Transformers: Rise of the Beasts tops box office on debut

Even though the film was projected to make $50 million in China, Paramount executives will not be too disappointed since it overperformed expectations anyway. Deadline had projected the film will gross about $155 million worldwide.

Rise of the Beasts is the seventh installment in the Transformers franchise that began with Michael Bay's 2007 film of the same name. It is still too early to call how the film will eventually fare but it is off to a spectacular start that will restore hope in the franchise.

The last mainline Transformers film, The Last Knight, performed way below expectations. The film's box office gross was the lowest of the franchise at that point with $605 million. Even though that number would have made many films bona fide box office successes, it was not enough for The Last Knight to break even.

When you consider its production cost of about $260 million plus the marketing and distribution costs Paramount Pictures will have incurred, it's not hard to see how its $605 million gross wasn't enough.

Of course, Paramount stands to make a killing if Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover to create a unified cinematic universe. The ending of Rise of the Beasts seemed to hint at this happening.