Cinvibe
Still from The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
Watch order · by Marcus Reyes

Transformers Movies in Order: Release and Chronological Watch Guide

The Transformers movies in order of release are The Transformers: The Movie (1986), Transformers (2007), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), Bumblebee (2018), Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) and Transformers One (2024). In chronological order, Transformers One comes first and the 1986 film comes last, which gives seven main films plus two animated spin-offs.

Image: TMDB

Transformers Movies in Order of Release

  1. The Transformers: The Movie (1986) theatrical posterThe Transformers: The Movie (1986)Spin-off
  2. Transformers (2007) theatrical posterTransformers (2007)Directed by Michael Bay
  3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) theatrical posterTransformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)Directed by Michael Bay
  4. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) theatrical posterTransformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)Directed by Michael Bay
  5. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) theatrical posterTransformers: Age of Extinction (2014)Directed by Michael Bay
  6. Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) theatrical posterTransformers: The Last Knight (2017)Directed by Michael Bay
  7. Bumblebee (2018) theatrical posterBumblebee (2018)Directed by Travis Knight
  8. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) theatrical posterTransformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)Directed by Steven Caple Jr.
  9. Transformers One (2024) theatrical posterTransformers One (2024)Spin-off

Transformers Movies in Chronological Order

  1. Transformers One (2024) theatrical posterTransformers One (2024)Released as film 9
  2. Bumblebee (2018) theatrical posterBumblebee (2018)Released as film 7
  3. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) theatrical posterTransformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)Released as film 8
  4. Transformers (2007) theatrical posterTransformers (2007)Released as film 2
  5. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) theatrical posterTransformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)Released as film 3
  6. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) theatrical posterTransformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)Released as film 4
  7. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) theatrical posterTransformers: Age of Extinction (2014)Released as film 5
  8. Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) theatrical posterTransformers: The Last Knight (2017)Released as film 6
  9. The Transformers: The Movie (1986) theatrical posterThe Transformers: The Movie (1986)Released as film 1

How Long Are All the Transformers Movies?

Watching all 9 Transformers movies takes 19 hours and 57 minutes, or 16 hours and 48 minutes for the 7 main films without the spin-offs. The longest is Transformers: Age of Extinction at 2 hours and 45 minutes and the shortest is The Transformers: The Movie at 1 hour and 25 minutes.

#FilmRuntimeRunning total
1The Transformers: The Movie (1986) · spin-off1h 25m1 hour and 25 minutes
2Transformers (2007)2h 24m3 hours and 49 minutes
3Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)2h 30m6 hours and 19 minutes
4Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)2h 34m8 hours and 53 minutes
5Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)2h 45m11 hours and 38 minutes
6Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)2h 34m14 hours and 12 minutes
7Bumblebee (2018)1h 54m16 hours and 6 minutes
8Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)2h 07m18 hours and 13 minutes
9Transformers One (2024) · spin-off1h 44m19 hours and 57 minutes

Source: Cinvibe, How Long Are All the Transformers Movies?, updated 2026-11-03, cinvibe.com/transformers/watch-order/#runtime-table

Plan a Transformers Marathon

6 nights to watch 9 Transformers films (19 hours and 57 minutes) at up to 5 hours a night.

  1. Night 1 3h 49mThe Transformers: The Movie (1986), Transformers (2007)
  2. Night 2 2h 30mTransformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
  3. Night 3 2h 34mTransformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
  4. Night 4 2h 45mTransformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
  5. Night 5 4h 28mTransformers: The Last Knight (2017), Bumblebee (2018)
  6. Night 6 3h 51mTransformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), Transformers One (2024)

About the Release Order

The Transformers movies in order of release run to nine films over 38 years, starting with an animated feature in 1986 and, so far, ending with Transformers One in 2024. That is seven main films plus two spin-offs, and the list gives each film's director and its US release year.

  1. The Transformers: The Movie (1986), directed by Nelson Shin (animated spin-off)
  2. Transformers (2007), directed by Michael Bay
  3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), directed by Michael Bay
  4. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), directed by Michael Bay
  5. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), directed by Michael Bay
  6. Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), directed by Michael Bay
  7. Bumblebee movie (2018), directed by Travis Knight
  8. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), directed by Steven Caple Jr.
  9. Transformers One (2024), directed by Josh Cooley (animated spin-off)

Michael Bay directed the first five live action films, from Transformers (2007) through The Last Knight (2017), and the human cast turned over once along the way. Shia LaBeouf plays Sam Witwicky in the first three, with Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes in the first two, and Mark Wahlberg takes over as Cade Yeager in Age of Extinction and The Last Knight. (Peter Cullen voices Optimus Prime in every one of those seven films, and in the 1986 original as well.)

After that, the series changed hands behind the camera. Bumblebee (2018), directed by Travis Knight, stars Hailee Steinfeld as Charlie Watson and runs 114 minutes, the shortest of the live action films. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) follows Anthony Ramos as Noah Diaz through 1994 Brooklyn, and Transformers One (2024) is fully animated, with Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry voicing Orion Pax and D-16.

Release order is the way audiences first met these characters, and it keeps the three Sam Witwicky films together before the story moves to Cade Yeager, Charlie Watson and Noah Diaz.

Is a new film on the way? A new live action Transformers film is in development at Paramount and Hasbro, with no title, cast or release date announced. TheWrap reported on June 11, 2026 that Jason Fuchs was hired to write it, continuing from Rise of the Beasts. On October 6, 2026, TheWrap reported that Paramount said Michael Bay was in early talks to direct and that Steven Spielberg is overseeing the franchise, and that the film is set in the modern day with Shia LaBeouf not returning. A separate Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover, reported to be written by Derek Connolly, remains a rumor. Our new transformers movie page tracks every update.

About the Chronological Order

The Transformers movies in chronological order begin with Transformers One (2024) and end with The Transformers: The Movie (1986), which we place last because it stands outside the live action story. Here is the story order, with the setting of each film.

  1. Transformers One (2024): Cybertron, where Energon has stopped flowing and the cogless miner Orion Pax and his friend D-16 work in the underground city of Iacon.
  2. Bumblebee (2018): California in 1987, where the scout B-127 hides as a yellow Volkswagen Beetle and meets Charlie Watson.
  3. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023): Brooklyn in 1994, where Noah Diaz is pulled into a hunt for the Transwarp Key.
  4. Transformers (2007): The present day, with the Autobots and Decepticons fighting over the AllSpark and Sam Witwicky buying an old car that turns out to be Bumblebee.
  5. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009): Two years after the battle of Mission City, with the Autobots working alongside the military task force NEST.
  6. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011): The Ark crash of 1962 and the Apollo 11 mission of 1969 set up a present day hunt that leads the Autobots to the Moon.
  7. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014): Five years after the battle of Chicago, when the CIA unit Cemetery Wind hunts the Autobots and Cade Yeager finds a wounded Optimus Prime in Texas.
  8. Transformers: The Last Knight (2017): A legend that begins in 484 AD with Merlin, followed by a present day war between humans and Transformers.
  9. The Transformers: The Movie (1986): The Decepticons conquer Cybertron, and the young Hot Rod and the veteran Kup are captured by the Quintessons.

Why do five of the live action films still sit in release order? Because the flashbacks in Dark of the Moon (1962 and 1969) and The Last Knight (484 AD) are openings rather than the main story, and both films spend most of their time in the present day.

Where does the 1986 film go? It has its own cast, led by Judd Nelson as Hot Rod and Orson Welles as Unicron, and its own version of the war for Cybertron, so in the story sense it does not slot into the live action timeline. That placement is our call, and some viewers will prefer to watch it first as the original.

What about the shows and shorts? This ordering covers theatrical films only, so television series and shorts are not part of the chronology above. For a visual walk through the eras, see the transformers timeline.

One open question is where the new film will land. Fuchs was reported to be writing a story that continues from Rise of the Beasts, but no setting or year has been announced.

Where to Start: Which Transformers Order Should You Pick?

If you are new to the saga, my pick is to start with Transformers (2007) and watch in release order. Michael Bay's first Transformers film sets up Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee and the AllSpark in 144 minutes, and every later live action film assumes you know them. Think of it like starting a long running television series at episode one rather than at the best episode.

But, what if you do not want to commit to seven live action films? Several of them run long, and Age of Extinction alone runs 165 minutes. In that case, I would watch Bumblebee (2018) on its own. It runs 114 minutes, it is set in 1987 California, and it introduces Charlie Watson and the Volkswagen Beetle without asking for any homework. Transformers One (2024), at 104 minutes, is the other easy way in, and it could be argued that it is the better pick for younger viewers because it is rated PG while the live action films are PG-13.

What about Rise of the Beasts? In my opinion it works as a first film, since it opens with the Maximals and introduces Noah Diaz from scratch, although it plays better once you have met Optimus Prime.

I would not recommend chronological order as a first watch. It opens with a fully animated Cybertron and then jumps to live action, which changes the tone twice, and perhaps it suits a rewatch better. Treat The Transformers: The Movie (1986) as an optional extra: at 85 minutes it is the shortest film in the series, with a voice cast that includes Orson Welles, Leonard Nimoy and Peter Cullen.

Before you press play, check where each film streams. In the US, as of November 3, 2026, Paramount Plus carries every live action film except The Last Knight, which streams on Amazon Prime Video and MGM+. Transformers One streams on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Paramount Plus, and the 1986 film is rental or purchase only. Our where to watch Transformers page has the UK and Australia too.

Facts

FAQs

What is the correct order to watch the Transformers movies?

The simplest sequence is release order: The Transformers: The Movie (1986), Transformers (2007), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), Bumblebee (2018), Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) and Transformers One (2024). If you only want the live action saga, skip the two animated films and watch the other seven in that same order.

Is there an order to watch Transformers?

Yes, there are two: release order and chronological order. Both work, because each film explains its own setup. Release order keeps the three Sam Witwicky films together and is the better choice for a first watch, while chronological order starts with Transformers One and suits a rewatch.

Are all Transformers movies connected?

Mostly, though not every film shares one story. Peter Cullen voices Optimus Prime in all seven live action films, and each film explains its own setup. Transformers One is an animated film starring Orion Pax and D-16, with a robot named B-127 in its cast, the same name the scout has in Bumblebee (2018). The Transformers: The Movie (1986) is a separate animated story with its own cast.

What is the chronological order of all Transformers media?

For the theatrical films, the chronological order is Transformers One (2024), Bumblebee (2018), Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), Transformers (2007), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) and then The Transformers: The Movie (1986). The list covers theatrical films only, so television series and shorts are not placed in it.

Where does Bumblebee (2018) fit in the Transformers order?

Bumblebee (2018), directed by Travis Knight, was the seventh film released, reaching US theaters on December 21, 2018. It is set in 1987, so it comes second in chronological order, after Transformers One and before Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Is there a new Transformers movie coming?

A new live action film is in development at Paramount and Hasbro, but it has no title, cast or release date. TheWrap reported in June 2026 that Jason Fuchs was hired to write it, and in October 2026 that Michael Bay was in early talks to direct, according to Paramount.

How long are all the Transformers movies?

Watching all 9 Transformers movies takes 19 hours and 57 minutes, or 16 hours and 48 minutes for the 7 main films without the spin-offs. The longest is Transformers: Age of Extinction at 2 hours and 45 minutes and the shortest is The Transformers: The Movie at 1 hour and 25 minutes.

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