Rise of the Beasts Sets Disappointing Box Office Mark for the Transformers Franchise

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts fails to spark at the global box office as the seventh film in the titular franchise sets a disappointing record.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts falls hard at the global box office as the seventh film in the eponymous sci-fi action movie franchise sets a record low.

According to /Film, Rise of the Beasts' theatrical run is the worst-performing of any Transformers movie, with its global take of $436.7 million being the lowest in the film series' history. While the most recent entry before Rise of the Beasts, 2018's Bumblebee, has the second-lowest gross at $465 million, that movie was made on a franchise-low $102 million budget. Rise of the Beasts boasts a budget of up to $200 million, putting the film at risk of failing to break even, though it could still do so once the movie hits video-on-demand.

Rise of the Beasts' box office take is a far cry from the Transformers series' biggest moneymaker, 2011's Dark of the Moon, which raked in $1.12 billion in international ticket sales. Released on Jun. 9, the latest Transformers sequel enjoyed a promising opening weekend, attracting $61 million domestically during its opening weekend, outdueling Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse early on. However, Rise of the Beasts' overall domestic tally is the third-lowest in the franchise ($157 million). As a whole, the Transformers franchise has grossed over $5.14 billion.

Directed by Creed II helmer Steven Caple Jr., Rise of the Beasts was the second Transformers film in the post-Michael Bay era, with Bumblebee beginning the series reboot. Featuring a more diverse cast, with Anthony Ramos (Noah Diaz) and Dominique Fishback (Elena Wallace) as the central human characters, Rise of the Beasts once again chronicled Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) as the Autobots leader faces an unenviable task, teaming with the Maximals to protect Earth from a devastating new threat. The film also stars Academy Award-winning actor Michelle Yeoh (Airazor), Pete Davidson (Mirage) and Ron Perlman (Optimus Primal).

Rise of the Beasts Boasts a High Audience Score

Rise of the Beasts not only suffered disappointing ticket sale returns, but the film also struggled to garner critical approval. Currently, the latest Transformers film boasts a 52% average critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though it has a 91% audience score. In fairness, Transformers movies have largely attracted underwhelming critical reviews despite the franchise's box office success, with Bumblebee being the biggest critical success by far with a 91% rating. None of the other films in the Transformers franchise has a score cracking the 60% mark.

Caple Jr. was recently in talks to direct another Transformers movie, with two more sequels reportedly planned for the series. Additionally, a prequel animated feature directed by Josh Cooley, Transformers One, is due to premiere on Sept. 13, 2024. There has also been talk of potential Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover project for some time, with Rise of the Beasts producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura confirming a film merging the two franchises is in the works.