I've Been A Transformers Fan For 30 Years. Here's How The Franchise Can Be Saved

There was a time in the 2000s and early 2010s when it felt like the "Transformers" franchise was unstoppable. Though not exactly critical darlings, Michael Bay's live-action versions of the robots in disguise resonated with audiences worldwide. Much has changed in recent years as Paramount struggles to make the series relevant again on the big screen.

"Transformers One" was a major box office disappointment in 2024, despite earning a fair amount of critical acclaim. "Bumblebee" was generally seen as a breath of fresh air in 2018, but failed to come close to matching the commercial highs that the series achieved when Bay was in charge. 2023's "Rise of the Beasts" was the lowest-grossing live-action movie in the franchise. There hasn't been much for Paramount or Hasbro to hold onto, at least so far as the movies are concerned.

What can be done to fix it? I'm by no means an expert when it comes to the surprisingly rich world occupied by the Autobots and Decepticons, but I have been a fan since the '90s, roughly dating back to "Beast Wars." I saw the '07 "Transformers" three times in theaters the summer after I graduated high school. It may be the only movie Stephen King ever walked out of, but I adore it to this day. In many ways, I'm the franchise's target demo.

I believe there is a way for Paramount and Hasbro to save the franchise. Ultimately, it can't be about "me," so to speak, or any other fan pushing 40. It has to be about the next generation. Nostalgia for the version of these characters that Bay created will only get one so far. That's a tank with a limited amount of gas, one that is drying up by the year.

The nostalgia cycle was perfectly primed to hit me right in the feelings bone in 2007. "Transformers: The Movie" came out in 1986, just as the franchise was beginning its ascent to major pop culture relevance. 20 years later, a live-action movie felt like one of those "I can't believe this is happening" moments for people in or around my age bracket.

The problem now, as it relates to me and others like me, is that I'm much closer to 40 than to 30. My 20s are a distant memory, much like a thriving Cybertron is to the Autobots. We're not necessarily the demographic that's going to help cinema thrive for years to come. Most people my age have a family, kids, a career, and responsibilities that can't be ignored just because a movie about something we used to like is out. Many of those who made Michael Bay's movies into record-breaking blockbusters have moved on.

"Transformers: The Last Knight" was released in 2017, the year that flopped harder than any other single year in box office history. Bay's fifth "Transformers" movie made barely more than $600 million at the box office, a full $500 million less than 2014's "Age of Extinction." It's been a downward slide ever since. And it makes sense. By 2017, many fans like me had already started to age out, not to mention the perceived decline in quality in Bay's movies.

Paramount making a "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" crossover movie might appeal to fans like me, on paper. Is it appealing enough to make that movie a hit, especially when "G.I. Joe" has never thrived like "Transformers" once had? Probably not. That's just drying up an already dry tank.

I may not be a "Transformers" expert, but I am a box office analyst who spends a lot of time studying the movie business. '80s nostalgia, cinematically, isn't thriving like it was in the 2010s. I've spoken to the next generation of cinephiles. They want franchises tied to things they love. More "A Minecraft Movie" and less "Transformers — at least as it currently exists.

The fact that Paramount is reportedly in talks with Michael Bay for a new "Transformers" movie (per Deadline) feels backwards. That's for people like me. Not for the younger generation coming up behind us, who are the ones Hollywood truly needs. Especially when it comes to franchise filmmaking.

Take "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," another franchise controlled by Paramount. "TMNT" has successfully maintained interest among younger fans, offering the franchise meaningful paths forward. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" was a decent hit, but the box office isn't everything for animated movies. It "sold $1 billion worth of toys," as writer/producer Seth Rogen put it.

With all due respect to what is considered a good movie, "Transformers One" didn't have the same effect. Its themes were pretty adult. "Transformers" needs to focus on cultivating a younger fanbase, then service that specific fanbase with its next wave of movies. That's not to say Paramount can't cater to the "me" of the world, but that has major limitations. Paramount and Hasbro also can't delusionally believe that bringing Bay back will also bring back $1 billion grosses.

This is all easier said than done, but "Transformers" has to be made fresh for the next generation to become as commercially viable as it once was. It should no longer be about me, at least not exclusively so.