Best Optimus Prime and Megatron Voice Actors?

Summerhayes · Post by **Summerhayes** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:04 pm

Prime: Cullen all the way, though I personally think his movie voice is slightly better than his G1 voice. Very old and soldiery- like a big, robotic Solid Snake

Megatron Slightly harder. I like Weaving's when he does it right- "Is it fear or courage that compells you, fleshling?" sends shivers down my spine- but most of the time its just a growly, shouty monster voice. Welker's megatron had a lot of character and i the classic, but I love Kaye's "yesssss." I think Welker is technically the superior of the two, but Kaye does such a delightful generic cartoon villain I'm gonna have to go with him.

Also, I saw Welker in the credits of something a while back, but I can't remember what. It might just have been one of his Decepticon cameos from Family Guy.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:14 pm

Summerhayes wrote:Also, I saw Welker in the credits of something a while back, but I can't remember what. It might just have been one of his Decepticon cameos from Family Guy.

Might be difficult to narrow down. He's in everything.

Neotyrant · Post by **Neotyrant** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:54 pm

Prime: Cullen. Always and forever.

Megatron: Welker. Perhaps others have formulated more amusing, interesting voices. But none are so iconic as Welker's.

Glyph · Post by **Glyph** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 5:56 pm

Prime: Chalk. Sorry, but I was one the (apparently) few who didn't want Cullen to voice OP in the movies. (Incidentally, the voice treatment in the movies seems too slow and 'boomy' to me; it's like the producers are trying too hard to ram home the point that this is a Great And Wise Leader, Whose Every Word Is Philosophical Gold.)

Megatron: Probably Corey Burton. I'd previously have said Kaye, but Burton's performance from the very first episode of Animated blew me away. I don't think it would work with the *rawrsnarl* monster mask that Movie Megs is wearing, though.

Starfield · Post by **Starfield** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:18 am

Prime: Neil Kaplan gives a lot of character to the voice while still sounding like a leader. David Kaye makes Optimus sound like an ordinary guy, which is what they were trying to get across for Animated I guess.

Megatron: Frank Welker. Hugo Weaving was waaay off. Daniel Riordan in the film would have been a total win.

I forgot how little robotic voice effects the had in Beast Wars.

Post by **zigzagger** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:25 am

For Optimus, I'll have to go with Peter Cullen, but Gary Chalk's Optimus Primal gets a notable mention. While it's little on the generic side, I do think his voice work for Optimus Primal is done quite convincingly (if not a teeny bit overacted at points).

As for Megatron, plenty of decent candidates, but I'll have to go with David Kaye's Beast Wars Megatron. Possibly due to good scripting, but it's just so damn charming and is a perfect match to the character. Plus, there's great attention to detail, Kaye always seems to know the right pitch for a given moment (can't say that about Energon, etc, as I haven't watched much of it). Runner-ups are Frank Welker and Corey Burton's Megatrons. I like Welker's Megatron in that warm, fuzzy sort of way. It's the voice I tend to hear when I read the comics. Corey Burton's Megatron has a cold, inhuman yet sophisticated quality to it that I like (most likely due to the voice distortion).

wyze2099 · Post by **wyze2099** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:30 am

For Optimus, it's gotta be Peter Cullen. He defined the character, and his voicework is the primary reason the character is so fondly remembered (and why so many kids were upset when Prime died in the movie).

For Megatron, it'd be easy to say Frank Welker, but I have to say I like Corey Burton's Megatron better. He sounds more calculating and menacing, rather than Welker's version, who sounds more given to ranting and raving.

Civ · Post by **Civ** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:24 pm

For Optimus Prime, I have to admit that I do like Cullen best. Gary Chalk and David Kaye are definite notables for me.

For Megatron, I'm going with Corey Burton. I thought he fit the role perfectly with cold, calculating, robotic voice which sounds like a deeper and gravellier version of his Braniac voice from the DCAU.

HeavyArms · Post by **HeavyArms** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:23 am

Peter Cullen for Prime and Frank Welker for Megatron.
Then Gary Chalk and David Kaye.
I do like Corey Burton's Megatron and while I know Hugo Weaving voices Megatron in the movies, I just can't hear it.

And I'm too much of a G1 fan to change my opinion, although Chalk and Kaye are really close on the list to Cullen and Welker.

Galvatron37 · Post by **Galvatron37** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 4:37 pm

I would have to say Cullen and Welker all the way. They both voice the characters perfectly. I was actually really dissapointed that Welker didn't voice Megatron in the live action films.

moonbaseone · Post by **moonbaseone** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 4:14 am

I will definitely have to go with Peter Cullen and Frank Welker.

BWW 2000 · Post by **BWW 2000** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 1:54 am

wyze2099 wrote:For Megatron, it'd be easy to say Frank Welker, but I have to say I like Corey Burton's Megatron better. He sounds more calculating and menacing, rather than Welker's version, who sounds more given to ranting and raving.

What, so Corey Burton is finally playing a cold, calculating menacing Decepticon leader, as against playing a character who was like that in the Marvel comic, but being told to play him as Megatron's lackey...?

relak · Post by **relak** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 11:56 pm

As much as i love G1, i'd say my favorite Megatron voice has to go to David Kaye. But only his Beast Wars Megatron.
I tend to prefer my bad guys as calm, calculating, menacing beings.
Armada/Energon Megatron was less calm, a but too "shouty".

Frank Welker is a talented actor but his megatron just sounded like someone with a sore throat at times.

Optimus Prime........I'd say Peter Cullen, but only his G1 portrayal. IMO, he sounds too old for his younger looking Prime portrayal. So thats more a case of the voice not fitting the character.

David Kaye's Prime in TFA was not bad but he sounded rather.......generic.
As for Gary Chalk, Optimus Primal was awesome but for some reason, his Armada era Optimus prime sounded a lot higher pitched and again "too shouty"