The long-gestating Masters of the Universe movie has found its He-Man -- and a new home.
The project, which was previously being developed by Sony Pictures, is now a joint venture between Mattel Films and Netflix, with West Side Story's Kyle Allen slated to play Prince Adam/He-Man. The film is being directed by Aaron and Adam Nee from a screenplay they co-wrote with David Callaham, known for his work on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Wonder Woman 1984.
"Masters of the Universe is an iconic property that shaped the imaginations of an entire generation of kids with the message of becoming the best version of yourself," Mattel Films executive producer Robbie Brenner said. "With our partners at Netflix, we look forward to showing audiences that anything can happen in Eternia. We are continuing to unlock this global franchise in new ways, and we can’t wait to see Kyle battle it out with Skeletor in this epic live-action saga."
"We’ve always been inspired by the fantastical world of Eternia," producers Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch added. "This movie has been 14 years in the making for us and our partners and we are so excited to tell an entirely new story for Masters of the Universe with the Nee Brothers and Dave Callaham for Mattel and Netflix and share it with a global audience."
Masters of the Universe is a reboot of the 1987 film, which is itself inspired by the 1980s cartoon and toy line. The project was originally being developed by Warner Bros. as early as 2004, but Sony landed the rights in 2009. A full 10 years later, Noah Centineo was cast as He-Man, but he exited in April 2021. This news came a little more than a year after it was first reported that Netflix may secure the rights after the movie was removed from Sony's calendar.