The mystery bonus content attached to the Transformers: The Movie 40th anniversary screenings has been revealed, and it carries a weight nobody saw coming when it was teased at Comic-Con: it contains Peter Cullen’s final original voice performance as Optimus Prime.
Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment announced “Optimus Prime: Awakening,” a fully realized 12-minute animated short that will play following select anniversary screenings of the 1986 film when it returns to theaters in 4K from September 17-22.
The short features new performances from Cullen as Optimus Prime and Frank Welker as both Megatron and Soundwave, the two voices who started it all in 1984, together for one final story.
Cullen died August 26 at the age of 85, three weeks before the screenings begin. Hasbro describes “Optimus Prime: Awakening” as a love letter to the Transformers community and to Cullen himself.
Fathom also released a new poster for the short, featuring the G1 Optimus Prime stepping forward out of fading echoes of himself.
Cullen Called It A Homecoming
According to Fathom, returning for “Optimus Prime: Awakening” meant a great deal to Cullen, who felt the project was a homecoming to the character he had shaped for more than four decades.
The release says his performance reveals a deeper vulnerability while retaining the unmistakable strength and authority that made his Optimus iconic.
The short is a Hasbro Entertainment production directed by Josh Wassung and written by comics writer Ryan Parrott, with music by Midsommar composer Bobby Krlic and animation and imagery by The Third Floor.
Per the release, it builds on the storytelling and visuals of the 1986 film while exploring the franchise’s future on the big screen.
The screenings are the centerpiece of Hasbro’s year-long “1986 Apology Tour,” the campaign apologizing for killing Optimus Prime in that movie.
So the anniversary event now works like this: audiences watch Optimus Prime die the way he did in 1986, and then, at select screenings, get 12 more minutes of Peter Cullen — the last new Optimus Prime he ever recorded.
Frank Welker: “I Will Miss My Friend”
Welker, who originated Megatron opposite Cullen’s Optimus in the 1984 series and voiced him in The Transformers: The Movie, shared the following statement:
“Optimus Prime and Megatron were made for each other. After all, one needs the perfect hero against the epitome of evil to create great drama. Peter’s portrayal of Prime was born of his own personal beliefs; honesty, loyalty, and always insisting on doing the right thing. This made it easy to be friends. Returning as Megatron and Soundwave for one final story opposite Peter’s Optimus in ‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ was a real gift. I will miss my friend, but that voice and his heart and values will always be part of Optimus Prime.”
Hasbro’s Statement On Peter Cullen’s Death
Hasbro also issued official comments on Cullen’s passing:
“We’re deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Peter Cullen: the legendary voice behind Optimus Prime, and so many characters that shaped our childhoods. His voice was unmistakable. For four decades it taught us what courage and kindness sound like, and it will keep doing that for every fan who hears it for the first time. For those of us who had the privilege of knowing him, Peter was a true hero: passionate about his craft, brimming with warmth and kindness, devoted to his family, and a friend to so many. Our thoughts are with Peter’s loved ones and the millions of Transformers fans grieving with us today. Rest easy, Peter. Till all are one.”
Along with the short, Fathom confirmed a new round of international markets: France, Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Peru join the previously announced U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Germany.
Tickets are on sale now through Fathom Entertainment.
