Transformers has been told through various mediums in recent years, with movies being the latest addition. Here’s a list of all the Transformers movies as they have been released, and a little bit about each of them.
Before becoming the leader of Autobots, Optimus Prime’s original name was Orion Pax. In Greek mythology, Orion is the name of the hunter in Homer’s epic Odyssey; whereas ‘Pox’ in Latin means ‘peace’.
Transformers originally came into being as a toy line, started in 1984 by the Japanese toy company Takara. These toys could be altered into a vehicle, an animal, a device, and a robot. This instantly stuck and became popular with the younger generation. True to its tagline ‘More Than Meets The Eye’, these action figures were basically divided into two factions: The Autobots and the Decepticons. Although a successful toy line, what gained Transformers worldwide fame were its various spinoffs in a range of other mediums, like comic books, animated TV series, animated films, and most recently, full length live-action films.
The basic premise of Transformers involves clashing of the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons. Optimus Prime, the head of the Autobots, is a brave leader who strives for the improvement of the universe and all life in it. The leader of the villainous Decepticons is Megatron, a sentient robot. The Transformers belong the planet Cybertron. The planet is full of mechanical lifeforms, who can transform themselves into all forms and kinds of machinery.
These characters have been explored to newer extents in movies, and have successfully amazed the audiences all over the world with large-scale action and breathtaking sequences. Starting out with animated films for TV, they have made way into live-action feature films, which is now a successful film franchise. Lets jump in further and have a look at the rest of the article, which puts forth a list of all Transformers movies in order of appearance.
Animated
- The Transformers: The Movie
Director: Nelson Shin
Producer: Joe Bacal, Tom Griffith
Actors: Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack
Released: 1986
Duration: 84 minutes
Budget: $6 million
Box Office: $6 millionSynopsis
This animated movie was released way back in 1986. It is the year 2005, and a roaming artificial planet, Unicron, is consuming anything that comes in its way, and is fast approaching planet Cybertron. The Autobots must save their world from this entity whilst battling the evil forces of Decepticons.There are action-packed battles and large-scale destruction taking place. With all the chaos around, a new Autobots leader is born when the former one dies.
- Lio Convoy, Close Call!
Director:
Akira Nishimori
Producer: Production Reed
Actors: Hozumi Gôda, Takehito Koyasu, Tetsuo Komura
Released: 1998
Duration: 47 minutes
Budget: NA
Box Office: NASynopsis
This television film is based on the Beast Wars II anime series, and involves characters such as Lio Convoy, Galvatron, and Apache. When a spaceship crashes on Planet Gaea, a teleport gate on the ship comes into the possession of Galvatron. Intending to call Megatron to planet Gaea with this newly acquired gate, he orders Gigastorm to carry out the task.Gigastorm mistakenly brings a giant Predacon transformer called Majin Zarak. With the Maximals being overpowered by the powerful giant, Magnaboss summons Optimus Primal with the use of this teleport gate.
- Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising
Director:
Vinton Heuck, Scooter Tidwell, Steven Melching
Producer: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci
Actors: Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, John Noble, Steve Blum, Nolan North
Released: 2013
Duration: 65 minutes
Budget: NA
Box Office: NASynopsis
After Bumblebee is promoted to warrior class, Optimus Prime sets out to find the AllSpark in the hopes of bringing more transformers into existence. Meanwhile, Megatron has been awakened by Unicron on Earth, with the intention of defeating Primus, and consequently, Cybertron.This is an epic journey that takes you on a ride, as you witness gruesome battles between Autobots and Decepticons, where the fate of the Earth and the restoration of Cybertron hangs in the balance.
- Transformers
Director:
Michael Bay
Producer: Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Ian Bryce
Actors: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Anderson, Tyrese Gibson
Released: 2007
Duration: 144 minutes
Budget: $150 million
Box Office: $700 million Synopsis
High-school student Sam Witwicky is gifted a car by his father, who is actually Bumblebbe, one of the Autobots. Sam and his girlfriend, Mikaela Banes, are saved by Bumblebee from Barricade, a Decepticon.The Autobots arrive on Earth in search of AllSpark. As war breaks out on the planet between the Decepticons and Autobots, Sam and Mikaela try to save the planet and protect the Autobots.
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Director:
Michael Bay
Producer: Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Ian Bryce
Actors: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro
Released: 2009
Duration: 150 minutes
Budget: $200 million
Box Office: $800 millionSynopsis
Sam has left the Autobots so that he can lead a normal life. He has started college, when he leans of Decepticons’ presence and their attack in Shanghai. The Decepticons are in search of Sam, as they believe he has knowledge of some glyphs, that will lead them to an object which is the key to a powerful alien machine hidden in Egypt.
As Sam and his dear ones are in danger, it falls on Optimus Prime and Bumblebee to save them from the Decepticons.
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Director:
Michael Bay
Producer: Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Ian Bryce
Actors: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson
Released: 2011
Duration: 154 minutes
Budget: $195 million
Box Office: $1 billionSynopsis
In the race to space between the United States and Russia, the Autobots and Decepticons get involved with them, to find a hidden spacecraft from Cybertron hidden on the moon.The Decepticons are up for revenge in full swing, after their last defeat to the Autobots. Sam must once again come to Autobots’ aid, while a new villain, Shockwave, is on the rise.
- Transformers: Age of Extinction
Director: Michael Bay
Producer: Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Ian Bryce
Actors: Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz
Released: 2014
Duration: 165 minutes
Budget: $210 million
Box Office: $1 billionSynopsis
A battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons has lead humans to believe that all alien robots are a threat. CIA agent Harold Attinger is on a search to hunt all of them down.As it turns out, he is employed by another robot who is in search of Optimus Prime. Injured Optimus Prime is helped by Cade Yeager, a mechanic, who also convinces Optimus into reconsidering his lost faith in humanity. So Cade, together with the Autobots, go against the Decepticons.
Transformers are pretty amazing with the stuff they are able to do. And as a matter of fact, we are surrounded by all kinds of machines and mechanical structures. Would it not be awesome to see that old rumbling car in the driveway stand up and become a sleek and shiny Transformer? Well keep an eye out, one might be lurking around in the garage!
