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The 40th anniversary theatrical rerelease of The Transformers: The Movie has exceeded expectations, earning $3.1 million in its opening weekend across 1,454 cinemas in North America.
Released in August 1986, the remastered 4K animated film was brought back to theatres by Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment as part of a yearlong 40th anniversary celebration. The rerelease began on September 17, dubbed Transformers Day, and was initially planned as a one-week engagement.
The film ranked No. 7 at the domestic box office for the weekend and had surpassed $5 million globally by Tuesday.
The anniversary campaign was promoted by Hasbro as “The Apology Tour”, a reference to the film’s controversial opening act in which beloved Autobot leader Optimus Prime is killed only 26 minutes into the movie.
The rerelease also gives fans an opportunity to revisit the character following the death of Peter Cullen, the veteran voice actor who portrayed Optimus Prime for decades. Cullen died last month at the age of 85.
Following the 1986 film, cinemas are also screening Optimus Prime: Awakening, a 12-minute animated short that features Cullen in his final performance as the character.
“We’re thrilled at Fathom, but we also had high expectations,” Fathom Entertainment vice-president of marketing Shannah Miller told The Hollywood Reporter, describing the partnership with Hasbro as extraordinary.
Although the rerelease was initially scheduled to conclude on Wednesday, hundreds of cinemas around the world have extended their screenings, with some venues listing showtimes through October 7.
The extended run comes as the anniversary campaign continues to draw audiences nearly four decades after the original film’s release.