How Many Times Peter Cullen Voiced Optimus Prime In Transformers Movies & TV Shows

Peter Cullen, the beloved voice actor who has died at the age of 85, spent about half his lifetime most recognized for playing Optimus Prime, the heroic leader of the Autobots in the Transformers franchise. Since the original "The Transformers" cartoon premiered in 1984, Cullen returned to the role again and again and again, even in his older years when he was mostly retired from voice work. So just how many times did he play Optimus Prime?

Cullen voiced Optimus in six animated TV series: "The Transformers" (1984-87), "Transformers: Prime" (2010-13, concluding with the TV movie "Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising"), "Transformers: Rescue Bots" (2011-2016), "Transformers: Robots in Disguise" (2015-2017), "Transformers: Titans Return" (2017-2018), and "Transformers: Power of the Primes" (2018). If you want to count less traditional TV appearances, he also voiced the character at the 2014 Kids Choice Awards, in the 2018 "Transformers" episode of the docuseries "The Toys That Made Us," and on the 2024 "Transformers Night" episode of "The Masked Singer."

On the big screen, Cullen played Optimus first in 1986's animated "The Transformers: The Movie," where the character was infamously killed off, and then in seven live action films: all five Michael Bay-directed "Transformers" movies between 2007 and 2017 and the semi-prequel/semi-reboot films "Bumblebee" (2018) and "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" (2023). That last film honored Cullen by using his likeness for Optimus Prime's face. He also voiced Optimus in "Transformers: The Ride – 3D" at Universal Studios parks, spun off from the movies.

For the full list of times Peter Cullen played Optimus Prime, you also have to look at his video game credits. The actor lent his talents to 5 tie-in video games for the first 3 Michael Bay movies (2007-2011), the game of "Transformers: Prime" (2012), all three games in the "Cybertron" trilogy (2010-2014) as well as its "Cybertron Adventures" (2010) spin-off, and the stand-alone games "Transformers: Devastation" (2015) and "Transformers: Earth Wars" (2016). His final time voicing Optimus in a video game was when they added an Optimus Prime skin for "Fortnite" in 2023 to promote "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts."

Cullen is far the only voice actor to play Optimus Prime. Gary Chalk, Neil Kaplan, David Kaye, Jake Foushee, Hiro Diaz, Alan Tudyk, and Chris Hemsworth have all taken on the role in various projects, with Hemsworth notably looking to Cullen as a mentor when creating a much younger Prime. Nonetheless, Cullen will always be known as the man behind the voice of Optimus Prime, and it's sad to think we'll never hear from him again.