Paramount recently opened the floodgates when it came to details on the movie we’ve now come to know as Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. And one of the big announcements that came from the kickoff presentation with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura and director Steven Caple Jr. was the fact that we’d be introduced to the cinematic incarnation of the Maximals from Beast Wars. Now, we finally know who will voice their leader, as Sons of Anarchy star Ron Perlman has been revealed as the voice of Optimus Primal.
This new casting was reported by Collider, as sources have revealed that Perlman will be going head to head with returning Transformers legend Peter Cullen. As Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' Optimus Primal, Perlman will play a Maximal with the ability to morph into a gorilla. Rounding out the cast is In The Heights’ Anthony Ramos and Judas and the Black Messiah’s Dominque Fishback, who will be playing the humans Noah and Elena.
It’s hard to imagine a more perfect choice to play Optimus Primal in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts than Ron Perlman. With a resume of voice roles that includes projects like Batman: The Animated Series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and even Disney’s Tangled franchise, Perlman’s range is pretty evident. But what clinches the deal is the fact that this isn’t Ron Perlman’s first time playing Optimus Primal, as he originally played the role in the 2018 web series Transformers: Power of the Primes.
The return of Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime sets the stage for a pretty impressive showdown that should see the Transformers franchise taking a new and interesting turn. With the Beast Wars run of characters being introduced in this film’s 1994 time frame, there’s a chance that should Transformers: Rise of the Beasts be a hit, a totally new line of films could spin off through the adventures of the Maximals. If that happens, Ron Perlman is an even better choice to play Optimus Primal.
With gravitas equal to that of Peter Cullen himself, Ron Perlman’s addition to the cast of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts only makes this revival of the Paramount/Hasbro franchise even more exciting. As the intense Michael Bay-era films gave way to the more family friendly tone of Bumblebee, it’s starting to sound like this new chapter will land somewhere in-between. Between Cullen and Perlman, that tone should be more than easy to land.
Transformers Rise of the Beasts is in production now, with its release date currently set for June 24, 2022. But if you’re looking for fresh fun from the Paramount/Hasbro toy box, Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins will be headed our way on July 23rd. This and more await when you check out the 2021 release schedule, where there’s always more than meets the eye.
