He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

Masters of the Universe: Revelation is showrunner Kevin Smith's continuation of the original Filmation series for Netflix. Whereas He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is a reboot in the style of Netflix stablemate Trollhunters.



A description for the upcoming Netflix series reads: "On Eternia, the first planet of creation, a demonic tyrant rises: Skeletor! With dark armies at his command, Skeletor is on the march, hell-bent on capturing Eternia’s kingdoms, and its ultimate prize – Castle Grayskull, the ancient fortress of mystery said to contain the greatest power in the universe. It’s up to He-Man and his brave squad of rookie heroes to stop Skeletor and restore the peace.

Both sides come armed with enchanted Power Weapons – transforming them into Masters of the Primal Powers of the Universe. It’s Master vs. Dark Master, He-Man vs. Skeletor – fighting for control of Eternia, Castle Grayskull, and the fate of us all. In the end, who will become MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE?"

"Masters of the Universe is one of the most iconic global franchises of all time, with a 30-year history and a passionate fan base," Fred Soulie, Senior Vice President of Content Distribution and Business Development, Mattel said previously. "The entire team at Mattel is excited to introduce the world of He-Man to a new generation and, together with the talented team at Netflix, to reimagine the classic characters in a way that appeals to kids and families today, while also resonating with the fans who grew up with them."



As with the newly released Masterverse collection, there will be a new line of action figures and accessories for the series available at Walmart in the US. Hopefully, Smyths Toys and Amazon will stock them in the UK.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe will debut on 16th September on Netflix.

Are you excited for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe on Netflix? Let me know in the comments below.

He-Man fights to save Eternia on Netflix

Happy 4th of July to all our US-based readers! Nick Smith is taking a well-earned break from hunting xenomorphs to enjoy the Independence Day festivities this weekend. So, I'm on hand to champion the heroes of Eternia in their darkest hour.

Netflix Geeked has announced an official trailer for Masters of the Universe: Revelation Part 1.



There's still no sign of Stratos as a friend and fellow fan of the franchise pointed out on Facebook. Perhaps he'll appear in Part 2?

The Kevin Smith led production also announced a few more voices for its cast: Dennis Haysbert as King Grayskull, Adam Gifford as Vikor and Jay Tavare as Wundar.

The five-episode series has a star-packed cast including Mark Hamill as Skeletor, Lena Headey as Evil-Lyn, Chris Wood as Prince Adam/He-Man, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela, Liam Cunningham as Man-At-Arms, Stephen Root as Cringer, Henry Rollins as Tri-Klops, Alicia Silverstone as Queen Marlena, Jason Mewes as Stinkor, and more.

Here’s the official description: "The war for Eternia culminates in Masters of the Universe: Revelation, an innovative and action-packed animated series that picks up where the iconic characters left off decades ago. After a cataclysmic battle between He-Man and Skeletor, Eternia is fractured and the Guardians of Grayskull are scattered. And after decades of secrets tore them apart, it’s up to Teela to reunite the broken band of heroes and solve the mystery of the missing Sword of Power in a race against time to restore Eternia and prevent the end of the universe."

Smith's trailer breakdown amps the hype to the nth degree with his impassioned insights.



The Masterverse toy line is now appearing alongside Masters of the Universe Origins at retail. So far, I've not collected any of Mattel's latest lines since Masters of the Universe Classics ended! However, Hallmark's Castle Grayskull Christmas tree ornament is the perfect gift this holiday season. Hopefully, it'll be available in the UK, too.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation premieres on Netflix on 23rd July.

After watching the trailer, are you excited for Masters of the Universe: Revelation? Let me know in the comments below.

Kevin Smith on Masters of the Universe

Following the release of an official teaser trailer during Netflix's Geeked Week, Kevin Smith sheds further light on his upcoming Masters of the Universe: Revelation series.



"We pick up, spiritually, where He-Man and the Masters of the Universe left off," Smith notes. "So at the beginning of our episode, it plays for the first 10 minutes like a way better animated version of the old show. It's very simple, we establish the relationships, and it's very warm and young feeling. And then about halfway through the show, we turn everything. Something happens, and we kind of grow it up."

Seemingly his hints have stirred up controversy with the suggestion (from some fans) that the series will mostly focus on Teela (Sarah Michelle Gellar) in a bait and switch, which the Masters of the Universe: Revelation showrunner has debunked.

Each episode will be an homage to an eighties movie:

Ep 1 - Superman II
Ep 2 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Ep 3 - Batman
Ep 4 - Hellraiser
Ep 5 - Masters of the Universe

Personally, I'm really looking forward to seeing more Masters of the Universe from the fine folks at Mattel Television.

What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below.

Masters of the Universe at Netflix’s Geeked Week

An official teaser trailer for Masters of the Universe: Revelation dropped during Netflix Geeked's first-ever Geeked Week.

Unlike She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Kevin Smith’s Masters of the Universe: Revelation is a continuation of the original Filmation animated series that ended in 1985.



Read the official series synopsis:

“After a cataclysmic battle between He-Man and Skeletor, Eternia is fractured and the Guardians of Grayskull are scattered. And after decades of secrets tore them apart, it’s up to Teela to reunite the broken band of heroes, and solve the mystery of the missing Sword of Power in a race against time to restore Eternia and prevent the end of the universe.”

The upcoming series has a star-studded cast filled with fan-favourites:

Chris Wood as Prince Adam/He-Man
Mark Hamill as Skeletor
Lena Headey as Evil-Lyn
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela
Liam Cunningham as Man-At-Arms
Stephen Root as Cringer
Diedrich Bader as King Randor/Trap Jaw
Griffin Newman as Orko
Tiffany Smith as Andra
Henry Rollins as Tri-Klops
Alan Oppenheimer as Moss Man
Susan Eisenberg as Sorceress
Alicia Silverstone as Queen Marlena
Justin Long as Roboto
Jason Mewes as Stinkor
Phil LaMarr as He-Ro
Tony Todd as Scare Glow
Cree Summer as Priestess
Kevin Michael Richardson as Beast Man
Kevin Conroy as Mer-Man

The Masterverse toy line (affiliate link) is released on 15th June. Fans of all ages will be able to play with action figures whilst watching the 5-part series from Mattel Television.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation premieres on Netflix on 23rd July.

What did you think of the Masters of the Universe: Revelation teaser trailer? Let me know in the comments below.

Netflix's Masters of the Universe first look

He-Man and Skeletor are back to battle for the future of Eternia!

As a fan of Mattel's Masters of the Universe franchise since the classic toy line's original release in the early eighties, I've been excited to see what director Kevin Smith's (Clerks) animated reboot would look like at Netflix.



Masters of the Universe: Revelation, picking up where the original animated series ended in 1985, builds on the success of Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power reboot in 2018. Some of my earliest blog posts chronicled collecting Masters of the Universe action figures in the eighties and noughties, and Smith is passionate about the beloved franchise.

“So much of this show has been possible because of the love and affection for this world at every level of production and the fandom surrounding this franchise,” Smith said in a statement.

“So many of us were touched by these stories and these characters early in our lives and we're so happy to come back to Eternia. But even if you’ve never watched a single episode of the show or don’t know this universe at all, you can jump right into the story. It’s a really classic, universal action-adventure epic about growth, discovery, magic, and power. This series explores destiny in a fresh way. There’s a lot of reconciling with secrets, betrayal, trust, acceptance, love, and ultimately, loss.”

Read the official series synopsis:

"The war for Eternia culminates in Masters of the Universe: Revelation, an innovative and action-packed animated series that picks up where the iconic characters left off decades ago. After a cataclysmic battle between He-Man and Skeletor, Eternia is fractured and the Guardians of Grayskull are scattered. And after decades of secrets tore them apart, it’s up to Teela to reunite the broken band of heroes, and solve the mystery of the missing Sword of Power in a race against time to restore Eternia and prevent the end of the universe."

The five-episode series from Mattel Television has a star-studded cast including Mark Hamill as Skeletor, Lena Headey as Evil-Lyn, Chris Wood as Prince Adam/He-Man, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela, Liam Cunningham as Man-At-Arms, Stephen Root as Cringer, Henry Rollins as Tri-Klops, Alicia Silverstone as Queen Marlena and Jason Mewes as Stinkor. Hollywood composer Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica) is on hand to underscore the fantastical world of Eternia.



The Netflix series, a love letter to grown-up fans (myself included), will of course be supported by obligatory toys and related consumer products from Mattel. The initial wave of 7" Masterverse action figures arrives in-store and online (affiliate link) on 15th June. Further waves are expected to be revealed at Power-Con 2021.

“Last year, we set the stage for the 2021 reboot of Masters of the Universe through the launch of nostalgic action figures and a Castle Grayskull playset, that offer a retro play experience, to much fanfare,” said PJ Lewis, VP, Global Head, Action Figures at Mattel.

“Our new line, designed for collectors and new fans alike, provides a modern interpretation of these classic characters, and I can’t wait for you to check it out.”

Masters of the Universe: Revelation premieres on Netflix on 23rd July.

Are you excited for more Masters of the Universe, and what are your favourite memories of the franchise? Let me know in the comments below.

Kevin Smith brings Masters of the Universe to Netflix

Director Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy) is executive producer and showrunner on a new Masters of the Universe (MotU) anime series, by Powerhouse Animation (Castlevania), for Netflix announced during Power-Con 2019.

This is exciting news for fans (myself included) of the beloved eighties toy franchise from Mattel and follows the successful reboot of He-Man spin-off She-ra on the popular streamer.



The official series synopsis:

"A radical return to Eternia, Revelation is a direct sequel series to the classic era of Masters of the Universe. Featuring fan-favourites He-Man, Orko, Cringer and Man-At-Arms, the story pits our heroic warriors and guardians of Castle Grayskull against Skeletor, Evil-Lyn, Beast Man and the vile legions of snake mountain!

But after a ferocious final battle forever fractures Eternia, it’s up to Teela to solve the mystery of the missing Sword of Power in a race against time to prevent the end of the Universe! Her journey will uncover the secrets of Grayskull at last. This is the epic He-Man and the Masters of the Universe saga fans have waited 35 years to see!"

Here’s what Smith had to say:

“I’m Eternia-ly grateful to Mattel TV and Netflix for entrusting me with not only the secrets of Grayskull, but also their entire Universe.

In Revelation, we pick up right where the classic era left off to tell an epic tale of what may be the final battle between He-Man and Skeletor!

Brought to life with the most metal character designs Powerhouse Animation can contain in the frame, this is the Masters of the Universe story you always wanted to see as a kid!”

MotU super fan Pixel Dan interviewed Smith at Power-Con.



Some of my earliest blog posts chronicled collecting MotU action figures in the eighties and noughties, and Smith is passionate about Mattel's franchise. The brand is experiencing a renaissance with a new live-action movie and Origins toy line invading retail fall 2020. So, stay tuned for further news.

Are you excited for Masters of the Universe: Revelation? Do you think there'll be a He-Man and She-Ra crossover now both are at Netflix? Let me know in the comments below.

The end of The Rise of Skywalker will melt your mind

Director Kevin Smith (Clerks) was interviewed by the fine folks over on IGN during San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC). He shed light on his visit to the Pinewood Studios set of JJ Abrams' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and why he didn't want to see the final shot of the Skywalker saga:

“There was a scuttlebutt about the set there at Pinewood. They’re like, ‘You have to see this. When you see it, it will melt your mind.’ So I ask J.J., ‘They keep telling me I should see the set.’ He’s like, ‘Don’t. It’s the last shot of the movie. You don’t want this spoiled. You want to be in a theater when this happens. Trust me.'”

Ultimately Abrams and crew members dissuaded Smith:

“As inquisitive as I am, and as curious as I am, I desperately wanted to go look. But when you talk to the magician, and the magician is like, ‘Trust me on this one.’ You know, sometimes as human beings, we want to know how they pull the rabbit out of the hat, but J.J. is such a magical magician that I’m just like, ‘You know what? Do it. Trick me. I’ll wait and get tricked.’ Even though I could have seen what it was, I was like, ‘I’ll sit back. I like your plan.’ He’s never let me down so far.”

Aside from Sith Troopers, there was little else surrounding Star Wars at SDCC. This is a good thing and will only build anticipation for the December release of The Rise of Skywalker.

What could the final shot be? Rey (Daisy Ridley) taking her place by the Emperor's side? Speculate away in the comments below.

Kevin Smith visited the set of Star Wars: Episode IX

Director Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy) recently visited the set of JJ Abrams' Star Wars: Episode IX, currently in production at Pinewood Studios, and talked to Good Morning America (GMA) about the experience.



Smith's unalloyed enthusiasm is infectious. Star Wars: Episode IX will be in cinemas December 2019.

Kevin Smith directs Supergirl Lives

Director Kevin Smith (Clerks) helms another installment in the DC Universe (DCU). This time it's Supergirl.

On the evidence of Smith's stellar episode of The Flash, fans should be in for a televisual treat shot with filmic flair. This is on the back of The CW renewing Greg Berlanti's quartet: Arrow, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl and The Flash.

Supergirl goes off-world in her latest adventure. The midseason premiere sees Kara (Melissa Benoist) moved by the story of a missing woman named Izzy (Harley Quinn Smith) and decides to investigate despite Snapper Carr’s (Ian Gomez) order to leave it alone.

Supergirl returns 23rd January, which is my birthday. Thank you, The CW.

Marvel's Netflix series part of the Cinematic Universe

Joe Quesada (Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment) has confirmed Marvel's upcoming Netflix series is connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will be available to binge-view from day-one.

Speaking on Kevin Smith's podcast, Quesada revealed:

"There will be some interconnectivity, much like the movies. They will exist within the Cinematic Universe again, so this is all the same world as S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Avengers… Although these are superhero stories, this is different now. This is the street level… this is the street level noir side of the Marvel Universe. Something that you haven’t really, really seen in any of our Marvel movies. And probably more ground level, than I think you’ve seen. This is not like us doing Batman, Dark Knight or any of that stuff. This is very much Marvel doing street level superheroes."

"The scripts are coming in. They are pretty fantastic. They’re really emotional. They’re very, very original. But at the same time, it is Daredevil. It is Matt Murdock. We will eventually, hopefully start casting really, really soon, but I’m very, very excited about it."

When Smith asked whether Kingpin would be part of the Daredevil or Spider-Man universe, Quesada remained coy about the villain. “I’m not going to say who the villain is in our story,” answered Quesada.

This July Marvel's Netflix series begins shooting in New York for release in 2015. Presumably to tie-in with Avengers: Age of Ultron.

DC Comics please take note.

Via Live for Films.