Transformers: Laying the Groundwork for a Legendary Franchise
During the tail end of the 1980s, Hasbro and Takara’s beloved toy line came to life when The Transformers overtook the world in an animated series version. Since then, the love and following behind the shape-shifting hunks of metal has only continued to grow, inspiring games, books, and comics. As film technology continued to grow, director Michael Bay buckled into the driver’s seat and decided it was, at long last, time for audiences to see these machines of greatness in live-action form. And thus, the blockbuster helmer brought the world 2007’s Transformers. Whether he realized it or not, the debut film, which starred Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, would soon take on a life of its own, transforming into a full-blown franchise. Soon, Netflix subscribers can see where it all began when the high-octane, engine-rumbling movie arrives on the streamer on December 1.
The Original Film
Laying the groundwork for the lineup of movies and storylines to come, Transformers introduced audiences to LaBeouf’s Sam Witwicky, a normal teenager who finds himself in the middle of an all-out war. The battle is being fought by two separate factions of shape-shifting robots known as the Autobots and the Decepticons. The Autobots are the good guys who want to work alongside humanity, while the Decepticons are bent on domination and destruction. Joining LaBeouf and Fox in the original movie was a lineup of big-name stars, including Peter Cullen, Hugo Weaving, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Anderson, Jon Voight, Rachael Taylor, and John Turturro.
A Critical and Commercial Success
By the time Transformers rolled into cinemas, it was obvious that the fandom was more than ready to see the live-action drama play out on the big screen — especially with Bay as its director. Raking in more than $709 million at the global box office, the movie wasn’t just a financial hit, but also landed well with audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, Transformers holds an 85% audience rating, up against the 57% it was hit with by critics. The movie was also a standout production at that year’s award circuit, nabbing three Academy Award nominations for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.
‘Transformers’ Ever Transforming Legacy
After the success of the first film, Bay returned to helm four more, continuing the series with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight. As the titles rolled out one-by-one, audiences became less and less enthused to tune in for the next chapter, but were brought back in thanks to the prequel film, Bumblebee, which was directed by Travis Knight. Five years later, Steve Caple Jr. moved on with the next installment, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, but couldn’t quite capture the ticket sales he or the studio were hoping for.
Conclusion
If you want to take a journey into the past and find out where the live-action Transformers hype all began, look no further than Netflix on December 1.
FAQs
Q: What is the release date of the original Transformers film?
A: The original Transformers film was released on June 3, 2007.
Q: Who starred in the original Transformers film?
A: The original Transformers film starred Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox.
Q: How much did the original Transformers film gross at the box office?
A: The original Transformers film grossed over $709 million at the global box office.
Q: What is the IMDb ID of the original Transformers film?
A: The IMDb ID of the original Transformers film is tt0418279.
Q: What is the main genre of the original Transformers film?
A: The main genre of the original Transformers film is Sci-Fi.