The iconic voice of Optimus Prime, the legendary voice actor Peter Cullen attended SacAnime 2015 and answered fan questions.
He stated that Transformers 5 and 6 to might be less darker in tone than the previous movies and will go back to its roots.
“There is a sense that Transformers movies are going into a darker area” stated Mr. Cullen. “I think I brought the concern to the movie studio and certainly to the writers. Perhaps…Transformers 5 and 6 movies will go back more to its roots. There was an occasion where one line [in Transformers: Age Of Extinction] which Optimus Prime had, I did not want to say. It was my gut instinct and certainly my commitment to the character… not to say the line. But I was told to say. You can’t fight the big boys. I think you all know what that line was.”
NitroSandwich17
Is the film out in 2016 or 2017? So many rumours, I know it was announced by Paramount but didn't one of the producers deny it or something?
I wish we could have some official news now, I try and find some beyond TFW2005 and all I get is pretty much fake stuff. Better stick to here rather than searching and coming back upset haha.
Datsun87
Ironically murder Prime from 07-DotM was rationalized pretty well in AoE. For as much crap as AoE gets, I appreciate that it took at least some steps to give the Transformers some characterization. Hound, Drift, and Crosshairs had more lines in AoE than Ironhide, Ratchet, Jazz, Sideswipe, Que/Wheeljack, Dino/Mirage, and the Wreckers had collectively in the 07-DotM trilogy.
Granted there were still plenty of problems with the writing (among other things) it was good to see AoE improve over RotF and DotM.
LegendAntihero
You should watch at least half of G1. It's a good series overall
Penchaud
Thanks. I thought it was a specific line.
AshleyCuadra
I agree with you guys but I barely watch a few episodes of transformers generation 1, I mostly love the movie, prime, animated, beast wars, beast machines, armada, energon and cybertron including rescue bots and robots in disguise
Timothy.R
i agree. i love G1 and am glad i grew up with it.. but it's nice to see a different prime. one that i can relate to, one that isn't "holier than thou".
Dotmshockwave
Either " I'LL KILL YOU!!!!" or " YOU DEFEND MY FAMILY OR DIE!!!", or maybe " Whoever is behind this is going to DIE!!"
Penchaud
Can someone clarify which, line he was referring to? That he found tough to quote?
LegendAntihero
I liked AoE cause Optimus had a sword instead of something which pops out of his arms
Galvatross
You pretty much describe some of the main reasons I enjoyed AOE much more than its predecessors. It took Prime to a place he's never been before. Also, Ratchet's death, and how Prime reacts to it, really had a huge impact on the movie's tone and story.
jestermon
If he doesn't want to say what they want him to they will just find someone else to.
spiritprime
In all four movies, I have seen traces of Optimus' compassion and nobility. His determination to protect his friends and allies always served him well in conflict, in fact it actually got him killed at one point. As it was to be expected.
It is true that this Optimus is brutal, but he seems extremely determined to end the war as quickly as possible, even if it meant getting his hands dirty. War does strange things to you. It changes you. You see those you care about die around you, even close friends (Ironhide, Ratchet, Jazz).
But to see Optimus go through so much emotional trauma in AOE, that really hit home, especially when he lost control at the sight of Ratchet being turned into scrap. I could hear his anguish, I even feared it at one point! But more importantly, I felt his dillusional distress when he awoke from his slumber. He snapped like a wild animal, trying to protect himself.
AOE showed just how human he was and I couldn't have asked for a better sense of character development for such a powerful leader who has reached an all time low when humanity has betrayed him not once, but TWICE! I can understand for him being done with humanity until Cade convinces him to see through the junk and look for the treasure deep inside. That took him another step further to regaining his faith in humanity.
Ash from Carolina
Perhaps it's just my personal take on characters but it seems that changing an aspect of a character can make them a completely different character even if some of the old aspects are kept.
In the novel Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter you have many of the details you'd expect out of old Abe. Impoverished childhood, going into law, courting Mary Todd, speeches, the election, the war, and all that. But going around taking the heads off of vampires with an ax makes him very different from the historical Abe even if historical details are there in the book.
A bit like having Kim Jong Un in The Interview vs Kim Jong Un in a serious film. Both are called Kim Jong Un North Korea's #1 fat boy but the Interview feels like a caricature of Kim Jong Un instead of the actual person.
Autovolt 127
Pretty Much.
mtl79
I'm really hoping that 5 and 6 are good… 4 didn't do it for me… I really liked 3, I loved the way Optimus went all bad ass half way through the movie…
I really enjoyed where TFP went (although overly simplistic in plot) but I guess on a more morbid note, what I'm getting at is Peter Cullen is starting to get up there in age… I think we're coming down to the last 2 movies that he will realistically be able to voiceover… I hope they do him justice… I don't know how I'll be able to watch Optimus Prime anymore after that when they recast his voice actor… it just wont be right for me…
bellpeppers
Right there with you.
Movie Op is still that same as G1 Op. Just because he has to get his hands dirty occasionally doesn't mean he is no longer noble, or compassionate.
Galvatross
Chopperface gets it. The core of the character is still there; it's just that sometimes he has to fight violently to protect humans and Autobots alike. The universe around him is more treacherous and dangerous than in G1.
Chopperface
At the end of the day I can accept that this is still Optimus Prime. Despite all his brutality on the battlefield, he is still the warm, loving Autobot leader Optimus Prime is deep down. You can genuinely hear the gratitude and warmth in his voice when he thanks Sam at the end of ROTF. The fact he can balance – or at least try to balance – his humanity with his brutality and willingness to do whatever it takes to protect his team and allies, no matter what happens to him, is something worth admiring. It also makes him one of the most powerful incarnations of Optimus, right up there with Animated and Primal.
Mechalemmiwinks
You know, I liked TF: P. Aside from Beast Wars, it's probably my favorite non-comic incarnation of Transformers.
And TF: P Prime was … well … I wouldn't call him boring. If anything, he was more of a resigned character, after fighting for millions of years and having almost all of his people killed. His lack of aggression in the show was that of someone who was being attacked by a pack of nearly-extinct animals: while the threat is real, you have to pull your punches or there just won't be any Cybertronians left. And some of his decisions were doozies, like when he destroyed the Omega Lock, choosing to keep Cybertron dead to keep Megatron from gaining political power when what was left of the Cybertronian survivors returned to the planet.
TFW10
PC has possible influence of the writers, however many moviegoers go to the movies to see the "dark' " of Transformers.
Most Transformers' audiences like the "dark"; it shows a different side to the franchise.
Them changing it, to make kids see it along with their parents, would be nice, but I don't think it will please the older crowd that is used to the first four movies being dark.
What would be interesting if PC influences the writers to put some RID ideas into the movies.