Transformers: The Movie is back in theaters for its 40th anniversary, and the “apology tour” — so called in response to decades of jokes that Optimus Prime’s death in the movie traumatized its young viewers — just expanded.
Fathom Events, who host short-run theatrical releases, often of decades-old movies and films, have extended Transformers: The Movie’s original run until at least October 7 following strong performance at the box office. So far during the tour, Transformers has earned more than $5 million, compared to its initial 1986 box office run of just under $6 million.
“We’re thrilled at Fathom, but we also had high expectations,” Fathom Entertainment vp of marketing Shannah Miller told The Hollywood Reporter. “This has been an extraordinary partnership with Hasbro. They kicked off the Apology Tour in honor of the 40th anniversary of the film, which also then means the early death of Optimus Prime, 26 minutes into the film.”
Transformers: The Movie was considered a box office failure at the time of its release, but as with so many genre films in the 1980s and ‘90s, home video came to the rescue, and the movie remained in the top 25 VHS tapes for sales and rental for weeks upon release. The movie became a classic for kids of a certain age, and its higher-than-normal production value for the time means it holds up better than most 1980s animated films.
The Apology Tour rerelease also features Optimus Prime: Awakening, an animated short that serves as a direct sequel to the film and sees Peter Cullen’s Autobot leader navigating the afterlife. The short marks Cullen’s final screen appearance, as he passed away in August.
“The response to this film 40 years later is a powerful reminder of just how much the Transformers franchise means to fans,” THR quotes Hasbro Entertainment head of film Zev Foreman as saying. “Seeing longtime fans and new audiences come together has been exciting. Especially with the debut of Optimus Prime: Awakening, we had the chance to celebrate Peter’s legacy and the characters and stories that have resonated for generations while creating something entirely new for audiences to experience together on the big screen.”
Transformers: The Movie was directed by Nelson Shin, and starred Cullen and Frank Welker, both prolific voice actors who starred in most iterations of Transformers over the years. In addition to the TV show cast, Transformers: The Movie starred Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Idle, Robert Stack, and Orson Welles.
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