The Transfomers: The Movie broke an unspoken '80s movie rule, traumatizing young audiences in the process. Spinning off from the Transformers television series, the movie served as a middle chapter between seasons 2 and 3 of the show. The film was a financial failure, but it became a hotly discussed topic due to the controversial fate of some of its characters. The Transformers: The Movie killed off different popular Autobots from the show, the most prominent one being Optimus Prime, who died after a battle with Megatron. According to the story consultant for the movie, Flint Dille (via THR), "The kids were crying in the theaters. We heard about people leaving the movie."
In a behind-the-scenes documentary for the film, Dille explained that Optimus Prime's death and those of other Autubots broke an unspoken rule of '80s filmmaking: do not kill off protagonists, given their franchise-building potential. Nonetheless, a combination of not realizing how popular Optimus Prime was and the desire to deliver an impactful moment for children resulted in the deaths. Dille said, "What I was thinking about for Optimus's death was John Wayne in The Alamo, which was my scarring childhood [moment]. It's supposed to be that childhood movie you see where everybody gets scarred. In the mid-'80s, people weren't doing that, because everyone was thinking in of franchise."
Why Breaking The '80s Movie Rule Worked So Well For Transformers 1986
The Transformers: The Movie ushering in a new era for Hasbro by killing beloved characters was controversial, but it proved to be beneficial for the movie in the long term. Despite the film being a financial disappointment — it grossed $5.8 million on an estimated $5 million budget — The Transformers' various high-profile Autobot deaths drew attention to it. That, in turn, greatly prolonged its longevity. The film became a talked-about topic for years after its release, which eventually led it to reach cult status and become one of the most prominent installments in the Transformers movie franchise.
Such longevous reach, paired with the numerous Autobots' demise, also allowed The Transformers: The Movie to get a second chance in the eyes of audiences. Perception of the film improved throughout the years, in part due to its poignant tragedies. Therefore, though deaths like Optimus Prime and Ironhide's made the Transformers animated feature controversial, it also broadened its cultural impact.
How Transformers Breaking The '80s Movie Franchise Rule Helped The Series
While The Transformers: The Movie failed to reach the popularity Hasbro hoped it would, the film had one beneficial effect on the series: it made it feel unpredictable. Killing off franchise protagonists was not something that typically happened at the time. By breaking that tradition, as controversial as it was, the 1986 Transformers movie imbued the show with a sense of danger. The fact that a major hero like Optimus Prime met his end gave off the idea that no one in the show was safe, regardless of how important or popular they were.
The reason for killing off recognizable Transformers was to replace them with new protagonists, and thus, a new line of toys. Yet, following the movie's release, sales of Transformers toys disappointed, as merchandise based on the new Autobots proved less popular than those of the previous characters. Hasbro also received multiple letters from fans upset by the killing of Optimus Prime. Those factors ultimately led the company to revive him in the two-part Transformers season 3 finale, "The Return of Optimus Prime." So, while The Transformers: The Movie largely failed, the feature served as a gauge for Hasbro to learn what aspects of the property worked for fans.
