The seventh ‘Transformers’ installment hopes to reignite the franchise.

Image via Paramount Pictures

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts has the task of bringing the spark back to the nearly twenty-year-old franchise and its mission began with a modest return at the domestic box office in Thursday previews. The seventh installment in the live-action adaptations of the beloved Hasbro action figures grossed $8.8 million across 3100+ locations. Rise of the Beasts is set to wage war with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for box office supremacy this weekend.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ near $9 million preview return is comparable to another franchise sequel that has entered theaters in recent weeks, namely Fast X. Universal’s Vin Diesel-starring action ensemble achieved $7.6 million in previews before moving onto a near franchise-low opening weekend at the domestic box office, where it grossed approximately $67 million. Rise of the Beasts picks up after the 2018 franchise reboot, Bumblebee. The film starring Hailee Steinfeld grossed just $2.85 million in Thursday previews and scored a franchise-worst opening weekend gross of $21.6 million domestically. Rise of the Beasts is predicted to do far better than its franchise predecessor, with early projections earmarking the Steven Caple Jr.-directed film to earn approximately $68 million this weekend. This would place it in fifth place for franchise openings domestically, ahead of 2017’s Transformers: The Last Knight ($44.68 million) and just behind the first installment, 2007’s Transformers ($70.5 million).
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Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will face stiff competition at the box office in the form of the animated sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which received rave reviews and an opening weekend gross of $120 million. The Sony animated feature is set to back up its strong opening with a second-weekend gross between $45 million and $55 million. Promising first reactions and a Rotten Tomatoes audience rating of 87% should aid Transformers: Rise of the Beasts in its aim to set up the franchise with a strong foundation for future installments. However, a lukewarm critical reception could hinder its box office progress.

Image via Paramount Pictures

Related: Every ‘Transformers’ Movie, Ranked From Downright Awful to Pretty Decent

What is ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ About?
Set in the mid 1990s, Transformers Rise of the Beasts sees Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) and his faithful Autobots share the screen with a new breed of Transformers, the Maximals as a new foe threatens the very existence of planet earth. The film stars Anthony Ramos as Noah, ex-military electronics expert, and Dominique Fishback as Elena, an artifact researcher at a museum. New cast members lending their voice to the series include Pete Davidson, Ron Perlman and Peter Dinklage. The film is currently playing in theaters.

Check out our interview with director Caple Jr. below.