Sep 10 2009Warner Bros. Outgrow Their He-Men

Trailing behind year-old news that Warner Brothers' plans for another He-Man feature film were effectively dead, WB and toy-makers Mattel have not renewed the studio's control of the toy line, giving Mattel the ability to take the project other places. Says Variety:

Warner Bros. and Mattel will be parting company on “Masters of the Universe,” the live-action reinvention of the signature Mattel toy line that WB and producer Joel Silver have been developing since 2007.

Mattel and WB didn’t see eye to eye over the direction of the project and made a mutual decision to let the option lapse this month. The film revolves around He-Man, a prince who becomes a warrior who battles the evil Skeletor for control of his magical homeland.

Mattel will take back the property and set it up elsewhere. The expectation is that director John Stevenson (“Kung Fu Panda”) will stay, but not Silver, who is exclusive to WB.

Maybe now that Mattel can develop the futuristic barbarian the way they want, this He-Man movie might finally get made--and could even be a... victory?

(Thanks, Wallace.)