Fans of the iconic Transformers franchise were shocked yet intrigued when it was announced that Avengers star Chris Hemsworth will be taking on the hallowed role of Optimus Prime in the upcoming prequel Transformers One. While Peter Cullen’s seasoned vocals have defined Optimus Prime through numerous films in the blockbuster series, director Josh Cooley and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura insist a fresh voice is needed to depict the character in his earlier, formative days on Cybertron as Orion Pax.
Set three billion years before the main Transformers saga, Transformers One will delve into the origins and infamous rivalry between Optimus Prime and Megatron. In a creative choice meant to complement the film’s exploration of these founding Autobots and Deceptions, Hemsworth was tapped to lend his talents to a version of Optimus in his raw, coming-of-age phases. “It needs to have a different type of character. A little bit of a looseness and fun to him, someone who is not as refined yet,” Cooley told GamesRadar+.
Di Bonaventura reinforced that Peter Cullen, a Transformers icon, “will remain part of the live-action franchise” but that the role called for “that youthful exuberance, naivety, the thing that comes as a younger person.” Hemsworth noted finding a balance between honoring Cullen’s storied work and putting his own spin on Orion Pax, saying “I use [Cullen’s performance] as an influence and a motivation and an inspiration, but what Peter Cullen has done is so iconic and brilliant, I’m leaving that on the mantelpiece as something I look toward and pay homage.”
Backed by an all-star lineup including Scarlett Johansson, Brian Tyree Henry, Keegan-Michael Key, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Hamm and Steve Buscemi, Transformers One is garnering buzz ahead of its September 2024 premiere. If the positive early reactions are any indication, fans appear poised to embrace Hemsworth’s take on the fan favorite hero in this fresh look at his origins.
