The trailer for Transformers One has been publicly released, and it goes a long way towards proving the film’s central recasting was a good idea. Set long before the Transformers ever left Cybertron, Transformers One focuses on the younger versions of the franchise’s most iconic robots. The primary story of the film is set to explore the characters and who they were before they became Optimus Prime and Megatron.
Transformers One has also recruited a star-studded cast for the reimagining of the franchise, bringing in stars like Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm for the project. One of the central recastings for the film has left some fans uneasy, given the franchises’ habit of using Peter Cullen’s iconic performance as Optimus Prime. However, the trailer suggests the recasting was the right way to go,
Fans got their first real taste of Chris Hemsworth as Optimus Prime in the trailer for Transformers One, and the Australian actor is a great fit for the role. The animated film explores the early days of Orion Pax and D-16, and how their friendship devolved into fierce animosity by the time they became Optimus and Megatron. The trailer highlights how much the film will be grounded by that friendship, with a clear indicator of their chemistry. Bryan Tyree Henry plays D-16 with a more cautious side, which is contrasted well against the more energetic Orion Pax before he became Optimus Prime.
Hemsworth infuses Pax with a cheeky side that benefits the overall bright and adventurous tone of the story. Hemsworth has shown great versatility over the years as a performer, and his Pax reflects this. The trailer largely highlights his more grounded and youthful side, while teasing the formidable leader he’ll eventually become in later years. The star-studded cast for Transformers One could have felt like a stunt to draw attention to the project, but the trailer suggests that the cast — especially Hemsworth — are great picks for their parts.
Despite recruiting one of Hollywood’s biggest stars for the part, some fans remain disappointed that longtime Optimus Prime voice actor Peter Cullen isn’t reprising his role to play Pax. However, there’s always the chance that Cullen appears later in the film after Pax has realized his true potential. Peter Cullen’s performance as Optimus is wise and authoritative, a sageful leader who in many ways has come to define the character for generations of fans. However, Transformers One isn’t really a story about Optimus Prime.
Instead, it’s about who he was before he earned that distinction and the sacrifices he was forced to make along the way. Cullen’s delivery would have been distracting coming from a fresh-faced version of Optimus. Having a different actor take on the role makes sense for the prequel, and Hemsworth delivers a fun take on the character that fits into the story. Transformers One benefits from having someone else play the young Orion Pax, highlighting how the character had to grow up and earn his transformation into the version Peter Cullen has played.