Transformers One Isn’t a Direct Prequel to Live-Action Series, Director Teases New Origin

Transformers One director Josh Cooley says the upcoming animated prequel does not necessarily connect with the live-action Michael Bay movies.

“We did our take on the origin, which is still staying true to the lore of Transformers,” Cooley said in an interview with ComicBook.com regarding the Cybertron-set tale which he described as “something we’ve never seen before on screen.”

“I wouldn’t say that this is a direct prequel to anything that’s been done with live-action ones,” Cooley continued. “But it’s definitely its own story as well.”

In a separate interview with ScreenRant, Cooley recalled how depicting the origin story of Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry) was the selling point in directing the prequel. Additionally, Cooley was given a “Transformers Bible” by Hasbro which guided him through the story process. In the end, the director tried something different from the action-packed Bay installments: Emphasizing the early friendship-turned-rivalry between Prime and Megatron.

“Even if you’ve never seen Transformers before, even if you’ve never read the comics, nothing – you can watch this movie and be totally invested,” Cooley said. “You see these two characters and go, ‘Yeah, they’re great together.’ Orion and D-16 before they become Optimus and Megatron? They’re awesome. You want to see them together, you want to love them together, so that when the relationship starts to fall apart, it’s a tragedy. At the end of it, you’re just like, ‘Oh, man, it sucks that they’re going to become enemies.’ Regardless of all the different tellings of the origin, the most important thing was that relationship.”

What is Transformers One about?

As the first animated theatrical release for the series since Transformers: The Movie in 1986, Transformers One is a prequel set in the early years of the Autobot and Decepticon war on Cybertron. The story will follow Prime and Megatron in their youth as friends before turning into sworn enemies. Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and directed by Cooley, Transformers One co-stars Scarlett Johansson as Elita, Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime, and Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion.

Transformers One is scheduled for release on September 20th.