ANY franchise can't sustain itself if it only appeals too older fans and not newer ones who will continue in the future to invest in the franchise. That's the very reason why Transformers almost died with g2 and was saved by Beast Wars.
Just think about how each live action gets less and less of a box office hit. People grow up. And only a handful fans who became adults hang around.
And as much as i love Animated, making a fourth season won't hit. Same way Bay likely won't. They need to capture a new audience from a new generation as they have always done with the likes of Beast Wars, Unicron Trilogy, Animated, Bay, Cyberverse, Earthspark and now Cyberworld.
Agree, hell the fact that their relying too much on the past is one of the factors on whats killing the Transformers as their so focus on G1 nostalgia, and it doesn’t help that every Transformers media we have gotten since Cyberverse have been inspired by Generation 1, hell you know it’s bad when even Gi Joe is trying to be more fresh than Transformers lately.
I would actually argue that there wasn't as much g1 influence as people think. There was the WFC Netflix trilogy, Bumblebees first 5 minutes and I guess Skybound (which still has a very unique take in story).
Earthspark tried a complete different cast of characters with terrans and a bit of IDW. ROTB only really had Optimus robot mode g1 inspired, everything else was different for better or worse (Pablo). Cyberworld is anyway completely different. TF-One did a complete new take too. Even if there are still g1 toys produced with ss86, we shouldn't forget all the other things getting revived like Unicron trilogy, WFC game, AOE Optimus, RID2001, Beast Wars (original, 2 and neo) etc.
I give even credit too Hasbro for trying too expand again into videogames. The problems is that they face planted and got scammed with the studio basically taking the good name just to be sold for a higher price.
In a nutshell, it was a poor attempt to revive the franchise during the 90s after the g1 line ended. It started off with a big chunk of repaints of classic g1 figures before branching off to making a lot of new molds. It was flashy, full of gimmick and 90s edge.
Imo, transformers need to take insperation from the brave series and be fun again. Super modes, combines, yelling transform, fun theme songs, transformation sequences, etc
Honestly, after X-Men 97 kind of gave the X-Men an adrenaline shot with general audiences after some 20 years of dogshit to mid tier movies, I think Animated getting its 4th and 5th series would really do some good for Transformers as a whole
I love Animated and all, but I don’t see how anyone would think an Xmen 97 equivalent for Transformers would be anything other than a season 5 of G1 or something.
Stranger things have happened. 97 was the hype. If you make a quality product people are going to enjoy it and consume it.
Animated hit the right cords. It wasn’t over top it was like a nice visit. My Ex at the time lived Optimus and the idea of Primes being a rank. Also Jazz.
Jazz needs to be an upfront character again. He's whats needed.
My guy, we are in the 40 anniversary for the 86 movie. 2 Years ago was the 40 anniversary for the entire franchise.
We got figures of:
g1, g2, Beast wars, BW2, BW Neo, Beast machines, RID2001, Armada, Energon, Cybertron, animated, IDW, Dreamwave, Bayverse, TF-Prime, RID2015, Cyberverse, WFC game etc. Even if some are just core class and not the best interpreation, they still got something.
Now what new fans got are mid 5 year old toys for Cyberworld that don't even have elbows. This is not appealing too new fans, this is trying to get new fans at all.
I think cyberworld could work if they ditch the cocomelon shading in the show and remove the automorph that EVERY toy has, because half the fun of transformers is a puzzle element.
The problem is that the original creative head behind it passed away too. Derrick J Wyatt created designs, story, and influenced toys.
Without him, it would not be the passion project you would expect. Season 3 had a decent ending with further comics showing how sub plots concluded or continued.
Rather let it remain in good memory instesd of reviving it like a zombie that's only half it's former self. Like Earthspark.
it still could go without DJW, he has somebody who is continuing the work on TFA's designs (I could be wrong here, but it should be Eric Siebenaler)
(though as sort of a 'tfa traditionalist' I definitely prefer DJW's works, lol)
that's the worst idea I've seen recently
1,5-hour movie. streaming. big No. And I can see the team not being in favour of that. If you want to bring back a series with such a potential so much, it should have all the space.
How do you even see the story's conclusion in this case?
That movies gonna be fucking megamind 2 levels of shit if released on paramount plus, even more since the guy who like made animated passed away. Like, i havent even seen animated (yet) and im fuming at hasbro for like not continuing animated and instead said more bayverse movies that get worse then the last (i know its because money, but like man, would i rather animated s4 get made and it actually not be a disappointment on release).
DJW has died, but Eric J. Seibenaler is still alive who was DJW's right hand man and has a style almost identical. He can definitely take over if necessary
I'd watch a TF One sequel but I still just haven't been able to get far into animated but now if they erased Beast Machines and gave us more Beast Wars I'm all in
I’d sacrifice every cartoon post Prime to get one last season of Animated. Heck, throw in Energon, Cybertron, and Beast Machines. I’d throw em all into the grinder to get Animated season 4.
I didn’t really get it the first time either, and it does take a few episodes to really get the ball rolling. Honestly I’d say go straight to the two part season one finale and if that doesn’t sell you on the show then you can call it quits. It’s the first episode where all the main players get involved at once.
I’d also recommend the earlier season one episodes “Thrill of the Hunt” and “Along Came a Spider.” Those two delve into the backstories of Ratchet and Optimus specifically, and are both really good.
All that being said, it took until I rewatched the show post Transformers One that I realized just how much I love it.
aw man, make it more worth it! Season 4 according to first plans, and season 5
Also, no need for throwing in Beast Machines, it's worth relatively way too little, trust (totally not joking as I'm a BM fan xD)
In an interview, Marty Isenberg said that before the cancellation, they thought that 'tfa would be just going and going'. They got the info as they were starting to plan what season 4 will be about. As for the lack of DJW, there already is somebody who is continuing his work for TFA—have you seen Keyan's vids? I prefer DJW's works, but the show Can go on regardless
DJW was the art director behind Animated’s iconic look, not the only creator of the show as a whole. He kept the mythos of Animated going long after its cancellation, and I’m sure a passionate team could do his art justice.
Just by looking at the toys, Cyberworld is the coolest kids focused line since they began making that distinction. The web shorts based on that seems like the right move. Hopefully they’re hitting their audience.
It's fresh and new for the next generation, but has enough of what makes transformers what it is at the core to turn its aaudience into longtime fans.
People have these stupid arguments like "omg Prime is the best" or "nuh uh, it's Animated!" because they're from a time when the franchise was trying to figure out what it was supposed to be in the wake of the live action movies. It's still trying to do that, but notice nobody fights over like, unicron trilogy vs. Robots in disguise 2001.
I think this is a great step in the right direction, but I really hope they stop act of transforming the toys is a negative, because all the automorph they put in destroys the puzzle element that most older toys had. I don't want any generations transformations, just something with more than 4 steps. They often sacrifice the alt modes for simplicity in transformation.
My dream show is a slice of life starring cosmos trying to keep himself busy and fighting boredom as he orbits earth gathering and relaying the occasional piece of vital intel.
90% chunky space boi goofing off/10% of the show transformers spy thriller
I would LOVE to see a transformers series where it takes place in the far future, and the humans can fight together with the Autobots with like mechs and stuff
Michael Bay also trashed the Transformers brand with movies that prominently featured racist caricatures, pedophilia, rampant sexism, military propaganda, and an all around disregard for the franchise as a whole. The diminishing box office returns of The Last Knight, Bumblebee, Rise of the Beasts, and Transformers One can all be traced back to general audiences being fed up with Bay’s bullshit and unable to separate the actual quality cinematic outings from the slop.
Transformers One’s marketing was only half the reason for its failure. Word of mouth, as positive as it was, was stunted by having to preface every recommendation with “I SWEAR ITS NOT LIKE THE OTHER ONES!”
or maybe the later movies just werent that interesting to the general audience, have you ever thought of that? Why do you think the movies made more and more money until TLK? If it was as bad as you stated it wouldn't have been this successful. disregard for the franchise? bringing 5 billion dollars helped the franchise more than anything did, thats how you got your highmoon games, TFP, Rescue bots and a shit ton of toys that increased in quality.
Even pointlesshub said it that the reason people were interested in those movies was because they were summer blockbusters not because they were transformers films
So? It still intorduced a ton of people into the franchise who later became big fans of the franchise in general like me (though my introduction was TFA, the movies made me love the brand). It did it's job no matter how many people have a hate boner for the movies.
I dont like any of those aspects from the films trust me, but if the media isnt going to be lucrative then they wont invest in it.
Age of extinction still made a billion, even after people were well aware of the movies downsides, but it was a sad movie and left with no direction, and by TLK people where not interested as it lacked any direction and I don’t think Bay was the motivated
TFONE Also really missed the audience that attracted live action fans, as it’s animated and lots of people see that as childish and less serious.
I think its reasonable to assume that there would be way less tf media if the movies didnt prosper so much early on
If the franchise needs cpr, a live action movie has the highest chance of reviving it, not another season of Animated or TFTwo and thats unfortunate reality.
As much as i want to sacrifice hasbro higher ups for like a sequel to tfone (or animated season 4 if i’ve ever seen animated), you are unfortunately right. It would’ve helped if tfone was marketed better ( i say as i get dragged back into arkham asylum or maybe shockwave torture chamber)
The franchise is doing just fine. As cool as it would be to see Animated get a cartoon season 4 ( there are comics and written stories) it’s likely to never happen.
And you’re just going to need to accept it, maybe you’re just being hopeful. We’ve all been there. For each show.
G1 never got a solid narrative focus outside of some multipart episodes and the movie. It also just ended/split off into the Japanese continuity.
Beast Wars when looked at as a whole has issues in the 3rd season which ultimately don’t pay off. Something that will become a franchise trend. Beast Machines was something that is good on its own but a complete insult to Beast Wars when watched together.
RID is a one and done show, but could’ve continued into something new and unique.
Unicron trilogy is just, not as good as nostalgia wants to remember but it did add some fun new ideas and designs.
The live action moves have been talked to death. And are the perfect example of start/stopping with new things and concepts that end up nowhere.
Animated. It’s about the length of Beast Wars more or less and has up to that point the most satisfying show/film medium for both complete left field animation style and brilliant narrative.
Prime, one of the few times a show gets a true ending, until you read up on elements that got dropped to shoehorn in some total new idea that forces the show to rapidly wrap up with a satisfying but ultimately not totally fulfilling ending. It leaves many threads open and even some new lingering questions we just have to accept. It’s the third such show that really holds its own as one of the best, and also seems to be the same averaged time of 3-4 seasons and that’s it.
RID, a not as bad as some suggest, but also not as great as a continuation to Prime. It also gets a rapid ending with a sudden deus ex Machina story. Largely forced on by Hasbro just as with Prime.
Rescue Bots- the only show that thus far did exactly what it set out to do, and was allowed to.
Cyberverse- a surprisingly solid show done in an untraditional method, one that solidified the less fulfilled toyline of mostly simple toys despite interest in the designs from young and old fans.
Netflix trilogy. Wut. (Fantastic toyline though!)
Earthspark- solid premise, new ideas, eh toyline, wait, no, not like that subsequent seasons.
TFOne- fuck yeah-no wait, come back!
Cyberworld- a return to the Cyberverse method of show/toyline. Absurd crackhead ideas please give me more. Also Generations style toys when??
To wrap up. This is what it means to be a Transformers fan. I didn’t even touch on the comics, video games, and lack of novels. Side bar, the novels from the early 2000’s are actually really well written and add some unique ideas.
I don’t like it either. Maybe one day it’ll change but for as long and varied as this franchise has been we always seem to get just short of wholly satisfying endings.
I’ll touch on the other topic argued to death which really encapsulates my whole thing here.
G1 started it all. Yet we always hear the when can we do something new, why is it always G1. Because G1 sells, but also it hit the right time of nostalgia saturation where the kids who grew up can now spend as adults. It also suffered from what I mentioned above, especially when looked at from today of how it could’ve been more 86 movie in its more cohesive story. The old Dreamwave comics tried to give us this before Pat Lee fucked it all.
Basically all iterations of the franchise either completely miss or just barely scrape by with a fulfilling story, and then some actively set out to do this and completely drop the ball. Netflix. Rescue Bots, Cyberverse/World seem to avoid this as they’re the literal second fiddle to the current mainline at the time. They’re given a bigger leeway to do new and different things because they’re not beholden to the corporate demands of child toys/cartoons.
I get it man, I do. But, you’re gonna have to just let it go. We literally have all been there since the beginning. Maybe one day things will change. Maybe we will get a cartoon/toyline that is a direct successor to many of these even as just little short specials, I highly doubt it. Maybe one day we will get the promise Netflix made of a more adult oriented show that directly pulls from its toyline without feeling like a constant commercial drip.
It’s best to just enjoy the toys first, the comics usually second, and don’t put too much stock into the shows while they are currently airing.
how is it "fine"? I can't find transformers on shelves anymore other than some core class toys for kids, there are more bootlegs than official figures. The last time i saw a studio series on a shelf was 7 years ago.
The market is shifting more and more to online. Why do you think companies do these reveals with preorders right after? I get more of my stuff online than I used to. It’s part of the changing nature of collecting.
Turkey, the last figure i bought was from hasbro pulse, i had a relative who went to germany for a few days i sent it there for them to later deliver it to me.
Hasbro pulse does not send to Turkey last i checked, BBTS didn't have what i needed.
Turkish stores don't have SS figures that arent overpriced.
That’s why. I’m not excusing it but Hasbro hasn’t been the best with certain areas of the world. It’s also why it seems to you that the franchise isn’t doing well.
Any cartoon bordering on 20 years that ended on a cliff hanger is a lost cause at this point honestly as much as it sucks. Anything younger and it MAYBE would have a chance. Stuff like the Hey Arnold movie, Rocko's modern life special, and Invader Zim movie are rare exceptions.
While TF TWO would be welcomed I think we’re a little past Animated s4. It’s been nearly 20 years if it isn’t done meticulously it could easily just come off as a desperate attempt at nostalgia.
Honestly with the comics being more mature and a lot of the shows coming off as toddler cartoons maybe the best bet is to just bridge the gap with a project that’s 8-12 ranged.
That or cool off new projects for a year or two to give time for new ideas to show up and the market to desaturate.
All three of those are easier said than done. You can’t just wave a wand and say “Now make it better!”
The best you could do is change how the money is allocated. For me I’d redirect funds away from all other TF media projects other than Skybound towards making a lower budget sequel to TF One that keeps the same production team and quality, but replaces the pricey celebrity actors (aside from Bryan Tyree Henry and Keagan Michael Key) with cheaper Transformers veterans like Sumalee Montano, Steve Blum, Frank Welker, and David Kaye.
The second course of action is to lower the TF toy prices by increasing the cost of fan favorite Star Wars figures and collectibles, because those people will buy anything at any price. With lower toy prices, that will increase toy sales, which will please shareholders, further increasing good will towards the TF One trilogy.
To make better toys, cease Haslab R&D altogether. Put those minds and that budget towards figuring out how to avoid shit like Astrotrain and Nexus Prime.
Frankly speaking, and as an obsessed TFA fan, season 4 isn't the best choice right now, since there still aren't that many fans of the series n' other people who would see that—we especially cannot count on 'outsiders'. I also wouldn't believe that the writing of that season would be That highly impressive (so as to lift up the entire franchise) in its latest known form, as some of the choices are rather controversial, sometimes even even look lazy / as if somebody was giving up on certain matters (Megatron's entire team getting oofed in the reactor, though now I think it would be interesting if Team Charr joined the main villain team...).
If we were in "from 2009/2010 to only a few years after that", I would say that the best thing would be giving TFA season 4 AND 5, according to how the writers wanted to do things (not allowing Hasbro to change stuff),
but we are in 2026 (almost wrote 5 💀), TFA can buy vodka in a bunch of European countries, the ideas had aged (the team also did, but what's amazing is that they do come back for projects, like those of Keyan's!), and s4 is what it is now, idk
As for TFOne, they should literally "strike while the iron's still hot", while people—including many outsiders who could join the fandom and gib moni to 'em—still clearly remember TFOne
Edit: almost forgot! Many people are still not in favour of TFA's artstyle! Outsiders would 100% complain about the chins :( (XD)
I havent even seen animated yet (will soon though) and i’d have even more reason to do so if they announced season 4, ala clone wars season 7 and xmen 97
Honestly, I feel like the series needs to reinvent itself like how the unicron trilogy and the beast era did it. My hope is that studio trigger gets to make a new transformers anime in the same vein as the unicron trilogy.
The franchise needs a new Beast Wars sized shake up, there’s no other way about it. What exactly that would look like right now I couldn’t hazard a guess
I’m not sure why people are acting as if it’s straight up impossible for Animated to get a 4th season, X-men ‘97 and Samurai Jack Season 5 are perfect examples of when it’s happened before.
The problem is that it still won’t happen because it wouldn’t make enough to be profitable for Hasbro
TFO sequel, bring back Travis Knight for a real Bumblebee sequel, animated season 4 would be great but, more realistically, make a new TF show with the same kinda tone as Clone Wars. Targetted at teenagers but has darker themes on occasion and is overall ultimately good for all ages.
If they’re so smart, they should have at least revive Transformers G1 for new episodes so they can have a full Season 4, Transformers Animated for Season 4, Transformers Robots in Disguise 2015 for Season 4 (which is not canon to Transformers Prime and takes place in its own universe by the way), Transformers Earthsparks for Season 4 and make an actual sequel to Transformers Beast Wars, an actual sequel to Transformers Armada, and an actual sequel to Transformers Prime. They should also continue the Cybertron video game series and Transformers Devastation by making a third game of to the Cybertron video game series and Transformers Devastation 2.
Okay Animated has had its time in the spotlight. What a fourth season be nice? Yes, but it wouldn't feel like a true fourth season because of how long it's been since it was airing. But a TF1 sequel is fucking necessary. Animated was wrapped up nicely with minimal loose ends. Megatron was defeated, the allspark was gathered and put into a pendant that looks like the matrix of leadership. Everything was wrapped up beautifully.
True. But it still felt like a proper ending. Just one that could continue if they wanted. It's a solid Arc end. And it worked as a (mostly) satisfying series finale.
I may have just accepted the series finale more than I probably should but there's nothing I can do. I still think continuing it now is too late.
I’d love a S4 of Animated but I think it would only work as a sequel series in the same universe rather than actual S4. Sadly Derrick J. Wyatt has passed and the series would just not be the same without him, so I think something akin to Robots in Disguise 2015 being a sequel to Prime would haved to be done but better of course.
To all the people saying animated can’t come back. Marty Isenberg the head writer of transformers animated is currently making unofficial comics based on off the cancelled fourth season.
Bayverse movies is the dcue equivalent of the transformers franchise, fucking shitty movies universe (for the most part) that the longer it went on became more disappointments. At least dceu had like a couple of good movies, what does bayverse have 1.5/5??? At least warner bros of all companies wisened up and mostly killed the dceu and are moving on (even though they’re keeping some actors from the dceu onwards…) although maybe not soon enough, since netflix has bought them or something. Tfone all day, anyday of the week (bayverse designs are pretty cool, prime did jt better). Hmmm, actually this post is pretty hateful, just made tfone sequel is not happening but a bayverse movie is. If that movie is good, i’ll be glad (not holding my breath)
I feel like it's been too long for TFA to get a new season. Plus DJ Wyatt the art director has passed. I feel like it's been time to move on years ago. I feel like TFA is long dead. As much as I love that show I feel like it's best to let it stay buried. I'm fine with fan continuations though.
TF one sequal with a bigger marketing campaign yeah that could be cool!
Animated season 4.........well I would want it......but how do you sell it to the new folks?
this franchise needs a big push for new fans, the big fear is that when the Gen X fans profitability leaves.....all relevancy of the franchise would leave with them.......and to prevent that you need something big that catches EVERYONE'S attention not just us long term fans
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u/LivingCheese292 Feb 17 '26
ANY franchise can't sustain itself if it only appeals too older fans and not newer ones who will continue in the future to invest in the franchise. That's the very reason why Transformers almost died with g2 and was saved by Beast Wars.
Just think about how each live action gets less and less of a box office hit. People grow up. And only a handful fans who became adults hang around.
And as much as i love Animated, making a fourth season won't hit. Same way Bay likely won't. They need to capture a new audience from a new generation as they have always done with the likes of Beast Wars, Unicron Trilogy, Animated, Bay, Cyberverse, Earthspark and now Cyberworld.