the third film, with Kurtzman declaring that "the franchise is so wonderful that it deserves to be fresh, all the time. We just felt like we'd given it a lot and didn't have an insight for where to go with it next".[53]Revenge of the Fallen's co-writerEhren Kruger became the sole screenwriter forDark of the Moon. Kruger had frequent meetings withIndustrial Light & Magic's (ILM) CGIvisual effects producers, who suggested plot points such as the scenes in Chernobyl.[54]
On October 1, 2009, Bay revealed thatDark of the Moon had already gone into pre-production, and its planned release was back to its originally intended date of July 1, 2011, rather than 2012.[55] Due to the revived interest in3-D technology brought in by the success ofAvatar,[56] talks between Paramount, ILM, and Bay had considered the possibility of the nextTransformers film being filmed in 3-D, and testing was performed to bring the technology into Bay's work.[57] Bay originally was not much interested in the format as he felt it did not fit his "aggressive style" of filmmaking, but he was convinced after talks withAvatar directorJames Cameron,[58] who even offered the technical crew from that film. Cameron reportedly told Bay about 3-D, "You gotta look at it as a toy, it's another fun tool to help get emotion and character and create an experience."[59] Bay was reluctant to film with 3-D cameras since in test he found them to be too cumbersome for his filming style, but he did not want to implement the technology in post production either since he was not pleased with the results.[60] In addition to using the 3-D Fusion camera rigs developed by Cameron's team,[59] Bay and the team spent nine months developing a more portable 3-D camera that could be brought into location.[58]
In a hidden extra for theBlu-ray release ofRevenge of the Fallen, Bay expressed his intention to makeTransformers 3 not necessarily larger thanRevenge of the Fallen, but instead deeper into the mythology, to give it more character development, and to make it darker and more emotional.[61] Having been calledTransformers 3 up to that point, the film's final title was revealed to beDark of the Moon in October 2010.[62] AfterRevenge of the Fallen was panned by critics, Bay acknowledged the general flaws of the script, having blamed the2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike prior to the film for many problems. Bay promised to not have the "dorky comedy" from the last film.[63]
In February 2012, producer di Bonaventura stated that a fourth film was in the works, aiming for a 2014 release, with Michael Bay to direct and produce.[64] On the same day, Paramount Pictures and Michael Bay announced a June 27, 2014 release date for a fourth film.[65]Ehren Kruger would pen the script andSteve Jablonsky would score the film, as each had for the previous film.[66][67] The film is set five years after the events inTransformers: Dark of the Moon.[68]Shia LaBeouf did not return in any future installments.Mark Wahlberg was instead cast in the lead role as new character, Cade Yeager.[69][70][71] In November 2012, casting began to search for two more leads.Isabelle Cornish,Nicola Peltz,Gabriella Wilde, andMargaret Qualley were all considered to play Cade's daughter Tessa Yeager, whileLuke Grimes,Landon Liboiron,Brenton Thwaites,Jack Reynor, andHunter Parrish were all considered to play Tessa's race-car-driving boyfriend, Shane Dyson.[72] Bay announced on his website that Reynor would portray Shane and that the fourth film would start the next installment in the overall series; the film was to be a darker sequel toDark of the Moon and have a different feeling.[73]Peter Cullen, who voicedOptimus Prime in the films, was to reprise his role.[74]Tyrese Gibson was in talks to reprise his role as Sgt. Robert Epps from the original trilogy.[75]Glenn Morshower stated that he was contracted for two films and he was to reprise his role.[76] It was later announced that he would not return until the next film.[77] With a budget of $165 million, filming was expected to take place in London between April and November 2013—oncePain & Gain, another film that Bay was directing, had finished editing.[78][79]
On January 8, 2013, it was announced that Reynor was joining Wahlberg in the lead.[80] On March 26, 2013, Nicola Peltz was cast as the female lead.[81] Bay confirmed that the movie was to be in 3D.[82] Bay revealed to Collider that actorStanley Tucci had joined the cast, and that the film would be the first feature film to be shot using smallerdigital IMAX 3D cameras.[83] On May 1, 2013, actorKelsey Grammer was cast as the lead human villain named "Harold Attinger".[84] On May 6, 2013, actressSophia Myles was cast in a major supporting role.[85] That same month, Chinese actressLi Bingbing and comedianT. J. Miller joined the cast.[86][87]
Actor T.J. Miller would be playing the best friend of Wahlberg's character who is a mechanic.[88] Also revealed were two Autobots who would have the following alternate modes—a black-and-blue 2013Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse named "Drift", and a green 2014C7 Corvette Stingray concept named Crosshairs. A truck fromWestern Star Trucks would be Optimus Prime's new alternate mode for the movie.[89] Bumblebee's new alternate mode was revealed to be a modified vintage 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, which later transforms into a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro concept.[90] A green military vehicle (later confirmed to be Hound) and a white emergency response vehicle were also revealed.[91]
Filming began in June 2013, inDetroit,[92]Chicago,Austin, Los Angeles, andHong Kong. The film was released on June 27, 2014.[93]
In March 2015,Deadline Hollywood reported that Paramount Pictures was in talks withAkiva Goldsman to pitch new ideas for theTransformers franchise's future installments. The studio intends to do whatJames Cameron and20th Century Fox have been doing in planning threeAvatar sequels, and what Disney has done to reviveStar Wars, with sequels and spin-offs. Paramount has wanted to have their own cinematic universe forTransformers, similar toMarvel's/Disney'sMarvel Cinematic Universe (which had been one of Paramount's previous film series), andDC Comics/Warner Bros.'DC Extended Universe. Goldsman is the head of the future projects, and worked with franchise directorMichael Bay, executive producerSteven Spielberg, and producerLorenzo di Bonaventura to organize a "writers' room" that incubates ideas for potentialTransformers films. The writers' room members includeChristina Hodson, Lindsey Beer, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari (Ant-Man),Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead),Art Marcum & Matt Holloway,Zak Penn (Pacific Rim Uprising),Jeff Pinkner (The Amazing Spider-Man 2),Ken Nolan, and Geneva Robertson-Dworet.[94] Kirkman left the room after just one day to undergo throat surgery.[95] In July 2015, Akiva Goldsman andJeff Pinkner were announced as the fifthTransformers film's screenwriters.[96] However, on November 20, due to Goldsman's commitments creating a writers' room forG.I. Joe andMicronauts properties, Paramount began to negotiate withArt Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man), as well as Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down), to write the film. Lindsey Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet were also brought aboard for writing duties.[97]
AfterTransformers: Age of Extinction, Bay had decided not to direct any futureTransformers films. But in early January 2016, in an interview withRolling Stone, he stated that he would return to direct the fifth film, and that it will be his lastTransformers film.[98]Paramount Pictures spent $80 million on production in Michigan, in return for $21 million instate incentives, under agreements entered into before the state legislature eliminated the film office incentive program in July 2015.[99] In April 2016, Paramount hired cinematographer Jonathan Sela.[100] On May 17, Bay revealed the official title of the film to beThe Last Knight on hisInstagram account, where he also posted a production video showing a close-up of Optimus Prime's face with purple eyes instead of blue, and his face mostly discolored.[101] The official Twitter account showed a 19-second short video in morse code that translates to "I'm coming for you May 31".[102] On May 31, it was revealed that Megatron would return in the sequel.[103]
Bumblebee is a spin-off film centered on theTransformers character of thesame name and set in the 1980s. The design and style of the film included both elements from the current franchise and influences from the 1980sTransformers: Generation 1 toyline.[104]
Principal photography on the film began in July 2017, inLos Angeles andSan Francisco, California. It was released on December 21, 2018, to positive reviews.[105] Following the film's critical success, Hasbro intends to continue and evolve the franchise similar toBumblebee.[106]
In March 2019, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura announced ongoing developments for a follow-up toBumblebee.[107][108] By January 2020, it was officially announced that a sequel toBumblebee was in development with a script written byJoby Harold, alongside an adaptation ofTransformers: Beast Wars with a script written byJames Vanderbilt.[109][110][111] The film was then scheduled for release on June 24, 2022, that May,[112][111] while in November,Steven Caple Jr. was hired to serve as director on the project, which serves as both aBumblebee sequel andBeast Wars adaptation.[113] In April 2021,Anthony Ramos was cast in one of the lead roles for the film, withDominique Fishback in final talks to play the lead role.[114] The project was a joint-venture production between Hasbro, eOne, and Paramount Pictures.[115]
Principal photography began in June 2021, with the official title announced asTransformers: Rise of the Beasts, confirmed to be set after the events ofBumblebee.[116]Rise of the Beasts was originally scheduled for release in June 2022,[117] but was delayed until June 9, 2023.[118]
In March 2013, during the release ofG.I. Joe: Retaliation, producer di Bonaventura announced the studio's plans to develop aG.I. Joe/Transformerscrossover film.[129] On July 26, 2013,G.I. Joe: Retaliation directorJon M. Chu stated that he was also interested in directing aTransformers/G.I. Joe crossover film.[103] Despite di Bonaventura stating that a crossover was not in the immediate plans for the franchises,[130] he acknowledged that it was something they intended to do.[131]
In March 2015, Paramount hired Academy Award-winning screenwriterAkiva Goldsman to oversee and compile a team of writers, to pitch ideas for future films to expand the franchise into a cinematic universe. Twelve individual stories were written and pitched for the cinematic universe. Goldsman was tasked with developing a multi-part sequel storyline, along with prequels and spin-off films. A "brain trust" was commissioned to guide the productions of these stories, including Goldsman, Michael Bay, and producers Steven Spielberg and Lorenzo di Bonaventura. The team of writers who were hired included:Robert Kirkman,Art Marcum, Matt Holloway,Zak Penn,Jeff Pinkner, Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari,Christina Hodson, Lindsey Anderson Beer,Ken Nolan,Geneva Robertson-Dworet, andSteven DeKnight. Goldsman described the writer's room collaboration process, as a way to map out stories that can be further developed by the projects that aregreen-lit by the brain trust; stating: "...if one of the writers discovers an affinity for [a particular story], they can drive forward on treatments that will have been fleshed out by the whole room."[132][133] In August 2017, following the poor reception ofThe Last Knight which Goldsman co-wrote, the filmmaker officially left the franchise.[134] In December 2018, di Bonaventura stated that there will be further films in the series, while also acknowledging that the franchise will make some changes in tone and style due to the success ofBumblebee.[135] In July 2021, producer di Bonaventura and actorHenry Golding expressed interest developing a crossover film.[136][137]
In July 2021, a crossover film with theG.I. Joe film series was once again in development.[138] In June 2023, beginning withRise of the Beasts, the two franchises began to share continuity. Producer di Bonaventura stated that in future films, actors from theG.I. Joe films may reprise their roles.[139] In July 2023, di Bonaventura stated that while the crossover would not interfere with the continuity of the franchise's first five installments, he believed that "continuity's overblown, because sometimes you miss a great idea."[140] In April 2024, Paramount announced that a crossover film is in development.[141][142]Derek Connolly was hired to write the crossover film in June 2024.[143] Di Bonaventura announced toCollider that the crossover will be the next film.[144] In July 2025,Anthony Ramos who starred inRise of the Beasts noted the film's uncertain status due to theSkydance-Paramount merger.[145]
On November 20, 2024, after the underperformance of the animated filmTransformers One (2024), Hasbro announced that they would no longer be co-financing film adaptations, instead leaving external studios to exclusively fund such projects.[146]
| Title | U.S. release date | Director(s) | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transformers: Beginnings | October 16, 2007 (2007-10-16) | Craig S. Philips, Harold Hayes Jr. & Michael White Jr. | Chris Ryall &Simon Furman | Chris Ryall | Joshua Foster |
| Agent Burns: Welcome to Sector 7 | April 2, 2019 (2019-04-02) | Travis Knight | Christina Hodson | Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto, Michael Bay, Mark Vahradian & Lorenzo di Bonaventura | |
| Sector 7 Adventures: The Battle at Half Dome | April 2, 2019 (2019-04-02) | Lessa Millet & Jonathan Pezza | Jordan B. Gorfinkel | Tyler Thornberg & Michael Brosnan | |
Released separately from the first film on home release in October 2007, on DVD as a Walmart Exclusive; the short is an animated prequel, presented in the form of amotion comic, with narration from the character Bumblebee.Mark Ryan provides thevoice-over work for the role, while the short depicts Megatron's arrival on Earth, as well as Archibald Witwicky's discovery 4 million years later. The short skips to 2003 with Bumblebee arriving on Earth, and Sector 7's pursuit of him.[147]
Released on the home video release ofBumblebee, two short films under a "Sector 7 Archive" label were released.[148]
A short released as an in-universe orientation video, of Agent Burns addressing new hires.[149]
A short film, released in the form of a motion comic, takes place two years after the events ofBumblebee which depicts a fight between Bumblebee and Soundwave. When Sector 7 is attacked by Soundwave, Bumblebee arrives to protect them. During the ensuing battle, Soundwave demands that Sector 7 give back what belongs to the Decepticons.[150]
| Series | Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | ||||
| Transformers: Cyber Missions | 1 | 13 | January 21, 2010 | September 29, 2010 | |
| Bumblebee's First Life on Earth | 1 | 3 | March 20, 2019[151] | April 11, 2019[152] | |
A 13-episode long web mini-series released in 2010, set within and using the Transformers design from the continuity of the live-action movies. It was released on Hasbro's website and in 2011 re-released on Transformers' official YouTube channel.[153] The series was made by TG Studios in only three months.[154][better source needed] It is set between the events ofRevenge of the Fallen andDark of the Moon.[155]
Bumblebee's First Life on Earth (バンブルビー 初めての地球生活,Banburubī Hajimete no Chikyū Seikatsu) is a 3-episode long retelling of the first half of theBumblebee film with no spoilers. The series was released on Paramount Pictures' JapaneseTwitter account.[151][156]
| Film | Composer | Cinematographer | Editor(s) | Production companies | Distributing companies | Runtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transformers | Steve Jablonsky | Mitchell Amundsen | Paul Rubell,Glen Scantlebury & Thomas Muldoon | Paramount Pictures,DreamWorks Pictures,Hasbro,Di Bonaventura Pictures | Paramount Pictures | 143 minutes |
| Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Ben Seresin | Roger Barton, Paul Rubell, Joel Negron & Thomas Muldoon | Paramount Pictures, Di Bonaventura Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Hasbro | 150 minutes | ||
| Transformers: Dark of the Moon | Amir Mokri | Roger Barton,William Goldenberg & Joel Negron | Paramount Pictures,Hasbro Studios, Di Bonaventura Pictures | 154 minutes | ||
| Transformers: Age of Extinction | Roger Barton, William Goldenberg & Paul Rubell | Paramount Pictures, Hasbro Studios, Di Bonaventura Pictures,China Movie Channel, Jiaflix Enterprises | 165 minutes | |||
| Transformers: The Last Knight | Jonathan Sela | Mark Sanger,John Refoua,Debra Neil-Fisher, Roger Barton, Adam Gerstel & Calvin Wimmer | Paramount Pictures, Huahua Media, The Weying Galaxy,The H Collective, Hasbro Studios, Di Bonaventura Pictures | 149 minutes | ||
| Bumblebee | Dario Marianelli | Enrique Chediak | Paul Rubell | Allspark Pictures, Di Bonaventura Pictures,Bay Films,Tencent Pictures | 114 minutes | |
| Transformers: Rise of the Beasts | Jongnic Bontemps | William Goldenberg & Joel Negron | Paramount Pictures,Skydance Media, Hasbro,New Republic Pictures, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Bay Films | 127 minutes |
| Film | Release date | Box office revenue | Budget | Ref. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Other territories | Worldwide | |||||||
| Transformers | July 3, 2007 | $319,246,193 | $390,463,587 | $709,709,780 | $150 million | [157] | |||
| Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | June 24, 2009 | $402,111,870 | $434,191,823 | $836,303,693 | $200 million | [158] | |||
| Transformers: Dark of the Moon | June 29, 2011 | $352,390,543 | $771,403,536 | $1,123,794,079 | $195 million | [159] | |||
| Transformers: Age of Extinction | June 27, 2014 | $245,439,076 | $858,614,996 | $1,104,054,072 | $210 million | [160] | |||
| Transformers: The Last Knight | June 21, 2017 | $130,168,683 | $475,256,474 | $605,425,157 | $217 million | [161][162][163] | |||
| Bumblebee | December 21, 2018 | $127,195,589 | $340,794,056 | $467,989,645 | $135 million | [164] | |||
| Transformers: Rise of the Beasts | June 9, 2023 | $157,066,392 | $284,314,801 | $441,381,193 | $200 million | [165][166] | |||
| Total[167] | $1,733,618,346 | $3,555,039,273 | $5,288,657,619 | $1.307 billion | |||||
List indicator
| |||||||||
| Film | Critical | Public | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore | ||
| Transformers | 57% (227 reviews)[168] | 61 (35 reviews)[169] | A[170] | |
| Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | 19% (249 reviews)[171] | 35 (32 reviews)[172] | B+[173] | |
| Transformers: Dark of the Moon | 35% (259 reviews)[174] | 42 (37 reviews)[175] | A[176] | |
| Transformers: Age of Extinction | 18% (212 reviews)[177] | 32 (38 reviews)[178] | A−[179] | |
| Transformers: The Last Knight | 16% (254 reviews)[180] | 27 (47 reviews)[181] | B+[182] | |
| Bumblebee | 91% (251 reviews)[183] | 66 (39 reviews)[184] | A−[185] | |
| Transformers: Rise of the Beasts | 51% (237 reviews)[186] | 42 (51 reviews)[187] | A−[188] | |
The film series has met with generally negative to mixed reception. With the exception ofBumblebee, common elements of the original film series were held in low esteem by critics,[189] such as the repeated formulaic plots,sophomoric andtoilet humor, female characterobjectification,[190][191] clichéd and controversial characterizations,racial and cultural stereotypes,[192] overuse ofMacGuffins,product placement,[193] long running times, and excessiveretroactive continuity changes (or retcons).[194][195][196]
The firstTransformers film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its groundbreaking visual effects, sound design, action sequences, story, performances, with criticism for the Transformer redesigns and product placement.[168][169] The second film,Revenge of the Fallen, received negative reviews, with criticism of its screenplay and runtime, but praise for its visual effects and sound design. The third film,Dark of the Moon, received mixed reviews, with praise for its visual effects and sound design, but criticism for its screenplay and runtime.[174][175]
The fourth film,Age of Extinction received negative reviews from critics for its runtime and direction. The fifth filmThe Last Knight received negative reviews from critics for its direction, thin plot, and overlong runtime.[180][181]
Bumblebee received positive reviews, with praise for its lighter tone, story, visuals, performances, voice acting, direction, action sequences, and faithfulness to the 1980s Transformers show.[183][184]Rise of the Beasts received mixed reviews, with critics calling it an improvement over the pre–Bumblebee films, but with some criticism of the runtime.[186]
The franchise has been frequently praised and won awards for its visual effects and sound design. Michael Bay praised the crew and highlighted the importance of sound saying "I have like 2,000 people – through their artistry – making my dreams a film," Bay said. "The artistry of this sound group is just amazing. I love, love sound. It's 45–50% of the movies."[197]
| Academy Awards | Film | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transformers (2007) | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) | Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) | Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) | Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) | Bumblebee (2018) | Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) | |
| Sound Editing | Nominated | Nominated | |||||
| Sound Mixing | Nominated | Nominated | Nominated | ||||
| Visual Effects | Nominated | Nominated | |||||
| Golden Raspberry Awards | Film | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transformers (2007) | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) | Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) | Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) | Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) | Bumblebee (2018) | Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) | |
| Worst Picture | Won | Nominated | Nominated | Nominated[note 2] | |||
| Worst Director | Won | Nominated | Won | Nominated[note 2] | |||
| Worst Actor | Nominated (Mark Wahlberg)[note 2] | ||||||
| Worst Actress | Nominated (Megan Fox) | ||||||
| Worst Supporting Actor | Nominated (Jon Voight) | Nominated (Patrick Dempsey) (Ken Jeong) | Won (Kelsey Grammer) | Nominated (Josh Duhamel) (Anthony Hopkins)[note 2] | |||
| Worst Supporting Actress | Nominated (Julie White) | Nominated (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) | Nominated (Nicola Peltz) | Nominated (Laura Haddock)[note 2] | |||
| Worst Screen Couple | Nominated (Shia LaBeouf and eitherMegan Fox or any Transformer) | Nominated (Shia LaBeouf andRosie Huntington-Whiteley) | |||||
| Worst Screen Ensemble | Nominated (The entire cast) | ||||||
| Worst Screen Combo | Nominated (Any two robots, actors or robotic actors) | Nominated (Any combination of two humans, two robots or two explosions)[note 2] | |||||
| Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel | Nominated | Nominated | Nominated[note 2] | ||||
| Worst Screenplay | Won | Nominated | Nominated | Nominated[note 2] | |||
| The Razzie Nominee So Rotten You Loved It | Nominated[note 2] | ||||||
| Razzie Redeemer Award | Nominated | ||||||
| Visual Effects Society Awards | Film | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transformers (2007) | Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) | Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) | Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) | Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) | Bumblebee (2018) | Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) | |
| Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture | Won | Nominated | Nominated | ||||
| Best Single Visual Effect of the Year | Won (Desert Highway Sequence) | ||||||
| Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in a Live Action Motion Picture | Nominated (Optimus Prime) | ||||||
| Outstanding Models in a Feature Motion Picture | Won | Won (Driller) | Nominated (Knightship) | ||||
| Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture | Won (155 Wacker Drive) | ||||||
| Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture | Won | Nominated | |||||
| Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a Live Action Feature Motion Picture | Nominated | ||||||
The films have been successful in domestic home video sales and have grossed over $890 million.[198]
In addition to the films, the film series has a promotional expanded series that is set both before and after the events of the films. This includes comic books, video games, and novels. While the novels are partially based on the films themselves, and the video games are not in the same continuity as the films, the comic books and graphic novels are in the same continuity and fill in several parts of the stories from the films. Also,Transformers: The Ride – 3D is an amusement ride based on the film series. The ride introduced a new character, Autobot Evac, voiced by Dustin James Leighton.
crossover movie will be released in theaters in 2025 or 2026.
Guys and fanboys had their butts in seats at 62%. With 55% of the crowd under 25
Domestic audiences, who were more than 60% male, disagreed with reviewers, handing the film an A- CinemaScore.
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