‘Masters Of The Universe’ Reboot Might Go Straight To Netflix
Sony has been developing itsMasters of the Universereboot since 2007, hoping to launch a new blockbuster franchise. But now the studio is considering avoiding a potential box office flop by dumping the movie right on Netflix. While Sony still has a stake inSpider-Man, its non-Spidey franchises haven’t done so well. Case in point: this year’sMen In Black: Internationalwas panned by critics and flopped at the box office. While nothing is official yet, a new report reveals Sony is considering takingMasters of the Universeright to streaming to avoid a repeat of theMen of Blackincident.
THRhas the scoop on theMasters of the Universereboot potentially ending up on Netflix. Sony currently has the film slated for a theatrical release in March of 2021, but an insider tells THR that “studio chairman Tom Rothman is exploring the prospect of getting risk-free cash for the pricey project by making it for Netflix instead.”
Netflix currently has theMasters of the Universerelated animated seriesShe-Ra and The Princesses of Powerand an upcoming Kevin Smith-ledHe-Mananime series, which would make theMasters of the Universemovie fit right in. Whether or not Sony does sellMasters of the Universeto Netflix, this concept is definitely the start of a trend in Hollywood. The THR story states:
Studios selling to streamers is an accelerating trend: Paramount is looking into dedicating a division to that purpose, while a source with knowledge of the situation says Sony’s TriStar label is devoting resources to streaming deals. And indie studio A24 inked a multi-year agreement in 2018 to produce a slate of films for Apple.
Studios have been combating streaming services for years, but now that it’s clear streaming isn’t going away they’re realizing it’s time to embrace them. As a source tells THR, studios are “turning around and saying, ‘Let’s join ‘em. We can’t beat ‘em.'”
Last year Paramount ended up droppingThe Cloverfield Paradoxdirect to Netflix rather than release the project in theaters. From a business standpoint, this all makes sense. Studios have been discovering that very few movies – except maybe superhero movies – end up scoring big at the box office. Why risk paltry box office returns when you can send something directly to streaming instead?
TheMasters of the Universereboot has changed creative hands several times since 2007. The project was originally at Warner Bros, before landing at Sony. At one point, McG was announced as a director for the film. McG eventually left the project, and David S. Goyer was announced as writer and potential director. That didn’t pan out either, and theNee Brothersare now attached to direct, withArt MarcumandMatt Hollowaywriting the script, andNoah Centineoplaying He-Man.
