It speaks volumes that in a week heavy with the losses of music icon Dolly Parton and screen icon Tim Curry, the death of actor Peter Cullen caused just as many shockwaves of grief within fandom. A lot of fans may not have recognized Cullen’s face if they passed him on the street, but they certainly knew many of the iconic characters he helped bring to life during one of the most celebrated and acclaimed runs that a voice actor has ever had.
However, Cullen’s signature role was in the Transformers franchise, where he voiced the legendary heroic leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime. And so it is poetic that Optimus Prime will be the final performance we get to see from Cullen,
This year marks the 40th anniversary of The Transformers: The Movie, the animated feature that defined a generation. Paramount is re-releasing the film in theaters later this month, and the hype for the event has been growing loud as it draws near. Now, with Cullen gone, Transformers: The Movie‘s re-release is starting to feel like a “must-see” event for fans.
Screen Rant has confirmed that the re-release of The Transformers: The Movie will included a post-credits treat for fans: a 12-minute short film titled Optimus Prime: Awakening. The short will reportedly “expand on the story” of the film, putting a spotlight on Optimus Prime for “one final adventure.”
It’s unclear what that premise is describing, but it already feels like it will end up being a much more emotionally-charged viewing experience. Transformers: The Movie scarred the entire generation of early fans, when the film kills off Optimus Prime (Cullen) in the first act, after a brutal duel with his nemesis, Megatron.
Now, that onscreen death is pairing with the real-life trauma of Peter Cullen’s passing, making it traumatic all over again for very different reasons. The early presumption is that Awakening may be a companion piece that sees Optimus Prime enter the Transformers version of the afterlife before being sent back to the world to live again; or (as the trailer above hints) Prime is restored to life out in deep space and must make his way back home. The G1 cartoon show had several elaborate story arcs about Optimus Prime returning from the dead after the film; a bridge piece told from Prime’s perspective in the spirit world would fit in nicely with the current lore. Of course, the film ruminating on Optimus Prime as a character, and (hopefully) letting Cullen flex his vocal talents as Prime will hit so much harder, knowing it truly is the last time.
The Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary will be released in theaters on September 17th.
