The upcoming Masters of the Universe movie may be closing in on a director — specifically, one with experience in the realm of 1980s kids franchises.
According to Deadline, Bumblebee director Travis Knight is circling the forthcoming He-Man movie. The outlet’s sources have said that some “elements on the project” are still coming together and that Knight’s deal hasn’t closed, but that he seems to be the top choice to helm the Mattel property’s film. Additionally, Deadline notes that Amazon MGM Studios is in the final stages of nabbing the rights for the picture.
The Masters of the Universe movie has had quite a journey thus far, going from Sony to Netflix before being canceled at the streamer, leading to the current situation. At one time, Noah Centineo was attached to play He-Man, though he has since dropped out.
Knight previously directed 2018’s Bumblebee as well as the 2016 stop-motion movie Kubo and the Two Strings. His next film is another stop-motion film titled Wildwood, which currently has a release date window of 2025.
When did Masters of the Universe first debut?
Mattel’s Masters of the Universe toy line initially launched in 1982. The franchise’s first animated series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, aired from 1983 to 1985. Since then, it has spawned a number of spin-offs, reboots, and revivals. The first (and, to date, only) live-action Masters of the Universe film released in theaters in 1987. It starred Dolph Lundgren as He-Man.
