Summary
WithTransformers Onenow having settled into theaters for a couple of weeks, there are a few things that the industry can take from its reaction. The biggest sign and the biggest thing that can be taken from the animated movie starring Chris Hemsworth as Orion Pax (otherwise known as Optimus Prime) and D-16 (aka Megatron) is that this is the kind of film the movie going public has been waiting for.
The fact that this was a true origin story is just part of what makesTransformers Oneso attractive. While there have been countless television episodes and especially comics that have shown how Optimus Prime became Optimus Prime and how Megatron became Megatron, this is the first time it’s been shown on screen. Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry brought real personalities to their respective characters where fans of the series really got to see their rise to respective power. But its the way the movie showed the origin and the story of their friendship that reallylays out how futureTransformersmoviesshould present things.
Transformers One Lays The Groundwork
It’s clear that the studios know that people love to see characters like Optimus Prime and Megatron,Bumblebee and Star Screamin live action roles. Fans of the franchise like to see what the giant robots look like when they’re doing battle in the middle of downtown Chicago, or Dallas, or even just some middle eastern village or air force base. However, there is very obviously an audience for animated films likeTransformers One. And it’s possible that animated film could birth a whole new section of the franchise. One that could either take over for the live-action films or simply be an offshoot that continues another part of the story that isn’t covered in the bigger-budget films.
And it’s possible that animated film could birth a whole new section of the franchise.
When you look at thereview scores forTransformers Oneand then compare them side by side to the live action flicks, it’s really a no–brainer that the franchise needs to at the very least include animated movies moving forward.On Rotten Tomatoesthe newest movie has a review score of 89 percent and an audience score of a whopping 98 percent. That second number is unheard of, even when talking about a franchise that gets plenty of love from its fans.
Again on Rotten Tomatoes, the best review score is the originalTransformersmovie which first introduced the live action Optimus Prime and Megatron to the masses. It’s score was still a “rotten” 57 percent. The audience score for that film was a much more impressive 85 percent, butstll well belowTransformers One.
In point of fact, no live action movie has gotten more than 60 percent from the critics andRise of the Beastshas the bestaudience score with a 91 percent. In other words, it doesn’t take a veteran producer of studio exec to see what they have on their hands with Transformers One. And there’s no reason there shouldn’t be more of this kind of flick in the very near future.
One Franchise Showed How Transformers Can Do It
One argument against focusing against animated Transformers movies is that they are seen as not appealing to an adult audience. However,Spider-Man: Into the SpiderverseandSpider-Man: Across the Spiderverseshow than an animated movie can appeal plenty to more than children. The third film in that series is one of the most anticipated upcoming superhero movie, no matter when it arrives. So some degree, Marvel has learned its lesson from those films considering they’ve alsoput out theWhat if …?seriesin cartoon form.
While these animated moviesmight haul in less at the box office, they also cost less to make, even if you have big stars, because they’re ledning their voice work talent rather than having to be in front of a camera for hours a day. It’s also obviously cheaper to put out a movie like Transformers One because there isn’t anything close to a “special effects” budget. So while the studios aren’t necessarily hauling in eye popping box office numbers, they’re able to cross into the “profitable” column much quicker and easier.
A Hybrid Approach Is Most Likely
It stands to reason that theTransformersfranchise will take a somewhat similar approach that Marvel has done. There’s at least two more live actionTransformersmovies planned with the next one set to introduce the giant warring robots with charactersfrom the live actionG.I. Joemovie franchise.
While it hasn’t been officially announced just yet, there couldn’t be a more obvious move than the follow-upTransformers OnewithTransformers Two. Then there should be a third film and a fourth, and as many as they can pump out with the same level of quality. In a lot of ways, it would be an effective way to relaunch the franchise for a new generation of fans while still being attractive to the old guard of fans as well.
