Peter Cullen will voice Optimus Prime one final time in a new animated short from Hasbro. The 12-minute Optimus Prime: Awakening will be shown alongside select screenings of The Transformers: The Movie during its 40th-anniversary theatrical return.
The newly released poster puts Optimus Prime at the center in his familiar red and blue armor. Two translucent, glowing figures stand behind him, teasing the appearance of other major characters.
What else do we know about the Optimus Prime: Awakening Transformers short film?
Optimus Prime: Awakening is described as a fully realized animated short and a love letter to the Transformers community. It builds on the storytelling and visuals of the 1986 film while exploring the franchise’s future on the big screen.
Cullen viewed his return as a homecoming to the character he had shaped for more than four decades. The short is also expected to bring a more emotional dimension to Optimus Prime while retaining his familiar strength and authority.
The short will be presented as a standalone theatrical feature rather than a traditional bonus scene. It will play after the credits during the anniversary screening.
The project also promises an emotional story alongside its action. Frank Welker is returning to voice Megatron and Soundwave. He said, “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,” Welker added.
Meanwhile, The Transformers: The Movie will return in 4K beginning September 17 through September 22. Fathom Entertainment has confirmed additional screenings in France, Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Peru.
Originally reported by Surya Singh on ComingSoon.net.
