The 'Transformers' and 'G.I. Joe' Crossover We've Been Waiting For Is Finally Happening

Nostalgia just got a serious upgrade. Two of Hasbro’s most beloved franchises are finally converging on the small screen, and the team behind the project is making a very deliberate choice not to play it safe.

Robert Kirkman’s Skybound Entertainment has teamed with Hasbro Entertainment to produce ‘Energon Universe’, an adult animated series based on the comics of the same name created by Kirkman. This is not a kids’ cartoon revival. It is a full-scale shared universe event, and industry insiders are already watching closely.

The Energon Universe Comic Foundation

Before a single frame of animation is drawn, it helps to understand just how much source material this series has to draw from. The ‘Energon Universe’ is an ongoing American shared fictional universe created and overseen by Robert Kirkman, developed and presented by Skybound Entertainment in collaboration with Hasbro.

Kirkman, a ‘Transformers’ and ‘G.I. Joe’ fan since childhood, won the comic book publishing rights to the signature Hasbro brands in 2021, going on to create a cohesive shared universe in which ‘Transformers’ and ‘G.I. Joe’ co-exist together alongside original IP ‘Void Rivals’, which Kirkman co-created with Lorenzo De Felici.

The franchise launched in June 2023 with ‘Void Rivals’, which featured the surprise appearance of Transformers character Jetfire on the final page. That was followed by the October 2023 release of ‘Transformers’ and four ‘G.I. Joe’ character-focused miniseries, leading to a tentpole ‘G.I. Joe’ series launch in November 2024, with ‘Transformers’ #1, ‘G.I. Joe’ #1 and ‘Void Rivals’ #1 all setting sale records.

Two years in, ‘Energon Universe’ has become one of Hasbro’s bestselling comic book lines ever, with over 7 million combined units sold worldwide. ‘Transformers’ also won two Edgar Awards in 2024.

A Void Rivals Wildcard in the Mix

One of the most intriguing elements of the animated series is how it intends to weave together not just the two legacy Hasbro properties, but an entirely original mythology as well. ‘Void Rivals’ follows characters Darak and Solila being forced together amid a war between their alien races, and it marked the beginning of the ‘Energon Universe’ comic.

As one of the flagship series of the Energon Universe, ‘Void Rivals’ continues to set major events in motion alongside Kirkman and Dan Mora’s Eisner-winning ‘Transformers’ and Williamson and Reilly’s ‘G.I. Joe’, with the universe building toward huge revelations.

The stakes in the source material have only intensified heading into the animated adaptation. A landmark issue arriving in December 2025 kicks off a storyline called The Quintesson War, an all-out assault that promises to rewrite the entire status quo of ‘Void Rivals’ as Darak and Solila must guide their people through the deadliest conflict they have ever faced. With the comics moving in such an ambitious direction, the animated series will have no shortage of dramatic arcs to pull from.

The ‘Lucifer’ Showrunner Steering the Ship

The creative choice that has generated the most buzz is the hiring of the series’ showrunner. Joe Henderson, who previously served as showrunner on ‘Lucifer’, the successful Fox/Netflix TV series also adapted from comics, is attached to write the adaptation. His TV credits also include ‘White Collar’ and ‘Almost Human’.

Henderson’s track record with comic-to-screen adaptations makes him a fitting choice for material this layered, and the tonal ambitions for the project are explicit. Despite featuring the family-friendly Hasbro characters ‘G.I. Joe’ and ‘Transformers’, the ‘Energon Universe’ series will be broad, with adult sensibility in the vein of Kirkman’s gritty adult animated series ‘Invincible’, based on his comic, which has been a hit for Prime Video.

After the success of ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘Invincible’, Robert Kirkman is not done expanding into the world of television. Pairing him with a showrunner who has navigated the complex tonal demands of a long-running genre series feels like a deliberate and well-reasoned bet.

What the Live-Action Crossover Situation Means for This Show

For fans who have been hoping for a big-screen ‘Transformers’ and ‘G.I. Joe’ collision, the animated series arrives at a complicated moment on the film side. The live-action crossover movie has been in development for some time, but progress seems to have stalled. ‘Rise of the Beasts’ star Anthony Ramos told Screen Rant that “there’s a lot going on at Paramount,” suggesting that the company’s merger with Skydance might have complicated or delayed development.

The Paramount Skydance Corporation was officially formed on August 7, 2025 with the merger of Paramount Global and Skydance Media, and there are multiple different ‘Transformers’ projects in various stages of development. That includes an untitled live-action movie from Josh Cooley, who directed the animated prequel ‘Transformers One’.

With so many irons in the fire, it is possible that Paramount may pause development on the live-action ‘Transformers’ and ‘G.I. Joe’ crossover until ‘Energon Universe’ can get off the ground and prove there is a genuine audience hunger for this type of project. In other words, the animated series may have more riding on it than just its own future.

Skybound’s Growing Animated Empire

It is also worth noting the broader context of what Skybound has quietly built over the past few years. Co-founded by Kirkman and CEO David Alpert, Skybound’s portfolio includes ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘Invincible’, whose most recent third season became Prime Video’s most watched animated series installment.

The ‘Energon Universe’ animated series is expected to be taken out to buyers shortly, meaning a network or streaming home has not yet been confirmed. Given the proven appetite for Skybound’s brand of sharp, mature animation and the enormous built-in fanbase for both ‘Transformers’ and ‘G.I. Joe’, competition for the rights could be fierce.

The question of which platform ultimately lands it may shape the show’s creative ceiling as much as anything else.

Whether you grew up with Optimus Prime on your shelf or Cobra Commander in your comic collection, ‘Energon Universe’ looks poised to mean something — so which franchise are you most hoping gets the spotlight treatment when the show finally hits screens?