Transformers One (film)

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Transformers One

The Motion Picture you are about to see is an adaptation of the Exodus story. While artistic and historical license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide.

Transformers One

Production info Production companies Hasbro Entertainment di Bonaventura Pictures Bayhem Films Paramount Animation New Republic Pictures Distributor Paramount Pictures Release date September 20, 2024 Story by Andrew Barrer Gabriel Ferrari Screenplay by Eric Pearson Andrew Barrer Gabriel Ferrari Directed by Josh Cooley Music by Brian Tyler Producer(s) Lorenzo di Bonaventura Tom DeSanto Don Murphy Michael Bay Mark Vahradian Aaron Dem Executive producer(s) Steven Spielberg Zev Foreman Olivier Dumont Brian Oliver B.J. Farmer Matt Quigg Running time 104 minutes Budget $75 million Credits

Transformers One is an animated film released on September 20, 2024. It is written by Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, and directed by Josh Cooley. The movie is an origin story set on Cybertron three billion years ago in the days before the Autobot-Decepticon war, and focuses on Optimus Prime and Megatron as they go from brothers-in-arms to enemies.

“	The line between friend and enemy is not as clear as I once believed. Once it's crossed, there is no going back. Because some transformations are permanent...	”
—Optimus Prime

Synopsis

Goodbye, brother.

Cast

Miners	High Guard	Primes	Others
Orion Pax / Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) D-16 / Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry) Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson) B-127 / Badassatron (Keegan-Michael Key) Jazz (Evan Michael Lee) Arcee (Jinny Chung) Bluestreak Brawn Hound Huffer Ironhide Mirage Prowl Ratchet Red Alert Sideswipe Sunstreaker Wheeljack Windcharger Jackpot	Starscream (Steve Buscemi) Soundwave (Jon Bailey) Shockwave (Jason Konopisos-Alvarez) Skywarp (Josh Cooley) Thundercracker Dirge Ramjet Thrust Slipstream	Alpha Trion (Laurence Fishburne) Zeta Prime (James Remar) Megatronus Prime Alchemist Prime Amalgamous Prime Liege Maximo Micronus Prime Nexus Prime Onyx Prime Quintus Prime Solus Prime Vector Prime Prima	Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm) Airachnid (Vanessa Liguori) Quintesson High Commander Quintessons Primus Death Trackers Guards (Steve Blum, Jason Konopisos-Alvarez) Announcer Bot (Steve Blum) Greenlight Racers Darkwing (Isaac C. Singleton, Jr.) Chromia (Jinny Chung) Injured Racer (Dillon Bryan)

Quotes

B-127: (mumbles)
Elita: Uh, why is he gagged?
Shockwave: He wouldn't stop talking.
Elita: Even when he was unconscious?
Shockwave: ESPECIALLY WHEN HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS!
Starscream: Enough. Two options for you: 1, we slowly dismantle each of you, one bolt and screw at a time, and really make sure you feel it. Or 2, in exchange for a quick death, you give us intel on the Energon trains, access to the mines...
Elita: Who exactly are you guys?
B-127: (gets gag off) The Cybertronian High Guard!
Shockwave: (To Soundwave) I TOLD YOU IT WASN'T TIGHT ENOUGH!

Soundwave: What is our first move?
Orion Pax: (quietly and intensely) We roll out...
Skywarp: ...What?!
Elita-1: Louder!
Orion Pax: TRANSFORM AND ROLL OUT!

"It's over, Sentinel! You can't escape the truth!"
"What truth? That I plucked the cogs from your newborn chests? Forced you to mine so I could pay off the Quintessons and live like a king? None of that matters! Because the truth...is What. I. Make it!"

—Orion Pax learns Sentinel Prime won't go down without a fight.

"I'm done saving you."

—D-16 Megatron lets his former friend fall.

"We were given the power to change our world, and you chose to destroy it. Just like Sentinel. You have betrayed Cybertron and its citizens, and you betrayed... me. Go. Take the High Guard, and leave. You are... banished from Iacon. It didn't have to end this way.
"This isn't over, Prime."

—Optimus Prime and Megatron share one final exchange.

"This is the greatest day of my life... I get to work for the government!"

—B-127 knows a good benefits package when he sees one.

"And now we stand here together as one, proving we all have the the power to transform; to become who we were destined to be; to right wrongs; to make our world better. Because here, freedom and autonomy are the right of all sentient beings. Here, all are truly Autobots. This message is a warning to all Quintessons: If you dare return to Cybertron, the Autobots will be waiting. I will be waiting. I am... Optimus Prime."

—Optimus Prime gives his first dramatic ending monologue...

"Sentinel the betrayer is dead. But his death has given life to a new enemy...a stronger enemy... a personal enemy. We will not be blinded by his deception! We are the ones who are... DECEPTICONS! RISE UP!"

—...and Megatron gives the coming darkness its new name.

Transformers references

• The film's main theme includes a leitmotif from the main theme of Transformers: Prime, which was also composed by Brian Tyler.
• Orion Pax infiltrating the Cybertronian Archives in search of information on the Matrix of Leadership is a nod to Aligned Orion Pax's occupation as a data archivist as introduced in Transformers: Exodus.
• Primus's design seen in the hologram Orion plays invokes his Cybertron appearance, even using a simplified version of his toy's transformation scheme, but with the origins of his Aligned counterpart. The color scheme is drawn from his Dreamwave look.
• Orion Pax being Optimus' name before he became Prime was first introduced in the G1 cartoon episode "War Dawn". Meanwhile, Megatron's previous name as D-16 and his old job as a lowly miner were first introduced in Transformers: Exodus for Aligned Megatron's past, taking after the TakaraTomy ID number of the original G1 Megatron toy.
• When Orion pretends to transform, he tucks his arms in and clasps his legs together, emulating the standard transformation scheme of many G1 Optimus Prime toys.
• D-16's cogless form with his yellow eyes and black, dome-shaped helmet resembles Megatron's Marvel Comics appearance, which in turn was based on concept art for an unproduced prototype version of the original Takara Micro Change figure.
• When discussing their mining ability, Elita says Orion "[doesn't] have the touch or the power," a reference to the beloved song from The Transformers: The Movie.
• The purple vein of extremely volatile energon Wheeljack discovers that causes the mineshaft to collapse is most likely a reference to Dark Energon, also a purple variety of energon with volatile properties and harmful effects to Cybertronians.
• Sentinel Prime's color scheme draws influence from his Animated counterpart, while his cape-like wing arrangement and double-sided blade homage the Dark of the Moon version. In his battle mode, his battle mask and heavily armed appearance appear to be inspired by Sentinel's appearance in the IDW comics, specifically his Apex Armor-clad form in Megatron Origin issue 4. All in all, he continues the tradition of Sentinel Primes being big jerks.
• All of the racers in the Iacon 5000 are characters from the G1 canon, with their colors being used with their names on the scoreboard. They range from series mainstays you'd expect to see in a race like Blurr and Cliffjumper to some deep cuts like Motormaster and Double Clutch.
• Bumblebee's Cybertronian name being "B-127" originates from the Bumblebee movie. Notably, while most people simply call him "Bee," B-127 is never once referred to as "Bumblebee" – likewise taking after the Bumblebee movie, where that version of B-127 only gained the familiar name thanks to Charlie Watson after arriving on Earth.
• Elita-1 calls Orion, D-16 and B-127 a bunch of GoBots.
• The idea of the Matrix of Leadership disintegrating to those who are not worthy of it, and the existence of a hidden cavern containing the deceased bodies of the original Primes, originate from the Revenge of the Fallen movie.
• The throne Starscream sits on is loosely based on the crown his Generation 1 counterpart wore during his coronation in The Transformers: The Movie.
• Starscream has a normal-sounding voice when he first appears, but after D-16 crushes his voice box during their duel, his voice becomes shriller and scratchier in the style of Chris Latta's portrayal of Starscream in the original G1 cartoon.
• Soundwave orders the High Guard to "eject" when descending on Sentinel's tower.
• During the battle in Sentinel Prime’s tower, Orion leaps into the air and shoots one of the Death Trackers, with his midair pose homaging Optimus Prime's famous midair shooting pose from The Transformers: The Movie.
• Orion Pax jumps on top of Megatron's vehicle mode and rips off his tank barrel during their climactic duel, seemingly referencing the moment in The Transformers: The Movie where Kup does the same to Blitzwing.
• In the second post-credits scene, Megatron brands the Decepticon insignia onto his troops much like his Animated counterpart did in "A Bridge Too Close, Part I".
• Starscream's newly applied insignias are upside-down on his wings, just like his G1 cartoon version.
• While the newly christened Decepticons fire into the sky, the glow of the laser beams shines on Megatron's insignia in a way that homages the metallic effect of the original cartoon's Decepticon scene transition.
• Sentinel Prime's Death Trackers take heavy inspiration from Transformers: Prime's Vehicons, in both their design and their role as generic enemy troopers.

Real-life references

• One of B-127's "friends" is named A-A-Tron. Just don't mention about the Glee club...
• Optimus wields his Energon axe in a very similar manner to the signature weapon of his voice actor's most notable role.
• Considering his voice actor, Alpha Trion’s line about how the main quartet's reality was a lie is certainly at least a partial reference to Fishburne's famous role in The Matrix.

Music

A score album,Transformers One (Music from the Motion Picture), features the original music by composer Brian Tyler and was released concurrently with the film. It notably repurposes a leitmotif from his work on Transformers: Prime into this film's main theme. The composer, under his electronic side project "Are We Dreaming", also produced the end credits song, "If I Fall", featuring rappers Quavo (of Migos fame) and Ty Dolla $ign.

Development timeline

There can be miracles when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe

• March 27, 2015 — As part of the development of Transformers: The Last Knight, Paramount Pictures negotiates with Akiva Goldsman, hiring him to create a "writer's room" to build a cinematic universe. Among the writers hired are Ant-Man and the Wasp scribes Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, who pitch the concept of an animated Transformers prequel set in the live-action series universe.
• December 20, 2018 — Following the release of Bumblebee, Lorenzo di Bonaventura hints in an interview that the animated prequel is still in the works.
• April 29, 2020 — Director Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4) is reported to have been brought into the project to oversee a final draft, which is said to be "separate and apart" from the live-action films.
• May 18, 2021 — Allspark Pictures President Greg Mooradian credits the animated Transformers film on his Linkedin page with a 2023 release.
• May 24, 2021 — Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner confirms the animated feature is in development, and will be released at some point after Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
• January 21, 2022 — Paramount announces an untitled animated Transformers movie will be released on July 19, 2024.
• April 20, 2023 — di Bonaventura reveals that the entire film takes place on Cybertron, and the setting explores how they begin to question the hierarchy of how their society has gotten stratified, and how the common man doesn't have the voice that they want to have.
• April 21, 2023 — A day after the previous interview, di Bonaventura confirms Industrial Light & Magic's involvement as the film's animation studio, bringing the company back to the franchise for the first time since Bumblebee.
• April 27, 2023 — The first members of the film's voice cast are revealed, consisting of Chris Hemsworth as Optimus Prime, Brian Tyree Henry as Megatron, Scarlett Johansson as Elita, Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee, Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime, and Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion.
• May 24, 2023 — Paramount moves the film's release date to September 13, 2024.
• June 7, 2023 — di Bonaventura teases how the film stands out from previous entries in the franchise, praises Chris Hemsworth's casting as Optimus Prime, and mentions a vocal transition from Hemsworth's voice to Peter Cullen's as the character for audiences to witness. Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman (Knock at the Cabin) were revealed to be additional writers for the film, but where uncredited when the final credit came in.
• June 15, 2023 — Scarlett Johansson discusses the film's animation and praises Cooley as director. Chris Hemsworth later brings details on voicing Optimus Prime for the film and his reasoning he joined the project through his love of the script. He confirms that he will not use his regular voice for the character.
• July 20, 2023 — di Bonaventura confirms Optimus Prime and Megatron in the film will be depicted under their Orion Pax and D-16 identities.
• December 15, 2023 — Keegan-Michael Key mentions his voice for Bumblebee is closer to his regular speaking voice.
• April 11, 2024 — The cast of the movie previews the trailer and reveals a new logo for the film at Cinemacon 2024, The Hollywood Reporter also confirms Steve Buscemi has joined the cast. During the presentation, Hemsworth revealed that Cullen served as a consultant on the getting the voice down.
• April 16, 2024 — Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry announce the date of the film's first trailer being on Thursday, April 18, 2024, as it will be launched into space.

So how do you judge what a man is worth?
By what he builds or buys?
You can never see with your eyes on Earth
Look through Heaven's eyes
Look at your life. Look at your life
Look at your life through Heaven's eyes

• April 18, 2024 — A livestream hosted by Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry follows a small craft launched towards space, with a screen that plays the trailer once it reaches 125,000 feet. The movie's release date has been pushed back by one week, to September 20, reportedly to avoid the release conflicting with that of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. When asked whether the film is a fresh start, a prequel to the live-action films, or its own thing, Cooley replies "yes to all of the above".
• May 20, 2024 — Brian Tyler is attached as the film's composer.
• June 7, 2024 — Production for the film is revealed to be finished in the following month.
• June 10, 2024 — A work-in-progress cut of the film was screened at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival to a standing ovation.
• June 18, 2024 — Production designer Jason Scheier confirms animation for the film is finished.
• June 24, 2024 — Cooley discusses how the film is in the "Old Republic" of Cybertron. D-16's backstory is being changed from being a gladiator champion to an Energon miner who is bunkmates with Orion Pax.
• June 27, 2024 — Sound-mixing for the film is finished, with production finally now complete around three months in advance of release.
• July 9, 2024 — A panel for the film has been announced for San Diego Comic-Con 2024 on Thursday, July 25 at 11:45 am PST at Hall H.
• July 13, 2024 — Chris Hemsworth, Bryan Tyree Henry, and Keegan-Michael Key reveal a new clip of the main cast transforming for the first time at the Kids' Choice Awards 2024.
• July 23, 2024 — Cooley discusses how The Transformers: The Movie influenced One. A screening of the finished film was shown at a fan-event at Paramount Studios. Hemsworth talks about voicing Optimus Prime in the film and how his depiction stands out.
• July 24, 2024 — Several new posters are released, along with the announcement of a new trailer the following day at the SDCC panel.
• July 25, 202.4 — Details at the SDCC panel were revealed, along with the debut of the second trailer and Bucsemi's role announced to be Starscream. Eric Pearson was revealed to be an additional writer.
• August 21, 2024 — A new clip of Orion Pax and D-16 competing in the Iacon 5000 race is released on Paramount's YouTube channel.
• August 23, 2024 — Evan Michael Lee is revealed to be voicing Jazz.
• August 24, 2024 — Jon Bailey, Jason Konopisos-Alvarez, Isaac C. Singleton, Jr. and Vanessa Liguori are revealed to be voicing Soundwave, Shockwave, Darkwing and Airachnid respectively, with Bailey reprising his role from Bumblebee.
• September 6, 2024 — The film's credits song, 'If I Fall' by Quavo, is released.
• September 12, 2024 — In an interview, Lorenzo di Bonaventura clarifies that One doesn't directly connect to the live-action films, and describes them as "two universes" that will be "[kept] separate". However, he notes that One will likely have an influence on future live-action projects. The film's review embargo is also lifted, and the film debuts with an 89% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
• September 13, 2024 — The film's main theme is released.
• September 18, 2024 — An early fan event screening is held, preceded by a seven-minute featurette consisting of interview segments with Hemsworth, Henry, and Key, footage of main cast recording their dialogue, and some hilarious trivia. Attendees receive one of four exclusive keychains and poster prints featuring Orion Pax, D-16, B-127, or Elita-1.
• September 20, 2024 — The first 300 ticket holders at participating theaters receive a poster print of Shadow the Hedgehog to promote the upcoming release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Notes

• Several international releases of the film edit any mention of Bee's "knife hands" to refer to them as "sword hands" instead.
• The credits feature a dedication to former Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner, who passed away in October 2021.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Transformers/One (トランスフォーマー/ONE Toransufōmā Wan)
• French: Transformers : Le Commencement (France, "Transformers: The Beginning"), Transformers : Un (Canada, "Transformers: One")
• Mandarin: Biànxíng Jīngāng: Qǐyuán (变形金刚：起源, "Transformers: The Beginning")
• Portuguese: Transformers: O Início ("Transformers: The Beginning")
• Korean: Transformer ONE (트랜스포머 ONE Teuraenseupomeo ONE)
• Russian: Transformery: Nachalo (Трансформеры: Начало, "Transformers: The Beginning")
• Spanish: Transformers One (Spain), Transformers : Uno (Latin America, "Transformers: One")