All Transformers Movies in Order

Inspired by Hasbro’s Toy line in the 80s, the Transformer franchise has become a multi-billion dollar mega-hit. Though the toy line received many animated shows, it gained mainstream success from Michael Bay’s beautifully produced real-life adaptation of the toys into movie format.

In the franchise, we follow a group of peaceful transforming Robots named Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, who have taken refuge on Earth after their home planet was destroyed in a war against the Decepticons. The Decepticons, led by Megatron, are evil robots who want to destroy all other races and rule the planet that they live on. As the two forces collide on Earth, which one will emerge victorious?

Read: All Jurassic Park Movies

The live-action Transformers film directed by Michael Bay captivated moviegoers with its ahead-of-time, cutting-edge special effects and nail-biting action. With the release of its upcoming film, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, set for June 9, 2023, if you’re looking to get into the series or want to rewatch it in the correct order, you have come to the right place. This article has all the information you need to catch up with the series’ latest movies.

All Transformers Movies in Order

1. Transformers

   Streaming On: TNT, TBS, tru TV

   Director: Michael Bay

   Writers: John Rogers, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman

   Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Megan Fox, Tyrese Gibson Rachael Taylor, Anthony Anderson, John Turturro, Jon Voight, Michael O’Neill, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, Amaury Nolasco, Zack Ward, Bernie Mac, John Robinson

   Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

   

   Starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox as the protagonists, the first Transformer movie jumps into its world. It slowly explains to the viewer its history. The film acts as a good entry point to the series while laying the groundwork for the sequels.

   Planet Cybertron was destroyed due to a war between two Transformer factions, the Autobots led by Optimus Prime and the Decepticons led by Megatron. The war occurred for AllSpark, the energy source for all Cybertronian life. The Autobots want to use it to restore the planet, while the Megatrons wish to use the AllSpark to defeat the Autobots.

   The AllSpark is found on earth; in present-day, five Decepticons are sent in disguise of cars to retrieve it. After attacking the US military base, they find that the location of the AllSpark is imprinted on an item with Sam Witwicky.

   One of the Autobots, Bumblebee (disguised as a Camaro), is bought by Sam as his first car. Bumblebee helps Sam impress his crush, Mikaela. When a Decepticon confronts Sam for the AllSparks location, Bumblebee saves him and runs away. Bumblebee goes to the rest of the Earth’s Autobots to devise a plan, but Bumblebee and Sam are arrested.

   One of the Decepticones secretly invades another military base and wakes Megatron, who has been lying dormant. In the final fight, all the Decepticons are defeated. Sam rams the AllSpark into Megatron, destroying both Megatron and the AllSpark. Optimus Prime signals all surviving Autobots to Earth.

   Full of beautifully directed action, Transformer does an excellent job of grabbing the viewer’s attention and introducing them to the franchise. The story keeps the viewers interested in the sequels, and the fights keep them on edge.

2. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

   Streaming On: Can be rented from – Vudu, YouTube, Apple TV

   Director: Michael Bay

   Writers: Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman

   Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Ramon Rodriguez, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, Isabel Lucas, Glenn Morshower, Matthew Marsden, Rainn Wilson, Michael Papajohn

   Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

   

   A few years after the first movie, we see the Autobots working alongside the US army in fighting against the Decepticons. Shia LaBeouf returns to play his previous role and plays a very important part in the movie.

   When one of the original seven transformers (The Primes) broke the rule of harvesting energy from stars, he was imprisoned and named “The Fallen,” the original Decepticon.

   The Autobots have teamed up with humans to finish the remaining Decepticons. Two Decepticons hack into the US military radio and confirm the location of Megatron. The two revive Megatron, who is ordered by “The Fallen” to kill Optimus Prime and capture Sam.

   With the help of Starscream, a high-ranking Decepticon, Megatron has launched a rapid worldwide attack and demands Sam be handed over. Grindor, a Decepticon, captures Sam, Leo, his roommate, and Mikaela. While trying to save Sam, Optimus Prime is killed while Bumblebee flees with the rest of them.

   Sam meets up with Seymour Simmons, an alien expert, who tells them about ancient Transformers known as seekers who lay dormant on Earth. They use a shard of the AllSpark to revive Jetfire, an ancient seeker.

   During the final fight, Megatron fatally wounds Sam, and when Sam is near death, he is contacted by the Primes, who give him “The Matrix,” which Sam uses to revive Optimus. Jetfire sacrifices himself for Optimus’s revival, after which Optimus kills The Fallen. Upset from their master’s death, the Decepticons retreat.

   With the introduction of more enemies from outer space, the movie increases the stakes involved. It keeps the viewers engaged in the series. The movie was produced beautifully, and Michael Bay’s direction was praised after its release.

3. Transformers: Dark of the Moon

   Streaming On: Paramount+

   Director: Michael Bay

   Writer: Ehren Kruger

   Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Patrick Dempsey, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Keiko Agena, Lester Speight, Josh Kelly, Alan Tudyk, Ken Jeong, Glenn Morshower, Buzz Aldrin

   Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

   

   The third installment in the franchise features our protagonist, Autobot, exploring the Dark side of the moon and finding his old leader, who is plotting something evil in the back of their brain. Shia LaBeouf reprises his role as Sam Witwick for one last time in the franchise.

   In 1961, a cybertronian spacecraft, Ark, carrying an invention, crashes on the moon’s dark side. The US set up a secret mission to investigate the spacecraft. When Optimus learns about the mission, he goes to the moon and discovers Sentinel Prime, the previous leader of the Autobots. Using the powers of the Matrix, Optimus revives Sentinel.

   After the previous movie, Sam is now living with Carly. When one of Sam’s coworkers tells him about the Ark, he is later assassinated. Sam realizes that the Decepticons are killing the people connected to the Ark space missions. Sam contacts Seymour, and the two locate the astronauts who went on the mission. The astronauts revealed that there were hundreds of pillars on the moon. When Sam returns to the Autobot’s base, Sentinel betrays them and reveals that he made a deal with Megatron.

   Using the invention, Sentinel transports a large army of Decepticons to Earth. The Autobots fake their death and use it as a distraction to gain the upper hand on the Decepticons. During the final battle, Bumblebee kills Soundwave while Optimus takes on Sentinel. When Sentinel is about to kill Optimus, Carly deceives Megatron into stopping Sentinel.

   Megatron offers a truce, but Prime decapitates him. When Sentinel tries to explain his actions, he, too, is finished off by Prime.

   Transformer: Dark of the Moon is the movie with the highest box office collection in the franchise and for a good reason. Overflowing with pretty CGI, well-choreographed fights, and a revenge plot that keeps the viewers intrigued, the movie is a full-on experience.

4. Transformers: Age of Extinction

   Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, MGM+

   Director: Michael Bay

   Writer: Ehren Kruger

   Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, Stanley Tucci, Sophia Myles, Li Bingbing, Titus Welliver, T.J. Miller, James Bachman, Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, John Goodman, Ken Watanabe, Robert Foxworth, John DiMaggio, Mark Ryan, Reno Wilson 

   Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

   

   With a new cast, Transformers: Age of Extinction turns over a new leaf for the series. We follow Optimus as he is slowly restored to better health after the previous movie and then realizes how humans have started exploiting Autobots as resources.

   A long time ago, a ” Creators ” race used seeds to sow an alloy called Transformium in the earth’s core. In the present day, Transformium is being used by K.S.I industries to create transforming drones.

   After the events of the previous movies, humans have started viewing them as hostile, with many agencies hunting them down. Lockdown, a Cybertronian bounty hunter working for the creators, is sent after Optimus. Lockdown enlists the help of Harold Attinger, a Rouge CIA agent after Optimus.

   Hiding in Texas, Optimus is heavily damaged. Cade Yeager discovers Optimus and decides to repair him. When the authorities know about Optimus’s location, they raid the Yeager farm. Optimus saves Cade and his family and contacts the remaining Autobots. Using one of the drones, Cade confirms the involvement of K.S.I industries.

   Cade infiltrates KSI and discovers that dead transformers are being melted for their Transformium and that they have also transplanted Megatron’s brain into a new Transformer named Galvatron. The Autobots infiltrate KSI, and Optimus engages in a fight with Galvatron, but Lockdown interferes and kidnaps Optimus.

   To save Optimus, Cade and the Autobots secretly board Lockdown’s ship. Optimus frees some Autobots (Dinobots) who serve Lockdown and win their loyalty. Lockdown returns to re-capture Optimus, who, in the battle, loses to Optimus. Galvatron vows to return. Optimus orders the Dinobots to protect Cade and his family as he flies away with a seed while sending a message to the Creators that he will come after him.

   Jampacked with beautiful scenery and impactful fight sequences, Transformers: Age of Extinction is one of the most exciting movies in the franchise. It has many scenes where morals like human greed and reaping what you sow are fully displayed.

5. Transformers: The Last Knight

   Streaming On: fuboTV, DIRECTV

   Director: Michael Bay

   Writers: Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, Ken Nolan

   Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, Stanley Tucci, Anthony Hopkins, Laura Haddock, Isabela Moner, Jerrod Carmichael, Santiago Cabrera, John Turturro, Glenn Morshower, Liam Garrigan, Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, Gemma Chan, Erik Aadahl, Jim Carter, Omar Sy, Ken Watanabe, John Goodman, John DiMaggio

   Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

   

   Continuing years after the event of the previous movie, we get to see a completely new side of our series protagonist, Optimus Prime, as he is manipulated by a goddess who sends him on a harsh mission. As the last movie directed by Michael Bay, the movie acts as a farewell from him to the series.

   When Prime arrives in the ruins of Cybertron, a crazy goddess named Quintessa manipulates him and transforms him into Nemesis Prime. She sends him back to earth to retrieve a powerful Staff to restore Cybertron.

   The Transformers Reaction Force (TRF) has started hunting transformers. Cade now collaborates with a scrapper, Izbella and her Autobot companion, Sqweek. The duo finds a dying knight on a battle site who hands them a talisman. The TRF tracks down Cade and starts to confront him, but Bumblebee saves Cade.

   Megatron and the left Decepticons reluctantly team up when they learn about the Talisman’s worth. When they attack Cade’s farm, Cade is invited to the UK by a Human-sized Transformer named Cogman. In the UK, Cade meets Sir Edmund Burton. Edmund orders another transformer to find Viviane Wembley.

   Burt explains that he is the last member of a secret society that keeps the existence of transformers under wraps. The Talisman can lead anyone to the Staff’s location, while Viviane is the only one who can activate it. While escaping pursuers, the group locates and activates the Staff.

   When Prime arrives, Bumblebee speaks in his voice for the first time, which releases Optimus from his mind control. The knights awakened by the staff yield to Cad when his Talisman turns into the Excalibur, but the Decepticons steal the Staff.

   While some savage Cybertron ravages the earth, all the players team up to defeat Megatron and Quintessa. In the battle, Optimus kills Megatron while Bumblebee seemingly kills Quintessa.

   In the end, we see Quintessa explaining to some scientists about Unicron and telling them that she can destroy it.

   With Optimus travelling for most of the movie, the viewers see a Bumblebee as the main Autobot protagonist, with other Autobots getting some limelight, too. The constantly stunning action grabs the viewer’s attention from the start and does not let it go till the credits roll.

6. Transformers: BumbleBee

   Streaming On: fuboTV, Paramount+, DIRECTV

   Director: Travis Knight

   Writer: Christian Hudson

   Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Ortiz, Jason Drucker, Pamela Adlon, Stephen Schneider, Len Cariou, Glynn Turman, Gracie Dzienny, Ricardo Hoyos, Lenny Jacobson, Megyn Price, Dylan O’Brien, Peter Cullen, Grey Griffin, Steve Blum, Andrew Morgado, Kirk Baily, Dennis Singletary

   Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

   

   Set in the 1980s, Bumblebee acts as a prequel to the first Transformer movie. In it, we get to know the origin story of Bumblebee, about how he was sent to Earth, lost his voice, and set up a base camp for the Autobots on Earth.

   When the Autobots are on the verge of losing the war, Optimus dispatches a scout bot named B-127 (Bumblebee) to Earth to continue the Autobot operations. When B-127 reaches, he has to flee from sector 7 soldiers who declare him hostile. While running away, B-127 encounters a Decepticon who rips out his vocal cords and destroys his memory chip. He kills the Decepticon and passes out after scanning a Volkswagon beetle.

   In 1987, Charlene “Charlie” Watson was gifted the beetle as a birthday gift. Charlie, by mistake, activates a signal that draws in some Decepticons. When the Decepticons land, they act as peacekeepers and team up with Sector 7 to hunt down B-127.

   While trying to fix the beetle, Charlie transforms it back to B-127, whom she befriends and names Bumblebee. Charlie, by mistake, unlocks a message from Optimus to B-127 to protect the Earth. As B-127 slowly learns how to use the radio, he causes an energy spike that catches the attention of Sector 7. When Charlie’s mom blames her for the spike, she has an emotional breakdown and drives away with B-127, only to be confronted by the Decepticons. They confiscate B-127 and send her home.

   Charlie teams up with Memo, her neighbour who knows about B-127 and goes to sector 7. While torturing B-127, the Decepticons unlock Optimus’s message to him. Burns, the Colonel of Secotr, is warned about the Decepticon’s real intentions.

   Charlie saves B-127, which brings back his memories. While trying to fight the Decepticons, Burns is saved by B-127. In the final fight, B-127 breaks a dam that crushes the two Decepticons. As Charlie understands that B-127 has a greater purpose, she lets him go.

   The movie does an excellent job of tying loose ends and setting up the world for the movies that came before it. In a very well-handled emotional way, we get to see the backstory of Bumblebee and how he grew to trust humans.

Conclusion

Packed full of graphically spectacular action, beautiful scenery, and deep characters, the Transformers franchise has won over the hearts of many action flick fans. The movie keeps its viewers on their toes while maintaining its original formula of huge fights between enormous robots where humans are stuck in the middle. After the first movie’s success, the franchise has released five more live-action films, each more spectacular and successful than the previous.

So, suppose you’re looking to get into a beautifully produced sci-fi action series with profound lore. In that case, the Transformer series might be the right pick for you.

All Transformers Movies According To IMDb Ratings

• Transformers – 7.0 By 661K Votes
• Bumblebee – 6.7 By 181K Votes
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon – 6.2 By 424K Votes
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – 5.9 By 420K Votes
• Transformers: Age of Extinction – 5.6 By 326K Votes
• Transformers: The Last Knight – 5.2 By 163K Votes

Transformers Movies According To Box Office Collection

• Transformers: Dark of the Moon – $1.124 billion 
• Transformers: Age of Extinction – $1.104 billion 
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – $836.5 million 
• Transformers – $709.7 million 
• Transformers: The Last Knight – $605.4 million 
• Bumblebee – $468 million

FAQs