Cullen, Welker sign on for Transformers game

Original voices of Optimus Prime, Megatron reprise roles for Activision game based on battling bots movie; audio clip, new screens inside.

By Tim Surette, GameSpot

Posted Apr 5, 2007 6:24 pm PT

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Back in the 1980s, children were riveted to their television sets to watch the ongoing battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons. The "robots in disguise" became a sensation, and one of that generation's most popular catchphrases was the animated series' famous battlecry, "Autobots, roll out!"

The man behind that line is Peter Cullen, who voiced the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime. Also lending vocal talent to the show was Frank Welker, who provided the raspy voice of Decepticon leader Megatron.

Today, Activision announced that both Cullen and Welker (pictured above) have signed on to reprise their roles in the publisher's upcoming Transformers: The Game, based on the DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures film Transformers, due out in early July.

"As Transformers fans, we knew the importance of having the well-known voices of Optimus Prime and Megatron in the game,” said Activision head of production Laird Malamed.

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Welker talks about becoming Megatron.

In addition to sending shivers down the spines of kids as Megatron, Soundwave, Buzzsaw, and other Transformers, Welker has done voice work for The Simpsons, Kingdom Hearts II, and New Super Mario Bros. and Mario Party 5 as Bowser. Cullen also provided the voices for fellow Transformers Ironhide and Slugslinger and the sheepish Eeyore of Winnie the Pooh fame.

For more on their inspirations for the voices and involvement in the Transformers film and game, read GameSpot's Q&As with Peter Cullen and Frank Welker.

Transformers: The Game will be released on multiple platforms this summer. Traveller's Tales is developing the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, and PC versions, Savage Entertainment is developing the PlayStation Portable edition, and Vicarious Visions is working on the two DS versions.

For more information, read GameSpot's previous coverage or check out the official Web site.

215 Comments

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Testament

yessssssssssssss the original megatron voice is back!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted Jun 15, 2007 10:14 am PT
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gwds

Brad's response mirrors my own. Man, that was a trip...

Posted Apr 25, 2007 12:30 am PT
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rheinman

when I was child it's pretty amazing looking a robot can transforms..great !!

Posted Apr 24, 2007 3:51 am PT
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TicTacSuicide

I have never been a fan of the Transformers, but this game looks like it might be interesting, since it also has the original voices.

Posted Apr 18, 2007 7:24 am PT
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dracula0103

The movie, the game, what is the difference any and all old school Transformer fans will like or love them both

Posted Apr 17, 2007 7:01 pm PT
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sponny1

lol they will wikipedia has said that cartoon network will be making a transformers mini-series
like star wars clone wars man!
heck they also trhe same producer of the clone wars mini-series man
but they are going to put in more effort on the detail of the autobots and the decepticon man!
this is so they dont look slunted and crappy!

Posted Apr 17, 2007 4:45 am PT
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number1bullit

I can't wait for Transformers to come out...wish they had it on cartoon network.

Posted Apr 17, 2007 1:48 am PT
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thekey

swimmi_34 "i wont watch it cuz hotshot isnt in there, but i will watch it for optimus prime"

Hotshot,* sarcasm who the hell is that? No TRUE Transformer fan would be looking for hotshot.*

Just playing but seriously were you around back in 84?

Posted Apr 16, 2007 3:54 pm PT
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Darth_kriza

TRANSFORMERS OWN

OPTIMUS PRIME RULZ

Posted Apr 16, 2007 1:25 pm PT
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swimmi_34

i wont watch it cuz hotshot isnt in there, but i will watch it for optimus prime

Posted Apr 15, 2007 2:04 pm PT
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classicfan

Cool and prefect for a game and the movie of course! Because without these Actors voices there probably would've never been the cartoon or even 22 years later the movie in C G I I hope the game and movie are worth it!!. They need to bring back GI-JOE from the 80's! and find the original voices from the 80's that did the voices from the GIJOE! series 1982-1986 HawkEyes,SnakeEyes,Strom Shadow,RoadBlock,Jade FireFly,The Cobra Commander I know Welker did his voice lol! etc-I miss those 80's cartoons!That needs to be brought back to the screen this time maybe in 2008?. But in CGI like in the movie Toy Soldiers 1997?..

Posted Apr 14, 2007 1:12 pm PT
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i_got_you60

the game better b good cause tranformers own

Posted Apr 14, 2007 10:39 am PT
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tonis125

the game better be good cause if not i know some people who will get very UPSET!

Posted Apr 13, 2007 5:29 am PT
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Big_ChuckNorris

Did Welker provide the voice in the first movie?

I had that on VHS until a couple of weeks ago, and he sounds exactly the same.

Which is keeeeeewl.

Posted Apr 12, 2007 1:45 pm PT
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DrCLos

Great news. Definitely looking forward to the movie and I will have to keep an eye on the game. They better be good!

Posted Apr 12, 2007 11:43 am PT
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Docthebutcher

Who, what, when, where are we talking about? 80s cart00n? oh I was building and racing cars in the 80s and 90s have I missed out on something in my life?

Doc

Posted Apr 12, 2007 6:33 am PT
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TwinTiger

Nice audio clip of Welker..... Megatron is in the house!

Posted Apr 11, 2007 10:45 pm PT
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CloudXentar

Curufenwe, the guy who voiced Starscream in generation 1 was Chris Latta but he passed away. It's a shame though. His voice would fit perfectly in movie.

Posted Apr 11, 2007 2:44 pm PT
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Curufenwe

Hope the guy that did the voice of starscream (dont realy remember the name, but he was the red jetfighter) gets to do the voiceacting as well.

Posted Apr 11, 2007 12:34 pm PT
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sinner910

does anyone know what the game is going to be like all i can find out is 'bout voices is it going to be like ps2? i hope not

Posted Apr 11, 2007 11:46 am PT
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I'm glad Wlker is doing the voice of Megatron. He is a superb guy and he deserves it , and a lot more too. Hugo is a nice actor but he isn't interested in Transformers and when he is done with it he will say '' on to the next job''. This is problem with voice acting. All the well known actors almost never lend a voice in the games ( except few of them like James Woods) so he shouldn't do it in the film eather and expecially not Megatron.
Heh, when I watch the movie I will feel like megatron is saying something like this :
'' Mr. Prime, welcome back. We missed you...'' lol

Posted Apr 11, 2007 9:54 am PT
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iloveflash

I didn't know those two guys did that many voices! Come to think of it, Eeyore does sorta sound like Optimus... CRAZY!

Posted Apr 11, 2007 9:13 am PT
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skuld_xx

I agree with you Gta4lif3

When i heard the movie announcement for the first time, got me excited, but when i saw the robot model, gawd it look ugly, but that just me since I'm so used to original look. Can't they just stick to original model and not making some mumbo jumbo out of em? my 2cent

Posted Apr 11, 2007 12:33 am PT
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archiekins07

Pretty cool!!! Sucks though that Welker isn't doing the voice on the movie. All we need now is a live action Thundercats movie....that would be great....He-man sucked with Dolph Lundgren, haha, anyone remember that movie?

Posted Apr 10, 2007 7:11 pm PT
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BOSSMAN_2004

lol computer games

Posted Apr 10, 2007 4:52 pm PT
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Vulpis

Now this is definitely a WTF moment--Welker gets kicked to the curb with regards to doing Megatron's voice for the movie itself, but gets called in to do the voice for the game based *on* the movie? (No doubt the drooling Bay fanbois are screaming bloody murder on some forum demanding that Hugo Weaving be used for the game, too...)

Posted Apr 10, 2007 2:35 pm PT
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Pheimos

Awesome!
I'm more for Gundam and Macross but..
Awesome!

Posted Apr 10, 2007 8:47 am PT
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Sanguis_Malus

Spiffing Moustache old chap !!!

Posted Apr 10, 2007 6:06 am PT
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Romayo83

It better be good, all previous Transformers games were not!

Posted Apr 10, 2007 4:36 am PT
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rodimus_prime85

Is this news?? I thought it was already confimed...

Posted Apr 10, 2007 2:50 am PT
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denaz

I hope this game is good...

Posted Apr 9, 2007 8:50 pm PT
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cobrax80

cool

Posted Apr 9, 2007 7:27 pm PT
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gamemofo515

I wish that they just made like a cartoony 3D transformers game. You know, bring it back to the old school when it was a good show.

Posted Apr 9, 2007 6:04 pm PT
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buffer34

sweet

Posted Apr 9, 2007 4:22 pm PT
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LexLas

This game all ready looks much better then the last one, I wonder though if Frank Welker is also doing the moive voice of Megatron ?

Posted Apr 9, 2007 3:36 pm PT
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Jshaw71

i guess that wellen and welker are joining the game, is a good thing, but this won't make it a better game, I am waiting for the movies realse so it can die a slow painful death and i can move on with waiting for the next bad movie based on a great 80's idea can come along, what next gi joe?

Posted Apr 9, 2007 3:32 pm PT
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Gigatron

not to brag... but I do a good Starscream. Game and movie looks AWESOME.

Posted Apr 9, 2007 2:32 pm PT
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Phazevariance

I just hope the movie is good...

Posted Apr 9, 2007 11:16 am PT
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BigDaveyDogz

I prob won't buy this but I will rent it if it doesn't suck

Posted Apr 9, 2007 7:09 am PT
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BounceDK

The last Transformers game totally sucked.
I hope this one will get better ...

Posted Apr 9, 2007 6:59 am PT
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optimus_kezzer

Well this sure adds to the game, fans will get to hear the first meagtron and optimus prime at least one more time. I don't have anything against Hugo as megatron, but i still smile when i hear Frank doing that raspy voice. I wonder what other fan boy treats we will get from this game...

Posted Apr 9, 2007 6:35 am PT
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YoUnG1991

i dont know if this game looks very good but i mite buy it anyway

Posted Apr 9, 2007 5:41 am PT
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digitalmel

It sucks that Frank Welker isnt doing the voice of megatron in the movie but Hugo Weaving is...
Still it is Hugo Weaving so you can expect something equally impressive 'Mr Anderson welcome back...'

Posted Apr 9, 2007 4:19 am PT
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TarkanC123

Frank Welker also did the voice of Nibbler in Futurama I just hope they use the same/similar game engine from Transformers on the PS2, I have it and think it was a great game. It had some minor setbacks, but on a whole was thoroughly enjoyable. If they improve on that, I'm sure it'll be great!

Posted Apr 9, 2007 2:38 am PT
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dell900

hmmm

Posted Apr 8, 2007 11:33 pm PT
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