Although Transformers One received mostly positive reviews from both fans and critics, it looks like the animated reboot won’t be rolling out a sequel.
Paramount has reportedly scrapped plans for the intended trilogy, reflecting ongoing challenges the studio faces in breathing new life into a franchise that was once a box office juggernaut.
The disappointing update came directly from director Josh Cooley during an 8 PM panel at Bot Con ’25, held on Saturday in Wayne, Indiana.
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 earning a solid 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and an average score of 7.3/10, Transformers One underwhelmed at the box office, pulling in only $129.4 million globally against its estimated $75 million production budget.
The lackluster financial performance led Hasbro to announce it will no longer co-finance theatrical films based on its brands, likely a major blow for any future Paramount Transformers films.
Paramount, meanwhile, is heading back to the drawing board to figure out a new strategy for reviving the Transformers franchise. Once a box office powerhouse under director Michael Bay, particularly during the 2007–2014 run, the series has seen steadily declining returns since 2017’s Transformers: The Last Knight.
Transformers One was originally conceived as the foundation for a new animated trilogy, with character arcs and major story beats for future installments already in place. But with the film now marking a financial low point for the franchise, the studio’s plans are in flux as they rethink how to reignite interest in Cybertron’s iconic war.
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.