MOTU movie allegedly to start filming this April for a December 2019 release.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^Very true.

The Transformers films were mostly successful but to me, ultimately joyless. They got some things right, but most wrong. The characters are ugly and all look alike and are mostly unrecognizable to their classic toy or cartoon counterparts. This is probably the thinking behind MOTU as well.

Chris

[Werewolf]

This property is never going to be treated well.

Sadly, no.

MOTU also isn't game of thrones. They shouldn't try make a gritty grim dark serious movie out of a fun light hearted property that has characters with names like Ram Man, Buzz-Off and Clawful.

[Earth 2 Chris]

This property is never going to be treated well.

I agree, we now have the tech to replicate the look of the cartoon. If they did that, an entire generation of 40 year olds would be dragging everyone they know to the theater to see it.


Chris

[Werewolf]

Plot and character details have been leaked.

http://thathashtagshow.com/2018/05/masters-of-the-universe/

Skeletor is now Adam's brother. To be totally honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of the mini comics retconning Skeletor as He-Man's uncle. It always had little too much "I am your father" vibe for my tastes. Anyways, this is way worse.

Orko is now a small man!? Seriously!? He is a Trollan, a floating alien wizard from another dimension. They finally have the FX tech to do an amazing CGI Orko and they change him into a short guy!?

[Nostalgiabuff]

I have heard heard of these guys. what do you think about them directing?

[Bruce Banner]

Now the "Nee Brothers" are apparently helming the project.
Goyer is still attached as screenwriter and executive producer.

http://www.hemanworld.com/2018/04/the-nee-brothers-to-direct-masters-of-the-universe/

http://variety.com/2018/film/news/he-man-movie-director-masters-of-the-universe-1202763492/

[Bravestarr]

Goyer just dropped out. Thank goodness.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/he...-goyer-1083210

Thank god those preproduction concepts were all wrong

[Earth 2 Chris]

From what I've heard the Lugosi estate is notoriously challenging to work with. But they, honestly, probably have a right to be. Universal used Bela's name and likeness for decades without paying a cent and the family is understandably bitter about it. With Mattel they did it to themselves. They were too short sighted to retain full rights to the property and sold it. Unlike Hasbro who wisely re-acquired the rights to their Sunbow cartoons (Transformers, GI JOE, My Little Pony, etc.) in 2008.

Bela Jr. is a lawyer. So he guards that likeness like no other. And you honestly can't blame him, although it often sucks for fans when Dracula is left out, or is "generic" when everyone else is based on Karloff or a Chaney.

Goyer just dropped out. Thank goodness.

Huzzah!

Chris

[Werewolf]

Goyer just dropped out. Thank goodness.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/masters-universe-reboot-loses-director-david-s-goyer-1083210

[Werewolf]

From what I've heard the Lugosi estate is notoriously challenging to work with. But they, honestly, probably have a right to be. Universal used Bela's name and likeness for decades without paying a cent and the family is understandably bitter about it. With Mattel they did it to themselves. They were too short sighted to retain full rights to the property and sold it. Unlike Hasbro who wisely re-acquired the rights to their Sunbow cartoons (Transformers, GI JOE, My Little Pony, etc.) in 2008.

[enyawd72]

You know, it does feel kind of strange to think, that Mattel had to pay Classic Media a license fee for every MOTUC figure they made. They then would also have to pay additional license fees if the character fell under the Filmation and or She-Ra rights umbrella. There were ways to skirt some fees with characters like Orko and the Sorceress because they were part of the original MOTU toy line. So they still fell under the toy line rights. But other Filmation characters, like Shokoti, would require the additional Filmation license. It makes your head spin. Heck, the live action movie rights is yet another separate license. They were only able to make Gwildor, Blade and Saurod because they were in the original toy line. I think Karg gets around the movie rights because they are using a pre-movie design from the comic.

All this licensing crap has had a terrible effect on the toy industry. It's why we'll never see another Bela Lugosi Dracula figure...or a Lou Ferrigno Hulk. The only people that benefit from it are the lawyers who oversee it all.

[Werewolf]

You know, it does feel kind of strange to think, that Mattel had to pay Classic Media a license fee for every MOTUC figure they made. They then would also have to pay additional license fees if the character fell under the Filmation and or She-Ra rights umbrella. There were ways to skirt some fees with characters like Orko and the Sorceress because they were part of the original MOTU toy line. So they still fell under the toy line rights. But other Filmation characters, like Shokoti, would require the additional Filmation license. It makes your head spin. Heck, the live action movie rights is yet another separate license. They were only able to make Gwildor, Blade and Saurod because they were in the original toy line. I think Karg gets around the movie rights because they are using a pre-movie design from the comic.

[Werewolf]

Mattel has made some really questionable business decisions over the years, haven't they?

Well, yeah, there's that. Mattel wasn't interested in cultivating MOTU like Hot Wheels and Barbie and considered it a dead brand after New Adventures. They obviously weren't thinking in the long term or aware of or prepared for the enduring popularity of MOTU.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Geez, I had no idea Mattel didn't own MOTU lock stock and barrel. Mattel has made some really questionable business decisions over the years, haven't they?

Chris

[Werewolf]

Yeah, the rights timeline is fairly complicated. But Mattel has not had the entertainment rights to MOTU since they sold it to Hallmark in the mid 90s.

As far as I can tell it breaks down like this:

Hallmark sold the rights in 2004 to Entertainment rights. Boomerang Media bought out Entertainment Rights in 2009. They then rebranded under the name Classic Media. DreamWorks bought Classic Media in 2012. Universal then finally got the rights when they bought DreamWorks in 2016. It's kinda nuts how complicated it is