Transformers One Producer Explains Why Chis Hemsworth Had To Replace Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime (2024)

Transformers One will explore the origins of the franchise’s iconic warring robots in disguise, Optimus Prime and Megatron. While Megatron has been voiced by several stars over the years, including Hugo Weaving in several live-action movies, the voice of Optimus Prime has primarily become synonymous with Peter Cullen. Having voiced the character since the 1980s, it was a surprise when Transformers One chose to recast him with Thor star Chris Hemsworth, but as has been explained by the movie’s producer, the change was more out of necessity than choice.

Transformers One acts as a prequel story that gives fans a whole new take on several of the franchise’s most beloved heroes and villains. The film charts the "untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron," in the days before they became sworn enemies with very different outlooks on life. This has allowed the animated movie to play with different versions of the characters to any that have been seen in some of the most popular previous projects.

Transformers One

Animation

Action

Adventure

Release Date

September 13, 2024

Director

Josh Cooley

Cast

Scarlett Johansson , Brian Tyree Henry , Jon Hamm , Chris Hemsworth , Laurence Fishburne , Keegan-Michael Key

Main Genre

Animation

Writers

Andrew Barrer , Steve Desmond , Gabriel Ferrari

Studio

Entertainment One, Hasbro, Nickelodeon Movies

See Also

The Lives They Lived (Published 2020)

Producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura addressed the change in voice actor for the role of Prime at Annecy. While acknowledging the ongoing legacy of Cullen’s work as the leader of the Autobots, he explained that there was a very specific reason why recasting was necessary in this particular instance. He said:

"That was really important because, from a fan point of view, the original voice of Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen, is revered. To have somebody else voice Optimus Prime was like, 'Whoa, we better get this right.' We couldn’t use Peter because the audience needs to feel the character’s youth. That’s why we pursued Chris. I was surprised, too, but not how funny Chris was. I’ve seen him in things where he was funny. But he has a very strong sense of story. That’s not true with every movie star."

Chris Hemsworth’s Comedic Timing Gained Praise from Transformers One’s Director

The casting of Hemsworth was also praised by Transformers One’s director, Josh Cooley, who has similar good things to say about Hemsworth’s ability to play up to the more comedic elements of this particular Transformers movie. He said:

"We have an incredible cast. I can’t believe how great it was. Everybody was fantastic. I would walk them through the scene, and they’d suggest a lot of stuff. Keegan[-Michael Key], of course, rifted like crazy on things. But Chris Hemsworth is also extremely funny. I was not prepared for how funny he is. A lot of his lines in this film are riffs off of what we had written, but he just brought his charisma and his comedy to it. He totally got it."

Along with Hemsworth, the assembled voice cast of Transformers One is nothing short of stellar. The impressive ensemble includes Hemsworth’s fellow Marvel star Scarlett Johansson, as well as Brian Tyree Henry, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm.

The Transformers franchise is not resting on its laurels. Transformers One is just one of several projects in development, including the GI Joe crossover teased in the post-credits scene in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.