In an impressive PR stunt, Paramount Pictures launched the trailer for Transformers One from outer space (well, just outside the stratosphere), giving us a first look at the CG-animated prequel movie.
The story focuses on legendary foes Optimus Prime (then known as Orion Pax) and Megatron (then named D-16) before they became sworn enemies as leaders of their respective Transformer factions, the Autobots and Decepticons.
Voice actors Chris Hemsworth (Pax) and Brian Tyree Henry (D-16) introduce the trailer, which reveals that the two then-friends started out as simple worker bots, unable to transform into their vehicle and weapon forms. As they assemble a group of fellow warriors to do battle against a mysterious, plant-like villain, they gain the ability to become "Robots in Disguise."
During an interview with Screen Rant, director Josh Cooley explained why establishing Prime and Megatron's relationship was so important, and why he views their story as a "tragedy."
"As long as the audience cares about these characters from the very beginning and believes in their relationship, [that's what we need] for this film. Even if you've never seen Transformers before, even if you've never read the comics, nothing - you can watch this movie and be totally invested. You see these two characters and go, 'Yeah, they're great together.' Orion and D-16 before they become Optimus and Megatron? They're awesome. You want to see them together, you want to love them together, so that when the relationship starts to fall apart, it's a tragedy. At the end of it, you're just like, 'Oh, man, it sucks that they're going to become enemies.' Regardless of all the different tellings of the origin, the most important thing was that relationship."
Other cast members include Scarlett Johansson as Elita, Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee, Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime and Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion.
Check out the trailer below along with a new poster, and let us know what you think in the comments section.
"The first trailer for TRANSFORMERS ONE is debuting like no movie trailer ever has: In Space! This long-awaited origin story of how the most iconic characters in the TRANSFORMERS universe, Orion Pax and D-16, went from brothers-in-arms to become sworn enemies, Optimus Prime and Megatron, debuted its trailer on Thursday, April 18th.
The launch kicked off at 6am PT with a live-streamed countdown showing the journey into space. After one hour, the craft reached its peak at 125,000 feet above the Earth, revealing the trailer with a custom introduction video from our stars: Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry."
"TRANSFORMERS ONE is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever. In the first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers movie, TRANSFORMERS ONE features a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, with Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm."