The Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated science fiction action adventure film based on the animated television series by the same name, which in turn is based on the toyline of the same name created by Hasbro. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986, and in the United Kingdom on December 12, 1986. The film was co-produced and directed by Nelson Shin, who also produced the original Transformers television series. The screenplay was written by Ron Friedman, who would create The Bionic Six a year later. The movie features the voices of Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Casey Kasem, Robert Stack, Lionel Stander, John Moschitta, Jr., Peter Cullen and Frank Welker. It also marked the final roles for both Orson Welles, who died the year before its release, and Scatman Crothers, who died months after its release. The film's story takes place in 2005, 20 years after the events of the TV series' second season, and serves to bridge into the third season.

After the death of Optimus Prime during a devastating assault on Autobot City, the remaining Autobots are pursued by Galvatron, the regenerated form of Megatron and servant of Unicron, a planet-devouring Transformer who sets out to consume Cybertron. The film is set to a soundtrack of synth-based incidental music composed by Vince DiCola and hard-driving metal music performed by various groups. The film features several grand battles in which multiple characters meet their end, usually in a somewhat brutal fashion. This has led the film to be considered a very dark film for its target audience.