Sixteen years after the debut of the first live action Transformers movie, Paramount Pictures will be releasing the seventh live action Transformers film: Rise of the Beasts! Uniting Autobots and Maximals against the evil Terrorcons, this film is the first of the Paramount Pictures films to bring in lore from the Beast Wars era of Transformers onto movie screens around the world.
As part of Paramount Pictures' promotional campaign for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, statues of Optimus Primal and Optimus Prime have been making appearances all around the world after first debuting at SXSW earlier this year with stops that have included Brazil and Australia. In early June 2023 the statues touched down in New York City amidst the chaotic yet iconic Times Square. Known for its bustling tourist traffic, famous Theater District and dozens of gigantic flashing LCD screens, this area is a sight to behold making it the perfect place for Optimus Primal and Optimus Prime to promote the film.
Visitors to the display could get their pictures taken with the statue, and by the good graces of the staff on hand I was allowed to take photos and videos of these amazing pieces of art. Check out my video below featuring the two statues:
While I had seen plenty of photos of these statues in previous weeks, nothing prepares you for just how massive they are in person. They really do fire the imagination and for a second you might think "What if these were REAL?!" and that sense of joy and wonder is a fantastic feeling for a Transformers fan.
In addition to the statues, several screens in the Times Square area had Rise of the Beasts ads in rotation. As a long time fan, it was truly awesome to see Transformers up on the big screens of Times Square!
Once you had taken your pictures, you were given a Rise of the Beasts sticker featuring the Autobot symbol. Other cities had a Decepticon or Terrorcon symbol.
In addition to the video above, checkout my gallery below with photos featuring these amazing statues. Rise of the Beasts opens June 9, 2023 in the United States.
