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Transformers Studio Series Wave 2 Revealed: Dinobot Snarl, Astrotrain, Shockwave, and the Matrix of Leadership

Hasbro's Transformers: The Movie 40th anniversary celebration keeps expanding, and Studio Series Wave 2 is the line's biggest single reveal yet for the milestone lineup. Official product details confirm seven new figures across three price classes, plus a genuinely unusual addition: an electronic, display-ready replica of the Matrix of Leadership itself.

This wave follows an earlier round of reveals covering Optimus Prime, Megatron, Hot Rod, Hound, and Scourge, meaning the 40th anniversary lineup is now stacking up into one of Hasbro's most ambitious Studio Series pushes in recent memory.

Here is what's confirmed about every figure in the wave, what makes the Matrix of Leadership piece different from a standard figure release, and how to protect the lineup once it starts arriving.

What's Confirmed About Studio Series Wave 2

Hasbro's official product copy confirms the following lineup, classes, and pricing:

  • Leader Class Dinobot Snarl ($59.99): 8-inch figure, converts robot-to-dinosaur in 31 steps, releases May 2026
  • Leader Class Astrotrain ($59.99): 6.75-inch figure, converts robot-to-train in 29 steps and train-to-shuttle in 16 steps, releases June 2026
  • Voyager Class Shockwave ($42.99): 6.5-inch figure, converts robot-to-Cybertronian spacecraft in 26 steps, releases August 2026
  • Voyager Class Skywarp ($42.99): 6.5-inch figure, converts robot-to-jet in 27 steps, releases September 2026
  • Deluxe Class Wheeljack ($27.99): 5-inch figure, converts robot-to-car in 18 steps, releases July 2026
  • Deluxe Class Kranix ($27.99): 5.5-inch figure, converts robot-to-spaceship in 20 steps, releases September 2026
  • Deluxe Class Sunstreaker ($27.99): 4.5-inch figure, converts robot-to-car in 15 steps, releases May 2026
  • The Matrix of Leadership ($124.99): electronic display and roleplay replica, releases August 2026

That spread means the wave rolls out gradually from May through September rather than landing all at once, giving collectors a staggered budget window across roughly five months.

Dinobot Snarl Headlines the Leader Class Lineup

At 8 inches and $59.99, Dinobot Snarl is both the largest figure in the wave and one of its earliest releases, arriving in May 2026 ahead of Astrotrain's June debut. The 31-step conversion and included sword accessory give it genuine display presence as a standalone piece, independent of the rest of the wave.

Astrotrain's Dual Conversion Sets It Apart

Astrotrain's Leader Class build stands out specifically for its double conversion: 29 steps from robot to train mode, then a further 16 steps from train to space shuttle mode. That two-stage transformation gives Astrotrain three distinct display configurations from a single figure, a meaningfully deeper play-and-display pattern than most single-alt-mode figures in the wave.

Shockwave and Skywarp Share a Class, Not a Timeline

Despite both landing in the same Voyager Class at the same $42.99 price point, Shockwave and Skywarp release a full month apart, in August and September 2026 respectively. Collectors budgeting for both should plan around that gap rather than expecting a simultaneous two-figure release.

The Matrix of Leadership Is a Genuine Departure From a Standard Figure

Unlike every other item in the wave, the Matrix of Leadership isn't a transforming action figure at all. It's an electronic display and roleplay piece with an extendable frame that opens and closes, pulsing lights that intensify when opened, and a built-in audio cue playing Stan Bush's The Touch, the song most associated with the original 1986 film's most iconic scene. At $124.99, it's priced above every figure in the wave and functions purely as a display and nostalgia piece rather than a poseable collectible.

A Staggered Five-Month Rollout

With releases spanning May through September 2026, Wave 2 isn't a single-day event the way some franchise waves are. Sunstreaker and Dinobot Snarl lead things off in May, Astrotrain follows in June, Wheeljack arrives in July, Shockwave and the Matrix of Leadership land together in August, and Skywarp and Kranix close the wave out in September. Planning purchases around that staggered calendar, rather than expecting one large release window, is worth doing given how spread out the lineup actually is.

Protecting a Multi-Month Rolling Wave

Since this wave arrives in pieces over roughly five months rather than all at once, it's worth having display and protective solutions ready as each figure lands rather than waiting for the full set to arrive. A modular acrylic display case gives completed figures a clean, dust-free presentation that can be added to incrementally as each new release comes in.

For figures displayed in robot mode on a shelf, a tiered acrylic display stand helps organize a growing Studio Series lineup by height and class rather than leaving figures crowded together on a flat surface.

Common Mistakes Collectors Make

  • Expecting the entire Wave 2 lineup to release simultaneously instead of planning around its May-through-September rollout
  • Assuming the Matrix of Leadership is a standard action figure rather than a dedicated electronic display piece
  • Overlooking Astrotrain's dual conversion, which gives it three display modes rather than the single alt-mode most Wave 2 figures offer
  • Missing individual release windows for Shockwave and Skywarp despite their shared class and price point

Recommended Products

Frequently Asked Questions

What figures are included in Studio Series Wave 2?

Dinobot Snarl and Astrotrain (Leader Class), Shockwave and Skywarp (Voyager Class), and Wheeljack, Kranix, and Sunstreaker (Deluxe Class), plus the Matrix of Leadership display piece.

How much do the figures cost?

Leader Class figures are $59.99, Voyager Class figures are $42.99, and Deluxe Class figures are $27.99. The Matrix of Leadership is $124.99.

When does the wave release?

Staggered from May 2026 through September 2026, rather than all at once.

Is the Matrix of Leadership a transforming figure?

No. It's an electronic display and roleplay replica with lights and sound, not a poseable action figure.

Final Thoughts

Studio Series Wave 2 gives the Transformers: The Movie 40th anniversary celebration its deepest lineup yet, spanning three figure classes and a genuinely unique electronic centerpiece in the Matrix of Leadership. Its staggered May-through-September rollout means the smartest approach is planning purchases around each release date individually rather than treating it as a single event.

As each figure arrives, getting it into proper display storage keeps a growing Wave 2 collection organized and protected across the full five-month rollout.

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