The “Transformers” brand originated in the 1980s as a combination of American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. The main team in “Transformers” are the heroic Autobots and the villains Decepticons – two factions of alien robots that can transform into different shapes, such as vehicles and animals. Transformers quickly evolved into a franchise that included toys, animation, comic books, video games, and movies.
As of 2011, the brand generated sales of more than 2 trillion yen ($25 billion), making it one of the highest-grossing media brands of all time. Generations of ’80s kids who grew up with “Transformers” toys continued to be movie and video game customers, and their children spread a love of the story of the transforming robots.
Beginning with “Transformers” (2007)
Before “Transformers”, Michael Bay had Armageddon or Pearl Harbor in his hands, but it was not until the robot movie brand that the filmmaker’s name was really associated with the explosive film series. The work marks the beginning of the live-action series and introduces “Transformers” to a new generation of fans. This was the first time fans got to see the robots come to life thanks to CGI, and was a pivotal moment for the franchise’s growth and success.
The 2007 blockbuster was a huge commercial success, grossing over $700 million worldwide. The work ushered in a string of box office wins for the franchise and opened the door for sequels. The story in the movie is simple: it’s a war between the Autobots and the Decepticons, the smooth transformations between vehicles and robots are the main factor that makes the audience can’t take their eyes off the screen, establishing continuity. and in tune for the entire series. “Transformers” introduces the main characters of the series, typically Optimus Prime and Bumblebee.
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (2009)
The “Transformers” sequel continued to be a box office success as it swept theaters, grossing $836 million worldwide making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2009. Revenge of the Fallen Nominated for Best Sound Mixing at the 82nd Academy Awards.
The film is set in the Autobots and their human allies facing their biggest challenge yet: the return of the Decepticons and their new leader “Fallen”. It introduces new Transformers characters like Jetfire and Soundwave, and develops existing characters like Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. Fans love the mythological theme and appreciate discovering more of the history of “Transformers”. The film also helps establish the visual style of the franchise, with the CGI and special effects being even more impressive than the previous installment.
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (2011)
Once again Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) is stuck in a war between two robot factions. This time, the heroes have to deal with Optimus Prime’s predecessor Sentinel Prime – a traitor Autobot on the side of the Decepticons with a mission to enslave humanity.
In “Dark of the Moon”, the narrative style and character development are both improved. In addition, the work is also technically commended for elevating the image of a Hollywood blockbuster, using special effects for 3D. With $1.124 billion at the worldwide box office, “Dark of the Moon” became the 32nd highest-grossing film of all time and the highest-grossing Transformers film of the series.
“Transformers: Age of Extinction” (2014)
The fourth film in the series introduces new characters: Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) and his daughter Tessa (Nicola Peltz) as they come into contact with the Autobots and Decepticons. The film takes place five years after the events of the previous film, when humans fight and hunt down the Autobots. “Transformers: Age of Extinction” marks the beginning of a new chapter for transforming robots. The film introduces a new cast of characters, a different storyline, and a bunch of strange robots, including the fan-favorite Dinobots. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide.
“Transformers: The Last Knight” (2017) and “Bumblebee” (2018)
“Transformers: The Last Knight” explores the long history of Transformers on Earth, with flashbacks to the Dark Ages and Merlin’s role in the discovery of alien technology. The work also introduces a new villain, Quintessa, who wants to rewrite the universe and reshape it to his liking.
While “The Last Knight” expands on the history and mythology of the Transformers universe, “Bumblebee” is a standalone film about the series’ much-loved character. Set in the late ’80s, the work is a much-needed breath of fresh air that offers a fresh perspective on the franchise. The film focuses more on human characters, and their relationships and emotional struggles are different from the explosive scale and intense action style of the previous installments.
“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” (2023)
The first trailer of “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” received more than 238 million views online within the first 24 hours, an impressive number for a movie series. For fans of “Transformers”, this movie is extremely awaited as it brings a refreshing story of beasts based on the Beast Wars series. The work promises to take the audience on a nostalgic and exhilarating adventure around the 90s world with the Autobots. At the same time, it introduces a whole new faction of Transformers – the Maximals – to join as allies in the fight to protect the earth. Along with that is the threat from the planet devourer Unicron.
The film is directed by Creed II – Steven Caple Jr. responsible, with Michael Bay serving as producer.
