‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ First Clip Reveals Peter Cullen’s Final Performance

Peter Cullen may be gone, but fans are about to hear his voice as Optimus Prime one more time. The first clip from the upcoming animated short ‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ has arrived, offering a brief look at what will be Cullen’s final performance as the legendary Autobot leader.

Cullen died on August 26 at the age of 85, surrounded by his family at his home in Los Angeles. He had spent decades defining Optimus Prime for generations of ‘Transformers’ fans, making the news of his death especially difficult for the franchise’s longtime audience. What makes his final performance even more meaningful is that Cullen had already recorded the role before his passing.

Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment revealed the project shortly after Cullen’s death. ‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ is a 12-minute animated short created as a special companion to the 40th-anniversary theatrical return of ‘The Transformers: The Movie.’ What was originally planned as a surprise for fans has now become something much more personal, giving audiences one last chance to hear Cullen bring Optimus to life.

The newly released clip gives fans their first real taste of the short. While the full story is still being kept secret, the footage is already getting attention because of Cullen’s performance. The short will make its full theatrical debut alongside the anniversary screenings of the 1986 movie beginning September 17, with Fathom Entertainment confirming that the short will be included with every screening of the re-release.

There is also another familiar voice returning for the occasion. Frank Welker, Cullen’s longtime co-star, is back as both Megatron and Soundwave. The two actors spent years bringing the central rivalry of Optimus Prime and Megatron to life, making their reunion in Cullen’s final performance especially fitting.

Welker spoke about working with Cullen one last time and the friendship they shared outside the booth. “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.” He also praised the qualities Cullen brought to the character, saying, “Peter’s portrayal of Prime was born of his own personal beliefs; honesty, loyalty, and always insisting on doing the right thing.”

For Welker, getting to return as Megatron and Soundwave was something he will always remember. “Returning as Megatron and Soundwave for one final story opposite Peter’s Optimus in ‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ was a real gift,” he said.

The short comes from director Josh Wassung and writer Ryan Parrott, with Bobby Krlic providing the music and The Third Floor handling the animation. Hasbro has described the project as “a love letter to the Transformers community and the late Peter Cullen.” The company also teased that Cullen’s final performance shows a more vulnerable side of Optimus while keeping the strength and authority that made his version of the character so iconic.

The connection to the original 1986 movie makes the project even more interesting. ‘The Transformers: The Movie’ famously killed Optimus Prime early in the story, although the character eventually returned in ‘The Return of Optimus Prime’ the following year. There is still no official synopsis for the new short, so fans will have to wait to find out exactly where it fits into the story. Some have wondered if it could connect those events, but that remains speculation for now.

The anniversary screenings are planned for a wide international release, including the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Germany, France, Singapore and several countries across Latin America. Fathom has said every anniversary screening will include ‘Optimus Prime: Awakening.’

Cullen’s family has also asked fans to remember him by following the values he represented, including compassion, integrity and loyalty. Now, with the first clip finally here, fans have one last performance to look forward to. For many viewers, seeing Optimus Prime speak with Cullen’s voice again may be more than a piece of new ‘Transformers’ content. It could be a final goodbye to the man who made the character unforgettable.

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