Chris Hemsworth is having a resurgence after his days as Thor in the MCU. The actor was recently seen in George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga as the antagonist Dementus. Hemsworth’s performance as the unhinged warlord in a post-apocalyptic wasteland was universally acclaimed, and many considered it to be the best part of the film.
Hemsworth’s next release of the year will be his animation debut, Transformers: One. The animated film will feature the actor as a younger Optimus Prime, i.e., Orion Pax, along with actors such as Scarlett Johansson, Brian Tyree Henry, Steve Buscemi, and Keegan Michael-Key. The film’s premiere at the Annecy Animation International Film Festival was reportedly received with fanfare.
Transformers: One Might Save The Franchise From Michael Bay’s Mistakes
When we first listen to Chris Hemsworth’s voice, you’re like, ‘God, is he gonna be a good Optimus!’ Obviously, he starts as Orion Pax, and you don’t become Optimus for a while, so he’s not playing, for most of the movie, what we think of as Optimus, Peter Cullen. So it’s that transition, and Chris’s voice has a timbre that… it’s logical that Peter Cullen would take over that voice, if you would, which is really great, the fans are gonna really feel great. But Scarlett [Johansson] is amazing, and it’s just coming alive in a way that it’s really rewarding, and we had confidence in our director, and all he’s doing is giving us more and more.
The film also stars Scarlett Johansson and Keegan-Michael Key in lead roles while Steve Buscemi plays the film’s antagonist.
Chris Hemsworth voices Orion Pax, the young Optimus Prime, while Brian Tyree Henry plays a younger Megatron a.k.a D-16. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura praised Hemsworth’s voice work and reportedly mentioned that it made perfect sense for him to evolve into Peter Cullen’s Optimus Prime. He said in an interview with Collider,
When we first listen to Chris Hemsworth’s voice, you’re like, ‘God, is he gonna be a good Optimus!’ Obviously, he starts as Orion Pax, and you don’t become Optimus for a while, so he’s not playing, for most of the movie, what we think of as Optimus, Peter Cullen. So it’s that transition, and Chris’s voice has a timbre that… it’s logical that Peter Cullen would take over that voice, if you would, which is really great, the fans are gonna really feel great. But Scarlett [Johansson] is amazing, and it’s just coming alive in a way that it’s really rewarding, and we had confidence in our director, and all he’s doing is giving us more and more.
The film also stars Scarlett Johansson and Keegan-Michael Key in lead roles while Steve Buscemi plays the film’s antagonist.
The Transformers lore sees the alien robots who have the ability to transform themselves into machines travel to Earth after the destruction of their home planet Cybertron. The species are divided into two distinct factions: Autobots and Decepticons. While the former is headed by Optimus Prime, the latter is led by Megatron.
In the Michael Bay films, the lore of the warring factions is explained in prologues and voice-overs, quickly shifting to the human stories. However, Transformers: One will be set before the war at Cybertron and shows a younger Optimus Prime and Megatron, who used to be friends before turning into the foes fans see in the present.
Chris Hemsworth voices Orion Pax, the young Optimus Prime, while Brian Tyree Henry plays a younger Megatron a.k.a D-16. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura praised Hemsworth’s voice work and reportedly mentioned that it made perfect sense for him to evolve into Peter Cullen’s Optimus Prime. He said in an interview with Collider,
When we first listen to Chris Hemsworth’s voice, you’re like, ‘God, is he gonna be a good Optimus!’ Obviously, he starts as Orion Pax, and you don’t become Optimus for a while, so he’s not playing, for most of the movie, what we think of as Optimus, Peter Cullen. So it’s that transition, and Chris’s voice has a timbre that… it’s logical that Peter Cullen would take over that voice, if you would, which is really great, the fans are gonna really feel great. But Scarlett [Johansson] is amazing, and it’s just coming alive in a way that it’s really rewarding, and we had confidence in our director, and all he’s doing is giving us more and more.
The film also stars Scarlett Johansson and Keegan-Michael Key in lead roles while Steve Buscemi plays the film’s antagonist.
The Transformers films have always been a tricky franchise. With Michael Bay at the helm of the franchise, the live-action films were extremely commercially successful, earning over $5.2 billion at the box office (via The Numbers). However, they were also bashed by fans and critics alike. Bay’s frenetic energy in the films was often criticized, and his trademark ‘Bayhem’ went a bit overboard by the franchise’s fifth film.
However, the franchise seems to be recovering the tarnished image of the Bay movies. While films like Bumblebee were a refreshing start to a new era, the upcoming animated film Transformers: One might just breathe new life into the franchise. The Chris Hemsworth starrer recently premiered as a work-in-progress at the Annecy Animation International Film Festival.
According to The Wrap, the film, directed by Oscar-winner Josh Cooley of Toy Story 4, received a long standing ovation after its premiere, with many praising it. The article also mentioned that the audiences were clapping at many instances in the film, giving fans a lot of hope for the state of the franchise.
This is their “Into the Spiderverse”. Could be great.
— TruthSeeker (@StoufILike) June 10, 2024
Hopefully people will give this franchise another chance when it releases.
— ⭐PaRappa⭐ Alexander Network (@Alexand60243976) June 10, 2024
We're so back
— Evan (@PossumEnjoyer69) June 10, 2024
— Momo (@Momolemomo19) June 11, 2024
Though still a work in progress, Transformers: One is set to release on September 20 in cinemas.
Chris Hemsworth’s Transformers: One Shows The Origins Of The Autobots And Decepticons Conflict
The Transformers lore sees the alien robots who have the ability to transform themselves into machines travel to Earth after the destruction of their home planet Cybertron. The species are divided into two distinct factions: Autobots and Decepticons. While the former is headed by Optimus Prime, the latter is led by Megatron.
In the Michael Bay films, the lore of the warring factions is explained in prologues and voice-overs, quickly shifting to the human stories. However, Transformers: One will be set before the war at Cybertron and shows a younger Optimus Prime and Megatron, who used to be friends before turning into the foes fans see in the present.
Chris Hemsworth voices Orion Pax, the young Optimus Prime, while Brian Tyree Henry plays a younger Megatron a.k.a D-16. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura praised Hemsworth’s voice work and reportedly mentioned that it made perfect sense for him to evolve into Peter Cullen’s Optimus Prime. He said in an interview with Collider,
When we first listen to Chris Hemsworth’s voice, you’re like, ‘God, is he gonna be a good Optimus!’ Obviously, he starts as Orion Pax, and you don’t become Optimus for a while, so he’s not playing, for most of the movie, what we think of as Optimus, Peter Cullen. So it’s that transition, and Chris’s voice has a timbre that… it’s logical that Peter Cullen would take over that voice, if you would, which is really great, the fans are gonna really feel great. But Scarlett [Johansson] is amazing, and it’s just coming alive in a way that it’s really rewarding, and we had confidence in our director, and all he’s doing is giving us more and more.
The film also stars Scarlett Johansson and Keegan-Michael Key in lead roles while Steve Buscemi plays the film’s antagonist.
