11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

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11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

As a huge fan of both “The Transformers” franchise and the illustrious career of Mahershala Ali, I find it quite intriguing to delve into the almost-castings that could have brought these two worlds together.

It’s common knowledge that, apart from “Bumblebee,” the Transformers films generally receive unfavorable reviews. However, despite being often dismissed as low-quality cinema, the Transformers series has managed to draw in a diverse range of accomplished actors. Actors such as Anthony Hopkins, Frances McDormand, Stanley Tucci, John Malkovich, and Michelle Yeoh (to name a few) have all appeared in different Transformers movies. Yet, even with such esteemed actors on board, the Transformers films haven’t always been able to secure every actor that filmmakers hoped for.

Occasionally, prominent actors have declined roles in films such as “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” and “Transformers: The Last Knight.” The histories of these actors and their tenuous links to the “Transformers” universe show a wide range of events. For instance, actors who initially missed out on Transformers roles, like Frank Welker or Leonard Nimoy, eventually gained other positions in later Transformers productions. However, others chose not to be part of this storyline due to disinterest in blockbuster movies or simply not liking the offered character.

There are numerous reasons why an actor might turn down a movie role, and it’s no exception for the “Transformers” series. Let’s explore some actors who almost became part of this unusual blockbuster franchise as co-stars alongside McDormand and Hopkins, two of its most enigmatic figures.

Frank Welker

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

In the making of the first live-action “Transformers” film, director Michael Bay and team chose to draw inspiration from the franchise’s history. Veteran voice actor Peter Cullen was brought back to provide the voice for Optimus Prime, a role he had previously given life to in the 1980s “Transformers” animated series. Hardcore fans may have hoped that Frank Welker would also make a comeback, taking on his past characterization of Megatron, Prime’s adversary from the same television show.

In the 2007 movie “Transformers” and its subsequent sequels, Hugo Weaving replaced Frank Welker as the voice of Megatron. During extra features like the audio commentary for “Transformers,” Michael Bay admitted that he found Welker’s voice too soft for his portrayal of Megatron. As a result, a more menacing actor such as Weaving was selected to give Megatron a stronger on-screen presence. Later on, Welker confirmed that it was actually Bay and Paramount Pictures who decided to initially choose another actor for Megatron’s voice in the film.

Despite the initial mix-up with casting, Welker wasn’t entirely sidelined in the original live-action “Transformers” trilogy. A few years later, he provided the voice for Soundwave in both “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” and “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.” Later on, Welker voiced Galvatron, Megatron’s revived form, in “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” and then simply Megatron himself in “Transformers: The Last Knight.” It took approximately a decade, but eventually, Welker got to reprise one of his iconic characters in a big-budget live-action film.

Jonah Hill

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

Following the explosive popularity of “Superbad” in August 2007, Jonah Hill found himself in high demand as a leading actor. The world seemed within his grasp, and there was a brief moment when it appeared that his realm wouldn’t be limited to crude guy-centric humor. It also hinted at the possibility of robots engaging in combat.

In early 2008, there were many rumors suggesting that after “Superbad,” Jonah Hill might take on the role of Leo Spritz (Sam Witwicky’s awkward college roommate) in a follow-up to the summer blockbuster hit “Transformers” from 2007. However, by May 2008, it was made official that Hill had turned down the project for other film opportunities such as “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.” With this decision, Jonah Hill and the Transformers franchise went their separate ways.

For over a decade, the circumstances surrounding Hill’s passing on the role remained shrouded in mystery. In April 2021, though, Seth Rogen revealed that he was responsible for convincing Hill to skip “Revenge of the Fallen.” Hill had apparently sought out Rogen’s advice on whether or not to do the movie. This inspired Rogen to tell Hill that, with his post-“Superbad” clout, the actor could get any project of his own made and didn’t need to latch onto a pre-existing franchise. With that, Hill pursued other creative goals, like gearing up for his big dramatic acting break in “Moneyball.” After all, why not use all that “Superbad” power for something more than a disposable “Transformers” role?

Robert Pattinson

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

In February 2022, Robert Pattinson revealed that he had once tried out for a significant role in the movie “Revenge of the Fallen,” which was around the same time as the release of “Twilight.” This opportunity could have significantly altered his life and career, but he didn’t get the part. Given his age at that time (2008), it is likely that he was considered for the role of college-aged character Leo Spritz. Looking back, Pattinson recalls that his audition for “Revenge of the Fallen” was particularly poor compared to others he had given.

During his audition, Robert Pattinson intentionally deviated from his usual speaking style and tried out a Denver, Colorado accent for the Transformers producers. However, this unconventional choice didn’t work in this particular situation, leading to a less-than-successful audition that left the producers puzzled enough to contact his agent for an explanation.

Despite missing a part in “Revenge of the Fallen,” Robert Pattinson’s career thrived, proven by subsequent films like “The Lighthouse.” Furthermore, this incident shows that his talent for distinctive accents predates his roles in “The King” and “The Devil All The Time.

Leonard Nimoy

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

One of the strangest parts of the “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” pre-release news cycle was the fan campaign to get Leonard Nimoy to voice the titular Decepticon baddie The Fallen. Previously the voice of Galvatron in 1986’s “The Transformers: The Movie,” Nimoy’s distinctive pipes were considered perfect for a new Decepticon foe. 

In March 2009, three months before the release of “Revenge of the Fallen,” co-screenwriter Roberto Orci expressed his wish for Leonard Nimoy to be cast in the film and mentioned that he had discussed the role with Nimoy. However, Orci also clarified that no decisions had been made at that time. A few days later, director Michael Bay also expressed interest in having Nimoy join the cast. Later in April 2009, Nimoy himself showed excitement about potentially voicing The Fallen by saying “Call me, Michael!” due to their family connection, it seemed likely that Nimoy would be a part of the movie since he was Bay’s cousin-in-law and had worked together on “Star Trek.” However, nothing was confirmed at that point.

Initially, Tony Todd landed the role as Candyman, but Leonard Nimoy was not yet finished with Michael Bay’s Transformers series. Later on, Nimoy managed to secure the role of Sentinel Prime in “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.” This character turned out to be much more prominent compared to The Fallen, ensuring that fans of Nimoy would find his debut in this franchise worth the wait.

James Avery

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

2010 saw the unassuming announcement from experienced character actor James Avery that he would lend his voice to the cast of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.” At a time when the movie didn’t even have an official title, Avery had already been assigned to voice Silverbolt, the Autobot. If Silverbolt had stuck to its original version, it would have been one of the few live-action movie Autobots with an airplane form instead of changing into a regular car. The summer confirmed Avery’s role as Silverbolt by his team, hinting at this actor’s first appearance in the “Transformers” series.

In the final version of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” there’s no sign of the character Silverbolt, nor any voice acting by Avery in his role. Unlike other discarded Transformers characters like Springer, Silverbolt didn’t even have a toy tie-in for the movie he was supposed to be in (though a figure resembling him did appear in the “Revenge of the Fallen” toy line). The only hint that Silverbolt might have been part of “Dark of the Moon” is his appearance in the game adaptation, but even there, it was Bob Dunsworth who voiced Silverbolt. To this day, no official artwork has surfaced depicting this movie version of Silverbolt, further fueling speculation about the fate of this abandoned Autobot from “Dark of the Moon.” Avery’s unwavering excitement for Silverbolt had initially suggested plans to include him in the film.

Corey Burton

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

After Optimus Prime, played by Peter Cullen, made his comeback in the first “Transformers” movie, fans started brainstorming ideas about which voice actors could step back into their legendary robotic roles from previous “Transformers” productions. As soon as Shockwave was unveiled as a main character in “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” there was an upsurge of excitement that Corey Burton might reprise his role from the 1980s “Transformers” cartoon.

In December 2010, however, Burton quickly dismissed any possibility of him reprising the role. Earlier, in 2007, he had expressed disrespect towards offers to audition for and voice characters in “Transformers.” Importantly, he clarified that he hadn’t been asked to return as Shockwave in “Dark of the Moon.” This was perfectly acceptable for Burton, who had little interest in partaking in a big-budget Hollywood film. Given his disinterest in such movies, accepting a crucial villain role in a Michael Bay production would have been particularly disappointing for this accomplished voice actor legend.

If Burton had played Shockwave again, he wouldn’t have had many lines due to the character’s minimal dialogue in “Dark of the Moon.” The original 1980s version of Shockwave was quite talkative and known for catchy lines such as “Female Autobots?!? I thought they went extinct!”, whereas the Shockwave from this movie is mostly quiet, with only a few sounds provided by Frank Welker.

Dwayne Johnson

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

In 2014, the “Transformers” franchise underwent a refresh with “Transformers: Age of Extinction.” As the main cast from the first three films moved on, there was a need for a fresh leading character. Originally, director Michael Bay considered an actor known for revitalizing film series at the box office to spearhead the new phase of “Transformers” films. It’s been revealed that Dwayne Johnson was the initial pick to portray Cade Yeagar in “Transformers: Age of Extinction.

In the 2010s, this would have been Dwayne Johnson’s second time playing a character in the Transformers series, having previously voiced Cliffjumper in specific episodes of the TV show “Transformers: Prime”. Moreover, Johnson was already accustomed to high-octane vehicle action due to his work in the Fast and Furious franchise. Interestingly, despite his familiarity with the Transformers universe and filmmaking for this franchise, Johnson decided not to be part of “Age of Extinction.

Dwayne Johnson was not conflicted about the script or directors for the movie, but he had already dedicated himself to filming his own project, “Hercules,” at the same time “Age of Extinction” was supposed to start shooting. As a result, Johnson couldn’t back out from the fantasy epic, and Mark Wahlberg took the leading role in “Age of Extinction” instead. Despite missing out on this film, Johnson went on to star in successful movies like “Moana,” “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” and “Hobbs & Shaw.” So, it can be said that not being in “Age of Extinction” didn’t have a negative impact on his career.

Margaret Qualley

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

In November 2012, it was rumored that several young actors were being considered for the lead roles in “Transformers: Age of Extinction” and its potential sequels. Among those mentioned were individuals who had previously starred in significant films or television shows. However, one completely unknown actor at the time was Margaret Qualley. She wasn’t known for her acting work before this point, as she didn’t have any credits to her name. In fact, she was so little-known that her last name was misspelled in articles about the “Age of Extinction” casting list. Despite having an empty IMDb page at the end of 2012, Qualley was still being considered for the role of Tessa Yeager.

Although Qualley didn’t get that specific role, it was eventually taken by Nicola Peltz who played Katara in 2010’s “The Last Airbender”. Initially, losing such a prominent opportunity might have been disheartening for Qualley. However, she swiftly bounced back, making her debut in renowned TV shows and films like “The Nice Guys” and “The Leftovers”. Her choice to accept challenging, non-mainstream roles paved the way for her current position as a leading lady in thought-provoking arthouse productions such as “The Substance”, which received the longest standing ovation at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, and “Kinds of Kindness”. Clearly, Qualley didn’t require an insignificant role like Tessa to establish her career.

Jean Dujardin

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

Following his Best Actor Oscar win for “The Artist,” Jean Dujardin seemed on the verge of achieving the same level of stardom in America as he had in France. But, over the past 15 years since “The Artist” was an Academy favorite, Dujardin has only appeared in two English-language films: “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “The Monuments Men.” Briefly, it seemed like “Transformers: The Last Knight” might be the third American film for Dujardin post-“Artist.

In April 2016, it was reported that a group of actors, including Jean Dujardin, were considering roles for the movie “The Last Knight”. Performers like Isabela Moner and Jerrod Carmichael who were initially linked to the sequel did make it into the final cast, but Dujardin didn’t. The film never revealed what role Dujardin would have played if he had been chosen. Interestingly, “The Last Knight” features a French Autobot named Hot Rod (voiced by Omar Sy), which could have potentially been a suitable character for the renowned French Oscar-winner. Unfortunately, with Dujardin’s casting falling through, the universes of “The Artist” and “Transformers: The Last Knight” never had a chance to intersect significantly.

Kenneth Choi

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

By the end of July 2017, production officially started on “Bumblebee”. Led by Travis Knight, this marked the first time a non-Michael Bay director was at the helm for a live-action Transformers movie. The franchise sought to broaden its creative horizons, and this included bringing in a cast primarily distinct from those who had previously appeared in the series. One of the newcomers initially announced to be part of the Transformers storyline was Kenneth Choi. A seasoned character actor with credits spanning film and television, Choi is best known for his role on the Fox show “9-1-1”, while he’s also appeared in genre films like “Suicide Squad”, “Spider-Man: Homecoming”, and “Bright”.

Up until three months before the premiere of “Bumblebee,” news articles still included Choi in the film’s cast list. However, when the movie was released in December 2018, there was no trace of Choi in the final version. It remains a mystery who Choi was intended to portray in “Bumblebee,” leaving us unsure if his character was removed or he was replaced by another actor. What is clear, though, is that Choi missed out on adding a “Transformers” supporting role to his impressive film career.

Mahershala Ali

11 Actors That Almost Got Cast In Transformers

One interesting facet of the “Transformers” movies is that the voices of the various robots can be tweaked and recast up until the last minute. After all, they’re digital creations added in post-production. Everything about them is deeply malleable, including their voices. It’s why there was intense debate over who would voice The Fallen mere weeks before “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” arrived. This unique quality of the franchise led “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” director Steven Caple Jr. to publicly pontificate on who else could be added to the film’s voice cast in December 2022. Though “Beasts” was due out in theaters in six months, Caple Jr. was still hoping that a two-time Oscar winner could potentially join the voice cast.

Indeed, Steven Caple Jr. aimed to bring Mahershala Ali on board to lend his voice to a robot in the film “Rise of the Beasts.” However, it’s not clear which character he would have voiced; given Ali’s deep and resonant voice, Unicron might have been a fitting role. Regrettably, this collaboration did not come to fruition, likely due to Ali’s selective nature as an actor in the 2020s. Following his appearance in “Alita: Battle Angel” in February 2019, Ali has only starred in two other live-action films since then. Consequently, a voice role for “Transformers” may not have been sufficient to attract Ali to the recording studio. Without Mahershala Ali, Caple was left to assemble a cast of voiceover artists like Michelle Yeoh and Peter Dinklage for “Rise of the Beasts.

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2024-09-17 14:31