The Energon Pub

If you could choose two brand new professional voice actors to voice new versions of Optimus Prime and Megatron, who would you pick for each?

The trick here is that you cannot choose someone who has previously voiced either Optimus Prime or Megatron (or Galvatron). Meaning that Peter Cullen, Garry Chalk, Neil Kaplan, and David Kaye are not optional for Optimus Prime; and Frank Welker, Leonard Nimoy, David Kaye, Garry Chalk, Daniel Riordan, Neil Kaplan, Richard Newman, Trevor Devall, Hugo Weaving, and Corey Burton are not optional for Megatron/Galvatron. Same goes for anyone else who has voiced Optimus Prime and/or Megatron/Galvatron.

My choices would be:

* Optimus Prime - Kevin Conroy (Batman in the DCAU)
* Megatron - Jim Cummings (many character voices, but specifically Dr. Robotnik from SatAM)

EDIT: New rule: You also have to say what character(s) these voice actors have previously played.

Optimus Prime = Diedrich Bader (Zeta, TB&TB Batman)
Megatron = David Warner (DCAU Ra's Al Ghul, MIB Alpha)

DrSmoov!

Skullgrin140 wrote:DrSmoov!

Can't choose him. He's done both Prime and Megs already (and he's not an official/professional voice actor either).

The purpose of this is to choose someone completely new who has never voiced either Prime or Megs/Galvy.

Sabrblade wrote:

Skullgrin140 wrote:DrSmoov!

Can't choose him. He's done both Prime and Megs already (and he's not an official/professional voice actor either).

The purpose of this is to choose someone completely new who has never voiced either Prime or Megs/Galvy.

Ah ok, sorry about that.

Megatron - Doug Bradley
Optimus Prime - David Hayter

Best voices I can think of which would make good leaders.

Skullgrin140 wrote:Megatron - Doug Bradley
Optimus Prime - David Hayter

Best voices I can think of which would make good leaders.

Okay, I know Hayter voices Solid Snake, but who's Bradley voiced?

I would like to hear George Newbern(Superman in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited) voice a younger Optimus Prime like in TFA. He was a bit stiff in the first season of JL but he really grew into the role and took ownership. He has a "guy next door" voice but can give weight to sound like a credible commander. You can hear this before Superman's fight against Captain Atom when he gives orders to the Huntress.

Going on the same idea, for a younger Megatron, I'd suggest James Marsters(Lex Luthor in Superman: Doomsday, but he's most famous for playing Spike in the Buffy TV series). I just think that he has a smooth voice that is best for villainous roles. I think his opening and ending monologues in Superman: Doomsday(possible spoilers for the movie so click at your own discretion!) really displays an "iron fist in a velvet glove" vibe. Incidentally, Cree Summers who voices Sari had voiced Mercy in Superman:Doomsday. Marsters could voice a charismatic Megatron whose most menacing weapon isn't the fusion cannon, it would be a cunning intellect and a ruthlessness to fully use it. The fusion cannon would be the next most menacing weapon.

Convotron wrote:Incidentally, Cree Summers who voices Sari had voiced Mercy in Superman:Doomsday.

Cree Summer voiced Blackarachnia/Elita-1 in Animated, not Sari (that was Tara Strong).

Marsters also played Brainiac in Smallville.

Sabrblade wrote:Cree Summer voiced Blackarachnia/Elita-1 in Animated, not Sari (that was Tara Strong).

Marsters also played Brainiac in Smallville.

D'oh, my mistake! Not only in spelling Cree's name wrong but character she played. I must have had Tara on the brain.

I liked Marsters as Brainiac within the context of Smallville.

Optimus Prime = Edward James Olmos "Battlestar Gallactica"
Megatron = Alan Rickman "Dogma"

Kevin Michael Richardson or Christopher Judge(Teal'c from Stargate SG-1) as Optimus Prime

Michael Ironside or Eric Roberts as Megatron.

trence5 wrote:Kevin Michael Richardson or Christopher Judge(Teal'c from Stargate SG-1) as Optimus Prime

A black Prime? I think I could live with that. Interesting idea.

trence5 wrote:Kevin Michael Richardson or Christopher Judge(Teal'c from Stargate SG-1) as Optimus Prime

Michael Ironside or Eric Roberts as Megatron.

Sabrblade wrote:A black Prime? I think I could live with that. Interesting idea.

I could imagine Keith David as an intense Optimus Prime. Mainly his performance as Goliath from Gargoyles. I'd love to hear Michael Ironside as Megatron. Eric Roberts would be interesting too, especially if he brings the same vibe as he did when he voiced Mongul in the Justice League and JLU cartoons.

Sabrblade wrote:

Skullgrin140 wrote:Megatron - Doug Bradley
Optimus Prime - David Hayter

Best voices I can think of which would make good leaders.

Okay, I know Hayter voices Solid Snake, but who's Bradley voiced?

Bradley played Pinhead in the Hellraiser franchise.

Convotron wrote:Eric Roberts would be interesting too, especially if he brings the same vibe as he did when he voiced Mongul in the Justice League and JLU cartoons.

That's exactly why I picked him. Mongul reminds me of Megatron sometimes; I nominated Kevin Michael Richards cause he reminds me a little of Peter Cullen but he sounds more like a 'rookie' Optimus and so does, is his name Gary Chalk(?), that voiced Optimus from Beast Wars/Machine to Armada, Energon, and Cybertron. That guy is who I imagined the Optimus that showed up in Blur's Spotlight sounding like.

I can imagine Ultra Magnus sounding like Vin Diesel, with an almost anti-hero, or rather "I have the potential to be Optimus but I act bad-ass cause thought being leader frightens me" sound to him

trence5 wrote:I can imagine Ultra Magnus sounding like Vin Diesel, with an almost anti-hero, or rather "I have the potential to be Optimus but I act bad-ass cause thought being leader frightens me" sound to him

Let's keep this mostly with Optimus and Megs.

I picked Kevin Conroy for his DCAU Batman. I've always been fond of that voice. It's serious, cool, leader-like, and more. Though, if it may be too dark for Optimus, then Conroy's Bruce Wayne would fit just as well. It's friendly, cool-headed, upperclasslike, and (again) more.

Not to mention that his surname, Conroy, is one letter different from Optimus' Japanese name "Convoy".

As for Megs, Jim Cummings was my pick. While he's voiced MANY characters over the years (most notably Disney's Tigger and Pooh characters), his Sonic the Hedgehog SatAM portrayal of Dr. Robotnik was definitely a good one. Robotnik's voice was cold, sinister, cruel, and even bit "scary". Not to mention that he was a tyrannical dictator; and G1 Megs' motto was, "Peace through tyranny!" Though, I will admit that there were times where his voice did sound a bit too "cartoony", bit Cummings has definitely improved over the years, and I believe that he could play a very devious Megatron.

How about Mr. Intimidation, Brian Thompson, this guy

as Megatron or Galvatron ?