The Transformers movie franchise is one of the biggest in recent Hollywood memory, but we're getting a new take on the story of the Autobots and Decepticons in Transformers One, an animated prequel following Optimus Prime and Megatron before they were enemies.
This is a return to the roots for Transformers, as the first media we got inspired by the toy line was an animated series that debuted in the 1980s. However, this 2024 new movie features new animation styles and an all-star cast providing the voices of many fan-favorite characters.
When is Transformers One premiering and who stars in the movie? Read on to find out everything you need to know.
Transformers One release date
Transformers One premieres in the US movie theaters on September 20; a few weeks later it debuts in the UK, releasing on October 11.
Transformers One is just one of many animated and family-friendly movies coming in fall 2024. Others that you should be on the lookout for include The Wild Robot, Wicked, Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King and Sonic the Hedgehog 3. UK movie fans are also going to get Paddington in Peru, but that won't arrive until January 2025 for US audiences.
Transformers One cast
After Peter Cullen has voiced Optimus Prime in all of the Transformers movies that have come out in the last 17 years, a new actor is taking over the role of the young Orion Pax destined to become the legendary Autobot — and it is none other than Chris Hemsworth. Best known for playing Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hemsworth is taking over another iconic hero with Transformers One. This is the second big 2024 movie that Hemsworth stars in, previously appearing in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
As for who will be voicing the young Megatron, or in this case D-16, that is Oscar-nominee Brian Tyree Henry. Henry is no stranger to franchise work, having appeared in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Marvel's The Eternals and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Transformers One is Henry's second movie of 2024, with a third on the way later in the year with The Fire Inside.
There are more big names in the cast, as Scarlett Johansson, coming off her rom-com Fly Me to the Moon, is voicing the character Elita-1 and comedian Keegan-Michael Key, most recently seen in Wonka and episodes of Abbott Elementary season 3, is voicing B-127 (a young Bumblebee).
Other notable members of the voice cast include Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm.
Transformers One plot
Transformers One is a prequel to the Transformers franchise, highlighting how these characters got their start. With a script by Eric Pearson and Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari, here is the official synopsis for the movie:
"Transformers One is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever."
Transformers One trailer
Watch all of the trailers for Transformers One directly below:
Transformers One reviews
Critics are enjoying Transformers One, as the animated movie has a "Fresh" rating of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes as of September 19.
Transformers One director
Josh Cooley is the director of Transformers One. He has plenty of experience in the world of animation, including writing and directing Toy Story 4 and writing the original Inside Out.
