The first trailer for Transformers: The Last Knight has arrived online, and it appears that fans of the famous “robots in disguise” will be seeing a very different side of Autobot leader Optimus Prime this time around.
In the trailer, which seems to span several time periods and locations on both Earth and in space, the voice of Sir Anthony Hopkins can be heard speaking over the explosive events and offering a cryptic appraisal of a looming war between two worlds — one that will require sacrifice. The preview concludes with a scene featuring Optimus Prime throwing fellow Autobot soldier Bumblebee to the ground and asking for forgiveness as he seemingly tears the latter robot apart and then impales him.
Once again directed by Michael Bay, the new Transformers film will feature returning Autobot characters Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Hound, and Drift, as well as Megatron and Barricade of the Decepticons. Confirmed newcomers to the big-screen franchise in this installment include Hot Rod (who likely turns into a sports car of some sort) and Sqweeks (who turns into a Vespa) for the Autobots, as well as Onslaught (a green tow truck) for the Decepticons.
Fans have also speculated that the massive, glowing planet glimpsed in the trailer that seems to be composed of machinery could very well be Unicron — the gigantic, planet-consuming villain introduced in the beloved 1986 animated feature The Transformers: The Movie. Unicron was famously voiced by Orson Welles in that film, and it was his final movie role before his death.
Returning human cast members confirmed to appear in the film include Transformers: Age of Extinction star Mark Wahlberg as Cade Yeager, Josh Duhamel as Lt. Col. Lennox, Tyrese Gibson as Robert Epps, and Stanley Tucci as Joshua Joyce all reprising their roles from previous installments of the series. New cast members include the aforementioned Hopkins in an unidentified role and Isabela Moner (100 Things to Do Before High School, Growing Up Fisher) as Izabella, as well as Jerrod Carmichael, Laura Haddock, and Santiago Cabrera. Once Upon A Time actor Liam Carrigan will reportedly play King Arthur in the film.
Transformers: The Last Knight is scheduled to hit theaters June 23, 2017.
