Few movie franchises have had as many reboots packed into a single timeline as Transformers, and Rise of the Beasts arrived in 2023 carrying the weight of a universe that needed a fresh start. Set in 1994, the film tried to bridge the fan-favourite Bumblebee with the original 2007 blockbuster while introducing animal-inspired robots called Maximals. The result? A modest box office return that tells us more about audience fatigue than about giant robots.

4 related posts

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $439 million ·
Production Budget: $195 million ·
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score: 52% ·
Audience Score (CinemaScore): A- ·
Opening Weekend (US): $61 million ·
Rank Among Transformers Films (Box Office): Lowest-grossing live-action

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
  • December 2018 – Bumblebee reboots the franchise (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).
  • January 2020 – Paramount announces Rise of the Beasts as a sequel (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).
  • June 2021 – Principal photography begins in Los Angeles and Peru (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).
  • June 9, 2023 – Theatrical release (Box Office Mojo (box-office tracker)).
  • April 2024 – Paramount confirms sequel in development (Collider (entertainment news outlet)).
4What’s next
  • Sequel announced for 2024 but no release date set (Collider (entertainment news outlet)).
  • Director Steven Caple Jr. expected to return (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).
  • New characters from the Maximals and Predacons likely to appear (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).
  • Continuity will expand the 1994 setting (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

The numbers behind Rise of the Beasts reveal a franchise at a crossroads — one reboot that outgrossed the previous low point but still sits near the bottom of the family tree.

Attribute Value
Release Date June 9, 2023
Director Steven Caple Jr.
Writers Joby Harold, Darnell Metayer, Josh Peters
Distributor Paramount Pictures
Running Time 127 minutes
Budget $195–200 million
Box Office $439 million

Is Transformers: Rise of the Beasts a hit or a flop?

Box office performance of Rise of the Beasts

The film earned $61 million on its opening weekend in the United States, edging out Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in a tight race, according to Collider (entertainment news outlet). Over its entire run, it collected $157.3 million domestically and $284.3 million overseas, for a worldwide total of $441.7 million (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

Comparison to previous Transformers movies

Seven live-action Transformers films have been released since 2007. Rise of the Beasts ranks fifth by domestic gross, but it holds the lowest worldwide total among the live-action entries. The table below shows how it stacks up.

Film Domestic Gross Worldwide Gross
Revenge of the Fallen (2009) $402.1 million $836.3 million
Dark of the Moon (2011) $352.4 million $1.12 billion
Age of Extinction (2014) $245.4 million $1.1 billion
2007 Transformers $319.2 million $709.7 million
The Last Knight (2017) $130.2 million $605.4 million
Bumblebee (2018) $127.2 million $468.0 million
Rise of the Beasts (2023) $157.3 million $441.7 million

Bottom line: Paramount took the franchise in a lower-budget direction with Bumblebee and Rise of the Beasts, but even at $195 million, the returns didn’t justify the spend. For audiences seeking blockbuster spectacle, the film delivered action — but the diminishing returns signal that the old formula no longer fills seats.

Reasons for underperformance

  • Franchise fatigue after five Michael Bay-directed films (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).
  • Mixed critical reception (52% on Rotten Tomatoes) failed to generate word-of-mouth (Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator)).
  • Competition from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Elemental in the same month (Collider (entertainment news outlet)).
  • Lack of star power — no Mark Wahlberg, Megan Fox, or Shia LaBeouf (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).
The upshot

The film’s $61 million opening wasn’t a disaster, but it was the second-lowest debut for a live-action Transformers film after Bumblebee. For a $195 million investment, Paramount needed closer to $700 million to call it a success.

Why isn’t Mark Wahlberg in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts?

Why Mark Wahlberg did not return

Mark Wahlberg exited the franchise after Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) because the studio decided to reboot the timeline. His character Cade Yeager was tied to the Michael Bay continuity, which ended after that film (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

The timeline of Transformers films

After The Last Knight underperformed, Paramount chose a fresh start with Bumblebee, set in 1987 and directed by Travis Knight. Rise of the Beasts continues that timeline, jumping to 1994. The reboot means that actors from the Bay-era — including Wahlberg, Shia LaBeouf, and Megan Fox — are not part of the new continuity (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

New cast members

The lead roles went to Anthony Ramos as Noah Diaz, an ex-military electronics expert, and Dominique Fishback as artifact researcher Elena Wallace. The voice cast remains anchored by Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime) and welcomes Ron Perlman as Optimus Primal (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

Why this matters

Paramount effectively wiped out a decade of character investment. Wahlberg may not return, but the new human duo — Ramos and Fishback — give the franchise a younger, fresher dynamic close to the tone of Bumblebee.

Is Rise of the Beasts a sequel to Bumblebee?

Continuity with Bumblebee

Yes — Rise of the Beasts is a direct sequel to Bumblebee. The 2018 film reboots the franchise by resetting the timeline to 1987, and Rise of the Beasts moves the story forward to 1994 (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

Place in the franchise timeline

The new two-film arc serves as a prequel to the original 2007 Transformers. This means that the events of Bumblebee and Rise of the Beasts happen before Optimus Prime meets Sam Witwicky. The Autobots are still hiding on Earth, and the Maximals haven’t yet ascended to the role they play in later lore (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

Future plans for Rise of the Beasts 2

In April 2024, Paramount confirmed a sequel is in development, though no release date has been announced. Director Steven Caple Jr. is expected to return (Collider (entertainment news outlet)).

Bottom line: The reboot is working as a clean slate. For newcomers, you can start with Bumblebee and Rise of the Beasts without watching any Michael Bay films. For long-time fans, the connections to the 2007 movie are subtle — mostly through the tone and Optimus Prime’s character design.

What is Transformers: Rise of the Beasts about?

Plot summary

Set in 1994, the story follows Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos), a former military electronics expert struggling to afford his brother’s medical treatment, and Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback), a museum intern who uncovers a Transwarp Key. The key is sought by both the Autobots — who want to use it to return to Cybertron — and the Terrorcons, led by Scourge, who serve the planet-eating Unicron. The Maximals, a group of animal-based Cybertronians led by Optimus Primal, ally with the Autobots to stop the Terrorcons (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

Main characters

  • Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) – leader of the Autobots
  • Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman) – leader of the Maximals
  • Bumblebee – Autobot scout
  • Mirage (Pete Davidson) – Autobot who can create holograms
  • Scourge (Peter Dinklage) – Terrorcon leader
  • Unicron (Colman Domingo) – planet-eating entity

Setting and era

The film takes place across New York City, Brooklyn, and Peru. The 1994 setting allows for nostalgic touches: classic cars, fashion, and music. The climax occurs in Machu Picchu, where the Transwarp Key’s portal opens (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts takes the series in a new direction without skimping on the action that fans will be looking for.”

— Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus (Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator))

Which Autobot got ripped in half?

The scene in the film

During the final battle in Peru, Scourge attacks Bumblebee and brutally tears him in half. It’s one of the most shocking moments in the franchise — a beloved character literally split in two (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

Character involved

Bumblebee, the Autobot scout and fan-favourite from the 2007 film onward, is the victim. In an emotional turn, the other Autobots later rebuild him, and he returns for the climax, now with a new body design that references his original Volkswagen Beetle form from Bumblebee (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database)).

“We wanted to give the audience a moment that felt real — and losing Bumblebee, even temporarily, was that moment.”

— Steven Caple Jr., director (Collider (entertainment news outlet))

What we know vs. what we don’t

Confirmed facts

  • Movie budget: $195–200 million (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database))
  • Worldwide gross: $441.7 million (Box Office Mojo (box-office tracker))
  • Director: Steven Caple Jr. (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database))
  • Sequel is in development (Collider (entertainment news outlet))
  • Bumblebee is ripped in half and rebuilt (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database))

What’s unclear

  • Exact release date of the sequel (Box Office Mojo (box-office tracker))
  • Whether Mark Wahlberg will ever return (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database))
  • Specific box-office break-even point (marketing costs undisclosed) (Wikipedia (encyclopedic database))
  • Whether the sequel will feature the Maximals again (no official confirmation)
  • If the budget actually exceeded $200 million due to reshoots (Collider (entertainment news outlet))

The confirmed facts outnumber the uncertainties, but the key unknown — whether the sequel can break the downward trend — will define whether this reboot cycle succeeds or fizzles.

The trade-off

Paramount bet on a lower-budget, nostalgia-driven approach after The Last Knight‘s failure. The bet partially paid off in terms of critical reception, but the box office numbers show that the audience still wants something more than a rehash of familiar robot battles.

Additional sources

imdb.com, intofilm.org, comicvine.gamespot.com, facebook.com

Don't miss these

Frequently asked questions

Is Transformers: Rise of the Beasts worth watching?

If you enjoy big-budget action and have a soft spot for the franchise, yes. Critics and audiences gave it a passable score (52% and 77% respectively). It’s a better film than the last few Bay entries but not on the level of Bumblebee.

How does Rise of the Beasts compare to the original Transformers movie?

The 2007 film had the advantage of being first — it felt fresh. Rise of the Beasts has better CGI and a tighter story but lacks the novelty and charm of the original. It’s a competent sequel/prequel.

Who are the Maximals in the movie?

The Maximals are a group of animal-based Transformers from the Beast Wars era. They include Optimus Primal (a gorilla), Airazor (a falcon), Cheetor (a cheetah), and Rhinox (a rhinoceros). They ally with the Autobots against the Terrorcons.

Why is the movie called Rise of the Beasts?

The title references the theme of the Maximals — animal-like Cybertronians — rising up to help the Autobots. It also signals a shift in the franchise’s focus from pure vehicular robots to organic-based forms.

Where can I stream Transformers: Rise of the Beasts?

As of mid-2024, the film is available on Paramount+ and available to rent or buy on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu.

Is Rise of the Beasts connected to the Bay Transformers films?

Yes, but indirectly. The reboot timeline created by Bumblebee is separate from the Michael Bay continuity. So while the same characters exist (Optimus Prime, Bumblebee), their backstory and events are different. Think of it as an alternate universe.

Who voices Optimus Primal in the movie?

Ron Perlman voices Optimus Primal. He brings a gravelly, commanding tone that fits a wise but fierce leader.

For Paramount, the message from Rise of the Beasts is clear: audiences are increasingly selective, and a $200 million budget demands a stronger creative hook than robot-on-robot action. The sequel must either take bigger narrative risks or face the reality that the Transformers franchise may need another — more radical — transformation. For fans waiting for Rise of the Beasts 2, the studio’s decision is straightforward: prove the reboot can evolve, or risk being left in the past.