Masters of the Universe movie on Netflix

Mattel Films and Netflix are producing a new live-action Masters of the Universe movie starring Kyle Allen (West Side Story) as He-Man. Mattel Films was previously developing a reboot with Sony Pictures.

Read the official synopsis:

"In Masters of the Universe, an orphan named Adam discovers he is a prince destined to be the savior of a faraway land and must quickly learn of his power and the importance of saving his true home from an evil force."

Mattel's Masters of the Universe was a monster hit in the 1980s, spawning an animated series and a live-action film starring Dolph Lundgren as the heroic He-Man and Frank Langella as his nemesis, Skeletor. Whilst the film bombed at the box office, it became a cult favourite on home video.

Netflix has become the home of all things Masters of the Universe beginning with She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. This was followed by Masters of the Universe: Revelation, a continuation of the original classic series, and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Both animated series have toy lines (affiliate link).

“Masters of the Universe is an iconic property that shaped the imaginations of an entire generation of kids with the message of becoming the best version of yourself,” says Robbie Brenner, executive producer of Mattel Films. “With our partners at Netflix, we look forward to showing audiences that anything can happen in Eternia. We are continuing to unlock this global franchise in new ways, and we can’t wait to see Kyle battle it out with Skeletor in this epic live-action saga.”

What are your memories of the live-action movie starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man in 1987, and are you looking forward to the new movie on Netflix? 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.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power teaser trailer

Netflix and Dreamworks are a formidable animation force. From Voltron: Legendary Defender to Trollhunters. The trend continues with the upcoming She-Ra and the Princesses of Power streaming from November.

"She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is the story of an orphan named Adora (Aimee Carrero, Elena of Avalor), who leaves behind her former life in the evil Horde when she discovers a magic sword that transforms her into the mythical warrior princess She-Ra. Along the way, she finds a new family in the Rebellion as she unites a group of magical princesses in the ultimate fight against evil."

Dreamworks has released a teaser trailer.



What do you think and which other classic animated series should be rebooted? Let me know in the comments below.

Netflix teases She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Netflix continues its tradition of animated reboots in partnership with DreamWorks with She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. The popular streaming service has released a teaser poster for the upcoming series and announced the cast members.



Aimee Carrero (Elena of Avalor) stars as Princess Adora and her titular alter ego. She’s joined by Karen Fukuhara (Suicide Squad) as Glimmer, AJ Michalka (The Goldbergs) as Catra, Marcus Scribner (Black-ish) as Bow, Reshma Shetty (Royal Pains) as Angella, Lorraine Toussaint (Orange Is the New Black) as Shadow Weaver, Keston John (The Good Place) as Hordak, Lauren Ash (Superstore) as Sorpia, Christine Woods (Hello Ladies) as Entrapta, Genesis Rodriguez (Time After Time) as Perfuma, Jordan Fisher (Grease Live!) as Seahawk, Vella Lovell (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) as Mermista, Merit Leighton (Alexa & Katie) as Frosta, Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) as Castaspella, and Krystal Joy Brown (Motown: The Musical) as Netossa.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is the story of an orphan named Adora (Aimee Carrero), who leaves behind her former life in the evil Horde when she discovers a magic sword that transforms her into the mythical warrior princess She-Ra. Along the way, she finds a new family in the Rebellion as she unites a group of magical princesses in the ultimate fight against evil.

From Eisner award-winning author and executive producer Noelle Stevenson (Lumberjanes, Nimona) and executive producer Chuck Austen (Dawn of the Croods, Steven Universe) comes a modern take on the ‘80s girl power icon for a new generation of young fans. She-Ra was originally a spin-off of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe in 1985 and is available to stream on Netflix.

If the critically-acclaimed Voltron: Legendary Defender is any indication, fans old and new should be in for a treat from Netflix's latest collaboration with DreamWorks.

Looking forward to She-Ra and the Princesses of Power? Let me know in the comments below.

Netflix is rebooting She-Ra in 2018

For the honour of Grayskull: The Princess of Power is back!

During the holiday season, Netflix exclusively streamed the first half of The Toys That Made Us, an unmissable documentary series looking at Star Wars, Barbie, G.I. Joe and Masters of the Universe, and announced a reboot of She-Ra: The Princess of Power for 2018.

She-Ra: The Princess of Power was a Masters of the Universe spin-off in the mid-1980s when He-Man and friends outsold stablemate Barbie to become the world's number one toy. The She-Ra reboot will be made by DreamWorks with Noelle Stevenson, best known for Nimona and Lumberjanes, serving as executive producer.

The new She-Ra series will stream on Netflix later this year.

"By the Power of Grayskull... I HAVE THE POWER!!!"

Masters of the Universe (MotU) was a cornerstone of eighties childhood. The cadre of Skeletor, Beast Man, Trap Jaw and Tri-Klops were hired to bolster Darth Vader's bounty hunters. Castle Grayskull served as Vader's weekend retreat so to speak and Snake Mountain became the adopted home of the Emperor and source of unlimited Sith power.

During a family holiday to Innsbruck (1984), between organized coach trips, we would walk around the shops. The Austrian toy stores overflowed with MotU action figures that were not available in the UK. One of the most coveted was Prince Adam and the fact that I wasn't allowed to buy him left me emotionally scarred. I had to content myself with an Action Force summer special comic!

Mattel extended MotU with the introduction of She-Ra (think action Barbie) and The Evil Horde. Hordak was the insidious successor to Skeletor and his Horde Troopers shamelessly copied the Stormtroopers of a galaxy far, far away. A variety of beasts were released. Modulok resides mint in box in my attic.

By 1987 I had set aside 'childish' things and waited anxiously for the release of Michael Jackson's Bad album. However, that didn't preclude me from seeing the camp live-action movie (starring a young Courteney Cox) and savouring Bill Conti's copycat score (see John Williams).

Mattel's 2002 revival of the enduring billion-dollar property has met with mixed success. Mattel flooded the market with worthless repaints. Last year, I tracked down Mer-Man (an overlooked figure from the original) and this weekend made a successful bid for the elusive and very rare Evil-Lyn. The new sculpt, by Four Horsemen Studios, captures the beauty of Skeletor's duplicitous sorceress. Up until bidding for this, I'd never used eBay and am somewhat agog at the poor user experience. Clumsy.

With the R1 release of Masters of the Universe DVD and UMD, the He-Man renaissance should be secure.