Read the Script for ‘Transformers One,’ Described as ‘Stand by Me’ with Robots in Disguise

The “Transformers One” script written by Eric Pearson and Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari is now available to view online, exclusive to IndieWire. You can read the screenplay for the first animated “Transformers” film since 1986 here.

Despite a steady stream of “Transformers” films the past 17 years, one medium that felt untouchable to producers was the very one that made audiences across the world initially fall in love with these robots in disguise. Hence, when it came time to tell the long-awaited origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, Paramount finally did so through animation, with “Transformers One” directed by Best Animated Feature Oscar winner Josh Cooley.

Barrer and Ferrari, the first writers on the project that sees characters Orion Pax, D-16, and more transform into the iconic characters we know them as today, told IndieWire via statement, “From the moment we pitched the idea, our goal was to tell a story about the death of a best friendship that would have worked just as well if it were about humans. It was always ‘Stand by Me’ with Transformers. That touchstone helped us discover a whole new tone for the franchise. Every aspect of the storytelling and world-building boiled down to an effort to explore the humanity of these sentient robots in the first movie since 1986 to truly star them in the lead roles.”

Screenwriter Eric Pearson, who worked on a later version of the script, echoed the team’s sentiments on the film starring the voices of Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry as Optimus Prime and Megatron in their early days on Cybertron. “‘Transformers One’ was such a fun opportunity to participate in one of pop culture’s greatest and most enduring franchises. As Josh Cooley and the team had already decided on the broad strokes of the plot, my goal was to enhance the characters and relationships through not only dialogue, but also action and behavior. Something as simple as Orion Pax knowing that D-16 would go crazy for an original vintage Megatronus Prime decal did so much to let the audience know who these characters are, how well they know one another, and where their minds drift off to during quiet moments,” he said via statement. 

“Working with these incredible characters (and the impossibly talented voice cast) we were able to tell the story of two best friends who set off on a big adventure unaware of the massive repercussions in play. Even though they’re able to acquire fun new allies and cool new powers along the way, the tragedy of the story is that the strain of this adventure irreparably fractures the bond of friendship. In the end, our hope was that ‘Transformers One’ could be not only a bombastically fun Transformers movie, but also a heartfelt drama with lessons about friendship and doing the right thing,” added Pearson.

Read the “Transformers One” screenplay here.

“Transformers One” is now streaming on Paramount+.