The Transformers thread (shows, comics, toys, all things TF)

[Baby Punisher]

I say this as someone who grew up on G1:

They need to move on. Cullen and Welker are iconic but Cullen is 82 and Welker is 78. Neither sounds like they did in their heyday and Cullen in particular has lost a lot of the range in his Optimus voice. They need to find a way to solidify some new blood in the roles so that they can have people take those character voices into the future and not simply sound like they're doing a bad Peter Cullen impression (like the guy that's been Optimus in non-Cullen roles over the last decade).

Garry Chalk was good as Optimus Primal and as Unicron Trilogy Optimus because he had the same sort of energy and spirit about him without just sounding like a carbon copy. That's what they need to shoot for.

But in spite of saying this, if they do another Beast Wars-related show/movie that features T-Rex Megatron and he's not voiced by David Kaye I will burn their studio to the ground.


All that said, on the topic of this movie: I hope that kids like it but I'm not sure it's for me. It has strong "generic kids CG movie #5,239" vibes going on with that same sort of off-the-wall silliness and quippy meme-factory stuff that you got out of Minions or the Super Mario Bros movie. Except both of those are light enough fare that they can work with that. Transformers isn't really in that same vein.

The best way to de-age Cullen is to do what Starwars is doing with James Earl Jones. Have him record words, and lines and use AI to make him sound young.

 

[The Nemesis]

The best way to de-age Cullen is to do what Starwars is doing with James Earl Jones. Have him record words, and lines and use AI to make him sound young.

No. That was awful. It didn't even sound right, it sounded artificial.

Just recognize that people can't play a role forever and find ways to honor the icons without constantly seeming like you're just chasing an impression.

 

[StreetHawk]

I say this as someone who grew up on G1:

They need to move on. Cullen and Welker are iconic but Cullen is 82 and Welker is 78. Neither sounds like they did in their heyday and Cullen in particular has lost a lot of the range in his Optimus voice. They need to find a way to solidify some new blood in the roles so that they can have people take those character voices into the future and not simply sound like they're doing a bad Peter Cullen impression (like the guy that's been Optimus in non-Cullen roles over the last decade).

Garry Chalk was good as Optimus Primal and as Unicron Trilogy Optimus because he had the same sort of energy and spirit about him without just sounding like a carbon copy. That's what they need to shoot for.

But in spite of saying this, if they do another Beast Wars-related show/movie that features T-Rex Megatron and he's not voiced by David Kaye I will burn their studio to the ground.


All that said, on the topic of this movie: I hope that kids like it but I'm not sure it's for me. It has strong "generic kids CG movie #5,239" vibes going on with that same sort of off-the-wall silliness and quippy meme-factory stuff that you got out of Minions or the Super Mario Bros movie. Except both of those are light enough fare that they can work with that. Transformers isn't really in that same vein.

I agree. Plus this is Orion Pax and whatever name they are giving Megatron. Not sure if the directors advised them to just do their thing vs try to mimic anything of the iconic voice actors.
Any animated Batman is going to be different without Conroy. Going to be the same with Optimus and Megatron. Even a decade a ago, with Transformers Prime, could see that there was no way for Cullen to do anything other than a seasoned Optimus anymore. Welker's Megatron in Prime series was more scary sounding then the original series.

 

[The Nemesis]

I agree. Plus this is Orion Pax and whatever name they are giving Megatron. Not sure if the directors advised them to just do their thing vs try to mimic anything of the iconic voice actors.
Any animated Batman is going to be different without Conroy. Going to be the same with Optimus and Megatron. Even a decade a ago, with Transformers Prime, could see that there was no way for Cullen to do anything other than a seasoned Optimus anymore. Welker's Megatron in Prime series was more scary sounding then the original series.

This was actually intentional. Welker found it hard to emote in the original, really raspy G1 Megatron voice. All he could really do was quiet voice/LOUD VOICE (and I imagine that long sessions of recording it was murder on his vocal cords). So backing off the rasp and adding a bit of a deeper, rumbling tone allowed him to keep the voice recognizable but allowed him to do more work with it.

Meanwhile part of Optimus' problem is the way his characterization has been pigeonholed to "stern, stoic, almost-divine leader who exists to spout heroic cliches and inspiring speeches and probably also die and come back to life" but yeah also it's clear that Cullen's voice has deepened to the point that it lacks the warmth he had during G1.

 

[Guardian17]

The best way to de-age Cullen is to do what Starwars is doing with James Earl Jones. Have him record words, and lines and use AI to make him sound young.

I like this idea.

 

[StreetHawk]

This was actually intentional. Welker found it hard to emote in the original, really raspy G1 Megatron voice. All he could really do was quiet voice/LOUD VOICE (and I imagine that long sessions of recording it was murder on his vocal cords). So backing off the rasp and adding a bit of a deeper, rumbling tone allowed him to keep the voice recognizable but allowed him to do more work with it.

Meanwhile part of Optimus' problem is the way his characterization has been pigeonholed to "stern, stoic, almost-divine leader who exists to spout heroic cliches and inspiring speeches and probably also die and come back to life" but yeah also it's clear that Cullen's voice has deepened to the point that it lacks the warmth he had during G1.

All true, and the reality when people as, ala Patrick Stewart in Star Trek. No longer than charismatic Captain of the Enterprise.

Curious to see how TF One will be received in Sept. Again, totally get that it's for the current younger generation and not the original fans of the 80's. Wonder how much of it is the in your face comedy that they showed in the trailer.

And how it does at the box office compared to TMNT, Spider verse and Mario Bros.

 

[Baby Punisher]

All true, and the reality when people as, ala Patrick Stewart in Star Trek. No longer than charismatic Captain of the Enterprise.

Curious to see how TF One will be received in Sept. Again, totally get that it's for the current younger generation and not the original fans of the 80's. Wonder how much of it is the in your face comedy that they showed in the trailer.

And how it does at the box office compared to TMNT, Spider verse and Mario Bros

I think it will be ok. As long as it's not like Rescue Box which for a toddler is great, but for everyone else not so much.