Here’s How To Watch the Transformers Movies in Order (Chronologically and by Release Date) (2024)

Starting in 2007, the Transformers series has managed to spawn six films, including a spin-off feature for the character Bumblebee. With several other projects currently in development, it’s clear this series is not ending anytime soon. Just as the Transformers have proven enduringly popular in your local toy aisle, these shapeshifting robots have had similar longevity in their presence on the silver screen.

However, among the current Transformers movies, it can be easy to get lost in terms of where certain events fall in the continuity. Not only did these films adapt core parts of previously-established Transformers mythology, but they also created their own lore that introduced the idea of Autobots and Decepticons having a significant impact on human history. This has led to non-linear digressions throughout the various films that take the viewer everywhere from the days of King Arthur to the extinction of dinosaurs and everywhere in between. Bumblebee, takes place in the 1980s, two decades before the original film. The Transformers movies love to jump all around time almost as much as they love giant robots that turn into various forms of transportation. Considering that fact, it can be hard to parse out where exactly each film takes place in time.

To solve that problem, here is an in-depth guide to how to watch every film in the Transformers series, chronologically in order of events and by order of release date. Making sense of this franchise’s delightfully absurd lore has never been easier.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on September 20, 2024.

Transformers Movies in Order of Release

The live-action Transformers movies jump all over time to flesh out their ludicrously dense lore, but the events are more or less a continuous narrative. Here’s how to watch the series by order of release date.

• The Transformers: The Movie - August 8, 1986
• Transformers - July 3, 2007
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - June 24, 2009
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon - June 29, 2011
• Transformers: Age of Extinction - June 27, 2014
• Transformers: The Last Knight - June 21, 2021
• Bumblebee - December 21, 2018
• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - June 9, 2023
• Transformers One - September 20, 2024

Transformers Movies in Chronological Order

'Transformers One'

According to director Josh Cooley, Transformers One is canon to the lore of the franchise, set three billion years before the Autobots ever made their way to Earth.

Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry) go by the names Orion Pax and D-16, and they aren't actually enemies. For most of Transformers One, the legendary foes are the best of friends. Set entirely on Cybertron; Orion and D-16 discover a chip containing a message from Alpha Trion (Laurence Fishburne) giving details about his location on the surface world. Alongside a young Bumblebee, currently named B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key) and Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson), they travel to the surface and find Alpha Trion, who gives them the ability to transform.

A war soon brews, causing a rift between Orion Pax and D-16, which will determine the devastating fate of Cybertron.

810

Transformers One

Not Yet Rated

Animation

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Transformers One explores the origins of the iconic Autobots and Decepticons on their home planet of Cybertron. Set against a complex backdrop of alliances and betrayals, the film delves into the formative events and key figures that shaped these legendary factions, leading to their epic conflict.

Release Date

September 20, 2024

Director

Josh Cooley

Cast

Chris Hemsworth , Brian Tyree Henry , Scarlett Johansson , keegan-michael key , Steve Buscemi , Laurence Fishburne , Jon Hamm , Vanessa Liguori , Jon Bailey , Jason Konopisos-Alvarez , Evan Michael Lee , James Remar , Isaac C. Singleton Jr. , Steve Blum , Jinny Chung , Josh Cooley , Dillon Bryan

Runtime

104 Minutes

Main Genre

Animation

Writers

Andrew Barrer , Steve Desmond , Gabriel Ferrari

Studio(s)

Entertainment One , Hasbro , Nickelodeon Movies

Distributor(s)

Paramount Pictures

Sequel(s)

Transformers

Franchise(s)

Transformers

Character(s)

Orion Pax / Optimus Prime , D-16 / Megatron , Elita -1 , B-127 , Starscream , Alpha Trion , Sentinel Prime , Airachnid , Soundwave , Shockwave / Guard 2 , Jazz , Zeta Prime , Darkwing , Announcer Bot / Guard 1 , Chromia / Arcee , Control Room Guys / PA System / Skywarp , Injured Racer

'Bumblebee'

Bumblebee, the first spin-off in the franchise takes things back to the 1980s, the decade when the Transformers animated series first debuted. Set against the backdrop of 1987, this film sees Bumblebee crashing to Earth and meeting human teenager Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld). The two become unlikely friends as Charlie learns to move past the death of her biological father and Bumblebee learns to become the protector of Earth that Optimus Prime believed he could be. Unlike the rest of the movies in the series, Bumblebee never breaks away for digressions into other time periods. This includes both the film's ending and mid-credits scene, in which Bumblebee parts ways with Charlie and reunites with the newly arrived Optimus Prime.

Bumblebee

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

See Also

10 Books That Would Be Perfect A24 MoviesTransformers One - Wikiquote10 Movies Set in 2024, Ranked

*Availability in US

Release Date

December 15, 2018

Director

Travis Knight

Cast

Rachel Crow , Abby Quinn , Gracie Dzienny , Jason Drucker , John Cena , Ricardo Hoyos , Hailee Steinfeld , Jorge Lendeborg Jr.

Runtime

114 Minutes

Main Genre

Action

Writers

Christina Hodson

Studio

Paramount Pictures

Tagline

Every Adventure Has A Beginning

Website

http://bumblebeemovie.com

'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts'

The reunion at the end of Bumblebee leads to Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, which takes place in 1994. Here, a cast of new humans reunites with familiar Autobot heroes and the Maximals (a collection of robots who turn into mechanical animals) to fight off Unicron (Colman Domingo) and his forces.

Ex-military and electronics expert Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) and aspiring archaeologist Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) discover an artifact known as the Transwarp Key, which they must protect from the Terrocons. Aiding them in their quest is Mirage (Pete Davidson), who forms a strong bond with Noah. At the end of the film, Optimus destroys the Transwarp Key preventing the Autobots from ever returning to Cybertron, proclaiming Earth as his team's new home.

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Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

PG-13

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is a sci-fi action movie set after the events of 2018's Bumblebee as a series reboot of sorts and is heavily inspired by the Beast Wars series. The film follows two archaeologists who find themselves following the heroic Autobots as they come face to face with several other tribes of intergalactic transformers.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 9, 2023

Director

Steven Caple Jr.

Cast

Anthony Ramos , Dominique Fishback , Domenic Di Rosa

Runtime

127 minutes

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Writers

Joby Harold , Matt Holloway , Art Marcum , Darnell Metayer , Ken Nolan , Josh Peters

Studio

Paramount Pictures

'Transformers'

While the most recent installments of the Transformers saga have taken audiences to years past, this entire franchise began with stories that were (mostly) rooted in the years they were released. For instance, the notable presence of a 2006 Chevrolet Camaro, eBay, and a stand-in for then-President George W. Bush all factor into the runtime of Transformers, the next adventure in the Transformers saga after Rise of the Beasts in the franchise's chronology.

Here, moviegoers are introduced to nerdy high school student Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), the protagonist of the first three Transformers films, as he, Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox), and a handful of friendly Autobots try to track down the powerful AllSpark. It turns out the AllSpark’s location was accidentally engraved onto a pair of glasses belonging to Witwicky’s grandfather by a frozen Megatron. The journey culminates in a battle in Mission City that leaves the AllSpark reduced to a shard and Megatron defeated.

Even with all of this to juggle, the story does make time for brief digressions to the year 1897 to depict a fateful arctic encounter involving Megatron as well as footage of the supposedly lost Beagle 2 Mars Rover having a run-in with a Decepticons in December 2003.

Transformers

PG-13

Adventure

Science Fiction

Action

An ancient struggle between the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons brings their war to Earth. Teenager Sam Witwicky, played by Shia LaBeouf, buys his first car, which turns out to be the Autobot Bumblebee. As Sam and his friends join forces with the Autobots, they must prevent the Decepticons from obtaining the powerful AllSpark and destroying humanity​.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 3, 2007

Director

Michael Bay

Cast

Shia LaBeouf , Megan Fox , Mark Ryan , Peter Cullen , Hugo Weaving

Runtime

144 Minutes

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Writers

Roberto Orci , Alex Kurtzman , John Rogers

Budget

150000000.0

Studio(s)

DreamWorks Pictures , Di Bonaventura Pictures , DeSanto/Murphy Productions , Paramount

'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'

The next entry in the franchise, Transformers:Revenge of the Fallen, opens with a prologue set on Earth in 17,000 B.C. This scene depicts a group of Transformers building a Star Harvester, a machine that will be utilized in the film’s climax. While they’re doing this, the robots are discovered by cavemen, cueing up the first (but far from the last) violent encounter between man and machine. The rest of the proceedings are set against the landscape of 2009, which means you can look forward to references to the Global Recession of 2007 as well as brief news footage of President Obama. Set two years after the original film, Sam Witwicky is now heading off to college. However, his academic pursuits become jeopardized after he touches a shard of the AllSpark and starts behaving erratically. Meanwhile, the resurrection of Megatron has allowed the sinister plans of an archvillain Decepticon known as The Fallen to move forward.

transformers: revenge of the fallen

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 19, 2009

Director

Michael Bay

Cast

Shia LaBeouf , Megan Fox , Josh Duhamel , Tyrese Gibson , John Turturro , Ramon Rodriguez

Runtime

147

Main Genre

Action

Writers

Ehren Kruger , Roberto Orci , Alex Kurtzman

Tagline

Revenge is coming.

Website

http://www.transformersmovie.com/

'Transformers: Dark of the Moon'

Transformers: Dark of the Moon takes place three years after the events of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Sam Whitwicky has finished college and is now looking for a job. Despite saving the world on two separate occasions, he’s somehow finding it difficult to hang on to steady employment. At the same time, Sam is also dealing with his new girlfriend, Carly Spencer (Rosie Huntington-Whitley), and a new plan by the Decepticons to essentially bring Cybertron to Earth, effectively destroying the planet.

Like its predecessor, Dark of the Moon kicks its story off with a prologue set in the distant past. This time, the Space Race of the 1960s is the focus, with the film revealing that the Moon was actually the secret crash site of an Autobot ship called The Ark. This digression to the past involves a whole slew of historical figures including John F. Kennedy, Richard M. Nixon, and Buzz Aldrin, the latter figure making an appearance as himself to help explain the conspiracy.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 28, 2011

Director

Michael Bay

Cast

Shia LaBeouf , Rosie Huntington-Whiteley , Julie White , Kevin Dunn , Josh Duhamel , Tyrese Gibson

Runtime

157

Main Genre

Action

Writers

Ehren Kruger

Tagline

July 1 in 3D.

Website

http://www.transformersmovie.com/

'Transformers: Age of Extinction'

Transformers: Age of Extinction picks up the action five years after Transformers: Dark of the Moon. With that time jump comes a new protagonist. Say goodbye to Sam Witwicky and say hello to Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), a single Texas dad with an inexplicable thick Boston accent. He, his daughter Tessa (Nicola Peltz), and her boyfriend Shane (Jack Reynor) get swept up in a new Transformers adventure after Yeager stumbles on a hibernating Optimus Prime.

Transformers: Age of Extinction

PG-13

Science Fiction

Action

The fourth installment in the Transformers movie franchise, Transformers: Age of Extinction introduces a new cast of human characters alongside its returning Autobots and Decepticons. Years after humanity has ceased all cooperation with the Autobots, a badly-damaged Optimus Prime is discovered by inventor Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg). Caught in the middle of the ancient plans of the alien race known as the Creators, Cade has no choice but to help Optimus Prime in order to save the Earth from total destruction.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 27, 2014

Director

Michael Bay

Cast

Mark Wahlberg , Kelsey Grammer , Nicola Peltz , Jack Reynor , Stanley Tucci

Runtime

165 minutes

Writers

Ehren Kruger

'Transformers: The Last Knight'

Cade and his crew create such a strong bond with the robots that Reager and company return for Transformers: The Last Knight, which flashes forward to an era set both in the future and an unspecified amount of time after Transformers: Age of Extinction.

While on a fresh quest to save the day, Yeager and new love interest Vivian Wembley (Laura Haddock) discover an organization led by Sir Edmund Burton (Anthony Hopkins) dedicated to protecting the secret that Transformers were involved in every significant event in human history. Though we are told that the shapeshifting robots were involved in everything from the Underground Railroad to the life of William Shakespeare, the only instance of this phenomenon the audiences get to see is a brief flashback depicting Bumblebee fighting alongside Allied forces in World War II.

Transformers: The Last Knight

PG-13

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Thriller

Superhero

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 16, 2017

Director

Michael Bay

Cast

Mark Wahlberg , Anthony Hopkins , Josh Duhamel , Laura Haddock , Santiago Cabrera , Isabela Merced

Runtime

149

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Writers

Art Marcum , Matt Holloway , Ken Nolan , Akiva Goldsman

Studio

Paramount Studios

Tagline

There are mysteries to the universe we were never meant to solve

Website

http://www.transformersmovie.com/

Separate Continuity

'The Transformers: The Movie'

Set 20 years after the events of Season 2 of the original animated series, The Transformers: The Movie begins with Optimus Prime's death after being mortally wounded in a fight with Megatron, who is also in critical condition. This leads to the Deceptions retreating, but the Autobots are targeted by an even more dangerous threat, Unicron, who transfigures Megatron into Galvatron, and plans to consume all of Cybertron.

The Transformers: The Movie

PG

Animation

Action

Adventure

Family

Sci-Fi

The Autobots must stop a colossal planet consuming robot who goes after the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. At the same time, they must defend themselves against an all-out attack from the Decepticons.

Where to Watch

• stream
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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

August 8, 1986

Director

Nelson Shin

Cast

Norman Alden , Jack Angel , Michael Bell , gregg berger , Susan Blu , Arthur Burghardt

Main Genre

Animation

What's Next?

After years of speculation, the Transformers will finally be sharing the screen with the G.I. Joe for their next big-screen outing, as revealed in the post-credits scene for Rise of the Beasts. The project was confirmed in April 2024 at Paramount Pictures' Cinemacon presentation. A little over a month later, it was revealed that Chris Hemsworth, who voiced Orion Pax in Transformers One, would star in the film, in an undisclosed role. A few weeks later, Derek Connolly, who wrote all three Jurassic World films, was revealed to be writing the script for the project. While talking to Collider's Steve Weintraub, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventuraoffered some details about how the crossover will play out, saying:

"It is a process of finding a story and then adjusting the story. Then it's not working and why isn't it working and all the things that go through this process. But to me, the crossover terminology makes me nervous because to me, when somebody says that, it sounds like it's supposed to be 50/50 or something. That's just me, maybe I'm wrong. I think if we try to do 50/50, it's going to feel imbalanced . Because you're never going to spend enough time and sort of forward momentum, you've got to explain 50% and 50%. So I'm not quite sure how to get around that, but there will be a lot of Joe activity, a lot of Transformer activity, and a lot of human activity . Maybe it'll be a third, a third, a third. I don't know. It won't be that naturally find itself that way."

di Bonaventura also revealed that alongside a sequel to Transformers One, the next live-action movie will be the crossover, saying to Weintraub:

"Well, we're going, again, subject to success, we're going to do a sequel to this, and there will be an animated version, and it will exist completely separately to whatever we do live-action. The next live-action movie will be a crossover. Where it will be particularly affected is the fact that we now know what these robots are capable of emotionally in a way. So we're going to have to figure out how to create that room, that we can afford that, and create a story that you can take more advantage of that. So one of the things that I'm particularly interested in doing, and we're still in the development phase, so nothing is by any means written in stone, but I think we need to do more now from the robot point of view in the live-action because that's the only way you're really going to get inside them."