The Transformers: The Movie Was a Big Box Office Flop

by

The Transformers: The Movie Was a Big Box Office Flop

Quick Links

  • The Great 1986 Transformers Massacre
  • The Transformers: The Movie Left an Enduring Legacy

As someone who was among the countless children traumatized by the 1986 release of “The Transformers: The Movie,” I can attest to its lasting impact on my young mind. That film, with its dark and disturbing scenes, left an indelible mark that still resonates today. The death of Optimus Prime, a character I had grown to love through the cartoon series, was particularly shocking. It’s ironic that this movie, made primarily as a toy commercial, managed to alienate audiences across ages.

Contrary to the high anticipation for the latest live-action Transformers film series, the initial animated Transformers movie, titled The Transformers: The Movie, was met with little excitement when it debuted in the summer of 1986. Despite its run in theaters, this movie, which only managed to earn around $6 million at the box office, failed both commercially and critically.

Instead of the 2007 debut of the live-action Transformers movie starting a film series that generated over $5.2 billion at the box office, The Transformers: The Movie was primarily focused on promoting a new toy line. This movie was funded by Hasbro, who believed introducing a new toy line would be most effective by eliminating several characters from the franchise’s original storyline. Notably, Optimus Prime, one of the franchise’s iconic characters, met his demise in this film, causing uproar among Transformers fans, particularly children.

Initially, the daring move to eliminate Optimus Prime, such a well-known character, garnered appreciation in later years, as seen by the enduring fanbase that’s built around “The Transformers: The Movie” over its 35-year lifespan. However, the immediate impact was detrimental for the franchise, taking approximately 20 years to fully bounce back from this significant misstep.

The Great 1986 Transformers Massacre

2005 marks the time when “The Transformers: The Movie” begins, about 20 years following the end of the second season of the animated TV series. In this movie, the Decepticons have taken over Cybertron, the Autobots’ home planet. The remaining Autobots, now living on Cybertron’s moons, strategize a counterattack. Optimus Prime, their leader, dispatches a shuttle to Autobot City on Earth to gather essential supplies.

Yet, unfortunately, the Autobots’ strategy is unveiled by the Decepticons, leading them to seize control of the ship and brutally slaughter several Autobots. Prowl falls, his body peppered with blaster fire, his eyes losing focus as smoke pours from his muzzle. Ratchet is riddled with bullets in his chest by Megatron’s right-hand man, Starscream, who also amputates one of Ratchet’s limbs. The most gruesome death occurs at the hands of Megatron himself, as he executes the injured Ironhide point-blank with his fusion cannon, a method signature to Megatron.

The significant events unfold during the initial 10 minutes of the movie, accounting for around 70 deaths. Among these fatalities, the most impactful is that of Optimus Prime, who succumbs to injuries from a colossal fight with Megatron at about the 20-minute mark. In the meantime, Megatron too sustains fatal wounds but gets resurrected in the form of Galvatron, while Ultra Magnus assumes command of the Autobots as Prime’s successor.

In defiance of a fundamental rule in ’80s genre cinema, the movie “The Transformers: The Movie” dared to eliminate its primary franchise-building character, Optimus Prime, without first introducing a successful replacement. Although Hasbro demonstrated remarkable bravery by offing their top Transformers characters, the newcomers failed to resonate with fans. This was evident in the drop of television viewership and toy sales post the film’s premiere, suggesting that Hasbro misjudged the deep emotional bond between ’80s kids and the iconic Transformers characters, particularly Optimus Prime. To borrow words from Prime himself from “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (2011), Hasbro made a significant blunder.

The Transformers: The Movie Traumatized Children

The Transformers: The Movie Was a Big Box Office FlopThe Transformers: The Movie Was a Big Box Office FlopThe Transformers: The Movie Was a Big Box Office FlopThe Transformers: The Movie Was a Big Box Office Flop

In 1986, when parents brought their kids to watch “The Transformers: The Movie”, they weren’t anticipating how grim and unsettling it would become. Although the action sequence on the Autobot spaceship was startling, it didn’t hold a candle to the surprise of witnessing Optimus Prime’s final moments. As his body became gray from damage, the light in his eyes gradually faded away.

In 1986, the death scene of Prime in the movie left many children deeply affected, causing tears and prompting parents to take them out of the theater. This emotional response led to a wave of complaints to Hasbro, which eventually led them to revive Prime through an animated television series due to public demand from distraught children.

Due to the merchandising purpose behind the creation of “The Transformers: The Movie” in 1986, it’s amusing that the final product appeared to drive away viewers of all ages. Adults found it to be an overlong advertisement for toys, while many children were scared off and refused to watch any more Transformers movies until they grew up.

The Transformers: The Movie Left an Enduring Legacy

The Transformers: The Movie Was a Big Box Office FlopThe Transformers: The Movie Was a Big Box Office FlopThe Transformers: The Movie Was a Big Box Office FlopThe Transformers: The Movie Was a Big Box Office Flop

In the movie, the choice to eliminate Optimus Prime and other iconic Transformers characters had immediate negative impacts on the film and the franchise. Nevertheless, this ruthless strategy, despite being somewhat forced, ultimately proved advantageous in the long term. Prior to The Transformers: The Movie, killing a franchise’s main character was almost unheard of. By flouting this unspoken rule, the movie injected the franchise with an element of peril and uncertainty, compelling viewers to consider that any Transformers character, regardless of prominence, could be eliminated at any moment.

Furthermore, “The Transformers: The Movie” served as a guide for Hasbro and the film series’ production team, demonstrating the limits of realism they could venture while still appealing to audiences. This is evident in the favorable reviews for “Transformers One,” proving that an animated “Transformers” film can tackle mature themes without traumatizing a generation of kids. Unfortunately, “The Transformers: The Movie” isn’t currently available for streaming. On the other hand, “Transformers One” hits theaters on Sept. 20th.

Read More

2024-09-17 02:01