Transformers is one of those franchises that, for better or worse, keeps rolling out movies, and we keep showing up to watch them. Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s just the irresistible joy of seeing cars turn into giant robots. Some entries definitely outshine the others, but if you’re gearing up for a watch (or a rewatch), here’s the best Transformers movie watch order.
What’s the best order to watch the Transformers movies?
As we generally recommend with any movie watch order, you should watch the Transformers movies in release order. Chronological order can get messy, and you may miss callbacks or references if you skip around. That said, if you’ve already made your way through the films and are gearing up for a rewatch, trying a chronological timeline run can be a fun change of pace.
Here’s how the movies line up in chronological order:
- Transformers One (2024) – set 3 billion years ago
- Bumblebee (2018) – set in 1987
- Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) – set in 1994
- The Transformers: The Movie (1986) – set in 2005
- Transformers (2007) – set in 2007
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) – set in 2009
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) – set in 2011
- Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) – set in 2014
- Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) – set in 2017
The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
The original movie based on the popular animated series that introduced us to the world of the Autobots and the Decepticons, Transformers: The Movie, premiered in 1986 and was generally considered a flop. Fortunately for Hasbro, it still managed to get the action figures flying off the shelves at Toys R Us.
Set in the year 2005, the Autobots are nearly wiped out by a massive Decepticon assault led by a reborn, more powerful Megatron under the command of Unicron, a colossal planet-eating transformer. The death of Optimus Prime rattled children everywhere, but made way for the young Autobot Hot Rod to rise to the challenge of leadership. To become Rodimus Prime.
Transformers (2007)
Let’s begin the Bayverse. This first entry in Paramount’s live-action franchise lays down a hefty dose of backstory, since much of the 2007 audience wasn’t part of the original cartoon-and-toy fanbase. We learn that a brutal civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons has left their home planet, Cybertron, in ruins. Both factions are now racing to recover the AllSpark, an artifact capable of creating Cybertronian life, which is lost somewhere on Earth. While the Autobots hope to restore their world, the Decepticons plan to use it for conquest.
Enter the awkward but endearing Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), who, alongside Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox), stumbles right into the middle of this intergalactic treasure hunt.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
The sequel picks up two years after the events of the first film. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) is off to college, hoping for a normal life. But after what he’s been through, you’d expect some lingering trauma. Unfortunately for Sam, it’s worse than that. A fragment of the AllSpark imprints ancient Cybertronian knowledge into his brain, making him a target. Meanwhile, the Decepticons resurrect Megatron and rally under the command of The Fallen, one of the original Primes. They’re not only out for revenge against Earth and humanity, but they’re also after Sam, who now carries the key to their plan.
This movie is absolutely not one of the best Transformers entries. But as you’re watching, and maybe judging a little too harshly, try to remember this whole saga started as toys for kids. This was made for children, and if you’re a grown, grumbling adult, try to kick back and enjoy the chaos.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
The Decepticons are many things, but if there’s one thing you have to give them, it’s persistence. After failing to carry out their plan in Revenge of the Fallen, Megatron and Starscream escape, setting the stage for another attempt at controlling the universe. Sam’s back too, now with a new girlfriend, Carly, following Megan Fox’s departure from the franchise after she stated, “Michael Bay wants to be like Hitler on his sets. And so he is,” in a 2009 interview. As you might expect, Dark of the Moon again leans heavily on explosions, skyscraper-level robot fights, and the kind of spectacle that defines the Bay era.
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
Age of Extinction picks up several years after the Chicago battle in Dark of the Moon. In the aftermath, humanity blames the Autobots and cuts all ties with them. While the general public thinks the Transformers are in hiding, a rogue CIA black-ops division is actively hunting them down. And while we’ve had a good run with Shia LaBeouf as Sam, he’s out, and Mark Wahlberg is in as our new hero, inventor Cade Yeager, who stumbles upon an Optimus Prime in hiding.
Meanwhile, a shady tech company called KSI is building its own Transformers using Cybertronian tech, aiming to create a controllable army. And, of course, the Decepticons are back too for more action, more CGI, more explosions, all packaged into a tight 2-hour and 45-minute runtime.
Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
The final movie in the Bayverse Transformers era, The Last Knight, follows a brainwashed Optimus Prime, who goes rogue after being manipulated by the evil Cybertronian Quintessa, intent on destroying Earth to restore Cybertron. Cade Yeager, along with allies Sir Edmund Burton and young Oxford professor Viviane Wembley (Laura Haddock), must race against time to uncover the Transformers’ hidden history and stop the impending apocalypse. But this era wouldn’t be complete without the appearance of Sir Anthony Hopkins as Sir Edmund Burton, who knows all about the history of the transformers on Earth.
Bumblebee (2018)
Arguably, the best movie in the Transformers franchise, at least if we’re looking at fan and critic reception, is Bumblebee, which takes us back to the 1980s. Hailee Steinfeld stars as a California teenager mourning the loss of her father. Her uncle gives her a beat-up Volkswagen Beetle from a junkyard, and she channels her grief into fixing it, until it transforms. That old Beetle is revealed to be Bumblebee, an Autobot hiding on Earth after the fall of Cybertron. And the threat of Decepticons infiltrating Earth sets us up for an action-packed prequel.
Directed by Travis Knight, this entry serves as a fresh, heartfelt reboot for the franchise. It feels very different from the Michael Bay era, though it still packs enough punch to keep things lively. Compared to the disastrous 16% Tomatometer rating for The Last Knight, Bumblebee sits at an impressive 91%. Not bad, Bumblebee. Not bad at all.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
Said to be a sequel to Bumblebee, Rise of the Beasts takes place in 1994. The movie follows electronics whiz Noah (Anthony Ramos) and archaeology intern Elena (Dominique Fishback) as they stumble into the war between Autobots and their allies, the Maximals, and the planet-devouring Terrorcons. Together, they must stop Unicron, who seeks to use a mysterious Transwarp Key to consume Earth.
Unfortunately, this follow-up from Steve Caple Jr. falls into the same trap as his Creed II, feeling more like a rehash of what came before than something fresh. The originality and care just aren’t as sharp this time around. The good news is that Peter Cullen is back as the voice of Optimus Prime, not that he’s been absent from the series, but we appreciate the consistency, and we’ll happily take that nostalgia hit where we can get it.
Transformers One (2024)
According to producers, Transformers One takes place three billion years ago. That’s billions of years before the dinosaurs appeared on Earth during the Triassic Period. At that point, the Earth was essentially a world of microbes and steamy air. Not that any of this is relevant to the story, but to give you a reference for what was going on elsewhere during this timeline. Very advanced, those Cybertrons.
On Cybertron, Orion Pax and his best friend D-16 are miners without the ability to transform. These guys are struggling under a system where transformation cogs are restricted, and Energon has begun to fail. When Orion stumbles upon clues to the Matrix of Leadership and discovers that their leader, Sentinel Prime, is hiding dark secrets, he teams up with B-127 and Elita-1 to journey to the surface and uncover the truth.
