Exclusive: Transformers Live-Action Show In The Works For Paramount+
A live-action Transformers series is being developed to stream on Paramount+.
The Transformers series of films is getting a new life, with a live-action show currently being developed for the Paramount+ streaming platform, according to our trusted and proven sources. The Transformers franchise is one of the biggest, highest-grossing, and most confusing in all of media, so there is no particular surprise that Paramount Pictures would seek to expand its particular corner of the IP. However, given the presumed expense of a live-action show, it will be interesting to see how this particular Transformers show is pulled off.
Paramount Pictures has been distributing (along with DreamWorks Pictures for a time) the live-action Transformers films since the first film in 2007. The first Transformers movie starred Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, was directed by Michael Bay, and produced by Steve Spielberg, so it pretty much had a formula for commercial success from the get-go. Still, the massive $709 million box office gross was a bit of a shock for a decades-old franchise and managed to produce a further six movies.
There have been many (many, many) Transformers shows since the franchise began as a Hasbro toy line in 1984, but this would be the first live-action one. That is somewhat understandable, given the extensive, expensive CGI that is required to have humans interact with giant robots who are sometimes in disguise. It is likely this could be one of the more expensive productions for Paramount+ and its ever-growing slate of original shows.
On the other hand, the amount that major studios are willing to pay for prestige shows seems to be constantly growing. Reportedly, Amazon Prime Video has sunk a cool billion dollars in the production of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (presumably over the course of five seasons), while its director competitor, House of the Dragon, cost HBO $200 million for the first season. If Paramount is willing to sink something similar into a live-action Transformers series, it could be a contender against that kind of ratings behemoths.
It also makes sense that the live-action Transformers series would be developed for Paramount+, the streaming platform that parent company Paramount Pictures has increasingly been relying on. Paramount has been steadily increasing the number of Star Trek series developed for the platform while slowing down (and possibly canceling entirely) plans for feature films. It is likely that rather than producing potentially high-risk theatrical films for Transformers, it makes more sense to put it on Paramount+.
The most recent (as of right now) live-action Transformers film was 2018’s Bumblebee, which was the lowest-grossing film in the series so far (albeit still a commercial success). Paramount plans to release Transformers: Rise of the Beasts in 2023 and is reportedly working on further sequels, but we would speculate much could depend on the success of a live-action series and dwindling returns on the movies. Most likely, if Paramount can scale down and keep Transformers fans, it will lean in that direction.
However, with literally dozens of Transformers cartoons, movies, comic books, and, of course, toys, it is not like there is a shortage of material for fans to enjoy. They just can look forward to a live-action series now.
