Later this month, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original release of Transformers: The Movie, a remastered version of that classic animated flick is returning to theaters for a limited time. And now we know that fans who catch the movie in theaters will get to see a new animated short featuring Frank Welker as Megatron and Peter Cullen’s last performance as Optimus Prime.
On September 1, Hasbro announced that when the original 1986 Transformers movie returns to theaters on September 17, it will include something extra. After the movie ends, at select screenings, fans will be able to watch Optimus Prime: Awakening, a new, “fully realized” 12-minute animated short that Paramount describes as “a love letter to the Transformers community and the late Peter Cullen.”
Last week, Peter Cullen died at the age of 85 at his home in Los Angeles. The actor was famous for his roles as Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh and the narrator of some of the most badass anime videos ever made on Toonami, and, of course, for being the original and beloved voice of the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime. Fans wondered if Cullen had completed a new Optimus Prime project before his passing, and it seems this newly announced short will be his last original performance as the character he voiced for 40 years.
“Optimus Prime: Awakening builds on the acclaimed storytelling and visuals of The Transformers: The Movie (1986), giving audiences the rare opportunity to experience the iconic cultural moment from the franchise’s past while exploring its future on the big screen,” said Paramount in a press release for the short.
Frank Welker, who voiced Megatron and Soundwave in many Transformers projects over the years, worked with Cullen numerous times and had this to say about the short and his recently passed friend.
“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,” said Welker.
“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.”