(Left) Idris Elba as John Luther in ‘Luther: The Fallen Sun.’ Photo: John Wilson/Netflix © 2023. (Right) Man-At-Arms from ‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’. Photo: Filmation Associates.
Preview:
- Idris Elba’s in early talks to join the new ‘Masters of the Universe’ movie.
- Nicholas Galitzine and Camila Mendes are leading the cast.
- ‘Bumblebee’ director Travis Knight is overseeing the movie.
Earlier this year, the long-developing (more on its tortured history below) new movie based on the ‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’ toy line/1980s cartoon series finally appeared to take the leap from vaporware to Actual Film That Will Actually Happen, as ‘Bumblebee’s Travis Knight signed on to direct.
Almost two decades after crashing down to Earth, Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet of Eternia against the evil forces of Skeletor…. Read the Plot
Since then, we’ve had a trickle of casting news, including Nicholas Galitzine playing the heroic central figure, Camila Mendes signed to be warrior woman Teela and Alison Brie boarding to be the villainous Evil-Lyn.
Things have been quiet recently, but now The Wrap reports that ‘Luther’ and ‘The Suicide Squad’ actor Idris Elba is in talks to be Man-at-Arms.
Related Article: ‘Masters of the Universe’: Camila Mendes to Play Teela in the New Movie
What has happened with the movie’s development so far?
‘Masters of the Universe’ toys. Photo: Mattel.
‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’ follows Prince Adam, who has a magic sword that turns him into the powerful He-Man. He and his comrades (including Teela, the Captain of the Royal Guard) must protect the planet of Eternia from the evil machinations of villain Skeletor (whose acolytes include Evil-Lyn).
A live-action big screen version in 1987 starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as Skeletor flopped at the box office, which scuttled a planned sequel.
The new live-action version has torn a path through filmmakers and studios. Directors such as ‘Face/Off’s John Woo, ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Jon M. Chu and ‘Truth Or Dare’s Jeff Wadlow have been attached at one time or another, but the movie has always fallen apart.
Netflix was the most recent company to try, hiring directing siblings Adam and Aaron Nee, the duo behind 2015’s indie movie ‘Band of Robbers’ and 2022’s ‘The Lost City’, who were also attached to a Sony attempt, working on the script with ‘Man Of Steel’s David S. Goyer.
What’s the story for the new ‘Masters of the Universe’ movie?
‘Masters of the Universe’ toys. Photo: Mattel.
Knight is working from a new draft of the script by Chris Butler –– to whom he’s already connected, as Butler has written or directed several animated movies produced by Knight’s Laika studio.
The new movie reportedly (there has been no official confirmation) revolves around 9–year-old Prince Adam crashing to Earth in a spaceship and being separated from his Magical Sword –– the only link to his home on Eternia.
After tracking it down almost two decades later, Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor. But to defeat such a powerful villain, Prince Adam first will need to uncover the mysteries of his past and become He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe.
Who is Man-at-Arms?
(L to R) Jon Cypher as Man-At-Arms and Chelsea Field as Teela in ‘Masters of the Universe’. Photo: The Cannon Group, Inc.
Various versions of the character have existed across the different comics and series adaptations of the ‘He-Man’ stories, but in the most familiar, he’s Duncan, a soldier and inventor who acts as a mentor to Prince Adam (while being unaware that the young man’s alter ego is He-Man) and foster father to Teela.
It remains to be seen which incarnation Knight and Butler are drawing from, but Elba seems like a good call for the role.
When will ‘Masters of the Universe’ be on screens?
Amazon/MGM studios is aiming to have the movie in theaters on June 5th, 2026.
‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’ 1980’s Cartoon. Photo: Filmation Associates.