If you were alive in the late 1980s or 1990s, there are a few pop culture moments that defined your childhood. And, most likely, the death of Optimus Prime in 1986’s Transformers: The Movie is on that list. The bold choice to kill the main character of a kids’ movie in the first act remains not just controversial, but wildly daring and ambitious. Plus, largely because that choice was made, Transformers: The Movie still endures 40 years later. To celebrate that 40-year anniversary, Hasbro began 2026 by announcing a tongue-in-cheek “Apology Tour” for killing Optimus Prime, and this week, that really kicked into high gear. The “tour” began in February with a bunch of new toys, but this week we got news of a theatrical re-release as well as a “reformatting” of the incredible soundtrack. Let’s set the tone by playing a little music: a brand new version (and video) of Stan Bush’s “The Touch.” Okay, now that the mood is set (“You’ve got the poweeeeeeer, YEAH!”), here are the details that make this week feel like Transformers Christmas.
No tour would be complete without a theatrical element, and it’s happening this fall. Transformers: The Movie will get a wide, limited-time release through Fathom from September 17-21. “For decades, Transformers fans have carried this film with them, which is a testament to its storytelling and lasting cultural impact,” Alyse D’Antuono, Vice President, Global Brand & Franchise Strategy, Action Brands, Hasbro said in a press release. “Bringing it back to theaters is an opportunity for longtime fans to relive it together, and for new audiences to experience a defining chapter of Transformers history.”
