Optimus Prime Takes on Decepticon Transit in Unseen ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Scene

A recently unveiled deleted scene from Transformers: Rise of the Beasts showcases Optimus Prime engaging in a fierce battle with the bus-based Decepticon, Transit. Director Steven Caple Jr. made the decision to remove this scene from the final cut due to its dark tone, as test audiences found it unsettling.

The scene, shared by IGN, features Autobot leader Optimus Prime, voiced by Peter Cullen, confronting Transit, portrayed by John DiMaggio, who transforms into an unconventional alternate mode—a city bus donning a poster for the 90s film Beverly Hills Cop III. The clip exhibits their intense brawl within a bus depot, showcasing animation ranging from early stages to near completion. Originally, the sequence concluded with Prime defeating Transit and disposing of his lifeless body in the Hudson River, joining the ranks of numerous fallen Decepticons at the hands of the legendary Autobot. In an interview with FilmSweep, Caple Jr. explained, “During the screening, people were like, ‘Wow, this is quite dark.’ [Laughs] It was indeed dark, a movie I initially wanted to create, but I began to realize it was overly bleak. So we decided to dial it back.” Although the scene was ultimately cut, it was removed late enough in production for DiMaggio to be credited as Transit in the closing credits.

Who Is Transit?

Transit, a relatively lesser-known character from the Transformers universe, had previously made two appearances in different iterations before nearly making it to the big screen. These appearances were limited to comic books published by IDW. Similar to his cinematic counterpart, Transit is a Decepticon capable of transforming into a bus, although in one comic issue, his alternate mode takes the form of a slightly more unique British double-decker bus. Had Transit appeared in the movie, he would have been the only living Decepticon, marking the first Transformers film without the traditional Cybertronian villains. Instead, the heroic Autobots and Maximals in the film confront the formidable Terrorcons, minions of the world-consuming celestial entity known as Unicron. This would have been Transit’s debut on-screen, with DiMaggio lending his voice, who is also set to reprise his role as Bender in the forthcoming Hulu revival of Futurama. DiMaggio is already acquainted with the Transformers franchise, having previously voiced characters like Leadfoot in Dark of the Moon, Crosshairs in Age of Extinction and The Last Knight, and Stratosphere in Rise of the Beasts.

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Rise of the Beasts has recently surpassed the $400 million milestone at the global box office and is set to arrive on home video soon. The Optimus/Transit scene will be among several special features included in the digital and DVD/Blu-Ray release of Rise of the Beasts. Additional content will encompass behind-the-scenes footage, character featurettes, a focus on the film’s ’90s setting, and various other deleted scenes.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will be available digitally on July 11, with physical media releasing on October 10. Stay tuned to FilmSweep for further updates and enjoy Optimus Prime’s clash with Transit below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

More about Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Official Website
• IGN – Optimus Prime battles Decepticon Transit in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts deleted scene
• FilmSweep – Director Steven Caple Jr. discusses the deleted scene from Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
• IMDb – Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
• IDW Publishing – Transformers Comic Books