Director Picked for Live-Action He-Man

Published by Jeff Leins on: February 2nd, 2009

Warner Bros has finally selected a director for the live-action He-Man movie Masters of the Universe.  After announcing the project in May 2007, John Stevenson (Kung Fu Panda) has been hired to helm the adaptation of Mattel’s popular toys and 80s cartoon.

In fact, it took so long for Warners to make a move on this project that sources inside the studio said the concept was dead and gone.  But He-Man cannot be stopped.  By the power of Grayskull, this movie will happen!  (You can’t see me right now, but I’m holding a broadsword over my head.)

Joel Silver (The Matrix) is producing based on a script by Justin Marks that buries He-Man in a gritty fantasy world similar to the Lord of the Rings.  When a LatinoReview writer did a script review last year, he gave it an A+ and said it was one of the best screenplays he had ever read.

The story centers on a prince who transforms into a warrior and becomes the last hope for a magical land (Eternia) being ravaged by the evil Skeletor.

Of course, no actor has been selected yet for any of the roles.

I know a He-Man movie sounds really lame, probably campy, and a little homoerotic.  But from what I’ve heard and read about this movie so far, I’m expecting epic battles and awesome hack-and-slash action.  Hollywood already ruined my hopes for a good G.I. Joe movie.  Maybe WB will make up for it with a sweet He-Man reimagining.  A boy can dream, can’t he?  A boy can dream while wearing He-Man underwear and typing a news story for NewsinFilm.com, right?