Peter Cullen’s Final Optimus Prime Performance Is Coming To Theaters

Peter Cullen’s final original performance as Optimus Prime will reach theaters this month in Optimus Prime: Awakening, a new 12-minute animated short screening after select 40th-anniversary showings of The Transformers: The Movie.

Described as a love letter to the Transformers community and the late actor, the short reunites Cullen with longtime co-star Frank Welker, returning as Megatron and Soundwave. It will accompany the 4K theatrical rerelease by Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment from September 17–22.

In a release, Welker said:

Optimus Prime and Megatron were made for each other. After all, one needs the perfect hero against the epitome of evil to create great drama. Peter’s portrayal of Prime was born of his own personal beliefs; honesty, loyalty, and always insisting on doing the right thing. This made it easy to be friends. Returning as Megatron and Soundwave for one final story opposite Peter’s Optimus in Optimus Prime: Awakening was a real gift. I will miss my friend, but that voice and his heart and values will always be part of Optimus Prime.

Previously announced for the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and Germany, the limited theatrical engagement has added France, Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Peru.