Summary
Chris Hemsworthhas had a difficult run at the box office, with his most recent film,Furiosa,pulling in a disappointing $172 million worldwide. GivenHemsworth’s track record with established franchises, this means a lot of eyes are going to be on his upcoming movieTransformers One. TheTransformersfranchise is hugely popular, with multiple hugely successful live-action movies anda decades-long history in animation.
WithHemsworth taking on the role of Optimus Prime, replacing veteran voice actor Peter Cullen,Transformers Onecould capitalize on the franchise’s popularity to break a long-running trend that’s followed Hemsworth for years. While some of Hemsworth’s disappointing roles haven’t done anything to hurt his popularity as an actor, it would be a fantastic turn to see him in something that could be a major hit.Transformers Onecould be that film.
Transformers One: Everything You Need To Know
The animated feature film Transformers One brought the beloved franchise back to the big screen, and here’s everything to know about the hit film.
Transformers One Is Chris Hemsworth’s Next Movie After Furiosa
And Hemsworth Is Stepping Into Some Big Robotic Shoes
Transformers Oneis set to be Chris Hemsworth’s first major release post-Furiosa, and will be making one of the first forays of the franchise into a feature animated film after years of live-action fare.Transformers Onetells the origins of Optimus Prime and Megatron, delving into the backstory that has beena major motivator in the conflict between the Autobots and Decepticons throughout the series. While this isn’t the first time audiences have seen this story explored in some manner, this will be the first time seeing it in a feature film.
The last animatedTransformersfilm wasTheTransformers: The Moviein 1986, which is still fondly remembered by fans and featured the tragic death of the Cullen-voiced Optimus Prime.Hemsworth’s casting as Optimus Prime has met some criticismfollowing a Hollywood trend of replacing beloved voice actors with major Hollywood stars, but with the actor portraying a much younger and far less experienced character it could be a perfect choice to show the difference between who Prime was at the start and who he later became. They’re big shoes to fill, but Hemsworth seems up to the task.
It’s A Trend That Really Needs To Be Broken
It’s difficult for any film to match the box-office draw of the MCU franchise. Hemsworth’s success as Thor stands as an outlier in a career filled with franchise fare that didn’t quite make the cut, and evenHemsworth isn’t satisfied with his most recent Thor film. The actor has repeatedly appeared in franchise films,only for them to ultimately miss the mark.
While it’s easy enough to see that Hemsworth is a talented actor from his stand-out work, even he can’t save a film if the quality of the material just isn’t there.
WhileFuriosawas the most recent foray Hemsworth made into franchise fare, it’s far from his only appearance. For instance, the 40-year-old actor appears in both theGhostbustersandMen in Blackfranchises. 2019’sMen in Black: Internationalwas particularly disappointing,holding a 23% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and grossing $253.9 million internationally. While it’s plain to see that Hemsworth is a talented actor from his stand-out work, even he can’t save a film if the quality of the material just isn’t there. His track record of disappointing projects therefore makes it even more crucial thatTransformers Onebreaks the trend.
Will Transformers One Be As Big As The Live-Action Movies?
It Can Be In One Major Way
The live-actionTransformersfilms have long been their own media juggernauts. WhiletheTransformersmovies have been incredibly hit or miss, even the worst-rated film in the franchise has had a worldwide gross of over half a billion. WithBumblebeebeing the most highly-rated film in the live-action franchise so far, there still may be some momentum left forTransformers Oneto capitalize on. The fact that the new film is animated might also improve its odds, given the nostalgia appeal of animated Transformers characters with adult audiences, and the fact that animation could be a much higher draw for young audiences as well.
The idea that animation is just for children has largely been disproven, with films likeSpider-Man:Into the Spider-Versefinding massive audiences and critical acclaim for their story and style. While the upcomingTransformersfilm doesn’t have the same sort of boundary-pushing style,it may very well have the kind of story behind it to succeed. With comparisons madebetweenTransformers OneandThe Lord of the Ringsin terms of lore, it may be just the film to breakChris Hemsworth’strend of franchise flops post-MCU.
Transformers One
Cast
Transformers One is an animated action-adventure movie that marks the first animated feature-length film for the series in decades. The film will be a prequel to the franchise, and will tell the story of Optimus Prime and Megatron in their early years, how they met, and a closer look at the war on their home planet, Cybertron.
