Summary
The nextTransformersmovie has the potential to achieve one thing the previous live-action films in the franchise could not. Although theTransformersmedia franchise has generated its revenue from myriad sources to become one of the highest-grossing media franchises, its primary source of earnings in recent years has been through live-action films. Against a total budget of $1.3 billion, thelive-actionTransformersmovieshave earned as high as $5.2 billion at the global box office.
Despite shattering records and achieving several feats at the box office, however, almost all live-action films in the franchise have lacked one crucial ingredient. Fortunately, theTransformerscinematic universe is now gradually changing its narrative and creative direction. Owing to these changes, the newTransformersmovie might finally make up for one shortcoming that harmed almost all ofMichael Bay’sTransformersmovies.
Transformers One: Everything You Need To Know
The animated feature film Transformers One brought the beloved franchise back to the big screen, and here’s everything to know about the hit film.
Transformers One Can Be The Jumping Point For New Fans That Most Bayverse Movies Never Were
Transformers One Might Encourage Viewers To Watch Other Animated Iterations Of The Franchise
Steven Spielberg initially envisioned theTransformersas a loyal adaptation of the cartoon that would walk through the relationship between a boy and his car. Although Michael Bay borrowed some aspects of his ideas, he set out to give the firstTransformersmovie its own unique identity by straying significantly away from the franchise’s original lore. His unique take on the franchise allowed it to garner the attention of a new generation of viewers, paving the way for a full-fledged blockbuster live-action franchise.
Not only isTransformers Onetaking viewers back to the origins of Megatron and Optimus Prime’s relationship but also uses animation as its mode of storytelling.
Unfortunately, with each new installment,Michael Bay’s moviesonly drifted further away fromTransformers' original lore while adopting only some crucial plot devices from the cartoons and the comics.Transformers Oneis now releasing seven years after the last “Bayverse” film, andit seems like the perfect springboard for new audiences to watch the franchise. Not only isTransformers Onetaking viewers back to the origins of Megatron and Optimus Prime’s relationship but also uses animation as its mode of storytelling. This could ultimately prompt new viewers to explore the vast animated side of the franchise.
Which Transformers Movies Are A Good Starting Point For New Fans?
Five Movies In The Franchise Would Be Great Starting Points
Since the first live-actionTransformersmovie marked the inception of a new chapter for the overarching franchise, it is, by default, a good starting point for audiences. 2018’sBumblebeecould also be the first introductory film for anyone who wishes to dip their feet in the world ofTransformersbecause it serves as a reboot for the live-action films. Apart from being a reboot,Bumblebeealso honors Steven Spielberg’s visionfor the live-action films and ranks among the franchise’s most critically acclaimed installments.
The Transformers: The Movie
Nelson Shin
Instead of delving too deep intoTransformers' original lore,Bumblebeealso streamlines it in a way that makes it more accessible to new audiences. AlthoughTransformers: Rise of the Beastscould also be a decent entry point for new audiences, some of its references and subtle nods to the original cartoons may be a little hard to follow for those unfamiliar with the franchise’s expansive history. Just likeTransformers One, 1986’sThe Transformers: The Movieserves as the perfect companion for anyone seeking to understand the franchise’s roots while enjoying something that is not too narratively complex.
All Upcoming Transformers Movies Explained
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts arrived in 2023, and that set the table for several more movies in the franchise that will arrive down the line.
There’s Still A Disconnection Between Live-Action Transformers & The Animated Shows
Transformers One Could Bridge The Gap Between The Two
The narrative differences between the live-actionTransformersand the animated shows are quite evident because of how differently the movies treat their main Cybertronian characters. Unlike the original cartoons, the live-action movies also focus a little too much on human-driven subplots instead of adding more depth to their lore. Even when it comes to the overall tone and aesthetic, the animated shows are directed more toward younger audiences, while the live-action films have a PG-13 rating.
With a PG rating,Transformers Onemight finally bridge the gap between these divergent approachestoward the depiction of the Hasbro toy characters on the small and big screens. Only time will ultimately determine whetherTransformers Onewill take the middle ground or incline more toward one of the two contrasting approaches. However, from the looks of it, it might strike the perfect balance between the animated series' nostalgia and the big-budget cinematic appeal of theTransformerslive-action films.
Transformers One
Transformers One is an animated action-adventure movie that marks the first animated feature-length film for the series in decades. The film will be a prequel to the franchise, and will tell the story of Optimus Prime and Megatron in their early years, how they met, and a closer look at the war on their home planet, Cybertron.
