Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

• Anthony Ramos as Noah Diaz: An ex-military electronics expert who lives with his family in Brooklyn, trying to support them.[8][9]
• Dominique Fishback as Elena Wallace: An artifact researcher at a museum whose boss keeps taking credit for her work.[8][9]
• Luna Lauren Vélez as Mrs. Diaz: Noah's mother.[10]
• Tobe Nwigwe as Reek: A companion of Noah and Elena during their global trek.[11][12] Nwigwe's character in the film was based on a mutual best friend of Caple's, who died prior to filming in 2021.[5]
• Dean Scott Vazquez[13]
• Michael Kelly[14]

• Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime: The leader of the Autobot resistance who transforms into a red 1987 Freightliner FLA semi truck.[15] Caple revealed on Instagram that Optimus Prime's unmasked face in the film was designed after Cullen himself.[16]
• Bumblebee: An Autobot scout who transforms into a modified yellow-black 1970s Chevrolet Camaro with all-terrain extensions.
• Pete Davidson as Mirage: An Autobot spy who can project holograms and transforms into a silver-blue Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8.[17][18] Davidson described voicing Mirage as "Jim Carrey's The Mask meets Bugs Bunny", in lieu of his rebellious personality.[19]
• Liza Koshy as Arcee: An Autobot sharpshooter who transforms into a red-white Ducati 916 motorcycle.[11] In preparation for the role, Koshy worked out to help her "find the right voice" for the character.[20]
• Cristo Fernández as Wheeljack: An Autobot scientist and mechanic who transforms into a brown and white 1970s Volkswagen Type 2 panel bus, while speaking in a Mexican accent.[11]
• John DiMaggio as Stratosphere: An Autobot Air-Soldier who transforms into a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar cargo plane, that provides transportation for the Autobots in their global adventure.[11]

• Ron Perlman as Optimus Primal: The leader of the Maximals who transforms into a western gorilla.[21]
• Michelle Yeoh as Airazor: A Maximal warrior who transforms into a peregrine falcon.[17][18]
• David Sobolov as Rhinox: A Maximal commando who transforms into a Northern white rhinoceros.[17]
• Tongayi Chirisa as Cheetor: A Maximal scout who transforms into a cheetah.[22]

• Peter Dinklage as Scourge: The leader of the Terrorcons and a trophy hunter who transforms into a black Peterbilt 359 logging semi truck.[17]
• David Sobolov as Battletrap: A Terrorcon enforcer who transforms into an orange 1980s GMC TopKick C7000 tow truck.[11]
• Michaela Jaé Rodriguez as Nightbird: A Terrorcon ninja who transforms into a Nissan Skyline GT-R R33.[17] Rodriguez is the first transgender actor to voice act in the franchise's history.[23]
• John DiMaggio as Transit: A Terrorcon who transforms into a New York City transit bus.[9]
• Freezer: A group of insectoid-esque Terrocons that transforms into weapon artillery for Scourge and his fellow Terrorcons.[24]

• Scorponok: A Predacon who transforms into a moss-covered scorpion, true to his namesake like previous incarnations.
• Colman Domingo as Unicron: A world-devouring planet-sized Transformer who serves as the Terrorcons' master.[25]

In December 2018, when asked about the future of the Transformers franchise, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura stated that another big Transformers film "would be produced" and that it would be "different than the ones that we've done before." He described the process as more of an "evolution," saying that there is more freedom to create and what they can do with it. After the success of Bumblebee that year, he said that the series would make some changes in tone and style, inspired by the film.[26] Bumblebee director Travis Knight said his goal was to return to his animation studio, Laika, though he acknowledged that he has a few ideas for a sequel.[27] John Cena expressed interest in reprising his role in a sequel.[28] Writer Christina Hodson said that "[she] knows where [she wants] to go with the next one".[29] In late January 2019, a sequel was announced.[30] In March, di Bonaventura confirmed they were developing a script for a Bumblebee sequel.[31]

In January 2020, Paramount Pictures was reportedly working on two different Transformers films, one written by James Vanderbilt and another written by Joby Harold.[32] In November, Steven Caple Jr. was hired to direct Harold's script.[33] In February 2021, it was revealed that the film was going under the working title Transformers: Beast Alliance, hinting the introduction of characters from the Beast Wars franchise.[34] During a virtual event held by Paramount in June, di Bonaventura and Caple revealed the official title as Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (revealing to be both a Bumblebee sequel and Beast Wars film in one),[4] and confirming that it would feature the Maximals, the Predacons, and a new take on the Terrorcons faction.[35] The film's tone and action were heavily influenced by Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).[36]

In an April 2023 interview, Di Bonaventura stated that the film's story will have a character arc for Optimus Prime prior to the 2007 film, akin to Bumblebee in his self-titled film.[37] In May, Caple said that the events of the 2007 film will be preserved, but also that the story would standalone and that "Ultimately, all you need to know is that they’re trying to get back to Cybertron."[3]

(top): Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, and Peter Dinklage provide the voices for Optimus Prime, Optimus Primal, and Scourge

(middle): Pete Davidson, Liza Koshy, and Cristo Fernández voice Mirage, Arcee and Wheeljack.

(bottom): Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Michelle Yeoh, John DiMaggio, and Colman Domingo voice Nightbird, Airazor, Stratosphere, Transit, and Unicron.

In April 2021, Anthony Ramos was cast for the lead role in the film.[38] Later that month, Dominique Fishback was cast opposite Ramos.[39] It was also revealed that Darnell Metayer and Josh Peters had been hired to rewrite Harold's screenplay.[39] Ultimately, Harold, Metayer, Peters, along with Erich and Jon Hoeber received screenplay credit, with Harold solely receiving story credit, while Ken Nolan, Tony Rettenmaier, Juel Taylor, and Vanderbilt received "additional literary material" credit off-screen.[40]

In June, actress Lauren Vélez revealed that she has a role in the sequel.[41] In the same month, Peter Cullen was confirmed to return as Optimus Prime for the film,[4] and Ron Perlman was announced to be reprising his role as Optimus Primal from the Power of the Primes web series a week later.[21] In July, rapper Tobe Nwigwe revealed that he had a role in the film, making his film debut.[42] In October 2022, Caple Jr. revealed that Michelle Yeoh and Pete Davidson will voice Airazor and Mirage, respectively, in the film.[18]

On December 1, 2022, additional members of the voice cast were announced, consisting of Peter Dinklage as the film's antagonist Scourge, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez as the female Terrorcon Nightbird, Liza Koshy as Arcee, who replaced voice actress Grey DeLisle from both Bumblebee and Revenge of the Fallen, Cristo Fernández as Wheeljack and voice actors John DiMaggio and David Sobolov from previous installments in dual roles for each actor.[11] DiMaggio voices both Stratosphere, an Autobot that originated from the toyline of Revenge of the Fallen and the Dark of the Moon video game from 2009 to 2011, and Transit, a Terrorcon that turns into a transit bus.[43] While Sobolov, being the sole cast member from the Beast Wars animated series,[44] voices both the Maximal Rhinox and the Terrorcon Battletrap.[11]

Caple revealed more members of the voice cast would be revealed in the coming months and expressed interest to bring Mahershala Ali to provide voice work.[45] On April 6, 2023, two months before the film's release, Tongayi Chirisa was announced to be voicing the Maximal Cheetor.[22] Cheetor's original voice actor, Ian James Corlett expressed his support to Chirisa in the role later in that same month.[46] On April 27, 2023, after the release of the second trailer, Colman Domingo was announced to be voicing Unicron.[25]

Principal photography began on June 7, 2021, in Los Angeles.[47] Filming also took place in parts of Peru such as Machu Picchu, Cusco, Tarapoto, San Martín[4] Montreal[48] and Brooklyn. On October 20, it was announced that filming had officially wrapped.[49]

Rather than Industrial Light and Magic from the previous installments, the film's visual effects for the Transformers and Beast Wars characters were provided by Moving Picture Company and Weta FX.[50][51]