Hollywood, CA (ChatterShmatter) – While it has been rumored for some time on various web blogs and sites, Warner Brothers has come out and confirmed it has tapped John Stephenson to be the director for it’s re-imagining of the big screen version of He-Man.
If like me the mere mention of a He-Man movie conjures up images of Dolph Lundgren we are not alone. Stephenson himself admits that when he was first approached by WB about the opportunity it was the first thing he thought of as well.
It was not until he visited a “secret lair” at the Mattel Headquarters where he was allowed to view the conceptual artwork the studio and toy company had in mind for the re-design of the franchise that he agreed to get on board.
Mattel views this project as a high priority for them as they are the license holder on the He-Man franchise which started as a toy and later developed into an animated television series and met it’s demise with the release of the movie version of the concept starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella of Frost/Nixon fame as the antagonist Skeletor.
For those not familiar with the story He-Man is described as a brawny price of a land known as Eternia. With the help of the Sword of Grayskull, becomes a warrior in defense of his land against Skeletor and his evil band of mercenaries bent on destroying Eternia.
WB acquired the He-Man screenplay in 2007 as penned by Justin Marks based on a story he and Neil Ellice developed. Joel Silver is the producer of the film, through his Silver Pictures Production Company and Mattel executive Barry Waldo serves as the film’s executive producer.
This is not the only film being developed by Mattel, WB & Silver. The trio are also in talks to bring Mattel’s toy line “Hot Wheels” to the big screen.
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