For Chris Hemsworth, whose career skyrocketed after playing Thor in the Marvel universe, the decision to voice Optimus Prime was an easy one—especially after consulting with his kids.
“They said, ‘Absolutely, you have to play this character,” Hemsworth said.
Transformers One offers a fresh take on the familiar story, showing a young Optimus, known as Orion Pax, during his early days as a lowly miner on the planet Cybertron. He was once best friends with D-16, who eventually becomes the evil Megatron. Brian Tyree Henry, an Oscar, Emmy and Tony-nominated actor, voices the younger version of Megatron.
The film showcases the journey of the two characters, from friends to enemies, leading to a transformation when D-16 turns into Megatron.
“We’ve never seen them as younger versions of themselves when they were friends,” Hemsworth said.
Stepping into the shoes of Optimus Prime wasn’t something Hemsworth took lightly. He had to live up to the legendary voice of Peter Cullen, who has been synonymous with the character for decades. That prompted Hemsworth to do his homework to study Cullen.
“He would sort of contort his neck and his, you know, body, into a position,” Hemsworth said. “I used that a little bit, too.I did exactly that, I had to kinda squash my vocal chords into a certain position.”
Transformers One marks a return to the animated roots of the franchise, bringing back the nostalgic feel of the original 1980s cartoon. Hemsworth hopes audiences will enjoy the movie, both for its action and heart.
“I hope people get something from it on a deeper level, but mostly the same reason I went to the cinema as a kid, the same reason I go to now, is just to have fun … to laugh, to smile, to cry, have a journey, have an emotional experience,” said Hemsworth.
“Transformers One,” distributed by Paramount Pictures, which is part of CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, will be in theaters today.