The first Transformers film was released in 2007 and is responsible for setting up one of the most successful franchises in recent years. The battles between the Autobots and the Decepticons have gotten the attention of millions of fans around the world and with the announcement of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, a film set to come out in the summer of 2022, it seems like the franchise is here to stay.
Even though some of the movies receive unfavorable reviews, the Transformers films generate box office revenue comparable to other major blockbusters, with 2 films in the series grossing over $1 billion. Of the six movies released to date, here are the lowest to highest ranked according to IMDb.
6 Transformers: The Last Knight Was The Last Film Directed By Michael Bay - 5.2
The final Michael Bay directed film in the series was released in 2017 and was met with mostly negative reviews. The film also marked the last time that Mark Wahlberg starred in a Transformers movie. Transformers: The Last Knight sees Optimus Prime getting brainwashed by a being known as Quintessa. He then returns to earth and engages in a battle against Bumblebee before returning to his normal self and defeating Quintessa alongside Bumblebee.
In addition to Wahlberg, Transformers: The Last Knight featured Anthony Hopkins, Stanley Tucci, Josh Duhamel, and others, making up an impressive ensemble cast, but this wasn't enough to boost ratings.
5 Transformers: Age Of Extinction Made Mark Wahlberg The New Lead - 5.6
After the release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, the series headed in a new direction with Mark Wahlberg as the new face of the franchise. Wahlberg plays Cade Yeager, an inventor from Texas who unintentionally locates a hiding Optimus Prime. While being hunted by rogue CIA agents, Yeager, along with his daughter and her boyfriend, go on a globetrotting adventure with Optimus Prime.
The Wahlberg-led film brought in over $1 billion, and is the second highest grossing film in the series, behind its predecessor, Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
4 Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen Has The Death And Revival Of Optimus Prime - 6.0
With the financial and critical success of the first film, a sequel was released in 2009, making even more at the global box office. During a fight with the Decepticons, Optimus Prime is killed in battle.
While being pursued by the Fallen and a few Decepticons, Sam Witwicky, along with Mikaela Banes, Leo Spitz, and Seymour Simmons travel to Egypt to find a mysterious object known as the Matrix of Leadership, which can supposedly bring Optimus Prime back from the dead. The group eventually finds it and uses it to revive the leader of the Autobots, who is then able to defeat the Fallen.
3 Transformers: Dark Of The Moon Ended Sam Witwicky's Story - 6.2
Released in 2011, Transformers: Dark of the Moon finished off Sam Witwicky's story that began in the first film. The movie features one of the biggest battles in the franchise, taking place between several Autobots, Decepticons, and humans in Chicago.
Megan Fox's Mikaela Banes from the first 2 installments did not return for the film, but Sam found a new love interest in Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's Carly Spencer. The film ended up being a box office success, as it became the first film in the series to generate $1 billion.
2 Bumblebee Took The Franchise Back To The 1980s - 6.8
The newest film on the list came out in 2018 and acted as an origin story for Bumblebee, one of the most popular Autobots in the world of the Transformers. Led by Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena, the movie featured a great deal of human star power, while also giving the Transformers characters a chance to shine.
Bumblebee is also the first film in the series to be directed by someone other than Michael Bay. After the requisite run-ins with Decepticons, the film ends with an emotional farewell between Bumblebee and Steinfeld's character, Charlie.
1 The Live-Action Debut Of The Transformers Is Still The Best - 7.0
Releasing in 2007, the first Transformers movie gave the series a promising start. The film introduced the world to Shia LaBeouf's Sam Witwicky, the lead character in the first 3 movies. After buying a yellow Chevrolet Camaro that is actually Bumblebee in disguise, Sam becomes involved in the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons.
With help from his girlfriend Mikaela - Megan Fox's iconic breakout role - Sam is able to help Optimus Prime and the Autobots by using the All Spark to kill Megatron. Even though Megatron was destroyed, the classic Transformers villain returns on multiple occasions throughout the series.
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