After years in development, Netflix has cancelled its live-action Masters of the Universe reboot. Based on Mattel’s line of He-Man toys, the first live-action Masters of the Universe movie was released in 1987 with Dolph Lundgren playing the muscular hero from Eternia. Plans for a fresh reboot date as far back as 2007, with the project ing through multiple hands and studios over the years. In early 2022, Netflix officially picked up the most recent iteration of the project from Sony, as The Lost City directors Adam and Aaron Nee signed to helm a script they co-wrote with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse scribe David Callaham.
Per Variety, Netflix has decided to discontinue their work on the reboot, despite reports that close to $30 million had already been spent on the movie’s development. While Netflix has not officially commented on the move, Mattel has confirmed that the film is no longer in development at Netflix. The toy giant is reportedly also hoping to find the long-gestating project a new buyer.
The Troubled History Of The Masters Of The Universe Reboot Explained
Making their retail debut in 1982, Mattel’s line of He-Man action figures was initially developed to capitalize on the sword and sorcery trend popularized by properties such as Conan the Barbarian. Originally sold with accompanying mini-comics that helped lay the groundwork for the property’s evolving mythos, the franchise quickly became a household name after the creation of the 1983 animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Despite the IP being at the height of its popularity when the first live-action movie was released in 1987, it flopped at the box office and was widely panned by critics and audiences alike.
Since then, there have been several failed attempts to reboot Masters of the Universe. In the mid-2000s, Face/Off director John Woo was reportedly attached to a new attempt to revitalize the property. After those initial announcements, however, no further news eventuated until it was later reported that Woo had lost interest in the project altogether. Sometime after, Warner Bros. stepped in with plans that would have had Matrix producer Joel Silver take the reins. Unfortunately, that also stalled due to disagreements with Sony about how the movie should be approached.
Since then, the movie has seen everyone from G.I. Joe: Retaliation’s Jon M. Chu to Terminator Salvation’s McG and Man of Steel’s David S Goyer attached at one point or another. Whether Mattel will be successful in finding a new home for their Masters Of The Universe reboot is still yet to be seen, but with such a long and troubled history, it may prove a hard sell. Perhaps the positive buzz surrounding Warner Bros.’s new Barbie movie might convince them to take a second chance on another of Mattel’s popular toys.
Source: Variety
