Peter Cullen has told how he wasn't the original choice for the voice of Optimus Prime in the new Transformers film, and how Michael Bay was wanting to cast new names, and big names at that.

"(The filmmakers) were thinking more Hollywood big names," Cullen said. "They did start to consider the original voice actors because of the enthusiasm and the ... stubbornness of the fan base. God, I'm grateful for those guys," he said.

Is the quote from The Oklahoman through Superhero Hype. He goes onto say how he asked the script assistant to stop reading the part of Ironside in the audition because he voiced him originally, and he went on to voice both characters for the remainder. What a trooper.

He was called back in for another audition to show that he could really act, and not just carry out the voice, as Cullen says:

"Optimus steps out of his normal frame, and becomes ... a little more human."

I'm actually liking a lot more what Bay has been saying he wants to do with these Transformers, making them real and believable, fitting in with our real world. I think I'm swaying back to looking forward to this again, although to be fair I was never really off it...just concerned about some of the comments coming out of production.

I think it's right that they've brought back the original voice though. Re-voicing Prime would have just been too much of a leap for many of the fans don't you think?