It looks as though the live-action Masters of the Universe movie starring Noah Centineo as He-Man may not end up on the silver screen after all.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman Tom Rothman was contemplating the possibility of making Masters of the Universe a Netflix release instead of a theatrical one, in favour of a “risk-free”, big-money deal.
While this may sound like the studio is losing out on potential viewership, it is, theoretically, not a loss at all as it reduces any form of risk associated with producing a big-budget project. Additionally, plaforms such as Netflix get more clout thanks to the acquisition of these big-name studios.
Another way to look at it is that Netflix will now be the sole proprietor of current stories based on the iconic fictional realm of Eternia if this deal falls through. Masters of the Universe will then form a triumvirate with the likes of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, as well as the upcoming Masters of the Universe: Revelation animated series by Kevin Smith.
Sony is only the second such studio to have shaken hands with Netflix; Paramount was first, having signed a reported US$50m deal with the streaming giant for The Cloverfield Paradox back in 2018.
Masters of the Universe will release on March 5, 2021.
Marion has a serious RPG addiction. Sometimes it bleeds into real life; he forgets to sleep because he thinks he has a Witcher’s body clock. Forgive him in advance if he suddenly blurts out terms such as “Mind Flayer” and “Magic Missile”, because never once does he stop thinking about his next Dungeons & Dragons game.
Natalie
HSALS
