Transformers Movies in Order: The Complete List (Including Animated Series)

In 1984, Hasbro and Takara Tomy released a toy line that included robots that could transform into vehicles. They were Japanese toys rebranded for the Western market, based on the Diaclone and Microman toy lines. The toy line was named Transformers. It would soon become a pillar of modern pop culture, with a series of animated shows, comic books, video games, and – subsequently – live-action movies that created one of the most important franchises in the world. It’s no wonder people are wondering how to watch Transformers movies in order, and in this article, we are bringing you the complete list, including the whole animated series.

The Transformers have been around for more than 35 years, and the stories and characters have changed during that time, sometimes even drastically. This is why people often have trouble following the different continuities and storylines. In light of these facts, we have decided to write up a complete watchlist for you so that you know your way around the franchise. We are going to include all the animated series, animated films, and live-action films and present them in chronological order of when they came out. We will also give you a suggested watching order for each “generation,” in which the franchise is usually divided.

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated to include the most current segments of the Transformers franchise, including the upcoming live-action movies.

How many live-action Transformers movies are there?

There are 7 Transformers live-action movies in total, the first movie came out in 2007, and it was the start of a massively successful franchise that will continue for years to come. The latest movie came out in 2023, titled Rise of the Beast, and sequels are already planned.

Transformers live-action movies at a glance

1. Transformers (2007)
2. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
3. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
4. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
5. Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
6. Bumblebee (2008)
7. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
8. Transformers: A New Generation (2024 – upcoming)

Are Transformers movies connected? Do you need to watch them in a specific order?

Transformers movies are connected and form a shared universe. The first film in the series, “Transformers,” was released in 2007, and since then, several sequels and spin-offs have been made.

The movies follow a consistent timeline and feature many of the same characters, including Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron. Some of the later movies also introduce new characters, such as Dinobots and the villainous Quintessa

What is the best way to watch Transformers movies?

The best way to watch Transformers movies is in their chronological watch order, which is not the same as the release date order. The continuity of the Transformers movies can be a bit complex, as some films take place before or after others in the timeline. Additionally, some of the spin-off movies, such as “Bumblebee,” take place in the same universe but feature different characters and storyline

Transformers movies and animated series in chronological order

Generation 1 (1984 – 1993)

The original broadcast of The Transformers TV series started in 1984 when the pilot miniseries aired on TV. This is considered the official start of Generation 1, the franchise’s first major “generation.” This “generation” produced several TV shows and the cult classic animated feature film that thoroughly shook the franchise from bottom to top. Alongside the main series, an OVA was also released. Generation 1 ended in 1993 when the Generation 2 toy line started hitting stores. Generation 1 of the Transformers animated series & movies consists of the following:

1. Season 1 (1984)
2. Season 2 (1985-1986)
3. Scramble City (1986) OVA
4. Transformers: The Movie (1986)
5. Season 3 (1986-1987)
6. Season 4 (1987)
7. Japanese Transformers (1987-1990)
8. The Headmasters (1987-1988)
9. Super-God Masterforce (1988-1989)
10. Victory (1989)
11. Zone (1990) OVA

Generation 2 (1993 – 1995)

Generation 2 started with a 1993 toy line based on the G1 toys and would soon succeed the famous debut generation. Despite the toys adding a lot of new characters during the evolution of G2, Generation 2 never actually escaped the influence of G1 and was always considered just a weak reinterpretation of its more famous predecessor.

This was mainly visible in the comics and the short-lived animated series, which aired in 1993 and was actually a re-run of the G1 series, featuring (sometimes even abridged) versions of the G1 episodes, with the only additional sequence being a series of primitive CGI sequences used for the Hasbro toy commercials (making it one of the earliest computer-animated series, predating ReBoot) and an advertisement for the Marvel Comics title.

Beast Era (1996 – 2000)

Generation 2 passed as if it wasn’t even there, so in 1996, Hasbro decided to revamp the whole Transformers line completely. The changes were radical. Although the basic premise of the good guys (Maximals) fighting the bad guys (Predacons) stayed the same, everything else was changed, with the Transformers now transforming into animals rather than vehicles, weapons, or other objects.

Also, the animated series were made using CG rather than classical animation. This caused a lot of controversies back then, but the Beast Era of the Transformer’s history is today lauded by a lot of fans. Several animated series were produced, including one movie, along with comic books and video games. The following is the Beast Era watch order and all of its segments.

1. Beast Wars: Transformers Season 1 (1996-1997)
2. Beast Wars: Transformers Season 2 (1997-1998)
3. Beast Wars: Transformers Season 3 (1998-1999)
4. Beast Machines: Transformers Season 1 (1999)
5. Beast Machines: Transformers Season 2 (2000) – Battle for the Spark
6. Beast Wars II: Super Life-Form Transformers (I) (1998)
7. Beast Wars II: Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger! (1998)
8. Beast Wars II: Super Life-Form Transformers (II) (1998-1999)
9. Super Life-Form Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (1999)

Robots in Disguise (2000 – 2001)

Robots in Disguise (also: RID) was the fourth generation of the franchise, but it was as (un)successful as Generation 2; it was initially named Transformers: Car Robots, but the name was ultimately changed. This Japanese series was initially envisioned as a stand-alone reboot of the series, and despite having similar visuals as the G1 series, it was not meant to be connected to it. Still, this was retconned later, and Robots in Disguise was made part of the Japanese G1 continuity (see above) while remaining separate from the Western Generation 1 continuity. Here is how you should watch it:

Unicron Trilogy (2002 – 2006)

Transformers saw a proper return to its roots in 2002 when the Unicron Trilogy began airing. It was named like that because of the big role Unicron, the franchise’s ultimate villain, played in all three animated series comprising the trilogy. The trilogy was a big success for the franchise, not only because it properly rebooted the original G1 characters but also because of its dark tone, great narration, and great animation.

It was the first American-Japanese co-production of a Transformers series, which explains its heavy anime influence. It is usually divided into three parts – Armada, Energon, and Cybertron. Despite being a co-production, the series aired in the United States first. The Unicron Trilogy consists of the following segments:

1. Transformers: Armada (2002-2003)
2. Transformers: Energon (2004)
3. Transformers: Cybertron (2005)

Live-action films (2007 – present)

In 2007, Hasbro finally launched a live-action film series based on the Transformers franchise. When writing this article, the series consists of six films – five from the main continuity and a spin-off/soft reboot film focused on Bumblebee. Initially, the series was quite well-received, mostly due to its use of CG animation in designing the Transformers, their transformations, and the action sequences.

It was even nominated for several technical Oscars. Still, the fact that Michael Bay directed the franchise and that the story became more ridiculous with every installment sent the series downward from being an Oscar contender to becoming a Golden Raspberry winner. The franchise is still active, but the producers are pondering some changes to make it more relevant.

The best chronological order of Transformers live-action movies and a single animated series in the phase is the following:

1. Bumblebee (2018)
2. Transformers (2007)
3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
4. Transformers: Cyber Missions (2010)
5. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
6. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
7. Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
8. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

Transformers: Animated (2007 – 2010)

Starting in 2007, Animated was an attempt on Hasbro’s side to completely unify the franchise’s history under a new, kid-friendly dome with modern animation and stories that would draw influence from all the previous iterations, but also the live-action films. The series aired on Cartoon Network and was a mild success for the franchise, airing until 2009. If you want to watch it, we have the proper watching order for you right here:

1. Season 1 (2007-2008)
2. Season 2 (2008)
3. Season 3 (2008)

Aligned Universe (2010 – present)

In 2010, the Transformers franchise went through another shakeup when a new narrative continuity was created with the Prime series. The continuity used modern animation but drew inspiration from earlier iterations. So far, there have been four animated series (with one still running), an OVA series, and an animated movie, making this continuity one of the longest-running continuities in the franchise’s history. This is why we have prepared a proper watching order for you:

1. Transformers: Prime Season 1(2010-2011)
2. Transformers: Prime Season 2(2012)
3. Transformers: Prime Season 3(2013)
4. Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising (2013)
5. Transformers Go! (2013-2014)
6. Transformers: Robots in Disguise Season 1 (2015)
7. Online shorts (2015)
8. Transformers: Robots in Disguise Season 1 (2016)
9. Miniseries (2016)
10. Transformers: Robots in Disguise Season 3 (2017) – Combiner Force
11. Transformers: Rescue Bots Season 1 (2012)
12. Transformers: Rescue Bots Season 2 (2014)
13. Transformers: Rescue Bots Season 3 (2014-2015)
14. Transformers: Rescue Bots Season 4 (2016)
15. Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy Season 1 (2019)
16. Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy Season 2 (2020-present)

Transformers: Prime Wars Trilogy (2016 – 2018)

The Prime Wars Trilogy was a three-part web series that chronicled the future of the Transformers after the great war between the Autobots and Decepticons, with the main villain being Megatronus, a.k.a. The Fallen. Despite consisting of only twenty-eight 7-12-minute episodes, the trilogy was well-received and is lauded for its animation, story, and themes. If you’d care to watch it, here’s how you should do it:

1. Combiner Wars (2016)
2. Titans Return (2017-2018)
3. Power of the Primes (2018)

Transformers: Cyberverse (2018–2020)

Cyberverse was a recent Cartoon Network animated series that ran for a total of three seasons. It was set in its unique continuity, with the character designs being mostly inspired by G1 Transformers but more kid-friendly. The show generally had a much lighter tone and was aiming for a younger audience, unlike the G1 series that inspired it. The watching order is as follows:

1. Season 1 (2018) – Chapter One
2. Season 2 (2019-2020) – Power of the Spark
3. Season 3 (2020) – Bumblebee: Cyberverse Adventures

Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (2019 – present)

The most recent installment in the franchise is the War for Cybertron Trilogy, which is currently airing on Netflix with – at the moment of writing this article – season two (out of three) coming out soon. The trilogy is a fresh take on the origin of the conflict between the Autobots and the Decepticons, but with a different twist to a well-known story.

The series has impressed both critics and fans alike, with Rotten Tomatoes saying: “Visually stunning, surprisingly deep, and still, a lot of fun, War for Cybertron: Siege breathes new life into the Transformers franchise.” We can only agree.

As for the watching order (so far), here it is:

1. Siege (2020)
2. Earthrise (2020)
3. Kingdom (2022)
4. Transformers EarthSpark (2022- present)

Will there be more Transformers movies in the future?

One additional live-action movie has been announced, titled Transformers: A New Generation. The movie is set to be released on July 19th, 2024. Given the popularity and success of the franchise, there may be more “Transformers” movies in the future.