“Transformers: Age of Extinction” crosses $1 billion worldwide

Paramount  Pictures’  “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” the fourth film in director Michael Bay’s global blockbuster franchise has now crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office and stands at the year’s highest grossing  film  worldwide,  with  $1,005  billion  grossed  to  date,  including  $763.8  million internationally and $241.2 million at the domestic box office.  The film also stands as the highest grossing film in China, with over US$300 million earned. This  is  the  2nd  film  in  Bay’s  epic  franchise  to  cross  the  billion  dollar  mark,  with “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” also grossing over $1 billion in 2011.

“Time  and  again,  Michael  has  delivered  pictures  that  audiences  around  the  globe truly  love,”  said  Brad  Grey,  Chairman    &  CEO  of  Paramount  Pictures.  “Along with the  immensely  talented  and  versatile  Mark  Wahlberg,  the  great  Steven  Spielberg  as executive producer, and a superb cast, he created a powerful re-launch of this franchise.

This  tremendous accomplishment - to  be  the  first  film  of  2014  to earn  over  $1  billon at the box office - proves once again that Michael is a world-class filmmaker at the top of his game. We are proud to have expanded our relationship with him and that he will continue to make Paramount his home for years to come.”

Bay’s first “Transformers” film was a box office sensation in 2007, opening at #1 and grossing more than $700 million worldwide. His second installment “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” in 2009 grossed more than $830 million worldwide.  In 2011, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”  was  an  even  bigger  hit  worldwide,  grossing more than a billion dollars to become the 7th highest grossing film of all time.

“Transformers: Age of Extinction,” the fourth film in director Michael Bay’s global blockbuster  franchise,  stars  Mark  Wahlberg,  Stanley  Tucci,  Kelsey  Grammer,  Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, Sophia Myles, Li Bingbing, Titus Welliver and T. J. Miller. Produced by Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Don Murphy & Tom DeSanto, and Ian Bryce. Based on Hasbro’s Transformers Action Figures it is written by Ehren Kruger and directed by Michael Bay.

Paramount Pictures this past week announced a three-year deal extension with Bay and his  production  company,  Platinum  Dunes,  and  expanded  the  first-look  agreement  to cover Bay Films as well.