This year’s celebration honors Peter Cullen’s six-decade career and enduring impact on the Transformers franchise, including the debut of “Optimus Prime: Awakening,” featuring his final original voice performance as Optimus Prime
The Transformers: The Movie returns to theatres in 4K alongside new product and collaboration reveals for fans and collectors
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — September 17, 2026 — Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company, is marking the third annual Transformers Day with a celebration of the stories, characters and fans that have shaped the franchise for decades. This year holds special significance as Hasbro and the global Transformers community remember Peter Cullen, whose performance as Optimus Prime inspired generations and became an essential part of the franchise’s identity.
Across a six-decade career in animation, film and broadcast, Cullen became best known for giving voice to Optimus Prime. With unmistakable strength, humanity and compassion, he helped cement the Autobot leader as an enduring symbol of courage, sacrifice and leadership.
Beginning today, The Transformers: The Movie returns to theaters domestically and internationally in a newly restored 4K presentation from Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment. Following the credits, fans will experience Cullen’s final original performance as Optimus Prime in “Optimus Prime: Awakening,” an animated short debuting exclusively as part of the 40thanniversary theatrical event.
“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.
“Peter Cullen showed generations of fans that strength and gentleness can exist together,” said Kim Boyd, President of Licensing and Entertainment at Hasbro. “He shaped Optimus Prime around the example of his brother Larry, a decorated Vietnam veteran, who told him to ‘be strong enough to be gentle.’ Peter carried that guidance into a hero defined as much by compassion as courage. Those fortunate enough to know Peter recognized those same qualities in him. As we mark Transformers Day this year, we celebrate both the franchise Peter helped define while paying tribute to the extraordinary person behind one of its greatest heroes.”
Peter’s legacy will remain at the heart of the Transformers franchise as it continues to reach and inspire new generations. Beyond the theatrical celebration, Hasbro is commemorating Transformers Day with a slate of new reveals, launches and global activations celebrating the franchise’s past, present and future, including:
- Transformers Day Celebration at Battersea Power Station brings fans together at The Transformers Store in London for an exclusive screening of The Transformers: The Movie, followed by tribute speeches, refreshments and a celebration of the life, legacy and enduring heroism of Optimus Prime.
- HOT WHEELS TRANSFORMERS BUMBLEBEE marks the third 1:64 collaboration between the two iconic brands, Hot Wheels and Transformers. Inspired by the G1 character and reimagined with Hot Wheels flair, Bumblebee appears undercover as a weathered 1967 Volkswagen Beetle with Real Riders wheels and converts into a robot with 13 points of articulation.
- A new Transformers capsule collection at Target, offering fans fresh ways to celebrate the brand through figures, comics, apparel, home decor, drinkware, music and other collectibles from Hasbro and its partners, including CultureFly, Super7, Blokees, Monogram, Franco and Skybound Entertainment.
Together, the 4K theatrical re-release, animated short and new product reveals mark one of the biggest moments in the year-long celebration of The Transformers: The Movie’s 40th anniversary. As the celebration continues through the end of the year, this moment brings fans together around the film’s enduring impact while honoring Cullen, whose extraordinary contribution will always be part of Optimus Prime.
Tickets for The Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary are available now online and at participating theater box offices. Theater locations are subject to change. In addition to previously announced regions, screenings have now been confirmed in France, Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Peru.
For the latest information on the 40th anniversary, visit the Transformers hub on Fathom Entertainment’s website. Stay connected by following @TransformersOfficial onInstagram and TikTok, and
@Transformers on X and Facebook.
About Transformers
The Transformers brand is a global powerhouse franchise with millions of fans around the world. Since 1984, the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons has come to life in movies, TV shows, comic books, innovative toys, and digital media, bringing incredible “MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE” experiences to fans of all ages. The brand’s enduring connection is made possible by its rich storytelling and characters: the heroic Autobots who seek to protect all life, and the evil Decepticons who seek to conquer the universe. The Transformers brand is a Hasbro franchise.
About Hasbro
Hasbro is a leading games, IP and toy company whose mission is to create joy and community through the magic of play. With 165 years of expertise, Hasbro delivers groundbreaking play experiences and reaches more than 1 billion fans annually around the world, through physical and digital games, video games, toys, licensed consumer products, location-based entertainment, film, TV and more.
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