After developing a Masters of the Universe film since 2007, Sony is apparently considering making the project for Netflix, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The outlet reports that studio chairman Tom Rothman is in preliminary talks as Sony decides between finding a studio or financier partner for the He-Man project, or go with Netflix in a “safe deal.”
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If Sony selects Netflix as their distributor, the studio would follow in the footsteps of companies like Paramount who have already explored and are currently making movies for streamers, or A24, who entered a multi-year deal to produce features for Apple in 2018.
With Masters of the Universe being in the works for over a decade, it’s possible the project is not as appealing to sell to studios. Meanwhile, Netflix is already collaborating with Kevin Smith on an upcoming He-Man animated sequel series, Masters of the Universe: Revelation, with the filmmaker executive producing and showrunning the project.
Noah Centineo was cast in the lead role of the film, taking on the new live-action version of He-Man. Dolph Lundgren portrayed He-Man in 1987 for the first Masters of the Universe film. However, the characters date back to 1982, when Mattel debuted the Masters of the Universe toyline. The subsequent He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series made its titular hero into an ’80s icon. A reboot series aired on Cartoon Network in 2002.
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Iron Man scribes Matt Holloway and Art Marcum rewrote the most recent draft of the film. Aaron and Adam Nee are going to direct the movie, which doesn’t yet have an official start date. It was announced earlier this year that Masters of the Universe would arrive in theaters on March 5, 2021.
