There are seven live-action Transformers movies, which tell a loosely-connected story that spans decades. The first five movies are inarguably connected, and the most recent two entries are essentially prequels to those five… but fans still argue about whether or not they are truly related.
To make things more complicated, the Transformers movies do not use any sequel numbering in their titles. So for people approaching the series fresh now, it can be difficult to tell which movie comes next. Here's the best way to watch the Transformers movies in order.
The Transformers Movies Release Order
The best way to watch many movie series is in release order, and that's no different with the Transformers movies. Characters are built up and occasionally destroyed. Most get to enjoy full arcs. And we see technology develop in the depiction of the Transformers themselves.
Transformers (2007)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
Bumblebee (2018)
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
How to Watch the Transformers Movies in Chronological Order
If you'd like to watch the series in chronological order, this is the way to go:
Bumblebee (2018)
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
Transformers (2007)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
BUMBLEBEE and RISE OF THE BEASTS are set in the '80s and '90s, respectively. Are they prequels to the other five films? Good question! The answer is: maybe. Quite a few story inconsistencies suggest that those two movies are their own contained story… but at the same time, the other five movies regularly rewrote aspects of the tale when it suited any particular entry. So maybe we shouldn't be too concerned about a hyper-detailed breakdown of each story cycle, and just enjoy the movies as one large, loosely-connected series.
The Bayverse and Knightverse Transformers Movies
If you want to further break down the Transformers series, there are Bayverse and Knightverse movies, as fans reckon them. The Bayverse movies were directed by Michael Bay, while the Knightverse movies are, so far, directed by Travis Knight and Steven Caple, Jr.
The first three Bayverse movies form a pretty complete trilogy, with the "Battle for Chicago" sequence in DARK OF THE MOON standing as one of the high-water marks for the series overall.
The Bayverse movies are:
Transformers (2007)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
The Knightverse movies are:
Bumblebee (2018)
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
All images courtesy of Paramount Pictures.