Looks like we’ll be hearing a little experience and wisdom in between all the Bayhem in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as Leonard Nimoy is providing the voice for Sentinel Prime in the new film.

Yes, the man who-is-not-or-maybe-is Spock has agreed to lend his gravelly, iconic tones to the robot, a mentor to Optimus Prime, and seen on Empire’s cover a couple of months ago. You catch a glimpse of his damaged form in the teaser trailer that arrived last year, and he’ll also get into the fight in the movie’s big Chicago battle.

Nimoy is no newcomer to the Transformers universe – he previously played Galvatron in the 1986 cartoon movie based on the battling 'bots. Despite the actor's experience with giant machines, Bay was apparently reticent to call on Nimoy, who announced his retirement last year (fortunately without also trying to launch a hoax rap career. Though we would have paid good money to see that).

“I was too scared to ask him,” the director tells Entertainment Weekly. “Plus, he’s married to Susan Bay, who’s a cousin of mine. So I had to be careful. I’ve met him at family functions. But he told me, ‘I would be honoured. I’m glad to be back!’”

Oh, and the pyrotechnically addicted director also promises there will be a little more soul this time around. “The robots have more character in this movie. Much more. You really understand their struggle, on both sides actually.” We’ll believe it when we see it, Mike.