Summary
After learning about Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson’s rejected $500 million live-actionTransformersmovie atSan Diego Comic-Con, I now want to see the unmade project as much asTransformers One. The former Marvel Cinematic Universe co-stars, as well asEternals' Bryan Tyree Henry, leadTransformers One’s cast of talented voice actors, which also includes Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm. There’s no doubt that theTransformers(2007) prequel has launched one ofSDCC 2024’s most exciting movie trailers— even ifthe unmade franchise movie is the one stealing my attention.
Slated for a July 11, 2025 release, the animated film isan origin story about the “robots in disguise” that’s set on their home planet, Cybertron. At first, the announcement of theChris Hemsworth recast ofTransformersvet Peter Cullenworried me, but the SDCC panel delved into the fact that theThoractor is playing a much younger, less experienced version of Optimus Prime (previously, Orion Pax), who goes from being brothers-in-arms with Megatron (a.k.a. D-16) to archenemies. Still, I can’t help but wonder how a live-action version ofTransformers Onewould’ve fared.
Transformers One Producer Jokes That A Live-Action Movie Couldn’t Have Happened Without A Massive Budget
Animation Was The Only Logical Fit For The Epic Vision Of Transformers One
At the film’s San Diego Comic-Con panel,Screen Rantlearned from producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura thatTransformers Onewas “forced into animation"due to budgetary reasons. Di Boneventura noted that if the team had tried to make the project as a live-action movie, it probably would have cost at least $500 million. The only logical path forward for aTransformersorigin story — one that features no human characters at all — was to lean into animation. While Di Boneventura was being a bit facetious, it’s also true thata live-actionTransformers Onejust couldn’t really work.
It reminds me of how Disney briefly dubbed its 2019Lion Kingremake “live-action”…
Since the film is entirely set on Cybertron,a live-action approach just wouldn’t have made financial sense.Transformers One’s place in the franchise timelineis clear, but, no matter how cool I think another live-action installment sounds in theory, the narrative focus of the film doesn’t align with that vision. It reminds me of how Disney briefly dubbed its 2019Lion Kingremake “live-action” when, really, it’s just all animated characters. Still, it’s hard not to imagine Hemsworth, Johansson, and theTransformers Onecastin a live-action, human-filledmovie in theTransformersfranchise.
Who Is Starscream? Transformers One’s Villain Character Explained
Transformers One features Starscream as one of its primary villains, reflecting the long-storied history of the character in the franchise.
Transformers & GI Joe’s Upcoming Crossover Can Fulfill The Impossible Chris Hemsworth Live-Action Movie
Hemsworth Could Still Appear Onscreen With The Autobots & Decepticons
Following the tease at theend ofTransformers: Rise of the Beasts, I’ve been eagerly awaiting more news about the proposedTransformers/G.I. Joecrossover movie. Reportedly,Hemsworth is in talks for theTransformers/G.I. Joecrossover. Of course,if Hemsworth is cast in the crossover, I’d guess he’d be a member of theG.I. Joefaction, allowing him to fight side-by-side withTransformers' iconic characters. If it happens, the crossover could give us a sense of what a live-actionTransformers Onemight have been like with Hemsworth in the middle of the action.
Transformers Oneis slated for release on August 17, 2025.
Transformers One
Transformers One is an animated action-adventure movie that marks the first animated feature-length film for the series in decades. The film will be a prequel to the franchise, and will tell the story of Optimus Prime and Megatron in their early years, how they met, and a closer look at the war on their home planet, Cybertron.
