This TRANSFORMERS ONE Star Is Living His Childhood Dream

Published: September 24, 2024

This TRANSFORMERS ONE Star Is Living His Childhood Dream

Movieguide® Contributor

Keegan-Michael Key had the honor of voicing B-127, AKA Bumblebee, in the new animated TRANSFORMERS ONE movie, and he doesn’t take that for granted.

“This movie was a full circle moment for me,” THE STAR actor told PEOPLE, “because I really am a fan from childhood of the original cartoon people my age watched in the ’80s.”

With the 1984 animated series came a line of toys that have kept kids entertained for decades.

“The fact that there were action figures and toys that did the things that the characters did was ingenious,” Key said. “I wanted those toys so badly, I wanted all of them. And I probably got two total in my whole life!”

He added he used to “come home from school and turn on the television, and it was almost a religious experience for me to be able to watch TRANSFORMERS. I’d sit there and sing the theme song at the beginning and then just jump into the adventure.”

Key voices alongside Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry and Scarlett Johansson.

“I absolutely adore it,” Key said of the movie, “and I’m a sucker for an origin story. This is one I’ve wanted to see for a long time because of the world-building.”

CBS News notes that Bumblebee has a “distinct” voice, and Key nails it.

“It is my voice, but it’s kind of a higher, younger, excitable version of me,” said Key. “I’ve done a lot of voiceover in my career where you’re almost trying to mask the voice so people don’t even recognize it, which is a compliment in and of itself. Yeah, this one, I really was able to bring myself to it.”

Movieguide®’s review of the movie reads:

TRANSFORMERS ONE is a spectacular animated movie about the origins of the epic battle between the good Autobots and the evil Decepticon robots. On the planet Cybertron, a lowly mining robot, Orion Pax, and his friend, D-16, discover a holographic map to the missing Matrix of Leadership. The Matrix is a device that may help them awaken the power of their creator, Primus, the source of the liquid energon that fuels robotkind and their machines. It’s much easier to use the liquid form of the material than to mine the solid ore. However, Orion Pax also discovers their planet is ruled by a deceitful tyrannical government. A great war ensures.

TRANSFORMERS ONE tells an exciting, well-written, crowd-pleasing, often funny story. The animation is amazing, and the characters are well-crafted. TRANSFORMERS ONE also has strong allegorical situations and themes reflecting Biblical, Christian, morally uplifting, conservative values. It promotes sacrifice, fighting totalitarian tyranny, individual liberty, and self-determination. There’s also a powerful death and resurrection scene. However, TRANSFORMERS ONE has lots of strong action violence with large robots battling one another and some light foul language.

The alien robots’ origins haven’t been fully fleshed out in the franchise until now.

“You always kind of take for granted, ‘Oh, Optimus Prime, Megatron, they’re mortal enemies, blah, blah, blah,’” said Key. “To be able to find out where it all started and where it all comes from — it’s thrilling.”

Though Key has had his fair share of live acting roles, he loves his voice work on movies like THE STAR, TOY STORY 4 and THE LION KING.

“It’s one of my favorite things to do in the industry, to really give over to a character. You can be over-the-top because cartoons are exaggerated by nature, so you get to be exaggerated in the work that you’re doing. And I believe that requires a childlike spark from within you.”

Key shared his excitement for the movie ahead of its release, saying, “@transformersmovie is AWESOME! Playing Bee is some of the most fun I’ve ever had. Can’t wait for you to see it!”