Never a critical darling franchise, this “Transformers” entry hasn’t been received warmly in the press, earning a 32% approval rating from top critics on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. The ’90s-set adventure introduces viewers to Maximals and Terrorcons - two ancient factions of Transformers that can morph into robotic animals. “Rise of the Beasts” stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, with a voice cast for the freedom-fighting CGI gas guzzlers that includes Pete Davidson, Ron Perlman, Michelle Yeoh, Liza Koshy, Peter Dinklage and longtime Optimus Prime voice actor Peter Cullen. The new installment has earned $43.3 million across 68 international markets so far. Paramount’s real play is overseas, which has accounted for more than 70% of ticket sales for the franchise’s three most recent entries. But robots in disguise don’t come cheap the film will have to find some staying power to justify a production budget totaling around $200 million. “Rise of the Beasts” looks to rebound with an opening higher than the $44 million earned by “The Last Knight” in its debut. But Bay’s final production, 2017’s “Transformers: The Last Knight,” saw diminished returns, finishing with $130 million stateside and $605 million worldwide - almost half of the $1.1 billion in ticket sales earned by “Age of Extinction.” Paramount released the spinoff “Bumblebee” in 2018, produced on a comparatively smaller budget and met with $467 million worldwide. The first three live-action entries, directed by Michael Bay, each crossed $300 million in North American grosses, while threequel “Dark of the Moon” and its follow-up “Age of Extinction” both surpassed $1 billion worldwide. “Rise of the Beasts” represents Paramount’s attempt to rejigger the “Transformers” franchise for future longevity. The film is projected to land roughly $60 million through the three-day frame, which would come in at the higher end of estimates heading into the weekend. The “Transformers” sequel put its foot on the gas with $25 million on its opening day, a figure that includes $8.8 million in Thursday previews.

The summer season has its first genuine battle for top of the heap, as “ Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” looks to fend off last week’s crowning release “ Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”

Pictures of big stacks of money