Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts Reveals First Look At Optimus Primal

It's about time we got to see him!

By Dan Lawrence | Updated

transformers 7 optimus prime

Transformers is one of the biggest movie franchises in Hollywood, with six blockbuster movies under its belt. The seventh installment in the franchise, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is on its way in 2023. Thanks to The AllSpark, fans can now get a first look at Transformers’ Optimus Primal, one of the characters making their live-action debut in the movie.

The AllSpark’s, sneak peek at Transformers’ Optimus Primal character comes courtesy of a piece of artwork depicting the character next to fan-favorite Bumblebee. Comicbook.com understands the artwork is part of a series of Transformers merchandise and images of a transformers Optimus Primal Mask toy have also been revealed. Optimus Primal will be joined in the upcoming movie by characters those fond of the Transformers: Beast Wars series will be familiar with. Namely Mirage, Arcee, Wheeljack, Scourge, and Nightbird. Comicbook.com also state that the artwork shows that Transformers’ Optimus Primal will have a live-action design familiar to fans of the original Beast Wars series, from a faithful colour scheme to the two gun cannons at the end of each arm.

So how will Transformers’ Optimus Primal and his beastly compatriots fit in with the likes of Bumblebee and the good folks on planet earth? Well, it is understood that the plot goes something like this: “a pair of archaeologists from Brooklyn come into an ancient conflict through a globe-trotting adventure that ties in with three factions of Transformers: the Maximals, the Predacons and the Terrorcons.” Ron Perlman will be the voice of Optimus Primal and Anthony Ramos (In the Heights) is cast in the film as Noah. Ramos is a rising star in Hollywood, his character is a former military man and electrician struggling to make ends meet for himself and his family in Brooklyn, New York. Ramos is joined in the film by co-lead Dominique Fishback (Judas and the Black Messiah) who plays Elena, an artefact researcher who works for a museum. Peter Cullen returns as the voice of Optimus Prime.

Transformers’ Optimus Primal is just one of several new characters being introduced into the live-action franchise of Transformers movies. Last year, it was announced that Michael Bay would not be returning to direct any further installments in the franchise. Fans then didn’t have long to wait until Transformers: Rise of the Beasts was officially unveiled as the film’s title. With the title confirmation, director Steven Caple Jr revealed that the film would be set in mid-nineties New York, and bring together the Autobots and Decepticons with the Maximals and Predacons, prehistoric animals that can transform into robots with Transformers’ Optimus Primal among them.

Collider reports that Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is part of a new trilogy of Transformers movies. Director Steven Caple Jr marked the end of principal photography on the new movie eight months ago with an Instagram snap of Optimus Prime in truck form. It will be interesting to see how the likes of Transformers’ Optimus Primal integrate with the live-action Autobots and Decepticons movie audiences have become familiar with as well as how Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will start to bridge the gap between Bumblebee and 2007’s Transformers. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will hit theatres on June 9 2023.