Chris Hemsworth made his kids his ‘consultants’ for ‘Transformers One’ role at Comic-Con

At this year's San Diego Comic-Con, held on July 25, Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, and Keegan-Michael Key offered fans a preview of "Transformers One." 

The animated film, scheduled for release on September 20, features Hemsworth as Orion Pax, also known as Optimus Prime, and Henry as Megatron.

Hemsworth, 40, revealed that he sought advice from his children before accepting the role. "I had gone to my kids and said, 'What do you think?' And they said, 'You have to do it,'" Hemsworth told PEOPLE. 

This role marks Hemsworth’s first significant voice acting job, taking over from Peter Cullen, who has long been associated with Optimus Prime since the original 1980s series.

Hemsworth's children—India Rose, Sasha, and Tristan—also played a role during the recording sessions. "They were in the background as I was recording a lot of these lines. They were kind of yelling suggestions or trying to distract me. It was cool," Hemsworth shared.

The Comic-Con panel also featured Key and Henry, who each reflected on their personal connections to the franchise. 

Key, 53, recalled his childhood memories of watching the series, stating, "I've never done a movie about something I enjoyed in my childhood. So this was a real treat, an absolute treat, full circle."

Henry, 42, discussed the significance of his role as Megatron, noting, "The fact that I get to play Megatron is not lost on me. I grew up with a lot of cartoons that didn't really reflect me... Not a lot of cartoons, not a lot of fantasy really included us."

In April, Hemsworth and Henry introduced the film's trailer through a live-streamed rocket launch, reaching 125,000 feet above Earth. 

The trailer teases the origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron.

The film will follow last summer's "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts." Scarlett Johansson, who was not present at Comic-Con due to filming "Jurassic Park 4," voices the character Elita. 

Johansson’s extensive voiceover work includes roles in "Her," "The Jungle Book," and the "Sing" series.