“Transformers more than meets the eye.” This line from theTransformerstheme song perfectly sums up what these “robots in disguise” are all about. Originally a shape-shifting toy line from Hasbro in the 1980s,Transformersdeveloped its own film franchise. Before the live-action film series, there wasTheTransformers, a television series that began in 1984. This inspired the animated movie,The Transformers: The Movie, created in 1986. This means it has been almost forty years since the last animatedTransformersfilm was released. Undoubtedly, the upcoming animated movie in the series,Transformers One, will provide a feeling of nostalgia for people who saw the original animated film as kids.
The first live-actionTransformersmovie came out in 2007, starringShia LaBeoufandMegan Fox, and was directed byMichael Bay. Since then, six otherTransformersmovies have been released with a mix of different actors and directors.The most recent film in the series isTransformers: Rise of the Beasts, released in June 2023 after a five-year hiatus.
Transformers Onehas been in the cards for a while, originally being greenlit by Paramount in 2020. Since it was announced thatTransformers Onewas set to be produced, fans have greatly anticipated its arrival. It seems people cannot get enough origin stories, and this film will provide just that. It is always interesting to look at the history of characters we know and love. Audiences can understand more about the motivations behind their actions and how their relationships have developed over time. These may be robots, but since they are personified, they have emotions. Being an animated movie,Transformers Onewill take a different tone than the previous live-action films. It will be nice to get back to the franchise’s origins and have a bit of a lighter feel to the story. The following is everything we know aboutTransformers One.
Editor’s Note: This piece was updated on June 06, 2025.
Transformers One
Transformers One explores the origins of the iconic Autobots and Decepticons on their home planet of Cybertron. Set against a complex backdrop of alliances and betrayals, the film delves into the formative events and key figures that shaped these legendary factions, leading to their epic conflict.
6Does ‘Transformers One’ Have a Release Date?
Transformers Oneis set to “roll out” on August 17, 2025. The movie was previously scheduled for release onJuly 19, 2024, before being delayed untilSeptember 13, 2024.After the release of the first trailer, it was revealed that the release date had been bumped back a week. Also scheduled to open that weekend is theHalle Berry-led horror movieNever Let Go, the psychological dramaA Different ManstarringSebastian Stan, and theDemi Moore-led body horror movieThe Substance.
Another robot-themed animated movie is currently scheduled to open next weekend in the form of DreamWorks’The Wild Robot.
Collider heldan exclusive advanced screening for fans on August 11, 2025, a little less than two months before the movie’s September release.
5Will ‘Transformers One’ Release in Theaters?
Have no fear; whenTransformers Onedoes come out,it will come out with a bang on the big screen.After its theatrical run, it will be available on VOD (Video on Demand). Considering the movie is distributed by Paramount Pictures, it will inevitably end up streaming on Paramount+. This is where you can watch previous films in the Transformers franchise if you want to get excited before the movie comes out.
4Is There a Trailer for ‘Transformers One’?
Paramount premiered the first trailer forTransformers Oneon April 18,in the first-ever trailer launch from outer space. Set toThe Rolling Stones' “Start Me Up,” the trailer gives audiences their first look at the prequel and the noticeably much more family-friendly tone than previous installments in the franchise.
The second trailer forTransformers Onewas released by Paramount Pictures on June 14, 2025, during the movie’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con. The new trailer trades in the Stones' and the jokes for a more dramatic trailer, also revealing Megatron’s turn to evil.
3What Is ‘Transformers One’ About?
We are returning to where it all began on Cybertron, the planet where the Transformers hail from.This story stays true to the originsof past comic books and television series. Our main characters include the famous Optimus Prime and Megatron, who begin as friends. Audiences can see what happened to these characters and how they became enemies. Inevitably, this also explains how the Autobots and Decepticons begin their war. An overarching theme of inequality in society will also make an appearance. Considering that this movie is based on a line of children’s toys, the creators have been able to bring some more mature themes into the story.
One of the producers of the franchise,Lorenzo di Bonaventura, spoke to the entertainment website JoBlo and explained, “We’re hoping that there is enough emotional construct to that would lead to a trilogy of it because, personally, I think there’s a natural trilogy […] you’re going to see Cybertron in a way you’ve never seen it, that no one’s ever seen it before.” Based on some of the characters appearing in the movie, it is possible to guess what else the film will cover. The inclusion of Alpha Trion, one of the oldest Autobots, and Sentinel Prime, a primary antagonist, makes us think we will get more of a history of Transformers beyond just that of Optimus Prime and Megatron.
The film’s director, Josh Cooley, said thathe took inspiration from biblical epics such asThe Ten CommandmentsandBen-Hurwhen coming up with the movie’s story revolving around D-16 and Orion’s friendship turned rivalry.
“Those are epic tales of relationships, much like that of Orion and D-16, which we see evolve as friends as they also evolve as people. “If we had all the time in the world, it would’ve been fun to show Megatron as a gladiator and have the two characters come from very different backgrounds. We actually had a gladiator scene that alluded to this origin that was cut out.”
Duringthe movie’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con, a series of clips from the movie were shown, which Collider’s Shane Romanchick wrote up about:
The first sneak peek shows Cyberton’s version of the Olympics, the Iacon 5000, highlighting what’s fun about this planet and what life is like when everything is going well. Optimus Prime and Megatron watch excitedly from a prime (pun intended) spot Optimus has chosen, especially eager to see the star of the show: Sentinel Prime. After an introduction paying tribute to all the primes they lost in the past and how this event is a celebration of the enduring strength of Cybertron, an exciting race starts. Megatron watches giddily — before reluctantly being pulled in to compete. Optimus Prime drags him into the competition so they can show everyone that they, and miners in general, are “more than meets the eye.” They struggle and fall behind, at a disadvantage because of their lack of transforming powers, but they use creativity to hold their own, showing their tenacity and innovation.
The second features Optimus Prime and Megatron along with Bumblebee and Elita. The four of them get their transformation cogs from Alpha Trion (Laurence Fishburne), who tells them that what defines a transformer isn’t the cog in their chest but the spark in it — the desire to make the world better. What’s even more special is that the cogs have been taken from the old warriors who gave their lives long ago. “They were one. You are one. All are one,” Alpha Trion says, telling them that what they do with their newfound power is up to them. They can change the world — and they just might have to considering Cybertron’s future is in their hands. However, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be easy. There’s clearly going to be a learning curve when learning to use this new skill, showcased when they clumsily attempt to escape a pack of enemies that Alpha Trion seems to handle with relative ease after transforming himself.
The final sneak peek sees the gang being woken up and interrogated by some iconic Deceptions, including Starscream (Steve Buscemi) and Soundwave, who reveal they were once the high guard who saw the primes fall and have been fighting in the shadows ever since. The Deceptions are suspicious that they’re spies and threaten to kill them. Optimus Prime explains that all he wants is a unified Cybertron, but Starscream says that’s a myth — all that matters is the strength of one bot over another. Megatron takes that personally, standing up to Starscream. He doesn’t pull any punches, but he does pull a weapon — something that scares Optimus Prime and forces him to step in. That fear is only intensified when Megatron rallies everyone to begin following him.
The official synopsis for the film reads:
TRANSFORMERS ONE is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
2Who Stars in ‘Transformers One’?
Transformers Oneis made up of a star-studded cast, making it all the more appealing to audiences. With the film being animated, this allowed creators to re-cast some roles.Chris Hemsworthenters the scene as Orion Pax aka Optimus Prime,the film’s protagonist, and leader of the Autobots. This Australian heartthrob has some experience being the hero of the story, previously appearing as Thor in multiple different Marvel movies. Outside of the MCU, Hemsworths other credits include theExtractionfilms,Snow White and the Huntsman, and the upcomingFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga.Transformers Onemarks Hemsworth’s first animated movie.
Starring alongside Hemsworth is Academy Award nomineeScarlett Johanssonas Elita-1, a fellow member of the Autobots. Johansson has received multiple awards and has been one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood for years. Johansson is perhaps most known for playing the role of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in the MCU alongside Hemsworth’s Thor. Outside of superhero movies, she has previously appeared in movies such asMarriage Story,Jojo Rabbit, andLucy. Johansson is no stranger to voice-acting, having let her voice to theSingmovies,The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,Isle of Dogs, and the live-actionThe Jungle Bookremake.
Fellow Autobots includeKeegan Michael-Key(Key & Peele) as Bumblebee, Academy Award nomineeLaurence Fishburne(The Matrix) as Alpha Trion, andJon Hamm(Mad Men) as Sentinel Prime. Academy Award nomineeBrian Tyree Henry(Atlanta) will voice D-16, who later becomes Optimus Prime’s arch-nemesis Megatron.Steve Buscemi(Fargo) will also be a part of the voice cast as Starscream, a Decepticon who later works with Megatron before trying to overthrow him in an act of betrayal.
The supporting voice cast includesIsaac C. Singleton Jr.(Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) as Darkwing,Vanessa Liguori(The Sopranos) as Airachnid,Jason Knopisos-Alvarez(Starfield) as Shockwave,Jon Bailey(Honest Trailers) as Soundwave, andEvan Michael Lee(Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War) as Jazz.
1Who Is Making ‘Transformers One’?
Transformers One will be directed by Josh Cooley, who previously directedToy Story 4. The prequel is written byAndrew BarrerandGabriel Ferrari, who have previously collaborated, with their biggest success beingAnt-Man and the Wasp. Additional writers includeSteve DesmondandMichael Sherman, who have worked on short films together, such asMonstersand the feature filmKnock at the Cabin.
Any project involving the legendary filmmakerSteven Spielbergautomatically gives it legitimacy and credibility. In the case of Transformers, Spielberg has been on the team as executive producer since the first film. He will continue this role forTransformers Onealong withBrian Goldner(Battleship),Brian Oliver(Black Swan),Bradley J. Fischer(Zodiac), andValerii An(Coming 2 America).
Transformers Oneis written byAndrew BarrerandGabriel Ferrari, who have previously collaborated, with their biggest success beingAnt-Man and the Wasp. Additional writers includeSteve DesmondandMichael Sherman, who have worked on short films together, such asMonstersand the feature filmKnock at the Cabin.
Producers ofTransformers Oneinclude Michael Bay (director of the early films in the franchise),Mark Vahradian(Infinite),Aaron Dem(How to Train Your Dragon 2),Tom DeSanto(X-Men),Don Murphy(From Hell), and the previously mentionedLorenzo di Bonaventura(Transformers). The animation studio working on the film is Industrial Light & Magic, who also created the Transformers film,Bumblebee. Distributing the film is the fifth oldest surviving film studio in the world, Paramount Pictures.
