'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe': Netflix and Mattel to produce new CG animated series
By the power of Netflix, he has the power! A new 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe' series has been announced, to be produced by Netflix and Mattel. The series will be a reboot, reimagining the characters from the 1980s series for a new era of television.
According to Deadline, the series will be a "brand companion" to Kevin Smith's 'Masters of the Universe: Revelation,' a limited series that will tie up loose ends from the original series. As the new show will be a reimagining of the characters, the two series are most likely unrelated to each other.
The logline for the series reads, "On the planet of Eternia, a young lost prince discovers the powers of Grayskull and transforms into He-Man, Master of the Universe! The classic battle between He-Man and evil Skeletor rages to new heights as both hero and villain forge new and mighty teams. A new generation of heroes fighting for the fate of us all. In the end, who will become Master of the Universe?"
Mattel Television will produce the series, with Adam Bonnett (Descendants), Christopher Keenan (Justice League, Batman Beyond), and Rob David (Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) serving as executive producers. The series was developed for television by Rob David.
Fred Soulie, Mattel’s Senior Vice President of Content Distribution and Business Development, said, "Masters of the Universe is one of the most iconic global franchises of all time, with a 30-year history and a passionate fan base. The entire team at Mattel is excited to introduce the world of He-Man to a new generation and, together with the talented team at Netflix, to reimagine the classic characters in a way that appeals to kids and families today, while also resonating with the fans who grew up with them."
DC Comics will launch a companion series to the show, and the reboot will also see Mattel producing an animated feature film, and a toy line based on the new character designs that will hit retail shelves in the Fall of 2020, though there is no word yet on when the series will be released.
Netflix and Mattel released a promotional poster for the announcement, featuring the titular He-Man holding the Sword of Power up to the skies, which traditionally marks his transformation from Prince Adam into He-Man.