Want to know how to watch the Transformers movies in order before Rise of the Beasts roars into theaters? You've come to the right place.
The seventh entry in Paramount Pictures' Transformers film franchise arrives in cinemas worldwide on Friday, June 9, so you don't have much time left to watch its predecessors at home. But, if you're planning to cram them all in before catching Transformers: Rise of the Beasts this weekend, we're here to help you work out how to watch them in chronological and release date order, and we'll also tell you which of the world's best streaming services have them as part of their movie libraries.
So, if you're ready to be reunited with Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and company – and get the lowdown on every Transformers film to be released so far – read on.
How many Transformers movies are there?
Seven Transformers movies have been released in cinemas to date, beginning with 2007's Transformers and ending with 2023's Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
Well, that's the case when it comes to Paramount Pictures and eOne's live-action take on the popular toy franchise, anyway. An animated Transformers film – creatively titled Transformers: The Movie, which has no ties to the other seven – was released in 1986. This flick was a sequel to the animated Transformers TV series, which was itself created as a means to help toy manufacturer Hasbro sell its lineup of Transformers toys.
Another animated Transformers film is on the way soon, too. Transformers One is currently slated to arrive in theaters in September 2024 and be another prequel film. It's unclear, though, if it'll have ties to the live-action Transformers universe.
Transformers One will star Marvel actors including Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Love and Thunder) and Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), as well as other A-listers such as Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), Keegan-Michael Key (The Super Mario Bros. Movie), Brian Tyree Henry (Godzilla: King of the Monsters) and Jon Hamm (Mad Men).
Where to watch the Transformers movies in order
The best place to start is finding out where you can watch all of the Transformers movies in order in the comfort of your own home.
If you're subscribed to Paramount Plus, that's your answer – well, for five of the six films, anyway. Paramount's primary streaming platform is home to the Michael Bay-directed trilogy – Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. The streamer's film library is also home to the two Mark Wahlberg-starring flicks, Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight.
Potential users looking to watch this quintet of movies will want to check out our Paramount Plus price guide to see how much it costs to sign up. Alternatively, you can get the lowdown on whether a Paramount Plus free trial is available, so you can try the service out without paying any money to stream the movies.
Unfortunately for Paramount Plus UK and Australian-based users, the sixth entry in the action sci-fi franchise, 2018's Bumblebee, isn't available on British shores as part of the package.
US subscribers can catch Bumblebee on Paramount Plus (and Fubo, for what it's worth), but UK and Australian fans will have to look elsewhere to get the full Transformers movies in order experience. Here's where UK and Australian viewers can watch Bumblebee instead:
- Australia – rent or buy via the Amazon, Apple TV Google Play, Microsoft, or YouTube stores
- UK – rent or buy via the Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play, Microsoft, Rakuten, Sky, or YouTube stores
How to watch the Transformers movies in chronological order
Best for: Transformers veterans looking for a new way to experience the movies.
Working out how to watch the Transformers movies in order used to be an easy task. That's because each new movie took place a few years after their predecessor, so there was never any confusion about the best way to stream them.
The release of Bumblebee in 2018 changed that, though. The film, which stars Hailee Steinfeld (Arcane, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Hawkeye), is set in 1987, meaning it predated the previous five films in the Transformers timeline.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is also set before the first five movies. It takes place in 1994 so, while it's the seventh film in Paramount and eOne's big-budget movie series, it's technically the second movie in the Transformers movies in chronological order sequence. After that, the aforementioned five other flicks take place in the order in which they were originally released in theaters.
If that all sounds a bit confusing, fear not. Consult the list below for an easy-to-follow guide on how to watch the Transformers films in order chronologically:
- Bumblebee – set in 1987
- Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – takes place in 1994
- Transformers – occurs in 2007
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – takes place in 2009
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon – set in 2011
- Transformers: Age of Extinction – occurs in 2016
- Transformers: The Last Knight – plays out in 2021
How to watch the Transformers movies in release date order
Best for: those watching the films for the first time.
Watching the Transformers movies in order by their release dates is a much easier way to enjoy them if you're a first-time viewer. All you need to do is stream the films in the order in which they landed in theaters. That means you'll start with 2007's Transformers and end with 2018's Bumblebee (or, once you watch it in theaters, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts).
- Transformers – released in 2007
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – launched in 2009
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon – released in 2011
- Transformers: Age of Extinction – arrived in theaters in 2014
- Transformers: The Last Knight – launched in 2017
- Bumblebee – arrived in 2018
- Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – debuted in 2023
Transformers movies in order, ranked from worst to best
Despite being a multi-billion dollar franchise, the Transformers movies isn't what you'd called a positively reviewed movie franchise.
In fact, according to review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, Bumblebee is the only Transformers film to meet with critical acclaim from fans and journalists alike. It's only joined by 2023's Rise of the Beasts and 2007's Transformers as entries that have earned a rating over 50%.
- Bumblebee (2018) – 91%
- Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) – 71%
- Transformers (2007) – 57%
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) – 35%
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) – 20%
- Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) – 18%
- Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) – 16%
For more Paramount Pictures and Paramount Plus coverage, check out our review of Top Gun: Maverick, one of 2022's best movies. Alternatively, read our guides on the best Paramount Plus movies and best Paramount Plus shows to stream right now.
