Transformers: Age of Extinction producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura talks "upgraded" Optimus Prime

Ted star Mark Wahlberg and the ginormous, shape-shifting Dinobots aren't the only upgrades in the Transformers: Age of Extinction arsenal.

According to the film's producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, heroic Autobot leader Optimus Prime is himself in line for a bit more than a lick of paint and a squirt of WD-40...

In fact, he's now armed with a whole new weapon. "The sword is emblematic of what we've done to Optimus Prime as a whole," says Di Bonaventura to USA Today. "He's been upgraded with more abilities."

He says Prime's power-up is all part of director Michael Bay's mantra to crank everything up to 11. "Michael... has always been conscientious about the need to keep topping 'the last one.' First it was topping the animated Transformers television program, now we need to top our third movie," says Di Bonaventura.

Optimus voiceover Peter Cullen however has said that the character is still very much rooted in what fans know and love. "Since the original concept of Optimus Prime, the trustworthiness, the honor, the courage are still there. That will always prevail. And that's the basis of his popularity."

Transformers: Age of Extinction is released on 10th July.