Optimus Prime

John Goodman (Argo) and Ken Watanabe (Godzilla) have been tapped by director Michael Bay to voice two of the new Autobots in this summer’s highly anticipated Transformers: Age of Extinction.

Paramount confirmed yesterday that Goodman will play Autobot Hound, while Watanabe will be playing Drift. Meanwhile, legendary Transformers actors Peter Cullen and Frank Welker have also agreed to return.

Cullen will once again voice Optimus Prime, while Welker takes on another new character in the fourth instalment of the popular franchise, Galvatron.

“I am pleased to welcome two gifted and versatile actors, John Goodman and Ken Watanabe, to the world of Transformers,” said Bay in a statement released late last night. “And to reteam with Peter and Frank, who have brought Transformers characters alive from the beginning. I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the best voice talent in the business, and together we will introduce several exciting new robots to fans of the franchise around the world.”

Rounding out the voice-over cast are actors John DiMaggio, Mark Ryan, Robert Foxworth and Reno Wilson. DiMaggio and Ryan will take on the new characters Crosshairs and Lockdown respectively, while Foxworth reprises the role of Ratchet and Wilson returns as Brains.

The human cast is made up of Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor, Titus Welliver, Stanley Tucci and Kelsey Grammer. Transformers: Age of Extinction is set to be released in 3D and IMAX 3D on June 27th in the US and 10th July in the UK.