Masters of the Universe Movie?

[Den82]

If you go to He-Man.org, a MOTU movie is the hottest topic. Everyone wants one and have been hoping to get one for years.

As for me? Love the toys. Only toyline I feel compelled to get one of EVERYTHING (eventually). I grew up with the Filmation Cartoon as well and think that is great too.

But a movie? I don't see it working, unless they make drastic changes to the plot like they did with the 1987 movie (which I love now, but hated as a kid).

He-Man is great today for the Nostalgic factor. As kids we didn't know it was created as nothing more than a product designed to make cash. This is why I think it's a failure for a movie. There are so many holes in the different cannons, so many variations on the back story and such. As much as I still love it, I see how absurd it was in many ways, being a sort of kitchen sink propriety (elements of Star Wars, Conan, D&D, super heroes, etc.). I think Filmation also recycled most elements from Blackstar too, which failed earlier.

[Figuremod73]

He-man was a good mixed of Star Wars, Conan, and other fantasy elements popular at the time. I have to admit I probably like MOTU more than most superheroes (my age and the time I grew up accounts for that).

For a film I would like them to go back to the earliest version of the character and build from there and forgo the Filmation series and most of the mini-comics from around wave 3 (1984 and on). I guess it could be possible to use what was in the 2002 series.

I really dont see a film working without alot of changes. I didnt like the film adaptations of Transformers and Gi Joe so I'm in no hurry to see Heman get buchered. The 1987 film borrowed as heavily from Jack Kirby as MOTU anyway. ( I like that film better now to)

It wasnt very long ago that I discovered that MOTU has ALOT in common with Big Jim. Check out the link if your not familiar with the line. It makes some pretty good points about borrowing elements from this seventies line. I wasnt familiar with Big Jim but now I would like to get some of these figures!

http://jimsmash.blogspot.com/2009/01/big-jim-master-of-universe.html

[Figuremod73]

I'll be happy with MOTUC in stores myself.

Heres a Mattel monster called Krusher that "sorta" reminds everyone of whiplash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69ttzyPFOaw

[Werewolf]

As kids we didn't know it was created as nothing more than a product designed to make cash.

Same with all the classic toys we love. As we all know toy companies have to make money to stay in business. So they try to make fun appealling toys kids are going to want. It's not a bad or sinister thing.

A new MOTU live action movie has been threatened for years. I personally don't see it getting made. If by some miracle it gets made all the fun will be re-imagined right out of it. It will be another generic "dark" and "edgy" CGI-fest that's MOTU in name only.

The 1987 movie was saved by Langella. He admitedly loved the role and it shows. His Skeletor makes the movie.

[Den82]

Same with all the classic toys we love. As we all know toy companies have to make money to stay in business. So they try to make fun appealling toys kids are going to want. It's not a bad or sinister thing.

A new MOTU live action movie has been threatened for years. I personally don't see it getting made. If by some miracle it gets made all the fun will be re-imagined right out of it. It will be another generic "dark" and "edgy" CGI-fest that's MOTU in name only.

The 1987 movie was saved by Langella. He admitedly loved the role and it shows. His Skeletor makes the movie.

I know it's not bad, but I hate the idea we were taken advantage of like that and those cartoons (GI JOE, He-Man, etc.) were just commercials. Some were great, some were mind numbingly stuff like some GI JOE episodes. At least the companies felt that way. I was glad to hear Filmation butted heads with Mattel a lot and actually put a lot of effort into it, happily at least. Unlike say, Don Glut who wrote the early mini-comics and gave a lot of characters their names. He basically said he thought it was all crap and just a job to him.

Yet, I too think those early mini-comics are good. But it lacks the drama I think a lot of people would want in a live action film that came later (Skeletor for example being He-Man's uncle...but that is such a rip off of Star Wars). There is a lot of plot holes in those early comics too.

[spacecaps]

It works if they do it similar to a Lord Of The Rings type film. Make it a quest movie where He-man and company fight various Masters of The Universe bad guys along the way to doing something. Stick to the characters in the original line and do away with some of the more ridiculous elements of the series (no talking cats, make Orko & some of Skeletors henchman seem more competent) The relaunched cartoon series provided the framework for the makings of a good story with decent character development, how Randor came into power, the Eldors, who and what Hordak and the Horde was (which went largely unexplained in the canceled all too soon cartoon) and the Snakemen. There's seriously enough material for at least 6 quality movies but if they go the Gi Joe/Transformers route, then your gonna get a bunch of terrible movies. Of all the 80's cartoon series, MOTU has the most depth to be developed into a good film series (JEM and The Inhumanoids are probably the next best BTW). As a long time MOTU fan, I've thought about the potential of a decent Heman film(s) for quite some time and whenever I seen a terrible movie get made (John Carter comes to mind right away) I always say to whosever with me, "They can make this crap but they can't make Masters Of The Universe." Of course whatever does eventually get made will never live up to my expectations but it's got to be better than...The Phantom Menace, GI Joe, Transformers, the ridiculously awful original Masters movie and all the other terrible terrible movies that could have, would have, should have been great. The closest thing we ever really got to seeing a decent Masters movie was actually Krull which is basically Masters of The Universe minus He-man.

[toys2cool]

As a huge He-man fan I always wanted more as a kid..Loved the movie back then and now.. as long as they keep it as original as possible to the original series I'm all for it , I agree making it a Lord of the rings type film would be awesome

[Den82]

I watched the first 2 or 3 episodes of the 2000x cartoon and yeah, that would be a good route to go down for a movie. They would have to try and do something with the Clark Kent-type situation with Prince Adam and He-Man. Maybe have two different actors.

If I was in the director's chair, I'd probably make the movie just look like a really violent acid trip. I'd have Skeletor and his henchmen really scary, practically horror-like.

Of course Mattel would not allow me to do that.

The 1987 film I like, btw. Frank Langella was soooo good in that movie and the new characters were great, including Gwildor. I HATED it when it came out. Even at 5, I was like "this isn't He-Man". I think I was already over He-Man at that point like a lot of kids and I just got Nintendo. In 1984/1985, that's all I cared about. By '87 I had few of the later figures.

I guess another reason I do not want a new one, because I know it will just be a crapfest that will be used as a vehicle for some WWF star, some teeny bopper singer and they will be more interested with fast food tie-ins, slurpee cups and new toys. So they can keep it.

[Earth 2 Chris]

They would have to try and do something with the Clark Kent-type situation with Prince Adam and He-Man. Maybe have two different actors.

Look no further than Captain America: The First Avenger for the solution. Cast a buff guy as He-Man, skinny him up as Adam. That always bothered me. Worse than Clark and his glasses. He-Man is Adam with a tan at Filmation...

I will admit I was VERY disappointed in the MOTU movie back in 87. The year before I slowly began to give up playing with toys (I was 11), and MOTU was the first to go. By 87 I was "done" with toys, but I still wanted to see that MOTU movie. It never came to our town, so I had to wait for it to hit video. I remember seeing the Moebius artwork in Starlog and thinking it was cool, but was disappointed they just didn't do a straight adaptation. Heck the box art and all the Earl Norem stuff LOOKED real, so why mess with it. The fact that almost the entire movie takes place on Earth is a downer. I'd like to see it again now, to see what I think of it. Others have pointed it out it's a good New Gods movie in disguise.

Chris

[spacecaps]

Yeah I remember as a kid there was a lot of disappointment among all the kids that I knew in in school that saw it. I remember the official reason that we came up with was that they set it on Earth (which the cartoon had only the slightest and totally irrelevant connection to) and why Orko wasn't in it and instead of him, we got a left over costume apparently too creepy for Willow that played the keytar to do his magic (seriously 1980's?) was because the special effect wouldn't look right and would cost too much to do.

[toys2cool]

man in 87 i was 7 and so into toys, nothing like He-man and Gi joes for me....I just hope if they do do it that they use Thor to play he-man..he'd be perfect

[Bruce Banner]

Loved the MOTU line... I had the first 15 or so figures as a kid.

The original mini-books which came with the figures were great, because they had He-Man as a sort of wandering Conan type character.

(When DC and Filmation got the license for the comic and cartoon, they added the Prince Adam secret identity.)

The 1987 movie has its good points as well as bad. I didn't like how they changed the look of the characters. That was director Gary Goddard's decision.
But yeah, Frank Langella gives one of the all time great villain performances in that movie.

(The new DC comic series is actually pretty good, too.)

[Brown Bear]

Based on the trailers I've seen for the new Superman and Lone Ranger, I'd be just as happy if they didn't bother ruining He-Man too.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

It'll get made sooner or later; it's a known name. Thing is, we're creeping into 90's nostalgia now, so the critical period may have been passed.

The original toy line was kind of a mishmosh of ideas, genres, and failed plans.... and that was what made it so interesting. Monsters, barbarians, magic, weird science.... stuff. As a kid you could read into the characters anything you wanted. As a cohesive story....? Well; I suspect that's why each go around for the series results in something completely different. There isn't an underlying cohesive story, idea, theme.... Sooner or later someone will hit on a plot that sticks, and that'll be the one they run with.

Don C.