Chris Hemsworth returns to acting, is cast as Optimus Prime

Chris Hemsworth has returned to acting, after being cast as Optimus Prime in an upcoming Transformers film.

Perhaps best known as Thor 'The Mighty Avenger' in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and less so for his role in the Australian soap opera Home & Away, there is little doubt that Chris Hemsworth is one of the hottest actors on the planet. Though, the definition of 'hottest' actor on the planet might differ depending on your perspective. Sadly, however, Chris Hemsworth decided to take a step back from acting earlier in the year, following a discovery that he is genetically far more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Hemsworth discovered the fact when filming the National Geographic series Limitless with Chris Hemsworth.

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Obviously, as much as we would miss seeing Chris Hemsworth on the screen, his reasons for taking a step back are totally understandable and we wish him nothing but the best health and happiness. However, as reported by Polygon, the popular actor is returning, not in live-action form, but as the legendary Transformer Optimus Prime.

For nearly 40 years, fans of Transformers will recognise Peter Cullen as the legendary voice of the leader of the Autobots. That being said, other actors have voiced Optimus Prime in the past, but they just don’t sound right. So it’s fair to say that Hemsworth certainly has big shoes to fill.

The role in question is for a new animated movie in which Hemsworth voices a younger Optimus Prime in an origin story. What’s more, Brian Tyree (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Bullet Train) will assume the role of a young Megatron. The movie is called Transformers One and it will tell the story of how Optimus Prime and Megatron “went from brothers-in-arms to sworn enemies.”

Elsewhere in the movie, Scarlett Johansson will be the voice of Elita, Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee, Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime, and Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion. Josh Cooley, a former Disney Pixar artist and director of Toy Story 4 is in charge of Transformers One with Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari co-writing (co-writers of Ant-Man and the Wasp).

Transformers One arrives in cinemas on 19 July 2024.