However, the Decepticons unveil a plan to use the technology to enslave Humanity in order to bring back Cybertron, the home planet of the Transformers. Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, and John Turturro reprised their starring roles, with Peter Cullen and Hugo Weaving returning as the voices of Optimus Prime and Megatron, and Kevin Dunn and Julie White reprising their roles as the parents of the main protagonist, Sam Witwicky. English model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley replaced Megan Fox as the lead female character; the cast also saw the additions of Patrick Dempsey, John Malkovich, Ken Jeong, and Frances McDormand.
This installment of the franchise--which director Bay announced would be his last--welcomed :
- Keith Szarabajka,
- Ron Bottitta,
- John DiMaggio,
- George Coe,
- Francesco Quinn,
- James Remar,
- Greg Berg, and
- veteran science-fiction actor Leonard Nimoy to the voice cast.
In May 2011, it was announced that Paramount Pictures would move Transformers: Dark of the Moon's release date of July 1 to June 29 in order to monitor an early response to footage. Exclusive early premieres in select 3-D and IMAX theaters took place June 28 2011, one night before worldwide release in 2-D and 3-D (including IMAX 3D) formats--each featuring Dolby Surround 7.1 sound.
Critical reception of the film was mixed to negative, with several critics calling it better than Revenge of the Fallen and praising the film's visuals and 3-D action sequences, but criticizing its writing, acting, and length. Dark of the Moon grossed $1.12 billion worldwide, and is currently the fourth highest-grossing film of all time, the second highest grossing film of 2011 (behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2), the highest grossing film in the Transformers series, and the tenth film to gross over $1 billion. The film was nominated for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing at the 84th Academy Awards. A sequel to the film, directed once again by Michael Bay, is scheduled for release in June 2014.
Humans
- Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky, a recent college graduate who is once again tied to the fate of Earth's survival.
- Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as Carly Spencer, Sam's new love interest.
- Tyrese Gibson as USAF Chief Robert Epps, former NEST major who now works at a space shuttle.
- Josh Duhamel as U.S. Army Lt. Colonel William Lennox, the captain of the classified strike team NEST – an international taskforce battling Decepticons with the Autobots.
- John Turturro as Seymour Simmons, a former agent of the terminated Sector 7 unit who is now a professional writer.
- Patrick Dempsey as Dylan Gould, a wealthy car collector and employer of Carly Spencer who is secretly in cahoots with Megatron.
- Kevin Dunn as Ron Witwicky, Sam's father.
- Julie White as Judy Witwicky, Sam's mother.
- John Malkovich as Bruce Brazos, Sam's employer and boss at Accuretta Systems.
- Frances McDormand as Charlotte Mearing, the Director of National Intelligence.
- Lester Speight as "Hardcore" Eddie, a former member of NEST.
- Alan Tudyk as Dutch, Agent Simmons' personal assistant.
- Ken Jeong as Jerry "Deep" Wang, a paranoid software programmer at Sam's work.
- Glenn Morshower as General Morshower, leader of NEST, who communicates with the squad in the Pentagon.
- Buzz Aldrin appears as himself, meeting Optimus Prime at the NEST headquarters.
- Bill O'Reilly appears as himself, interviewing Agent Simmons through his television program The O'Reilly Factor.
- Elya Baskin as Cosmonaut Dimitri, one of the two surviving Russian cosmonauts who gives Sam information on the Moon missions.
- A Peterbilt 379 is used for the alternate mode for the Autobot Optimus Prime.
- Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots and keeper of the Matrix of Leadership.
- Hugo Weaving as Megatron, leader of the Decepticons, who is still badly wounded from the final battle of Revenge of the Fallen.
- Leonard Nimoy as Sentinel Prime, Optimus Prime's predecessor as the leader of the Autobots who transforms into a red and black Rosenbauer Panther Fire Truck. He was also a mentor to Optimus.
- Jess Harnell as Ironhide, the Autobots' cantankerous weapons specialist.
- Charlie Adler as Starscream, Megatron's second-in-command.
- Robert Foxworth as Ratchet, the Autobots' medical officer.
- James Remar as Sideswipe, the Autobots' combat instructor who transforms into a silver Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Concept Convertible.
- Francesco Quinn as Dino/Mirage, an Autobot Spy who transforms into a red Ferrari 458 Italia. This was Quinn's final role before his death shortly after the film was released.
- George Coe as Que/Wheeljack, an Autobot scientist who invents gadgets, equipment, and weapons who transforms into a blue Mercedes-Benz E550.
- Tom Kenny as Wheelie, a former Decepticon drone turned Autobot lackey.
- Reno Wilson as Brains, Wheelie's partner and a fellow former Decepticon drone.
- Frank Welker as Shockwave, an emotionless but fierce Decepticon; Soundwave, the Decepticons' communication officer, and Barricade a Decepticon who transforms into a Police Car.
- Ron Bottitta as Amp/Roadbuster, one of the three Wreckers. He transforms into a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. #88 AMP Energy/National Guard car.
- John DiMaggio as Target/Leadfoot, the leader of the Wreckers. He transforms into a Juan Pablo Montoya #42 Target car.
- Keith Szarabajka as Laserbeak, a condor-like Decepticon who is fiercely loyal to Soundwave.
- Greg Berg as Igor, a deformed Decepticon who serves as a personal servant to Megatron in his exile.
- Jim Wood as Crowbar, one of the members of the Dreads.
