No ‘Masters of the Universe’ for Warner Brothers

It looks like we might be waiting a little longer for another ‘Masters of the Universe’ film.   According to Variety, Warner Brothers and Mattel are parting ways on the adaptation due to differences on the direction of the project.   WB and producer Joel Silver have been working on getting the film completed since 2007.

Mattel is taking back sole rights to the property, while ‘Kung Fu Panda’ director John Stevenson is still on board to helm the film.   No telling who Mattel may turn to to get the project off the ground.   They could be growing desperate, since a ‘Masters of the Universe’ re-adaptation has been in the works for a number of years.   The latest script treatment, titled ‘Grayskull,’ on the project came from Justin Marks, who has also had a script for ‘Voltron’ ending up in development hell.

While the idea of a floating property like ‘Masters of the Universe’ may seem tantalizing to some studios, there don’t appear to be any surefire, hit brands any more, unless you’re dealing with mainstay comic series, and WB and Disney seem to have those all wrapped up.   The latest branded toyline to get feature film treatment, ‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,’ hasn’t hit their budget price of $175 in the states yet, though that film has grossed just over $280 worldwide.   And, while studios may be seeing dollar signs in their eyes from films like ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,’ that level of money-making is never a guarantee but more a phenomenon that goes against the rule.   Surely, Mattel won’t have any problem selling a ‘Masters of the Universe’ project to a studio, but they shouldn’t expect their doors to be knocked down.