Michael Bay has built a career on explosive, over-the-top blockbusters, but even his biggest fans would admit he's had some misfires. His latest streaming success, however, might be his most surprising yet. Transformers: The Last Knight—the 2017 sci-fi epic that holds the dubious honor of being Bay's worst-reviewed film—is suddenly dominating the MGM+ charts.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, Bay's career-best film is The Rock (76% Certified Fresh), followed by Ambulance (68%). But at the bottom sits Transformers: The Last Knight with a dismal 16% score, even lower than Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (19%) and Bad Boys II (23%). Yet, despite its critical drubbing, the film is now one of the most-watched titles on MGM+, proving that sometimes bad movies find a second life on streaming.
A Franchise-Killing Flop
Released in 2017, Transformers: The Last Knight was supposed to be another billion-dollar hit for Bay. Instead, it became the lowest-grossing entry in his five-film series, earning just over $600 million worldwide against a massive $260 million budget. The franchise had peaked with Transformers: Age of Extinction ($1.1 billion), but audience fatigue had set in. Bay himself admitted he'd bitten off more than he could chew, and the film's convoluted plot—featuring King Arthur, Merlin, and a resurrected Megatron—left even die-hard fans scratching their heads.
The film brought back Mark Wahlberg and Josh Duhamel, but it couldn't recapture the magic of the 2007 original, which grossed $700 million on a $200 million budget. The series never fully recovered, and subsequent prequels like Bumblebee and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts failed to match Bay's box-office benchmarks.
Streaming Redemption
Now, Transformers: The Last Knight is experiencing a streaming renaissance on MGM+. It's a reminder that even the most maligned movies can find an audience when they hit the right platform. For fans of Bay's signature chaos—explosions, shaky cams, and robot-on-robot violence—this is a guilty pleasure worth revisiting. And for those who missed it in theaters, it's a chance to see what all the fuss (and criticism) was about.
If you're in the mood for more streaming action, check out Prime Video's 'Bang' Is the Insane Action Hit That's Taking Over Streaming or Guy Ritchie's 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' Blasts Onto Peacock with Nazi-Killing Mayhem. And if you're a fan of celebrity reunions, don't miss Tony and Ziva Reunite: Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo Head to Brussels Expo After 'NCIS' Spin-Off Cancellation.
Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for more updates on streaming trends and box-office surprises.
