The Energon Pub

Transformers' Cullen Credits Fans

Peter Cullen, the original voice of Optimus Prime in the 1980s Transformers animated TV show, told SCI FI Wire that he credited science fiction fans on the Internet for getting him cast as the voice of the Autobot leader in Michael Bay's upcoming live-action Transformers movie.

Cullen won the role, even though George Clooney was being rumored as the voice of Optimus Prime, he said. "The fan base on the Internet helped, and I absolutely owe my gratitude and a lot of affection to you all," Cullen said in telephone interview. "I'm grateful that the tenacity and insistence and great lobbying efforts may have helped my situation. ... Look, the bottom line is that a big huge major Hollywood voice in an animated film doesn't always work. It may work in some cases, but it would have been an injustice to not listen to you guys, and the point [from longtime fans] got across."

Cullen's longtime co-star Frank Welker, who voiced Optimus Prime's mortal enemy Megatron on the animated TV series and 1986 animated feature film, fared less well. He was passed over in favor of Australian actor Hugo Weaving (V for Vendetta). Cullen said he was disappointed that Welker wasn't hired to reprise the role.

"I don't really know the answers, but if you put Hollywood into a room, they are thinking about money," Cullen said. "There are the marketers, the promotions people, the creative and artistic people, and they'll all collide on money. Hollywood does not like to take risks."

Bay's big-budget Transformers movie opens nationwide on July 3. It also stars Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Jon Voight, Megan Fox and the voices of Mark Ryan and Keith David. —Mike Szymanski