‘Transformers 4′ Reveals Optimus Prime’s New Robot Form

Transformers, roll out...your new look!

Because 'Transformers 4' is a reboot (-ish?), the characters are all gone (so long Shia!) and the robots have all been redesigned. We've already showed you what the new Optimus Prime will look like in his truck form and today we have the first look at what the new Optimus Prime will look like as a robot.

Here's the good news: Optimus Prime doesn't have lips anymore. Or, at least, if he does, he's keeping them concealed behind his mouthpiece for the time being. The body is improved as well, but it's kinda hard to tell from that angle he's standing at. He's more bulked up, which is nice, considering the skimpy Barbie waist of the previous versions. It looks like they've ditched the windshields-as-pecs look that has followed the character from his cartoon design. The sword he's holding could be the Star Saber, a weapon created by one of the first Transformers and on his other hand, you get a glimpse at Optimus' new power shield.

The new look comes from the cover of the upcoming Empire magazine, which features a preview of 'Transformers 4' and also a photo of Mark Wahlberg looking straight into your soul.

It will be interesting to see how 'Transformers 4' explains a complete Transformer redesign in the movie (if they even do at all). We can see how or why the film would follow a new set of characters, but why would Optimus Prime and Bumblebee look different? Did they suddenly find new vehicles that sort of looked like their old forms? Are Transformers concerned about the way they look? Is this like plastic surgery for robots? It's one thing for Megatron to go from a jet to a tank - it makes sense to change forms completely (as much as anything in the Transformers universe can make sense) - but why change from a truck with flames on it to another, mostly similar, truck with flames on it? (We're gonna go out on a limb and guess it has something to do with selling more toys.)

Even with the long-awaited arrival of the Dinobots, it's hard to get too excited about 'Transformers 4,' what with the last two films being so not very good. You know, the whole fool me once thing.

'Transformers 4' opens in theaters on June 27, 2014.