Live Action Masters of the Universe Targets Jon M. Chu

[Obelisk666]

This is simple.

Channing Tatum as He-Man
Justin Bieber as Adam
Kristen Stewart as Teela
Jennifer Lawrence as blonde Teela

Oh wait, that's a group of actors. I thought you were listing types of trees.

[jibernish]

On the bright side, this guys choreography must be excellent to do those dance movies and GI Joe. The fight scenes in MOTU should come out looking epic. But the rest of the movie may suffer. Only time will tell. What's important is getting a movie right? I mean Green Lantern flopped, but they got a ton of merchandising and new toys and updates to old ones. If Scott's still in charge of MOTUC at the time, he will do wonders with the added budget he will be getting.

I went to bed last night thinking the same thing. My wife watches So You Think You Can Dance each week, and the people who make that show make the Step It Up movies. They played a trailer for the new Step it Up, and although I have no interest in watching that movie or dancing in general, the choreography and athleticism on display in just that trailer are very impressive. I think if Chu winds up directing this, we should expect some very cool, frenetic, fight scenes. And hopefully since his background is in dance movies, he'll know how to show it on film too. Too many action films have all this crazy action, but they cut so fast you can't really see it. I think in these dance movies (just from watching the trailers and that show), they do a pretty good job of staging action and actually letting you see what is going on.

Hopefully the action isn't the only thing going for this project either. It sounds like they've really been working hard on the script. It sounds like someone in charge cares about getting a good script. Either that, or they just can't get it right.

[Tallstar]

Folks are already making YouTube vids on this topic.

Good stuff. Thanks for posting. I have no doubt that he is a big reason why this time it could actually be happening. I don't know if anyone remembers back in 2008 whilst the rights were with Joel Silver and WB, but a story broke that no one at the studio really wanted to make MOTU, not having any interest in it. It seems that what WB needed was a Devon Franklin, a big gun who has shown nothing but interest in the property from day one. It bodes well.

I do vaguely remember something like that.

[Fendi]

This is simple.

Channing Tatum as He-Man

Justin Bieber as Adam

Kristen Stewart as Teela

Jennifer Lawrence as blonde Teela

Oh look, Masters of the Universe - Breaking Dawn Pt II.

[Tallstar]

Search: "BREAKING DAWN PT 2 TRAILER REACTION!!" on YouTube.

[eddie3429]

Man alot of folks are very harsh on this guy for nothing.

I have worked in media in the past and a can tell you that your history (good or bad) means Sweet all. What matters is the film he makes at the end of the day. Nolan wasn't much/not right for, before batman begins, peter jackson wasn't much/not right for before LOTR, Tim Burton wasn't much/not right for before Batman, Sam Rami wasn't much/not right for before spider-man.

Also for those who thought you would be getting Joss or Speilberg ? really? Never going to happen, project like this you want new blood, its going to be hard work on a smaller budget looking for the dollar on screen not behind the camera

As for Chu music video past, thats how alot of greats got there start, Ridley Scott, hell the same sony suites looking after this project made another film this year with a music video director not right for the film and that was Marc Webb on Amazing Spider-man (a film that most fans seemed very happy with)

Am i saying he will be great? no, no one will know till we see the final product, i am just saying its not fair to bash a guys work before he has even started ...

[WDWFreak53]

Melinda Clarke for EviL-Lyn

[J.D.]

Man alot of folks are very harsh on this guy for nothing.

I have worked in media in the past and a can tell you that your history (good or bad) means Sweet all. What matters is the film he makes at the end of the day. Nolan wasn't much/not right for, before batman begins, peter jackson wasn't much/not right for before LOTR, Tim Burton wasn't much/not right for before Batman, Sam Rami wasn't much/not right for before spider-man.

Also for those who thought you would be getting Joss or Speilberg ? really? Never going to happen, project like this you want new blood, its going to be hard work on a smaller budget looking for the dollar on screen not behind the camera

As for Chu music video past, thats how alot of greats got there start, Ridley Scott, hell the same sony suites looking after this project made another film this year with a music video director not right for the film and that was Marc Webb on Amazing Spider-man (a film that most fans seemed very happy with)

Am i saying he will be great? no, no one will know till we see the final product, i am just saying its not fair to bash a guys work before he has even started ...

I totally agree with you on this one. People must understand that there will not be big names in this one because production itself is hungry of an big budget

[EldestSon]

guys. he didn't write the sript for any of the movies mentioned thus far.

[Alexxandar]

http://nooooooooooooooo.com/vader.jpg

There are only four directors that should be allowed to touch MOTU. Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino, Joss Whedon, or Chris Nolan.

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That is like saying poop with hot fudge tastes better than poop with urine. In the end, poop is still poop. You can only go up from Rise of Cobra, but that does not mean Retaliation is going to be good as a movie.

Agreed, this is humorously put, but it is an astute assertion.

[skeletor73]

There are lots of emotions that are coming up with this thread. I do think we need to give Chu a little slack as we haven't seen the final product. I am excited by the potential this movie could possibly have (that is, if we can get it into production). It could have amazingly rendered Eternian locales and settings, the creation of monstrous beasts, and finally, the inclusion of Battle Cat. Things we have yet to see in live-action film.

It also could let a lot of people down. For example: I'm pretty sure it will have Skeletor's head rendered as a CGI floating skull (a'la Ghostrider). In my opinion Frank Langella was the perfect Skeletor, makeup and all. I'm sure I'm going to have to accept that the future incarnation will not be to my "perfect vision" of him nor will it be close to Langella's performance. They could make him a huge hulking monster that turns out to be little more than a plot device, rather than a well-written character portrayed by an experienced actor. These scenarios would make me unhappy but I'm willing to give it a chance.

There will be people who want it to be exactly like the mini-comics. There will be people who want it to be just like the Filmation cartoon. There will be people who will not be happy unless it's just like the MYP 2000 series. Some might want it to follow the MOTUC bios. In the end we have to realize it can't be all things to all people.

I think the healthiest approach is to treat it like all other projects. It's a licensed product from Sony and Mattel. It's simply another person's "vision" of what MOTU is. Just like all the other canons that currently exist. It will never be your definitive version. That is, not to say, you can't dislike it or have strong opinions about it. Just realize, it will never be perfect because we as fans can't agree on what "perfect" is since we all like different things.

[Eternian-King Paul]

..maybe its not based on any of the prior versions.

Maybe it could be based on a good story, creation, growth, falls and climax, and death.

Death being the one that I worry is going to be over looked by hollywood.
..(There is a difference between imortalized character, and zombies that can't be killed,, even if you shoot them in the head,, and their brains splat out the back of the skull, but they keep coming.)

[Krueger]

Sony has just set a release date for The Equalizer for 11th April 2014. Do you think a release date for MOTU is far behind?

[Tallstar]

Dolph

Sony has just set a release date for The Equalizer for 11th April 2014. Do you think a release date for MOTU is far behind?

*praying* LOL

[heavy-eternium]

Sony has just set a release date for The Equalizer for 11th April 2014. Do you think a release date for MOTU is far behind?

guardian of the galaxy was confirmed this year for release in 2014 and even this is being written.
I think the motu movie still has a chance to be release in 2014 but the news of the confirmation should be in this month or at latest in September . the release date would be August of 2014.

[Krueger]

guardian of the galaxy was confirmed this year for release in 2014 and even this is being written.
I think the motu movie still has a chance to be release in 2014 but the news of the confirmation should be in this month or at latest in September . the release date would be August of 2014.

I was also thinking August 2014. The summer of 2014 is incredibly crowded, one of the most crowded ever. There is literally a big film coming out every week. It’s insane. August, though, is quite bare still. One would think that MOTU should be further ahead than Guardians of the Galaxy, as it has been in development for much longer. The same goes for The Equalizer.

Also, thanks for the video, Tallstar. I don’t know about the King, but Dolph needs to play King Grayskull in a flashback. That would be killer.

[heavy-eternium]

always imagine motu as a August movie , not as a movie in May or June and this is not for lack of potential, but because of the large studies sony is the smallest in my opinion.

What movies sony will release in the 2014 summer ?

[Krueger]

always imagine motu as a August movie , not as a movie in May or June and this is not for lack of potential, but because of the large studies sony is the smallest in my opinion.

What movies sony will release in the 2014 summer ?

This is interesting. Your question about what films Sony have coming out in summer 2014 prompted me to look at Sony’s release schedule in summer 2014. So far, they only have two films listed for summer, both in May. First is a Spider-Man sequel and the second is a film called Pixels, whatever that is. So, so far, they only have two films coming out that summer. Arguably, their only "summer blockbuster" that year is the Spider-Man sequel. None of the big studios just have the one "major" summer film.

Right now, though, I'm actually quite worried about Total Recall. Its shaping up to be a major flop, as its budget is rumoured to be in the range of 200 million dollars. Still, they have Total Recall this August and the Robocop remake next August. So Sony seems to like August more than the other studios. Maybe it would be a good move to seclude MOTU away from everything else, as all the heavy hitters in 2014 are sequels? After all, that's the reason why Marvel is releasing Guardians of the Galaxy in August.

[heavy-eternium]

how about the smurfs 2 ?

[Krueger]

how about the smurfs 2 ?

That's next year. I think it comes out in July 2013.

[heavy-eternium]

That's next year. I think it comes out in July 2013.

hmm great ,I think the chances of motu for August 2014 are big ,I don't think the failure of total recall has influence .

question : motu movie budget = $ 150 million?

[Krueger]

question : motu movie budget = 150 millions?

Really don't know. One would think it would definitely exceed 100 million. Even though I'm a huge MOTU fan and have waited for a new film for years I really don't want the budget to be too huge, like 180 million plus. We have to remember, MOTU will be new ground, as it is untested with the general audience, so the budget shouldn't be too outrageous, otherwise you could end up with a John Carter or Battleship. That would break my heart if MOTU had the same fate. Personally, I think it should be in the region of 140-160 million. Apparently Jon Chu got 125 million to play around with for GI Joe 2.

[baileyrecords]

major[/I] flop, as its budget is rumoured to be in the range of 200 million dollars. Still, they have Total Recall this August and the Robocop remake next August. So Sony seems to like August more than the other studios. Maybe it would be a good move to seclude MOTU away from everything else, as all the heavy hitters in 2014 are sequels? After all, that's the reason why Marvel is releasing Guardians of the Galaxy in August.

Not to derail us but I just saw Total Recall and it is fantastic! A non-stop action flick with great environs and actors. And non of the cheese of the original.

[skelethon]

August would be a terrible month to release a MOTU movie. I'm a cinema manager and I can tell you that attendance drops off in August. Big summer blockbusters and kids movies don't do very well in August. Sure, they can find an audiance and do okay, but prime blockbuster season is May-July and Nov-Dec. We've seen some successes in March (300, Monsters Vs. Aliens 3D, Hunger Games) too.

Of course, Sony could go with an entirely different strategy though. There's always fertile ground and opportunity in off-peak months if the marketing is done right.

[Krueger]

August would be a terrible month to release a MOTU movie. I'm a cinema manager and I can tell you that attendance drops off in August. Big summer blockbusters and kids movies don't do very well in August. Sure, they can find an audiance and do okay, but prime blockbuster season is May-July and Nov-Dec. We've seen some successes in March (300, Monsters Vs. Aliens 3D, Hunger Games) too.

Of course, Sony could go with an entirely different strategy though. There's always fertile ground and opportunity in off-peak months if the marketing is done right.

November surprises me. I've heard the same about August, though. It’s just that looking at the schedule for that year, the summer is already packed. I suppose they could give it a December release. Films in December seem to do quite well, because they seem to have very long legs. Also, people appear to like fantasy round about Christmas. Of course, the other obstacle is WB's greedy decision to turn The Hobbit into a trilogy. So the third part will come out sometime in 2014. So that's another film to add to the ridiculous list.

EDIT: This is the summer schedule for 2014. I got this from Box Office Mojo. The brackets are the studios. Notice how Sony only has two summer films. See what I mean about the competition. It’s brutal. I suppose early June or sometime in July could actually work -

April
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (BV) - 4/4
• Stretch Armstrong (Rela.) - 4/11
• Robopocalypse (BV) - 4/25

May
• The Amazing Spider-Man #2 (3D) (Sony) - 5/2
• Ninja Turtles (Par.) - 5/16
• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (Fox) - 5/23
• Pixels (Sony) - 5/23
• The Good Dinosaur (BV) - 5/30

June
• How to Train Your Dragon 2 (P/DW) - 6/20
• Transformers 4 (Par.) - 6/27

July
• Untitled X-Men Sequel (Fox) - 7/18

August
• Guardians of the Galaxy (BV) - 8/1