Sony's live action MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE reboot continues to trudge through development hell. Although the project had been scheduled for a March 5, 2021 release, and thus should have started filming any day now, Sony has indicated that it won't be going into production any time soon by removing the film from their release schedule. The MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE release date is now simply listed as To Be Determined.
A new film inspired by the 1980s Mattel toy line has been in the works for thirteen years at this point. Back in 2007 the project was set up at Warner Bros. with Joel Silver producing and John Woo rumored to direct. The rights moved over to Sony in 2009… and after eleven years, they still haven't managed to get a movie on the screen. In that time, directors like John Stevenson, Jon M. Chu, Jeff Wadlow, McG, and David S. Goyer have come and gone, and the script has been worked on by Mike Finch, Alex Litvak, Evan Daugherty, Richard Wenk, Terry Rossio, and Chris Yost, with directors Wadlow and Goyer also doing their own drafts.
As of right now, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE is set to be directed by Aaron and Adam Nee, who have been crafting the screenplay with Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. Noah Centineo, an unexpected choice, has been signed on to play He-Man for a while now.
The toyline has also served as the basis for
an animated TV series (1983-85) as well as a 1987 film. He-Man is the alter ego of Prince Adam, who uses the magical Power Sword to transform into a powerful warrior and battle the villainous Skeletor with the help of his allies Teela, Man-at-Arms, Orko and The Sorceress.
There have been rumors that Sony might pass MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE over to Netflix, so we'll have to wait and see if that will be the outcome of this latest delay. Netflix is certainly in the He-Man business these days, as they have two new Masters of the Universe cartoons in the works. Kevin Smith is heading up an animated series called Masters of the Universe: Revelation, which will act as a sequel to the '80s cartoon, while there's also a CG animated series called He-Man and the Masters of the Universe in the works.
Sony has been fumbling with the property for so long, at this point I'm about ready to accept that the 1987 MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE movie is the only live action He-Man we're going to get.