The Transformers: The Movie

It was released in North America on August 8, 1986, and in the United Kingdom on December 12, 1986.

It was co-produced and directed by Nelson Shin, who also produced the television series. The screenplay was written by Ron Friedman, who created Bionic Six a year later.

The film features the voices of Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Casey Kasem, Robert Stack, Lionel Stander, John Moschitta Jr.

, Scatman Crothers, Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, and Orson Welles, who died 10 months before the film’s release, in his final film role.

The soundtrack comprises electronic music composed by Vince DiCola and songs from rock and heavy metal acts including Stan Bush and “Weird Al” Yankovic. The story is set in 2005, 20 years after the TV series’ second season.

After a Decepticon assault devastates Autobot City, Optimus Prime wins a deadly one-on-one duel with Megatron, but ultimately sustains fatal injuries in the encounter.

With Megatron gravely injured, the Decepticons are forced to retreat, saving the Autobots.

The Autobots are hunted across the galaxy by Unicron, a planet-sized Transformer intending to consume Cybertron and who transfigures Megatron to become the enslaved Galvatron.

Hasbro’s exclusively toy-focused agenda demanded a product refresh, to be contrived by the on-screen death of many prominent starring characters, at the protest of some creators of the film and TV series.

The deaths of many established characters, especially Optimus Prime, inadvertently upset the young audience, prompting a letter-writing campaign from upset viewers of the film.

At the time of its release, the film underperformed at the box-office and received generally negative reviews for its plot and violent deaths, while praising the animation, voice acting and score.

However, critical reception has improved over the years and the film has gained a cult following.

The Autobot leader, Optimus Prime, sends a shuttle to Autobot City on Earth for supplies. Their plan is discovered by the Decepticons, who kill several Autobots and hijack the ship.

In Autobot City, Hot Rod, relaxing with Daniel Witwicky (son of Spike Witwicky) spots the hijacked shuttle and a battle breaks out. Optimus arrives with reinforcements and engages the Decepticon leader, Megatron, in combat.

Both are mortally wounded, forcing the Decepticons to retreat to space in Astrotrain. Optimus passes the Matrix of Leadership to Ultra Magnus, telling him that its power will light the Autobots’ darkest hour, and dies.

To conserve fuel, the Decepticons jettison their wounded, including Megatron, who is abandoned by his treacherous second-in-command, Starscream.

Drifting in space, the wounded Decepticons are found by Unicron, a sentient planet who consumes other worlds. Unicron offers Megatron a new body in exchange for destroying the Matrix, which has the power to destroy Unicron.

Megatron reluctantly agrees and is remade into Galvatron, while the other jettisoned Decepticons are converted into his new troops. On Cybertron, Galvatron disrupts Starscream’s coronation as Decepticon leader and kills him.

Unicron consumes the moons of Cybertron, including the secret bases with Autobots and Spike. Retaking command of the Decepticons, Galvatron leads his forces to seek out Ultra Magnus at the ruined Autobot City.

The surviving Autobots escape in separate shuttles, which are shot down by the Decepticons and crash on different planets.

Hot Rod and Kup are taken prisoner by the Quintessons, tyrants who hold kangaroo courts and execute prisoners by feeding them to the Sharkticons. Hot Rod and Kup learn of Unicron from Kranix, a lone survivor of Lithone, a planet devoured by Unicron.

After Kranix is executed, Hot Rod and Kup escape, aided by the Dinobots and the small Autobot Wheelie, who helps them find an escape ship.

The other Autobots land on the Planet of Junk, where they are attacked by the native Junkions, who then hide from Galvatron’s arriving forces. Ultra Magnus secures the remaining Autobots but fails to release the power of the Matrix.

He is destroyed by Galvatron, who seizes the Matrix, which he intends to use to control Unicron. The Autobots befriend the local Junkions, led by Wreck-Gar, who rebuild Ultra Magnus.

They are joined by the Autobots from the planet of the Quintessons. Realizing Galvatron now has the Matrix, the Autobots and the Junkions fly to Cybertron. Galvatron attempts to threaten Unicron, but cannot activate the Matrix.

In response, Unicron transforms into a colossal robot and begins to dismember Cybertron. When Galvatron attacks him, Unicron swallows him and the Matrix whole.

The Autobots escape Unicron while he continues to battle Decepticons, Junkions, and other defenders of Cybertron. Daniel saves his father from Unicron’s digestive system, and the group rescue several Autobots.

Galvatron attempts to form an alliance with Hot Rod, but Unicron forces him to attack. Hot Rod is almost killed but recovers and activates the Matrix, becoming Rodimus Prime, the new Autobot leader.

Rodimus tosses Galvatron into space and uses the Matrix’s power to destroy Unicron, then escapes with the other Autobots.

With the Decepticons in disarray, the Autobots celebrate the war’s end and the retaking of their home planet while Unicron’s severed head orbits Cybertron.