Originally teased as a special post-credits scene attached to the ending of 40th Anniversary 4K screenings of 1986’s The Transformers: The Movie, Hasbro has now announced it as the late Peter Cullen’s last-ever performance as Optimus Prime will appear in a new 12‑minute animated theatrical short, Optimus Prime: Awakening, premiering exclusively after select 40th Anniversary 4K screenings of The Transformers: The Movie from 17 September at cinemas in Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Peru.
Hasbro and Fathom Events are calling the tribute film “a love letter to the Transformers community and the late Peter Cullen,” adding that Cullen’s final recording “reveals a deeper vulnerability while retaining the unmistakable strength and authority that made his portrayal iconic.”
Frank Welker, Cullen’s longtime counterpart as Megatron, said performing opposite Cullen one last time was profoundly meaningful.
“Optimus Prime and Megatron were made for each other,” Welker said. “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.”
The restored 4K edition of The Transformers: The Movie will screen internationally from 17 September 2026 in Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Peru.
For Singapore, Geek Culture and Shaw Theatres have teamed up to bring something extra special for Transformers fans, with an exclusive ticket bundle for a one-night-only special fan screening on 17 September. Full details will be unveiled this week with tickets sales to follow.
Fans can also pre‑order the 40th Anniversary Limited‑Edition Steelbook on Amazon, releasing on 17 November in 4K UHD and Blu‑ray.
Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.
Kevin Low
