Katrina joined ScreenRant as a news writer in 2024, covering box office, expert interviews, exclusives, and new releases. Her work has appeared in CBR, All About Jazz, Rising Artists, and numerous other publications. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and has published more than 20 books. She currently writes for ScreenRant’s movie features team.
The Transformers One director offers a disappointing update on a potential sequel. The 2024 animated Transformers movie, directed by Josh Cooley, explores Optimus Prime and Megatron's untold origins before their rivalry. The original plan was to kick-start a trilogy, with plans for the sequels already mapped out. However, Transformers One only grossed $129.4 million at the box office, which cast some uncertainty on the sequel's future.
Per Collider, Cooley confirmed that Paramount Animation are not moving forward with the Transformers One sequels during a panel at the Transformers' convention BotCon. The director shared that the studio had already informed him that they are "not interested in making a sequel." However, Cooley doesn't shut down the possibility in the future. Read his comment below:
I wish I had something to announce, but I do not. What I’ve been told is that Paramount Animation is not interested in making a sequel. That’s what I was told. I wish we could. I have ideas, too. So it would have been cool. We’ll see what happens. You never know.
What This Means For Transformers One
Transformers One Trilogy Plan Is Canceled
Optimus Prime looking solemn holding the Matrix of Leadership in Transformers One 
Optimus Prime using a jet boost in the air in Transformers One 
Optimus Prime Elita-1 Bumblebee and Megatron transforming in Transformers One 
Optimus Prime shooting flamethrowers at Megatron in Transformers One 
Starscream glaring and roaring In Transformers One
Optimus Prime looking solemn holding the Matrix of Leadership in Transformers One 
Optimus Prime using a jet boost in the air in Transformers One 
Optimus Prime Elita-1 Bumblebee and Megatron transforming in Transformers One 
Optimus Prime shooting flamethrowers at Megatron in Transformers One 
Starscream glaring and roaring In Transformers One
Cooley's announcement was met with boos among the attendees to express their disappointment. Despite its underwhelming box office, Transformers One has been critically well-received. It has an 89% critical approval rate and a 97% audience approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes, which means Cooley's trilogy plan, at least at the stage of the first movie, is recognized by viewers and critics alike. At that time, the director didn't reveal the exact reason behind the cancellation, but his comment does suggest the trilogy's fate could change in the future.
The movie's underwhelming performance at the box office continued the franchise's decline, but the disappointment might be due to several factors, including the time of release, format, and a mismatch in marketing approach. At the Transformers One ending, Orion Pax and D-16 are divided on their approaches to exposing Sentinel Prime's lies as they evolve into Optimus Prime and Megatron. Cooley has previously teased his ideas about where he could take the two characters. However, it seems that they won't come to fruition anytime soon.
Our Take On Transformers One Sequel's Cancellation
Transformers 8 Could Be Crucial For The Franchise's Future
It's very disappointing that the highly-rated Transformers One won't get a sequel, especially since the movie has already set up a very interesting arc for Orion Pax and D-16 to continue. The trilogy certainly deserves to be made from the audiences' perspective, but it seems that the declining interest in the franchise and the movie's underwhelming performance may have contributed to the studio's decision.
The next movies in the Transformers franchise are expected to be Transformers 8 and 9, alongside the potential crossover movie with G.I. Joe. Whether the cancellation will stay in the future could depend on how well the next project does at the box office. If there's enough interest, just like Josh Cooley said, the abandoned sequels for Transformers One might be revived.
Source: Collider
- Writers
- Andrew Barrer, Steve Desmond, Gabriel Ferrari
- Sequel(s)
- Transformers
- Franchise(s)
- Transformers
