From its origins as a toy line in the early 1980s, the Transformers franchise has become a global media phenomenon, encompassing toys, TV series, comic books and feature films. Multiple generations have grown up with the adventures of the robots that can change into vehicles, whether with the original animated series, the Marvel comic books, the live-action movies or the many later animated shows, for both cable and streaming.
The Transformers first hit the big screen with a 1986 animated movie, and they made the jump to live action courtesy of director Michael Bay starting in 2007. The live-action films have continued past Bay's involvement, with new installments currently in development. The Transformers movies return to animation first, though, with "Transformers One" set for a September theatrical release.
