The Transformers franchise has endured a difficult life on the big screen. The first five live-action entries carried the corrosive "worst film ever" brand for almost a decade. They were shorthand for soulless, pointless, awful blockbuster entertainment. Travis Knight's Bumblebee earned some goodwill, though his follow-up fell somewhere between the prequel's quality and Michael Bay's trash. After almost forty years, Hasbro and Paramount will wisely return to animation with Transformers One.
Josh Cooley will direct Transformers One. Cooley made his feature directorial debut with Toy Story 4. His first film took home the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. He previously worked as a storyboard artist throughout the 2000s, contributing to The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, and Up. He co-wrote Inside Out, leading to his position on Toy Story 4. He worked his way up through outstanding success in several excellent projects. Transformers One might be his first action movie.
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What is Transformers One about?
Director | Josh Cooley |
|---|---|
Writers | Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari, Steve Desmond |
Stars | Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key |
Release Date | September 13, 2024 |
Transformers One is a prequel that will tell the story of the war for Cybertron before the Transformers came to Earth. The concept emerged in May 2015. The tremendous box office success of Transformers: Age of Extinction prompted Paramount to redouble their efforts in the franchise. They tagged complicated filmmaker Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind, Batman & Robin) to assemble a writer's room for future Transformers pitches. They'd look at Hasbro's ideas and write treatments for any that intrigued them. Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari joined the team and ran with Transformers One. Paramount announced the project in 2017. Travis Knight expressed interest in directing, but Paramount gave that role to Josh Cooley in 2020.
Transformers One is set to depict the downfall of Cybertron and the breakdown between Optimus Prime and Megatron. The go-to hero and villain will gradually become the robots-in-disguise fans know and love. Bumblebee briefly touched on the conflict in a computer-animated flashback. Transformers One purports to be the first in a trilogy of explorations of the war for Cybertron. Fans have called for a similar concept since the release of the first live-action outing. Dispensing with human characters and focusing on the fascinating sci-fi details could fix some of the franchise's long-standing issues. Though the Transformershave inhabited animated TV series since the 80s, Transformers One represents the second animated feature film. While the plot remains hidden, One features a solid premise.
Who is starring in Transformers One?
Chris Hemsworth and Bryan Tyree Henry headline the film as Optimus Prime and Megatron. The original Autobot and Decepticon will begin the film with different names before they ascend to their legendary titles. Optimus was born Orion Pax, a civilian chosen by the Matrix of Leadership to become a legendary hero. Megatron was once D-16, a worker who attained glory in gladiatorial combat before mounting a rebellion. Hemsworth takes over for Peter Cullen, the consistent voice behind Optimus since the 80s, with very few exceptions. Megatron has enjoyed a longer list of performers, but Henry primarily follows Frank Welker and Hugo Weaving. Other listed cast members include:
- Scarlett Johannson as Elita: The star behind Black Widow plays a manual laborer who becomes an Autobot resistance leader.
- Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee: This beloved sketch comedy performer portrays the young hot shot who struggles to prove himself alongside Optimus Prime.
- Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime: The Mad Men star plays the leader of the Autobots before Orion Pax becomes Optimus Prime.
- Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion: The celebrated icon of The Matrix, John Wick, and more classics appears as an enigmatic older robot who serves as a mentor to the young Autobots.
When is Transformers One coming out?
Transformers One is set to premiere on September 13, 2024. It was previously scheduled for a July 19, 2024 release, but moved back to the fall. Its previous summer release date placed it in competition with Twisters, possibly prompting the shift. Industrial Light & Magic, who provided visual effects for previous Transformers outings and will animate One, announced the project entering post-production this February.
Transformers One is the second animated Transformers film. The baffling financial success of every live-action entry discouraged Paramount from deviating, though fans cried out for anything new. Transformers One could be the answer to every devotee's prayers. The original 1986 classic has its problems, but most would gladly watch it ten times than sit down for one of Michael Bay's takes on the franchise. As Transformers enters a new era, fans will have to wait until September 13th to see if the War for Cybertron makes better cinema than its eventual aftershock.
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