Transformers One releases in September 2024, and no one is talking about it. Why? I don’t know, but it’s an absolute crime. This new animated movie bears the origin story at the heart of the franchise, bringing two titans together to tell the story of Cybertron’s Great War. Maybe the studios are planning a huge marketing push right before release, but I can’t sit aside and let this gem get pushed under the rug. Transformers deserves the spotlight, and I’m telling you why you should show up for this incredible fandom.

For starters, Transformers One is going to show the world something previously only read about in books. The movie will explore the relationship between Optimus Prime and Megatron before the Great War, telling the story of how a young Optimus and Megatron go from brothers-in-arms to sworn enemies. The entirety of modern Transformers lore revolves around the fallout of their combined philosophies and might. Though they both wish for a thriving Cybertron, their means to that end grow vastly different, with Optimus on the side of unity and sacrifice for the greater good, and Megatron bent on reforming Cybertronian society and setting a new system of his own making into place. The very planet itself is caught between them in a rivalry that spans the ages. 

With a star-studded cast, Transformers One stands poised to sweep the theaters. Chris Hemsworth will voice Young Optimus Prime in the animated film, while Brian Tyree Henry will voice Young Megatron. Additional names include Scarlett Johansson as Optimus’s love interest Elita, Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee, Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime, and Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion. Excellent casting, if I do say so myself. 

Why is this movie such a big deal? Because it will outline the key philosophical difference between these two titans of war. At the time they meet, Cybertron has fallen from the Golden Age into a caste system designed to separate citizens’ lives into predetermined roles with little room for individual choice or creativity. Optimus, a data clerk, and Megatron, a gladiator, both question this stifling power structure and the decisions made for them by a society that does not seem to have their best interests in mind. Both believe the system is broken. However, Optimus Prime believes it needs to be fixed, and Megatron believes it needs to be dismantled. As per the franchise motto, there is much more to the story than meets the eye. 

Transformers One is currently scheduled to release on September 19, 2024, and we need to treat this like the incredible blockbuster it is! With a rich story full of history and lore, guaranteed emotional turmoil, an expertly picked cast, and a chance to tell this story right, it’s everything fans and newbies to the franchise could ask for. We turned up for Captain America: Civil War, and I’m not afraid to start a cyber-war by saying this story is far better than Cap vs Tony. Don’t tell me you’re not willing to argue your friends and family into the ground over team differences; I’ve seen ya do it! We bought T-shirts and everything. (Is that what we’re missing? Do we need to pick a team?) Pick a team: Autobots or Decepticons! This story deserves to be talked about, and I, for one, will do so loudly!

Are you going to see Transformers One? Share your hype on your socials! Word of mouth and showing up for the things we love is the only way to show the studios behind these films that we want the good stuff: faithfully adapted stories that capture the soul and essence of the fandoms we love, not hastily churned-out inaccurate cash grabs. It’s time to pick up the call—until all are one!