The late Peter Cullen is practically synonymous with Optimus Prime; the actor first voiced the Autobot leader in the original Transformers animated series in 1984, which began a connection that would span almost four decades. Cullen went on to reprise the role across animation, video games, and the live-action Transformers movie, becoming the definitive voice of Optimus Prime for a generation of fans.
Cullen sadly passed away in August 2026 at the age of 85, but fans haven't heard the last of his Optimus Prime. The Transformers: The Movie has returned to theaters for its 40th anniversary, and the re-release comes with something particularly special. A brand-new animated short, Optimus Prime: Awakening, gives the iconic Autobot another chapter four decades after the 1986 movie, while also featuring Cullen's final voice performance as the character.
Beginning September 17, The Transformers: The Movie returned to theaters in a newly restored 4k presentation as part of its 40th anniversary celebration and "apology tour" – a tongue-in-cheek campaign designed as an "apology" for the controversial character fate and dark tone of The Transformers: The Movie. After the credits start rolling in the 4k re-release of the Transformers movie, viewers can see Optimus Prime: Awakening, a new 12-minute short created by Hasbro as a tribute to Peter Cullen and the fandom. Hasbro's short builds on the 1986 movie, acting as a direct sequel that picks up with Optimus Prime on his deathbed after his controversial fate.
It's much more than a simple retrospective celebrating Transformers' past. The animated short reflects on Optimus Prime's seemingly endless conflict with the Decepticons, with dynamic action and multiversal cameos. Frank Welker returns alongside Cullen, once again voicing Megatron and Soundwave, while other familiar Autobots and Decepticons also return. Despite its updated animation, it doesn't lose the connection to the movie that started it all.
Optimus Prime: The Awakening has taken on considerably more significance since Cullen's tragic death in August. Having originated the character's voice in 1984 and continued on through eight movies and numerous TV shows, Cullen was, for many, the definitive voice of the character. Hasbro confirmed that The Awakening was Cullen's final voice performance as Optimus Prime, though the short was not originally created as a farewell.
“Optimus Prime: Awakening” is a fully realized, 12-minute animated short created as a love letter to the Transformers community and the late Peter Cullen. The animated short delivers emotional storytelling, electric action and new performances by legends Frank Welker as Megatron/Soundwave and Peter Cullen in his final original voice performance as Optimus Prime. Fans can now listen to the original score from “Optimus Prime: Awakening” on all streaming platforms.
Cullen's signature deep, authoritative voice is on full display in The Awakening, but he uses a slightly more fragile tone to reflect the emotional, reflective message of the new short. The Autobot's story will undoubtedly continue in some form, just as it has for the past few decades, but returning to the 1986 movie with one final, new Cullen performance gives this particular era of Transformers history a fitting new chapter before it comes to an end. Fans have already praised The Awakening as a touching tribute.
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