New character posters for Transformers One have been released by Paramount ahead of the animated film’s release. The main heroes from the upcoming prequel are highlighted in the new posters, as the studio prepares to show audiences a different side of the franchise they know and love. Thousands of years before Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) crossed paths with the humans of Earth, the leader of the Autobots was a young robot trying to find his place in the world.

The premise of Transformers One will be centered around Orion Pax (who will later become Optimus Prime) and his friendship with D-16 (the machine destined to become Megatron). While the Transformers franchise has shown these warriors as enemies over the course of decades, the upcoming animated prequel will shine the spotlight on how their journey together began. Optimus Prime and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry) will be joined by characters such as Elita (Scarlett Johansson), Bumblebee (Keegan Michael Key) and Starscream (Steve Buscemi).

The screenplay for Transformers One was written by Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari. Pearson has worked at Marvel Studios for decades, with the writer helping to build the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The screenwriter is currently working through one of the best moments of his career, with Pearson involved in upcoming adventures such as Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. In the meantime, Pearson‘s character work will be displayed in Transformers One, as two future rivals try to work together.

From the Director of ‘Toy Story 4’

Time to punch in. 👊 #TransformersOne pic.twitter.com/kRuU5Uamps

— Transformers (@transformers) August 12, 2024

Transformers One was directed by Josh Cooley, the director behind Toy Story 4. The fourth installment of the successful franchise earned over $1 billion at the global box office, proving that audiences liked what Cooley has to offer on the screen. Cooley worked at Pixar for the majority of his career, contributing to titles such as Ratatouille and Up. But now, the director is ready to move away from the studio by diving deep into the history of Cybertron and the heroes and villains who controlled the planet.

The fact that Transformers One will be an animated prequel will also give Paramount the chance to figure out the future of the franchise in the meantime. When Transformers: Rise of the Beasts came to an end, it was revealed that G.I. Joe was trying to recruit Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) into one of their special programs. The potential crossover is currently in development. But nothing is set in stone beyond the release of Transformers One this fall.

You can check out the new character posters from Transformers One above, before the film premieres in theaters on September 20.

via Collider