The official Transformes Instagram account have uploaded a short promotional video presenting the Rise Of The Beasts Maximal voice cast and confirming Cheetor’s voice actor.
Read on for the full list of confirmed voice actors for the movie:
- Optimus Primal – Ron Perlman
- Airazor – Michelle Yeoh
- Rhinox – David Sobolov
- Cheetor – Tongayi Chirisa
Tongayi Chirisa is a Zimbabwean actor known for playing Man Friday on NBC’s Crusoe television series, Father Nicholas on The Jim Gaffigan Show, and Hekule on Leon Schuster’s Mr. Bones 2: Back from the Past movie. We welcome him to the Transformers franchise as the voice of fan-favorite Maximal Cheetor.
Update: Some comments about Tongayi’s audition via his official Instagram account:
So there is a story to this!!! Per the usual standard .. I had to sign an NDA, so I had NO IDEA what I was reading for.. it was only when I was in the booth to do my voice over that it dawned on me that I was reading for TRANSFORMERS Like what!!!🤯🤯🤯🤯 I totally geeked out in the moment.. Man, to say this is mad exciting is an understatement…
So thankful. So honored, so blessed!!!! Massive shout out and THANK YOU to @stevencaplejr for putting your boi on! Appreciate you, fam!!!
Click on the discussion button below and share your impressions on the 2005 Boards!
ZapRowsdower
Wow, nice! I'm super excited to see the new talent get a shot, while also making the cast more inclusive.
To be fair, though, I think most of us expected Samuel L. Jackson to get the role!
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QLRformer
Welcome to TF Mr Chirisa.
I'm not too familiar with the actor, but I hope he will be a good voice for Cheetor.
Livingdeaddan
I don't think anyone is actually complaining. Half the posts are just happy Cheetor speaks at all, and the other half are debating the most suitable VA demographics.
Pterodactyl with a Pee
To be honest I forgot Beast Machines existed, and at least the movie will be soooomewhat serious, at least compared to Cyberverse.
Revan1307
what proof do u have that's it going to be awful "trash"
SPLIT LIP
There's no way ROTB will be more serious than Beast Machines.
Hell, I don't expect this movie to be serious at all.
Pterodactyl with a Pee
Wait we're complaining about the voice actor for Cheetor? A character who has only been
in two (three of you’re a lamo who counts the WFC trilogy) previous forms of media with a voice actor, both of which were very kid-ish oriented, which would be very unfitting for a serious live-action movie..? Y’all are smoking something else to be that nitpicky for something like that.
AutobotAvalanche
Fully expecting this movie to be awful trash, but to this point specifically I just want to say… yes, it is.
Revan1307
So sad people are hating on someone excited to be in a movie
Ring3r
Only when the fans are actually correct about something, though. Fans generally have an excellent grasp of the "soul" of the franchise that they enjoy, because….well, that's what attracted them in the first place. Details don't necessarily have to remain the same to maintain the same overall feel or "soul." And, sometimes, change is unavoidable or necessary. Fans, all of us, as individuals, also tend to fixate on very specific things that are more a reflection of ourselves than the actual franchise. That can get in the way of good storytelling (just like being a crap writer can get in the way.) Fan service can absolutely be taken too far.
DaveTheCave
Zimbabwe accent is really cool so I hope they use that instead of making the voice actor do an American or British accent
T-Hybrid
Yeah y'all said that in 2007 and the Bayverse printed money for almost a decade.
Oh, y'all also said that back in the 90s. You'll recognize it as a thing we routinely mock these days.
Yeah, "future proofing" is pointless because it's 40 years later and people still want Peter Cullen to voice Optimus.
Disney/Marvel figured it out by casting a bunch of younger or relatively unknown actors to play a new generation of heroes so they can lock them down while they're still relatively affordable and not yet in too high demand.
Bond, Doctor Who, etc, all figured out a while ago it's fine to just rotate in new talent once in a while. Nobody "owns" a character they have played or voiced unless they literally own it.
For live action, sure. Meanwhile there's been a number of different people playing Optimus in that same span, starting with Animated/Prime and going on to Cyberverse, Rescue Bots, and even Earthspark today. You'll remember this because every time someone who wasn't Cullen was announced for the role this forum threw a tantrum.
Esquilax79
David Sobolov!! Might be old news but news to me. Glad they're including back a Beast Wars voice actor for this. (Beast Wars Depth Charge and voice work with a lot of other Transformers projects, including Blitzwing in the last movie.)
Stygian360
Speaking of Cheetor, I'm confused about this character. One toy looks like the G1 toy, one looks like a weird bear/dog thing and yet with none of the 'hair aesthetic' apparent on the character racing along in the movie trailers. What exactly IS the deal with all of the various versions? That question is rhetorical as I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday and I realize characters can iterate as the production goes along, and sometimes Hasbro gets earlier character models on which to base toys, but boy does it send a weird message to the consumer… a vast majority of which are children. Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled whatever you were doing before reading this.
Bass X0
Fans pivot forwards familiarity and therefore profit for the studio.
Going against fan expectations is pivoting away from profit.
Nate98
Ben Schwartz would be perfect for Transformers but maybe as Bumblebee (although Danny Pudi would be preferable) or other characters like Hot Rod or Hot Shot or something along those lines.
But Tom Holland? Ugh no the guy isn't the worst actor but he's just overused lately like Chris Pratt.
Honestly I think this new actor for Cheetor will do fine and seems to be passionate about being involved. We don't always need really big names to play the characters, this franchise thrives on hiring both big names and lesser known or unknown actors.
Livingdeaddan
I can't believe that keep calling it Transformers everytime. Come already, think of new name why can't ya!
Livingdeaddan
I did but he hasn't been in anything I know (or hardly anything at all), and I watched a couple secs of him on YouTube, but nothing cried out Beast Wars VA to me.
I'm not saying he definitely won't be good, indeed I'm hoping he will be perfect because I love Cheetor, so I wondered what the board member was basing his opinion on.
Perfect to me would be like, Tom Holland or Ben Schwartz or something.
Powerglide1991
This guy has been in other shows and films, wouldn't take a minute to look him up on YouTube
JayEm
Hell yeah! Looking forward to hearing Tongayi's interpretation of my favorite best boi. STOKED they went with a POC. Good shit!