Transformers may be known as a children's toyline, but every franchise aimed at kids tend to have those "Edgy years." Children properties being reimagined for adults isn't new. Sometimes these darker remakes can be good! Or they can be Loonatics Unleashed.
The closest thing we had to a Transformers series for an older audience is the Live-action movies. But, these films do have moments when they pander to young audiences. Like fart jokes and kid appeal characters!
A Transformers series for adults could work. I am not saying we should have a scene where Acree is a stripper or Wheeljack smoking a cigar, but just mature the world around them, make the Transformers more down to earth. Imagine an reimagined war between the Autobots and Decepticons with higher stakes, people dying, humanity is on it's last leg. That would be cool.

 

Mad max transformers

 

IDW did this pretty well. Even if I disliked most of it.

 

Every time Transformers tries to be "adult" it falls flat on its face because the characters are silly looking, brightly-coloured robots from space that can talk and turn into cars.

Plus we got that already, it's called the Machinima series.

 

If by adult, you mean mature like Beast Wars, Batman the Animated Series, or Gargoyles, then full speed ahead. If you mean faux-darkness without substance like TFP, then no thanks.

 

Adults only Transformers never did too well, if you want more mature I think you have to look at teen and up transformers stuff like the IDW comics and Cybertron games.
tbh I think I prefer it never trying to be toooo mature, the silly characters are what gives it charm (but maybe it's just me.)

 

I would never want a Transformers series aimed only at adults. I think that would come across as goofy and definitely not work out well. I wouldn't mind a series that explores concepts that would appeal more to adults though.

I feel like my idea of an "adult Transformers story" would be different from most fans' though. I wouldn't put more focus on violence, or edgy themes, or even exploring the Autobot/Decepticon war in more political detail. If anything, I'd probably minimize action (and other general-appeal aspects) all together and make my series something that simply wouldn't appeal to kids because it would be too boring and drama-focused.

Maybe a story about a team of scientists who find a dead/unconscious Transformer and try to reverse engineer its technology? We could really delve into how these robots function on a physiological level. Or maybe a story about an orphan who's raised by Transformers and grows up in 'their world' (kind of like the beginning of TLK)? I dunno, I'd probably take a topic concept like that (something that hasn't really be explored in the brand before) and just explore it in some interesting ways. A story set "in the world of Transformers" without actually being a traditional adventure.

 

We have alot of mature watchable shows now. But if you wanted something geared for more adults. I think the less killing and explosions the better.

Something that just wouldnt make a kid show rather than turning up the dark and grim and sad settings.

Id want it much more political.

Have the cons infiltrating the earth. And have the autobots working with America or CIA or M15 or what ever and have them running counter espionage. But the main force of the show having to deal with and set up the revile of alein life to the public. And trying to make that go as smoothly as possible. And maybe deal with whatever government is on cybertron.
Have it set during the cold war.

Or just have game of thrones on cybertron no earth.
Multi faction. No bots and con. Maybe the 13 tribes. As they build Iacon the first city on the planet. As the debate of who and how the first United government should run.

 

Like one of the earlier posters, I think we already had this to some extent with the comics. And I just mean the Marvel comics. There were TFs who died, there was real drama, etc. Maybe it could have been executed better, but I put it on par with the GI Joe comics. They could appeal both to kids and adults in different ways. And GI Joe Resolute--generally considered a successful "mature" update of a classic '80s kids cartoon--was really not much darker than the Marvel comic, at least through the mid-80s.

So, something in that tone and spirit, where the writers take the characters seriously and treat it like a typical television action drama that just happens to have robots could work out well.

 

Animated.

Don't believe me? Watch episode 5, "Thrill of the Hunt". It pretty much sets the tone of what's really going on behind the scenes of the entire show's run because that episode is incredibly dark.

 

Please, no. The franchise's history has proven several times that prioritizing a competent story over attempting to be "mature" will always result in a series that people of any age can enjoy, regardless of its demographic.

 

You can be a good cartoon for kids and still be great for adults. Batman tas, cities of gold, Gargoyles, and avatar are all "kids" cartoons but loved by adults. Even shows like ducktales, the tick, X-Men tas, tiny toons and animaniacs are still loved by adults and well as kids. You don't need blood and cursing to be a hit show with adults. Just have good scripts.

 

I hear that Machinima trilogy is pretty grown up and mature.

:^)

 

This is one of the things that annoy me when fanbases ask for something to be serious, adult and edgy, and it's something I've seen multiple times for TFs when some of the best series excel with character and story over how it presents its tone.

 

Fans have been spouting the same line for the past 30 years because they don't get that sometimes the things they like don't grow up with them, nor are they obligated to, and that's okay. Kids go through puberty, toys and cartoon characters don't. That doesn't equate to toys and cartoon characters also needing to be "appropriate" for teenagers and adults. Take a lesson from the Dr. Who fandom - sometimes if you feel like the thing isn't for you anymore, it means you need to walk away and leave it for the kids who come after you. Or if you grow up and can still enjoy whatever it is, then great - there isn't actually a problem.

 

I'm currently watching the Lego Ninjago movie with my kid and loving the hell out of it.
Lloyd just lost an arm, so I guess you can call it edgy.

I agree that I far prefer the Beast Wars style of "mature" where there are silly jokes and established characters can actually die over the Prime "Star Wars grimness" where the jokes are all supposed to sound cool and the heroes constantly beat up a bunch of drones.

 

Tarzan-formers!

 

I feel like Highmoon Transformers is the closest they've gotten to what you're asking for. Followed by IDW, Beast Wars /Beast Machines, and Prime.

 

Prime is so not adult it hurts. Seriously, Armada is more adult than Prime.

 

Armada was badass near the end.