‘Masters of the Universe’ Movie Eyes New Home at Amazon After Netflix Exit (EXCLUSIVE)
14.11.2023 - 00:45
/ variety.com
Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer In “Masters of the Universe,” He-Man’s nemesis is the evil wizard Skeletor. In Hollywood, his greatest threat has been a list of studio partners that have sidelined him from the big screen for nearly two decades. The blond barbarian, based on a popular set of Mattel toys, may finally win the day.
Amazon MGM Studios is in serious talks to mount a live-action “Masters of the Universe” movie from Adam and Aaron Nee, the writing and directing team behind “The Lost City,” according to multiple insiders. Conversations are taking place with Amazon after Netflix dropped a planned version of the Nee brothers film in July. Netflix spent nearly $30 million in development costs over two years for the project, which was meant to star Kyle Allen (“A Haunting in Venice”).
The streamer walked away when the tentpole’s budget, originally set for more than $200 million, could not be meaningfully reduced. The Amazon talks are tenuous, another source cautions, but should the studio advance, it will need to close new deals with the Nees for a script polish and to direct. Allen is still in the mix to star as He-Man.
Mattel and producer Todd Black, who has been devoted to the film across multiple former studio homes, including Warner Bros. and Sony, will also be seeking a significant theatrical release — something that was not quite on the table at Netflix. Amazon MGM and Mattel had no comment.
Like any good superhero tale, this deal has an antagonist that threatens its very existence. The rights to “Masters” are entangled in a dizzying web, one that stretches back more than a decade to when DreamWorks Animation purchased them as part of a larger content library. The deal said Mattel could exploit “Masters”
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