AUTOBOTS, ROLL OUT! THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE Returns to Theaters in 4K for Its 40th Anniversary

Tickets are on sale now for the September theatrical return, complete with a brand-new post-credits chapter and another chance for Hasbro to apologize for emotionally wrecking an entire generation.

Forty years later, Hasbro is really about to make us go through this again.

The Transformers: The Movie, the 1986 animated classic responsible for transforming a generation of kids into emotionally damaged Optimus Prime historians, is heading back to theaters in a newly restored 4K presentation beginning September 17, 2026. Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment have officially opened ticket sales for the five-day anniversary event, giving longtime fans and newcomers a chance to experience one of the most beloved, brutal and completely unforgettable chapters in Transformers history on the big screen.

GET TICKETS FOR THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE 40TH ANNIVERSARY

The theatrical run is currently scheduled from Thursday, September 17 through Monday, September 21, kicking off on Transformers Day and expanding beyond the United States into the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Germany. Premium 4DX screenings will also be offered at select locations in the U.S. and UK, because apparently watching Decepticons blast Autobots into scrap metal was not immersive enough already.

There is also a major reason fans should not start heading for the parking lot when the credits roll. This anniversary release includes a brand-new post-credits cinematic chapter created exclusively for the theatrical event, adding something genuinely new to a film fans have been quoting, collecting and arguing about since Ronald Reagan was still in office.

For anybody who somehow missed the original movie, the 1986 film took the animated series into territory Saturday morning cartoons were absolutely not supposed to go. Characters died. The stakes got real fast. Unicron showed up ready to eat planets like appetizers, Hot Rod began a journey that would change the Autobots forever, and Optimus Prime gave every kid sitting in a theater one massive lesson in loss that nobody asked Hasbro to provide. And yeah, Hasbro knows exactly what it did.

The anniversary release is part of the company’s year-long “Apology Tour,” a tongue-in-cheek celebration acknowledging just how deeply Optimus Prime’s death scarred fans when the movie first hit theaters. What was supposed to help introduce a new generation of Transformers toys instead became one of the most infamous moments in animated movie history, and four decades later people are STILL talking about it. Fam, we were kids. We came for robots turning into cars. Nobody told us we were getting grief counseling with popcorn.

That emotional punch is also why The Transformers: The Movie has survived far beyond the era that created it. The movie has become a genuine cult classic, powered by its wild animation, massive battles, unforgettable soundtrack and a voice cast that included Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack, Judd Nelson and Orson Welles in his final film role.

Now fans get to hear Stan Bush’s “The Touch” blasting through theater speakers again while watching Autobots and Decepticons throw down on a giant screen in 4K. That alone might be worth the price of admission.

Hasbro is celebrating the anniversary beyond theaters as well, with reimagined toys, collectibles and additional fan experiences planned throughout the year. The campaign embraces the movie’s strange position in Transformers history: a film designed to move the franchise forward that instead created one of its most enduring emotional landmarks. There is something pretty damn cool about seeing it return forty years later with packed theaters full of fans who never forgot what happened the first time.

So grab the Matrix, call the crew and maybe bring tissues for that one scene you swear does not still get you. We know you’re lying.

The Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary returns to theaters beginning September 17, 2026, with screenings currently scheduled through September 21.

BUY TICKETS AT FATHOM ENTERTAINMENT

For additional anniversary information, artwork and updates, visit Fathom Entertainment and follow the official Transformers channels on social media.