As of Sunday morning Transformers: The Last Knight, the fifth instalment directed by Michael Bay, looks to bring in $69.1 million from 4,069 domestic locations during its five-day opening weekend. That’s a franchise low for the sequel from Paramount and Hasbro, behind the first in the modern series, which earned $70.5 million in 2007. “The Last Knight” carries an estimated $217 million production budget.
This makes Transformers: The Last Knight the latest summer blockbuster to bank on overseas ticket sales to have a shot at turning a profit. In China, the big-budget action sequel made $41 million on its opening day alone. The projected international come through Sunday is $196.2 million, powered by $123.4 million in China.
The Last Knight comes at a time when Paramount could have used an all-around hit, following recent misses Baywatch and Ghost in the Shell. While the latest Transformers movie has been advertised as “the final chapter” and Bay’s last go-around, the franchise will continue, Paramount has at least two more movies slated, including a spinoff that could star Hailee Steinfeld.
