The Masters of the Universe movie reboot previously shelved by Netflix is potentially looking at a new home. After years of languishing in development and passing through multiple hands, Netflix was the latest to try its luck at bringing a He-Man movie to fruition when it picked up the project from Sony in early 2022. However, Netflix would eventually scrap their plans for a live-action Masters of the Universe reboot in July 2023 after spending nearly $30 million on development.
However, according to a new report from Variety, the project is potentially looking to move to a new home, with Amazon MGM Studios currently in talks to assume ownership of the project with Netflix’s original writing and directing duo, Adam and Aaron Nee. However, some sources still caution that the negotiations are tenuous at present, and both Mattel and producer Todd Black will also potentially be pushing for a potential theatrical release.
Will Barbie’s Success Finally Secure The Masters of the Universe Reboot?
Despite generating several animated reboots and adaptations over the years, Mattel’s Masters of the Universe has only ever managed one live-action adaptation in the form of Dolph Lundgren’s 1987 widely panned box office flop. While several filmmakers, including the likes of Face/Off director John Woo, Terminator Salvation’s McG, and Man of Steel’s David S Goyer, have all tried their own hands at reinventing the property at one time or another, none of those plans would ever come to fruition. Even Netflix, who experienced success with multiple animated versions of the property, failed to bring their movie plans to life.
However, with Mattel currently celebrating the enormous success of this year’s Barbie movie, there is the potential for them to finally break the streak of bad luck surrounding the live-action Masters of the Universe reboot. Plans for live-action adaptations for both properties have repeatedly struggled over the years, with the earliest plans for a live-action Barbie movie even scrapped shortly after the disastrous release of the original Masters of the Universe. Despite years of delays and doubts regarding its potential box office appeal, Barbie eventually smashed all expectations to gross an impressive $1.442 billion worldwide.
If Amazon MGM Studios decides to take on the Masters of the Universe reboot, they would no doubt be hoping to emulate even a portion of the success that drove Barbie to become 2023’s number-one release. Whether He-Man and his friends from Eternia can deliver such a feat remains to be seen, but few would have anticipated Barbie to generate the kind of widespread interest it did either. With any luck, a live-action Castle Grayskull may come to the big screen after all.
