Transformers One Second Weekend Box Office Results

Transformers One continues to release in various territories worldwide including China, Korea, and Brazil where it did pretty good. With the end of the second weekend, the movie made $9.3M in the US and $16.6M in 61 international markets. The Wild Robot took number one in most places as it is enjoying the same outstanding reviews that TF1 has. As of now the US total is $39.1M, international is $32.8M for a total of $72.9M.

Transformers One Academy Conversation

If you have already seen Transformers One or don't mind some spoilers, below is an interesting video from the Oscars Academy as they spoke with director Josh Cooley, Producer Lorenzo di Bonvaventura, Editor Lynn Hobson, Production Designer Jason William Scheler and Composer Brian Tyler. They discuss some of the story choices, editing choices and other details that went into making the film. Thanks to Feris O. for the link. In additional Cooley head over to Gizmodo where he discusses the end credits and D-16's character arc.

   

Transformers One Has Lukewarm Box Office Weekend

The weekend gross for Transformers One was below expectations with a take of $25 million in the US and $14 million from 50 international box office markets (40% of total) for a total of $39M. Its not that impressive but I have a feeling that word of mouth and consistently excellent reviews (89% critic, 98% viewer) could create an Elemental situation. 

In that case the Pixar movie was released in June 2023 to a $29.6M box office and was written off as dead on arrival. However word of mouth kept the families coming and the end result was a worldwide total of $496M. Not amazing by Pixar standards but way more profitable than opening weekend suggested it would be. Other than The Wild Robot, the next month of family fair has little competition.

For the live action films, the target was a $1 billion worldwide box office but that was unrealistic then and especially now for an animated film in a franchise whose last animated film entry was 38 years ago. What marker would be considered a success for this film has not been revealed but the estimated cost of the film is $75 million. My guess is a success would be in the $300M plus range for worldwide grosses. 

It will be interesting to see if word of mouth gets Transformers One there. If Paramount has any brains, they will wait and give the film time and not throw it to video on demand in three weeks like so many other studios have been doing. Disney waited and it paid off in dividends both in the box office and later on with the VOD release two months later. Also studios repeatedly dumping to VOD is pre-programming their audiences to just wait. I have waited for plenty of films in the last few years I was on the fence about seeing and they unintentionally rewarded my wiliness to wait a month.

Transformers One Stop Motion Video

Here is a well done stop motion video using Transformers One toys to depict a story at sorta toy scale. It has a few references to the movie that those who have watched it will get and if you have not, well go do that, its a good movie.

Transformers One Soundtrack Now Available

Transformers One is now out in theaters. Also available is Transformers One soundtrack with music composed by Brian Tyler. Below is the full playlist. You can also listen and purchase it on various streaming services including Amazon and Apple Music. Currently there has been no announcements of a physical version of the soundtrack.

Transformers Gets Another Shot at Toy Hall of Fame

Transformers is once again nominated for the fan vote for National Toy Hall of Fame to join the short list. The competition is tough with historic toys such as balloons, choose your own adventure books, My Little Pony, Pokémon, the Trampoline and others also up for the fan vote. Top vote doesn't guarantee entry in the hall of fame but definitely helps. More details and to vote for your choice here. Voting ends on September 25, 2024.

Transformers One Starscream Clip, New York Premiere Photos

Transformers One held its US premiere Tuesday evening in New York where it was attended by most of the cast and movie producers. Sadly no cool Megatron jackets this time. If interested in bunch of pictures from the event, click here. With the movie releasing today in most theaters in the US, below is a clip from the movie that introduces Starscream as voiced by Steve Buscemi.

Transformers 40th Anniversary Tribute By StudioTrigger

For Transformers 40th, below is an interesting video created by Studio Trigger and Bump of Chicken. Honestly no clue what those two are but since coming from Japan, assume something anime related. This was done with Japanese based fans so while may see references to US Transformers cartoons, keep in mind its really a look at 40 years of Transformers from the Japanese perspective which often continued years after the US had cancelled series. <b>Update</b>: Added a second video that notates all the references made in the video. Thanks to Feris O. for the links.

Transformers One Final Trailer, Review and Info on Credit Scenes

Below is the final trailer for Transformers One which hits theaters this Friday September 20th. As the trailer shows, the movie is a solid mix of action and humor and not the joke fest the earlier trailers had suggested. 

When you see the film there are two credit scenes in the movie. The first is about one minute into the credits with a scene involving Bee. The second one comes at the very end of the credits and for fans the one worth sticking around for with Megatron. 

Now to my review. Short version is - see the movie. It is worth the time. The action is worthy of the big screen and I suspect for long time fans they will want to say they saw it in theaters with same wry grin that old school fans say about Transformers: The Animimated Movie in 1986. While the Animated movie had more epic action (hard to top a transforming planet villain and killing Optimus), this movie is easily better then any of the Bay-verse films from the last 18 years. 

It does have a genuine focus on character and story. The story is as advertised, the origin of the conflict between Optimus Prime and Megatron and as such you pretty much know the end but as with any good story, the journey matters more. The journey here is well told. There is the usual weakness that origin stories have when trying to rush the villain's turn as I think they missed opportunities to lay down seeds for D-16 early in the movie but pretty much all movies do this since their goal is to make you like the character first before the character arc to bad guy completes so feels more like a tragedy when it happens. Even Star Wars messed it up and they had three movies. 

While Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime) and Brian Tyree Henry (D-16/Megatron) do excellent voice work, they will always fall short of the instant gravitas and menace that Peter Cullen and Frank Welker had so the comparison is a bit unfair. Over all the voice cast does a good job with the work with Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee being the standout in my opinion but no surprise if aware of his body of work. The animation is top notch and the environments of Cybertron were effectively brought to life. The result is a film that is very well paced and makes you want to see more of the story of the Transformers on Cybertron of which there is still plenty to be told.

The Voices of Transformers Interview Series

As a run up to Transformers 40th birthday on September 17, Hasbro has been posting a series of interviews with the original voice cast of the various Transformers series over the years. In the series the various voice actors discuss their inspirations behind the voices, how they got the roles and other stories as they walk down memory lane.

Music from The Original Animated Series Available for Transformers Day

Transformers Day was September 17 and the official 40th birthday of Transformers. Based on the first airing of the cartoon series on September 17, 1984. As part of the day, Hasbro has posted the full album for Transformers: Music from the Original Animated Series. You can also purchase it on Amazon in Vinyl or MP3. If really want to take a walk down memory lane, they have posted a six hour long video of the complete first season of The Transformers from 1984.

Music Video for If I Fall From Transformers One

Below is the official music video for "If I Fall" from Transformers One that plays during the credits of the movie. The video is by Quavo, Ty Dolla $ign, Are We Dreaming.To my knowledge, the Soundtrack for the movie is available on streaming services but there is currenly no physical media to purchase. Here is also the theme from the movie composed by Brian Tyler

Transformers One: Behind The Shot with Megatron Actor and Director

Here is an interesting video that analyzes a particular shot from the film that comes at about the halfway point. The video has Megatron voice Brian Tyree Henry talking about a scene from the movie with director Josh Cooley and some of what goes it a shot from camera angle to lighting. Basically its a reminder that details matter. It might be considered a spoiler but it should be somewhat familiar if seen any trailers or TV spots or aware of dynamic between Megatron and Starscream. Thanks to Feris O. for the link.

Transformers One Director Talks Approach to Film, Easter Eggs

Transformers One official release in just days, below are some quotes from Director Josh Cooley as he discusses approach to the film and some of the decisions made on which characters/Easter eggs to include in the film. For the full interview click here. And yep, a sequel is under consideration if the film does well enough.

I wanted to make sure that when a superfan saw this, they went, “Yes, that is correct. This feels right.” And then also having it be accessible to somebody who has no idea what Transformers is. If they were to come in fresh off the street, it’s still accessible to them as well.

“Oh, this just doesn’t feel like Transformers.” So it was finding that balance as well with the tone and making sure it’s not just completely dark, but also not just completely making fun of itself or anything like that.

Maybe because of the 1986 movie, but Hot Rod was never in my mind ever because I was like, “That’s not right.” But I will say that the movie was made by a crew of fans. And so there are characters that they put in the background and have been brought forward that I didn’t even realize were designed as characters, if that makes sense. ...Oh, it’d be really great if it could be one of these characters, if you want to choose one of them,” which is kind of a random, something that you’re familiar with. So there were times when it was story-based. Other times it was just playing for the fun of it.

I’d say sometimes we had our lead animator, Stephen King at ILM, he’s a major, major Transformers fan. And so I would let him at times I’d just say, look, fill in this area with crowds, but bring forward anybody you want to bring forward in terms of the color or anything. And so I’d let him cast the characters that are getting kind of front-row shots. And so that’s all his love going out.

Transformers One Scoring Excellent Reviews

The review embargo for Transformers One has lifted and various entertainment websites have posted their reviews of the film. As of this writing, the film is sitting at a very good critic score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes with many critics calling it the best Transformers film to date. Over all the critics call out excellent visuals, predictable but heartbreaking storyline, and better use of humor than trailers suggest. In the US, there is a fan event sneak preview this Saturday with official release on September 20. Below are some quotes from various reviews.

"The new film easily wipes away the bad taste 20 years of live-action Transformers movies may have left for some. It’s big, it’s beautiful, and it’s arguably the best Transformers movie ever. ...Despite what early trailers may have teased, the jokes are only there when needed. Lore is never more complicated than it has to be. And that friendship gone wrong is weaved into a much bigger, more shocking story. Then, once Transformers One gets into its third act, things get legitimately heartbreaking, adding to the drama and emotion." - Gizmodo

"...while it’s ultimately uneven and lacking the inventiveness or visual splendor it would have needed to be truly great, T1 manages to have more smarts and depth than it first lets on. It could serve as a setup for better films to follow, now that all the “origin story” table setting is out of the way. ...The most fascinating thing about the plot of Transformers One isn’t the deep, dark secrets that Orion and his friends discover. It’s the way that Orion learns what kind of leader he wants to be by watching what D-16’s anger over those discoveries does to him, and deciding what kind of leader he doesn’t want to be. ...I saw the film in 3D, which definitely enhances the film’s visuals, giving the central setting of Iacon City a wonderfully layered depth, but Transformers One never figures out how to make the most of its vistas in its action scenes, which often feel like arbitrary diversions from the story rather than involving sequences that contribute to the film or our understanding of the characters in a meaningful way. - Kotaku

"...the story has more humanity than the films that co-star human actors, and ultimately makes you feel the operatic tragedy of Megatron. ...The animation is sleeker than even the computer-animated TV series, though stops short of photorealistic like the live-action movies. Most notably, the characters have faces with eyes, noses and mouths like they did in the toys and old 2D cartoons, as opposed to the Michael Bay movies which fashioned their faces out of mechanical auto parts. Industrial Light + Magic still designed this animation." - Deadline

"There is tension to Transformers One if you have even a passing knowledge of the Transformers characters or mythos, a conflicting recognition that the film’s story is well-told even as it treads the familiar territory of other friends-to-enemies plotlines. ...And after one immediately recognizes that Sentinel Prime’s benevolent leadership is an obvious veneer for ulterior motives, the plot becomes as rote and predictable as a straight road leading from title to credits. ...With so much that Transformers One gets right, there’s still that nagging feeling that we’ve been there, done that. A rushed first act plows through its world-building with such efficiency that it sets a precedent for a tight pace that doesn’t allow much space to breathe between exciting action beats. Inversely, this leaves comedic moments feeling like forced token gestures, leaning hard into kinetic hyperactivity instead of telling jokes that aren’t already stale before the punchline lands." - AV Club

"It’s a pleasure, then, to report that the series’ first animated theatrical feature in nearly 40 years proves a thoroughly entertaining origin story that even the uninitiated can enjoy. Besides the raucous, de rigueur action sequences, Transformers One provides numerous witty jokes of both the verbal and visual variety and — surprise, surprise — genuine emotion. Consider this a franchise revitalized. ...The gorgeous 3D-style computer animation is a wonder to behold throughout, from the character designs (these seem the most expressive Transformers yet) to the elaborate action sequences (the race is a highlight) to the varied settings that make the environments seem fully lived-in. There’s so much visual imagination on display that multiple viewings seem essential to take it all in." - The Hollywood Reporter

Transformers One Australian Premiere

Transformers One held its Australian premiere Tuesday evening that was attended by Orion Pax voice Chris Hemsworth (also who is Austrlian) and Brian Tyree Henry (voice of D-16/Megatron), director Josh Cooley and longtime Transformers producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura. In the US, this Saturday is a 5pm early screening fan event with the movie officially premiering on September 20th. 

Main takeaway for me from the photo of Henry in an awesome Megatron coat that I am curious to know where he got it. More photos from the premiere can be found here.

Transformers One Jersey Stop Motion, Clip, TV Spot and Voice Work

The Transformers One promotional campaign continues with more TV spots and others things. The latest is below starting with a stop motion using Transformers One toys with three leads from the movie and three football players including Calvin "Megatron" Johnson. He said he was the first Megatron but should be noted he was born in 1985, Megs was created in 1984. Oddly Scarlett Johansson continues to sit out of all the promotional material that continues to be released for the movie outside of stuff clearly filmed on the same day they filmed her voice work probably over a year ago. 

Aside from that, the second video is a clip of the team on a train trying to survive the changing terrain of Cybertron's surface, the third is a tease of the Optimus Prime vs Megatron fight and last is the four main leads doing some of their voice work with the final result.

"That's what I'm talking about!"

Get an exclusive behind the scenes look at how they took #TransformersOne from the recording booth to the big screen. Only in theaters September 20. Get tickets NOW!https://t.co/2crrDMsDtc pic.twitter.com/bKjMPgXeEY

— Fandango (@Fandango) September 10, 2024

Official Transformers One Single "If I Fall" and Many TV Spots

With Transformers One just two weeks away from release, it seems the last week has resulted in a bunch of new TV spots. The first video below is the lyric video for "If I Fall" single for the movie and part of the soundtrack for the movie. The single is from Quavo, Ty Dolla $ign, and Brian Tyler's Are We Dreaming. Brian Tyler is also the composer of the movie's score. After that are a bunch of TV spots of various lengths. Even though seems like may reveal a lot of new footage, its really mostly the same stuff from previous spots and trailers with maybe a few seconds of new stuff. One thing that is new is this clip between Elita-1 and Bumblebee over on Twitter/X. In the USA, the movie hits theaters on September 20th and varies for international release by country.