Masters of the Universe (film)

Masters of the Universe is a 1987 American science fantasy film directed by Gary Goddard and based on the Mattel toy line of the same name. The film stars Dolph Lundgren and Frank Langella, alongside Jon Cypher, Chelsea Field, Billy Barty, and Courteney Cox.

The film was released theatrically in the United States on August 7, 1987 and was a critical and commercial failure.



Contents
[hide]  *1 Plot  ==Plot[ edit] == On the Planet Eternia, at the center of the Universe, Skeletor's army seizes Castle Grayskull, scatters the remaining Eternian defenders, and captures the Sorceress of Grayskull; he plans to add her power to his own by the next moonrise.
 * 2 Cast
 * 3 Production
 * 4 Music
 * 5 Release
 * 5.1 Comparison with Jack Kirby's Fourth World
 * 5.2 Home media
 * 6 Legacy
 * 7 Reboot
 * 8 References
 * 9 External links

Skeletor's archenemy, the warrior He-Man, veteran soldier Man-At-Arms, and his daughter Teela rescue Gwildor from Skeletor's forces. Gwildor, a Thenorian locksmith, reveals that Skeletor has stolen his invention: a "Cosmic Key" that can open a portal to any point in time and space. The device allowed Skeletor to breach Castle Grayskull; the group uses Gwildor's remaining prototype to travel to the Castle.

They attempt to free the Sorceress but are overwhelmed by Skeletor's army and forced to flee through Gwildor's hastily opened portal, transporting them to Whittier, California on Earth. The Key is misplaced on their arrival and discovered by two teenagers, Julie Winston and Kevin Corrigan, who attempt to use it. The resulting signal allows Skeletor's second-in-command, Evil-Lyn, to track the key; she sends her henchmen, Saurod, Blade,Beastman, and Karg to recover it.

Kevin, an aspiring musician, mistakes the Key for a synthesizer and takes it to a music store. Karg's team arrives and chases Julie until He-Man rescues her. Karg's team returns to Grayskull where, incensed by their failure, Skeletor kills Saurod and sends the others back to Earth, with a larger force under Evil-Lyn's command. Unable to find Julie, Kevin is taken to Julie's house by Lubic, a detective investigating the disturbance created by Karg's team. Suspecting the Key is stolen, Lubic confiscates it from Kevin and leaves. Immediately afterward, Evil-Lyn captures and interrogates Kevin for the Key's location with a mind control collar, before pursuing Lubic.

Julie and the Eternians rescue Kevin and also go after Lubic. Evil-Lyn recovers the key and summons Skeletor to Earth. Skeletor's forces overwhelm the Eternians and Julie is mortally wounded by Skeletor's lightning blast, simultaneously destroying Gwildor's Key. He-Man surrenders to save his friends, and is returned to Eternia as Skeletor's slave. While He-Man is tortured in Skeletor's throne room, Skeletor demands that He-Man kneel before him for all of Eternia to witness, before he is killed. He-Man watches helplessly as the moon rises and Skeletor absorbs the powers of the universe. Declaring himself the Master of the Universe, Skeletor asserts his victory and continues to torture He-Man in an attempt to force his submission.

Back on Earth, Gwildor builds a makeshift Cosmic Key and Kevin recreates the tones necessary to create a gateway to Eternia. The group, including Lubic who attempts to arrest them, are transported to Castle Grayskull, where they begin battling Skeletor's forces. Skeletor accidentally frees He-Man who then reclaims the Sword of Grayskull. The pair battle until He-Man shatters Skeletor's staff, removing his new powers and restoring him to his normal state. He-Man offers mercy but Skeletor draws a concealed sword and attempts to kill He-Man; He-Man manages to knock Skeletor from the throne room into a towering pit below. The freed Sorceress heals Julie, and a portal is opened to send the Earthlings home. Treated as a hero for his exploits, Lubic decides to stay on Eternia.

Julie awakens on the morning of her parents' death in a plane crash. She prevents them from taking the ill-fated flight and runs outside to find Kevin, who confirms that their experiences were real, producing a souvenir from Eternia: a small blue sphere containing a hologram of He-Man in front of Castle Grayskull.

After the credits, Skeletor rises from a red liquid beneath the castle and proclaims, "I'll be back!" ==Cast<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Frank Langella in 2012. Langella chose to portray Skeletor because of his own son's love of the character.*Dolph Lundgren - He-Man ==Production<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">One of the original drafts from the script by David Odell (whose previous writing credits include Supergirl and The Dark Crystal) was reviewed in the third episode of the He-Man and She-Rapodcast, Masters Cast. The original draft included more time spent on Eternia, Snake Mountain, Beastman had a speaking role, and even revealed that He-Man's mother was originally from Earth, as per the Queen Marlena character from the Filmation animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, thus linking the two planets.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[5]  Describing her character, Foster said that Evil-Lyn is not villainous, "she is just doing her job and she knows how to get results, even if it means being harsh." Langella agreed, calling Evil-Lyn a female more dedicated to Skeletor's cause than any man; she is obsessive around Skeletor because she is slightly lovelorn.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESFX201384_6-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[6]  The filmmakers considered having Foster wear eye-lenses to mask her naturally pale-blue eyes, but decided that her natural eyes fit the character better. They did however augment Foster's chest, fitting a cleavage into the character's costume. Foster wanted the character to have a large hairstyle, rather than the short style featured in the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESFX201385_7-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[7]
 * Frank Langella - Skeletor
 * Courteney Cox - Julie Winston
 * James Tolkan - Detective Lubic
 * Christina Pickles - Sorceress
 * Meg Foster - Evil-Lyn
 * Chelsea Field - Teela
 * Jon Cypher - Man-At-Arms
 * Billy Barty - Gwildor
 * Robert Duncan McNeill - Kevin Corrigan
 * Anthony De Longis - Blade
 * Tony Carroll - Beastman
 * Pons Maar - Saurod
 * Robert Towers - Karg
 * Peter Brooks - Narrator

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Langella said that he "didn’t even blink [when I was offered the role],... I couldn’t wait to play him." Langella cited his then-four-year-old son's love of Skeletor while running around his house yelling He-Man's battle cry "I have the power!", as the reason he chose to play He-Man's archenemy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IFCLangella_8-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[8] ==Music<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The musical score of Masters of the Universe was composed by Bill Conti. conducted by Harry Rabinowitz, and performed by The Graunke Orchestra of Munich.


 * First LP release


 * Side one
 * 1) Main Title/Eternia Besieged (07:25)
 * 2) Gwildor's Quadrille (01:54)
 * 3) Earthly Encounter (04:26)
 * 4) Procession Of The Mercenaries (02:46)
 * 5) Evilyn's Deception (02:38)
 * Side two
 * 1) Skeletor The Destroyer (03:10)
 * 2) He-Man Enslaved (04:42)
 * 3) Transformation Of Skeletor (02:30)
 * 4) The Power Of Greyskull (03:32)
 * 5) Good Journey (04:39)
 * 6) He-Man Victorious/End Title (05:10)
 * First CD release

==Release<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Prior to releasing it, the Cannon Group touted Masters of the Universe as the Star Wars of the 1980s. Despite releasing alongside the height of the success of the toy line, animated series, and related merchandise, Masters of the Universe began as the third-highest-grossing film of the weekend in North America on August 7, 1987, earning $4,883,168, behind Stakeout ($5,170,403) and The Living Daylights ($7,706,230). The film quickly left the charts altogether with a North American gross of $17,336,370.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESFX201382_9-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[9] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Weekend_Box_Office_2-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[2] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BOM_4-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[4] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-BOMWeekend_10-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[10]
 * 1) Main Title / Eternia Besieged (07:25)
 * 2) Gwildor's Quadrille (01:51)
 * 3) Quiet Escape (02:39)
 * 4) Earthly Encounter (04:23)
 * 5) Battle At The Gym (06:29)
 * 6) Procession Of The Mercenaries (02:50)
 * 7) Evilyn's Deception (02:43)
 * 8) Centurion Attack (05:52)
 * 9) Skeletor The Destroyer (03:11)
 * 10) He-Man Enslaved (04:42)
 * 11) Transformation Of Skeletor (02:30)
 * 12) Kevin's Plight / After Them (09:13)
 * 13) Julie's Muzak (01:47)
 * 14) The Power Of Greyskull (03:33)
 * 15) Good Journey (04:40)
 * 16) He-Man Victorious / End Titles (05:13)

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Masters of the Universe received negative reviews from critics and holds a 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 23 reviews.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[11]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Billy Barty received a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Supporting Actor for his performance in the film, but 'lost' to David Mendenhall for Over the Top, another Cannon film. ===Comparison with Jack Kirby's Fourth World<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Comic book writer/artist John Byrne compared the film to Jack Kirby's comic book metaseries Fourth World, stating in Comic Shop News #497: <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Director Gary Goddard clarified this in a letter appearing in John Byrne's Next Men #26, in which he stated: <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Brian Cronin, author of the "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed" column, concludes that "the film itself was not intended to be literally a reworked Fourth World, although the intent WAS to make the film a tribute to Jack Kirby — just a tribute to ALL of his work, not just the Fourth World."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[12] ===Home media<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">Masters of the Universe was released on DVD October 23, 2001. A 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Disc was released on October 2, 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[13] ==Legacy<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">The failure of Masters of the Universe, among others such as Superman IV: The Quest for Peace and Lifeforce, helped contribute to the eventual closure of Cannon Films.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESFX201385_7-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[7]  Cannon Films had intended to create a Masters of the Universe sequel, indicated by the end credits when it is revealed that Skeletor in fact survives his fall. The low-budget ($4.5 million) project that was to be directed (back to back with their aborted "Spider-Man" movie) by Albert Pyun was abandoned when Cannon wouldn't pay for Mattel's fees and the production used the already-made costumes and sets for the low-budget sci-fi film Cyborg.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[14] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[15] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[16]  Masters of the Universe was Lundgren's first leading role in a feature film following his success in Rocky IV, and he went on to label his work as his least favorite film role.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTESFX201384_6-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[6]  Conversely, Langella considers playing Skeletor to be one of his favorite roles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-IFCLangella_8-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[8] ==Reboot<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">A new He-Man film directed by John Woo was reportedly being developed in 2007, but despite many rumors circulating the Internet regarding the film's production status and casting, the project was never officially green-lit. The film rights to He-Man have reportedly since reverted to Mattel.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[17]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In September 2009, Sony took over the rights from Warner Bros. to produce the live action adaptation after Mattel and producer Joel Silver, who was previously involved with a potential film, couldn't agree on creative direction for the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[18]  Sony and Escape Artists' Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, and Steve Tisch will now start developing the project from scratch for Columbia Pictures. In April 2010, Sony hired screenwriters Mike Finch and Alex Litvak to draft a new script.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-drees_19-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[19]  Warner announced that John Stevenson, director of Kung Fu Panda will direct the upcoming feature. On May 12, 2009, it was announced that the scripting duties had been handed to Evan Daugherty, with Stevenson still attached to direct.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[20]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">In late 2012, Deadline reported that Jon M. Chu was in talks to direct the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[21]  Original He-Man actor Lundgren did an interview with IGN about a possible role in the film as King Randor.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[22] October 12, 2012, Richard Wenk is hired to rewrite the script for the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[23]  On March 28, 2013, Chu spoken that the film is still early is in the experimentation and also it won't be campy but an origin story.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[24] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[25]  On October 7, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Terry Rossio would script and that Black, Blumenthal, and Tisch would produce the film and it will be set on Eternia; the site also reported that Chu will not direct the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[26]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:20.3636360168457px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13.63636302948px;">On January 10, 2014, Schmoes Know reported that Joe Cornish (Attack the Block), Rian Johnson (Looper), Andrés Muschietti (es) (Mama), Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders (The Croods), andPhil Lord and Chris Miller (The Lego Movie) were named as frontrunners to direct the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[27]  On February 26, it was reported that directors Mike Cahill, Jeff Wadlow, Harald Zwart, and Chris McKay are on the short list to direct.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[28] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[29]  On April 9, Schmoes Know reported that Wadlow will direct the film, but The Hollywood Reporter announced that he's rewriting the script of the film.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[30] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:10.9090909957886px;">[31]