Transformers Movies Ranked: All Nine Films, Best to Worst
Transformers movies ranked best to worst, in my opinion: Bumblebee (2018) is first, Transformers One (2024) is second, and Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) is ninth out of nine released films. The order is my own, built on action clarity, character, plot and running time.
Key Takeaways
- Bumblebee (2018) ranks first of the nine released Transformers films, with Transformers One (2024) second.
- Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) ranks last, and it has the lowest domestic gross of Michael Bay's five films.
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) is the highest grossing film in the series, with more than $1.1 billion worldwide according to Box Office Mojo, yet it ranks fifth.
- This ranking is the writer's opinion, built on action clarity, characters, plot and running time.
- The series has seven main films and two animated spin-offs, and the next live action film is in development with no title or date.
Hot Takes
- Opinion (Marcus Reyes): Transformers One (2024) is a better film than anything Michael Bay made after the 2007 original, and its $129 million worldwide gross is the most underrated number in the series.
- Opinion (Marcus Reyes): The 1986 animated film belongs above Dark of the Moon (2011), because it commits to its strange story from the first battle while the 2011 film settles for a clever premise.
- Opinion (Marcus Reyes): The Last Knight (2017) is last because it tries to retcon the whole saga into Arthurian myth, and 154 minutes is not enough room for that.
Opinion, by Marcus Reyes.
- 1
Bumblebee
Bumblebee (2018), directed by Travis Knight, is my number one because it shrinks the war down to one grieving teenager and one yellow Volkswagen Beetle. Charlie Watson's loss of her father gives the scout a reason to stay, and the 1987 California setting, with the Blitzwing encounter that costs B-127 his voice, keeps the early action easy to follow. At 114 minutes it is the leanest live action film, and it grossed $468 million worldwide on a $135 million budget. In my opinion it is the best place for a newcomer to start.
- 2
Transformers One
Transformers One (2024), directed by Josh Cooley, is in my opinion the best looking film in the series, and its best idea is a Cybertron with class lines, where cogless miners like Orion Pax live below the robots who can transform. Chris Hemsworth voices Orion and Brian Tyree Henry voices D-16, and their friendship carries the 104 minutes. TheWrap reports the design of Cybertron drew on the work of Maurice Noble. It grossed $129 million worldwide on a $75 million budget, which is a smaller audience than I think it deserved.
- 3
Transformers
Transformers (2007), directed by Michael Bay, still has the best balance of human and robot story in the Bay run. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) buys an old car that turns out to be Bumblebee, and the Decepticon attack on the US base in Qatar sets the hunt for the AllSpark moving fast. It grossed $710 million worldwide on a $150 million budget, and in my opinion it is the Bay film that feels the least overstuffed at 144 minutes.
- 4
The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie (1986), directed by Nelson Shin, is the strangest film in the series, and I mean that as praise. Optimus Prime is mortally wounded early, planet-sized Unicron revives Megatron as Galvatron, and the voice cast includes Orson Welles, Leonard Nimoy and Judd Nelson. Vince DiCola's score and Stan Bush's The Touch give it an identity no later film matches. Den of Geek reports that Hasbro required the character deaths, and the film earned about $10.9 million worldwide.
- 5
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), directed by Michael Bay, has the best premise of the Bay sequels: the 1969 Apollo 11 mission secretly went to the Moon to investigate the crashed Ark. Leonard Nimoy voices Sentinel Prime, and the film opened in 3D and IMAX, according to The Register. It is the highest grossing film in the series at more than $1.1 billion worldwide. In my opinion its 154 minutes carry too much human filler, such as Sam's job hunt, so it lands fifth.
- 6
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), directed by Steven Caple Jr., brings in the Maximals, led by Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman), and sets Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) in 1994 Brooklyn beside Mirage (Pete Davidson). Slashfilm reports on the location shoot in Peru. In my opinion the human leads are likable but Scourge (Peter Dinklage) gets too little room. It grossed $442 million worldwide on a $195 million budget, a weaker return than Bumblebee (2018).
- 7
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), directed by Michael Bay, is the director at his most excessive: 150 minutes, a Tokyo world premiere, Tony Todd as the Fallen, and household appliances brought to life by a shard of the AllSpark. It grossed $836 million worldwide on a $200 million budget. In my opinion the comedy and Sam's college subplot crowd out the war story that the Fallen's arrival promises.
- 8
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), directed by Michael Bay, opens with a strong idea, the Creators using Seeds to wipe out the dinosaurs, and gives Mark Wahlberg's Cade Yeager and the hunter Lockdown real presence. At 165 minutes it is the longest film in the series, though, and in my opinion the Cemetery Wind plot under Harold Attinger repeats military conspiracy beats from earlier entries. It grossed $1.10 billion worldwide, $859 million of it international.
- 9
Transformers: The Last Knight
Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), directed by Michael Bay, opens in 484 AD with Merlin and the Knights of Iacon, then tries to retcon the whole saga around Arthurian myth, Quintessa (Gemma Chan) and Anthony Hopkins as Sir Edmund Burton. In my opinion that is too much to hold in 154 minutes, and the story never settles on whose film it is. Audiences agreed with their wallets: $130 million domestic, the lowest of Bay's five films, and $605 million worldwide on a $217 million budget.
Transformers Movies Ranked: How I Ranked All Nine Films
I ranked all nine released Transformers films, seven main films and two animated spin-offs, on how clearly the action reads, how well the characters carry the story, how tight the plot is, and how well each film uses its running time. This is my opinion, based on the films themselves. Each film's reason sits with its entry in the ranking, so what follows is the method and the shape of the result.
How do I judge a Transformers set piece? I break it into steps: where the fight happens, what each side wants, who gets hurt, and whether I can tell the robots apart while they move. A fight that gives each robot a clear silhouette and color scores higher than one where the designs blur together. Running time matters for the same reason. Transformers age of extinction runs 165 minutes and transformers the last knight runs 154, and in my opinion both spend long stretches away from the robots.
The top tier is the two smaller stories. The bumblebee movie (2018), directed by Travis Knight, puts one teenager, Charlie Watson, and one scout in 1987 California, and transformers one (2024), directed by Josh Cooley, goes back to Cybertron before Orion Pax and D-16 became Optimus Prime and Megatron. They run 114 and 104 minutes, and in my opinion that discipline is why they work. The middle tier holds transformers 2007, transformers the movie 1986 and transformers dark of the moon, each built around one strong idea. The lower tier holds transformers rise of the beasts, transformers revenge of the fallen, Age of Extinction and The Last Knight, where the ideas arrive faster than the story can use them.
Does box office decide the order? It does not, and the gap is wide. According to Box Office Mojo, Dark of the Moon grossed more than $1.1 billion worldwide and Age of Extinction $1.10 billion, while Bumblebee (2018) made $468 million on a $135 million budget and Transformers One made $129 million on $75 million. Money shows what audiences turned up for, so I treat it as context and not as a verdict. The full figures sit in transformers box office.
The order can move. The next live action film is in development, with no title, cast or release date. TheWrap reported on October 6, 2026 that Paramount said Michael Bay is in early talks to direct, that Steven Spielberg is overseeing the franchise, and that Jason Fuchs is writing the script, as the same outlet reported in June. Follow the new transformers movie page for updates. If you want to watch before you argue with my list, start with transformers movies in order, then browse every film on the transformers movies hub.
FAQs
Which one was the best Transformers movie?
In my opinion the best Transformers movie is Bumblebee (2018), directed by Travis Knight, with Transformers One (2024) a close second. Which film is considered the best depends on who you ask, and the choice often comes down to nostalgia for the 1986 animated film or the 2007 original against craft in the newer, smaller stories. I pick Bumblebee (2018) because it is lean at 114 minutes, it keeps its action easy to follow, and Charlie Watson gives the robot a human story that matters.
Which Transformers have the best rating?
On my own ranking, Bumblebee (2018) rates highest, followed by Transformers One (2024) and Transformers (2007). Longer verdicts on individual films belong in our transformers reviews section.
What is the lowest rated Transformers movie?
On my ranking the lowest is Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), directed by Michael Bay. It grossed $605 million worldwide on a $217 million budget, and its $130 million domestic take is the lowest of Bay's five films, according to Box Office Mojo. In my opinion its problem is the story, which tries to rewrite the whole saga around Merlin, King Arthur and Quintessa.
Was Transformers 4 a good movie?
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) is a mixed film, and in my opinion it ranks eighth of nine. Its opening idea, the Creators using Seeds to wipe out the dinosaurs, is strong, Mark Wahlberg's Cade Yeager is a fresh lead, and the bounty hunter Lockdown is a good villain. At 165 minutes it is the longest film in the series, though, and the Cemetery Wind conspiracy leans on military plot beats from earlier entries. It still grossed $1.10 billion worldwide, $859 million of it outside the US, so plenty of viewers disagree with me.
What are all the Transformers movies?
There are nine released Transformers movies: The Transformers: The Movie (1986), Transformers (2007), Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Dark of the Moon (2011), Age of Extinction (2014), The Last Knight (2017), Bumblebee (2018), Rise of the Beasts (2023) and Transformers One (2024). The seven live action films are the main saga, and the 1986 film and Transformers One are animated spin-offs. See how many transformers movies there are for the full breakdown.
What's the most popular Transformers movie?
By box office, the most popular Transformers movie is Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), which grossed more than $1.1 billion worldwide according to Box Office Mojo. Age of Extinction (2014) is a close second at $1.10 billion, and Revenge of the Fallen (2009) is third at $836 million. Popular does not mean best, and I rank Dark of the Moon fifth. Every figure is in transformers box office.