‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’ Film Updates: Director McG Teases Developments; Reboot Takes Cues from HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’

‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’ director Joseph McGinty Nichol, otherwise known as McG, teased the early developments for his planned film. He also admitted that the reboot will take cues from HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’.

During an interview with IGN, McG revealed that preparations for the upcoming reboot of ‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’ have already commenced. He said, “It's a very exciting moment for Masters of the Universe. We have a big meeting with Sony regarding prep of the movie on Wednesday. And we're in the middle of a bit of a script polish, and it's my absolute passion.”

He continued, “I'm laser-focused on that being my next film. But I mean, you know how it works in contemporary filmmaking. You really, really have to earn the good will of the parent studio, and Tom Rothman runs a tight ship at Sony, and we're going to get there. I'm so happy to report that to the fans.”

McG also addressed casting rumors of Kellan Lutz’ involvement in the new film as the protagonist He-Man. He explained, “We haven't cast the role yet, but I like Kellan very much. Obviously, we need a talented entertainer, but we also need a certain physicality, which he embodies. He'll be considered very, very closely. We haven't gotten to the casting process yet.”

He added, “Kellan's a good guy, and we had a great meeting, and he's passionate about He-Man, he's passionate about the Adam story. He really knows a lot about it. I was charmed by his focus and intensity. He'll be considered very, very carefully. We're just not there yet. We've got to get the movie on its feet, then we'll cast the movie.”

Lutz is an American actor and model best known for playing Emmett Cullen in ‘The Twilight Saga’ film series based on the young adult vampire novels authored by Stephenie Meyer. Lutz also starred in various action and fantasy films such as 2011’s ‘Arena’, 2011’s ‘Immortals’, 2013’s ‘Tarzan’, 2014’s ‘The Legend of Hercules’, and 2015’s ‘Extraction’.

According to Cinema Blend, McG also admitted that he would like to stay true to the popular series while balancing Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) influence for his upcoming film. He said, “I think we want to honor the fan base, first and foremost. We also need to be cognizant of the incredible resonance of what Kevin Feige is doing with Marvel, and the balance of full-bodied entertainment. That it's both credible and emotional, action-packed, and the story of a hero's journey. It's the genesis of He-Man, it's the becoming of He-Man.”

The director also revealed that he would take inspiration from HBO’s popular fantasy television series ‘Game of Thrones’ as well as James Gunn’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ series in the MCU.

‘He-Man and the Masters of the Universe’ is a planned action-adventure and fantasy film intended as a reboot of the 1987 film of the same name, which starred Dolph Lundgren in the lead role as He-Man. The original film was based on the Mattel toy line of the same name. Although it was a critical and commercial failure upon its release, it became a cult favorite.