Posted on: April 12th, 2010 MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Gets New Writers
Ah Masters of the Universe. Who can forget ‘em? He-Man. Skeletor. Ram Man. Stinkor. All of your favorites. It was one of my favorite one-two punch of television-toy properties growing up. And don’t forget the live-action film of ‘87 with Dolph Lundgren and Frank Langella as He-Man and Skeletor, respectively. Well, ok. You can forget that one.
You may or may not know that Warner Bros. had been trying to revive the property with a new film for quite a while. A few years ago there was a script that apparently kicked all kinds of ass, titled Grayskull. That didn’t happen. Then they began to develop it again a while later. That didn’t happen. History does repeat itself though, and now is the time to cash in on toys as films, so Columbia has acquired the rights and is back in the He-Man saddle.
THR’s Heatvision reports that Predators screenwriters Mike Finch and Alex Litvak have signed on to write the screenplay for the new film. Heatvision reports that the writing duo “attempted to balance a treatment that would convince the studio it was cinematic and keep the toy company satisfied that its characters were being portrayed appropriately.”
Like I said before, with Transformers and G.I. Joe being successful, now is the time to capitalize on toy-lines (we have films based on Battleship, Stretch Armstrong and Monopoly coming our way). The property is also seeing a resurgence of interest thanks to Mattel’s new Masters of the Universe Classics figure line (awesome, awesome figures, by the way).
Personally, I think you could do some really cool things with a Masters of the Universe film, especially with the big budgets and effects thrown at these films. Imagine all they could do with the medieval swords and savagery meets technology and gadgets.
Granted there’s always room for failure. Snout Spout, I’m looking in your direction.
More on the new Masters of the Universe film as it breaks.
Also, I would kill for a Hungry Hungry Hippos creature feature.