Optimus Prime: Awakening short animated film

Optimus Prime: Awakening is a 12-minute CG-animated short accompanying the 40th-anniversary theatrical screenings of The Transformers: The Movie. It features Peter Cullen’s final original performance

《Optimus Prime: Awakening》 is a new CG animated short that follows the 40th-anniversary 4K theatrical screening of the 1986 film 《The Transformers: The Movie》. The 12-minute film centers on the final story of Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, and his adversary Megatron, with Soundwave also appearing.

The short’s key feature is Peter Cullen’s final original performance as Optimus Prime. Cullen voiced the character for many years, while Frank Welker returns as Megatron and Soundwave to perform opposite Cullen’s Optimus once again. Welker said the conflict between the two characters creates the drama and described this return as a special gift.

The film was directed by Joshua Wassung and written by Ryan Parrott, with animation and image work handled by The Third Floor. The music was composed by Bobby Krlic, and the editing was handled by Sean Luke. Produced by Hasbro Entertainment, it will be unveiled to audiences for the first time through the 40th-anniversary screening event.

The screening is included in the 40th-anniversary theatrical event for 《The Transformers: The Movie》, running from September 17, 2026. Fathom Entertainment announced that every screening will include the world premiere of this new short.