It turns out that the late Peter Cullen’s final vocal performance of Optimus Prime was in the animated short Optimus Prime: Awakening. Want to watch it? Here’s how.
How to Watch Optimus Prime: Awakening
Optimus Prime: Awakening is a new animated short made in 2026. It has a run-time of 12 minutes, and the only way to watch it right now is to go to the theater and catch a showing of Transformers: The Movie. It’s back in theaters to celebrate the movie’s 40th anniversary, and theaters are playing the animated short following each showing of the film.
Unfortunately, it might be too late to catch it. September 21 is the final day of Transformers: The Movie’s theatrical run.
However, I have good reason to think the animated short will appear as a bonus feature accompanying Transformers: The Movie – 40th Anniversary Limited-Edition Steelbook. While most retailers selling the steelbook don’t have any bonus features listed, Gruv added some a week or two after the listing went live. According to Gruv, on Disc Two, a Blu-ray, you’ll find “Animated Coda (TBD) (2026).”
While that may fall short of definitive proof that Optimus Prime: Awakening will be included with the steelbook release, it sure sounds like it to me. IGN has reached out to Shout Factory for confirmation and will update this article when we hear back.
What Is Optimus Prime: Awakening?
Optimus Prime: Awakening is a new animated short made in 2026 to accompany the theatrical re-release of Transformers: The Movie in celebration of its 40th anniversary.
From Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment’s announcement of the short:
“Optimus Prime: Awakening is a fully realized, 12-minute animated short designed as a love letter to the Transformers community and the late Peter Cullen, the legendary talent and voice of Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime: Awakening builds on the acclaimed storytelling and visuals of The Transformers: The Movie (1986), giving audiences the rare opportunity to experience the iconic cultural moment from the franchise’s past while exploring its future on the big screen.”
You can preorder Transformers: The Movie – 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook now. It releases November 17.
