Despite positive reception from both critics and audiences, it appears Paramount has opted not to move forward with a sequel to Transformers One. This means the planned trilogy for the animated film is now off the table, as the studio continues to struggle with revitalizing a franchise that once dominated the global box office.
The news came directly from director Josh Cooley, who shared the update during a special panel at Bot Con '25 in Wayne, Indiana, this past Saturday.
Released in 2024, the animated sci-fi film featured a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth as Orion Pax/Optimus Prime, Brian Tyree Henry as D-16/Megatron, Keegan-Michael Key as B-127, Scarlett Johansson as Elita-1, Steve Buscemi as Starscream, Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion, and Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime.
Despite strong critical and audience praise, earning an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 7.3/10, the animated film Transformers One appears to have reached the end of its line.
The disappointing box office performance is the primary culprit. Against a production budget of approximately $75 million, the film only managed to pull in $129.4 million worldwide. This financial setback has even prompted Hasbro to announce it will no longer co-finance films based on its brands.
Paramount is now forced to go back to the drawing board to re-launch the Transformers film series, which has been on a downward financial trend since the initial four live-action films directed by Michael Bay (2007-2014). Box office returns for the franchise have steadily decreased since 2017's Transformers: The Last Knight, culminating in a franchise low with Transformers One.
Prior to its release, Transformers One was envisioned as the launchpad for a new trilogy, with detailed storylines already outlined. However, the future of the beloved franchise now hangs in the balance as the studio reevaluates its strategy for the one-time blockbuster IP.
Transformers One tells the origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, back when they were just Orion Pax and D-16, two miners on Cybertron without the ability to transform.
Alongside Elita-1 and B-127 (later known as Bumblebee), they uncover a shocking secret: their leader, Sentinel Prime, stole the Matrix of Leadership and removed the transformation cogs from their people to control and enslave them.
As the group fights to expose the truth and spark a rebellion, Orion is chosen by the Matrix and becomes Optimus Prime. But D-16, driven by anger and a thirst for revenge, takes a darker path. His growing hatred turns him into Megatron, setting the foundation for the legendary war between Autobots and Decepticons.