Advertisement

‘Masters of the Universe’ Movie Finds Its He-Man: ‘West Side Story’ Star Kyle Allen

The live-action feature film adaptation of “Masters of the Universe” has finally anointed its He-Man: rising actor Kyle Allen.

Producer Mattel Studios and Netflix announced that the “West Side Story” actor will take up the sword and skimpy costume of the ’80s icon in a film to be directed and co-written by The Nee Brothers (of the upcoming Sandra Bullock film “The Lost City” and “Band of Robbers”).

More from Variety

In “Masters of the Universe,” Allen will play an orphan named Adam who discovers he is a prince destined to be the savior of a faraway land. He must quickly learn of his power and the importance of saving his true home from an evil force. Previously at Sony Pictures, the project was officially announced by Netflix after months of further development. Sony will retain release rights to the project in China, insiders familiar with the deal said.

“’Masters of the Universe’ is an iconic property that shaped the imaginations of an entire generation of kids with the message of becoming the best version of yourself. With our partners at Netflix, we look forward to showing audiences that anything can happen in Eternia. We are continuing to unlock this global franchise in new ways, and we can’t wait to see Kyle battle it out with Skeletor in this epic live-action saga,” said Robbie Brenner, head of Mattel Films and an executive producer on the project.

The Nees co-wrote the script with David Callaham (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”). Brenner and Kevin McKeon will lead the project for Mattel Films. Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch (“Being the Ricardos,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”) will produce with DeVon Franklin.

The property is a storied one for ’80s babies, first introduced as a line of action figures. In 1983, the animated series “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” premiered and became one of the first children’s programs to be syndicated on television.

“This movie has been 14 years in the making for us and our partners and we are so excited to tell an entirely new story… and share it with a global audience,” added Black.

Allen broke out in the 2017 series “The Path,” one of the first Hulu originals led by Aaron Paul. His credits include “American Horror Story: Apocalypse,” “The Map of Tiny Perfect Things” and the Universal release “All My Life.” He is represented by UTA, Management 360, attorneys Steve Warren & Huy Nguyen and imPRint.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.