As the seventh installment of the Transformers movie franchise, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, is set to hit the theaters, some of you must be wondering which of the previous movies in the franchise are necessary to watch to fully appreciate the comeback of the Autobots.
The Transformers franchise gained a new momentum after the success of 2018’s Bumblebee, and the idea of a growing universe became more appealing. Given that the Transformers movies have a combined runtime of over 14 and a half hours, I am here to help you figure out which Transformers movies are essential to watch before Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
The Transformers movies have undergone significant changes since Michael Bay’s debut in 2007. The first Transformers movie featured Shia LaBeouf, who continued as the main character in the second and third films (Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen and Transformers: Dark of The Moon).
Mark Wahlberg later took over LaBeouf’s role for the tentative reboot, Transformers: Age of Extinction, and its sequel Transformers: The Last Knight. The latter was director Michael Bay’s fifth and final movie in the franchise.
The sixth movie, Bumblebee was originally conceived as a standalone prequel to the series, but after receiving positive reviews, it was subsequently announced as a reboot.
Keeping all that in mind, here is a short guide on how to start your journey with the franchise, what to watch and what to skip before Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
1. What You Should Watch Before Rise of the Beasts
The first Transformers movie is indispensable for new viewers for two reasons. Firstly, it offers a vital background about the Autobots and the Autobot Wars for anyone unfamiliar with the broader franchise story. Transformers presents this lore in a much more accessible way than any other film in the Transformers movie timeline.
Secondly, as Bumblebee was initially intended as a spin-off prequel, Transformers provides the eponymous Bumblebee with a full story arc, showing viewers how Bumblebee developed and why he became a popular character who could lead his own spin-off.
Bumblebee is also crucial for new audiences. The upcoming Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is a stand-alone sequel set 7 years after Bumblebee in 1994, so the new plot itself should not demand prior knowledge, at least in theory.
However, since Bumblebee has been retroactively declared a reboot, the first film of the new generation of Transformers movies, should be watched.
Furthermore, as Bumblebee marks the start of a new canon, future installments are directly adopting its tone and style, making it indispensable for new Transformers fans.
2. What You Can Skip Before Rise of the Beasts
Michael Bay has stopped directing Transformers movies, ending his phase of the saga. Furthermore, when LaBeouf and Wahlberg left the franchise, their character’s stories were wrapped up. This means that all the main characters of the initial Transformers movies have essentially finished their stories.
These early Transformers sequels remain self-contained narratives, only worth watching if desired. Additionally, given Bumblebee’s new reboot status, the series of movies that preceded it should have no impact on how Transformers develop in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and beyond.
As long as new audiences have seen the first Transformers movie and Bumblebee, they will comprehend and enjoy Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and the ongoing Transformers franchise.
3. About Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is an upcoming American cybertron fantasy film and the seventh movie in the Transformers franchise, which started all the way back in 2008.
Rise of the Beasts is set in 1994, with the story evolving out of Brooklyn, New York City. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ’90s adventure and introduce the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons to the existing battle on Earth between Autobots and Decepticons and the big bad Unicorn.
No Comments on The Essential Transformers Movies to Watch Before ‘Rise of the Beasts’