Sony must like what they’re seeing with Men in Black International, because they’ve enlisted its writers for another major franchise. Variety brings word that the screenwriting team of Art Marcum and Matt Holloway are taking a pass at the studio’s long-gestating Masters of the Universe reboot.
Masters of the Universe began as a Mattel toyline in the early ‘80s and later achieved success as an animated series. A live-action film followed, with Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as Skeletor. Unfortunately, the movie was met with an indifferent response from the box office. And all hope of a sequel died soon after. He-Man was revived as two subsequent animated series, and the franchise has lived on as a toy line and in comic books.
RELATED: The Nee Brothers to Direct Masters of the Universe
A new MOTU film has been in development for over a decade. The project has cycled through a handful of directors, including John Chu, McG, and David Goyer. Last spring, Aaron and Adam Nee signed on to helm the film. The Nee brothers are relatively unknown, but they found some success with their 2015 indie comedy, Band of Robbers. Very few updates on the reboot have emerged until now.
Masters of the Universe originally planned to open on December 18 of this year. But since the movie hasn’t even been written yet, Sony will eventually choose a new release date. Marcum and Holloway previously helped create the Marvel Cinematic Universe when they co-wrote Iron Man with Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby. The pair also collaborated on the scripts for Punisher: War Zone and Transformers: The Last Knight. Goyer wrote the last draft of the MOTU script and he will remain onboard as an executive producer.
What are your thoughts on Art Marcus and Matt Holloway writing the Masters of the Universe screenplay? Let us know in the comment section below!
