‘Masters of the Universe’ Trailer is Out: He-Man in Corporate America

UPDATE: Coming off yesterday’s 30-second teaser, here now is the first trailer for “Masters of the Universe,” Amazon/MGM’s live-action movie based on the classic ’80s toy brand. A full trailer will be released tomorrow.

I just have a bad feeling about this one, and that’s despite Travis Knight’s involvement — he’s the director behind “Kubo and the Two Strings” and “Bumblebee.”

This $200M-budgeted movie comes with red flags. A basic but crucial question looms: who is this actually for? Is it meant to appeal to kids, who have little to no connection to He-Man, or to adults who grew up with the toys and cartoon?

Anytime a film has this type of audience identity crisis, it’s worth flagging. A family movie needs clarity and accessibility, while a nostalgia-driven reboot has to justify its darker, more expensive approach. Right now, it’s unclear who “Masters of the Universe” is trying to satisfy. Is there even an audience large enough to care about this IP?

The story is described as follows: After 15 years apart, Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) is guided back to Eternia by the Sword of Power, only to find his homeland in chaos under the tyrannical rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto). To protect his family and restore his world, Adam must team up with his loyal companions Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan/Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba) and embrace his destiny as He-Man, the universe’s most formidable hero.

Notice, Jared Leto is part of the cast — he’s become box office poison in recent years. It seems as though anything he’s attached to struggles to find an audience: from “Morbius,” which flopped, to “House of Gucci,” which underperformed, to “Tron: Ares,” which bombed. His involvement doesn’t automatically doom a film, of course, but in a high-stakes, $200M blockbuster like “Masters of the Universe,” it’s yet another gamble.

The film is set to be released theatrically in the U.S. on June 5 by Sony Pictures International Releasing.

Tom Skerritt, Reassuring Face in American Movies, Dies at 93

Very sorry to hear about Tom Skerritt's passing today. He was 93. If you grew up watching movies from the '70s and '80s, Skerritt was simply there, the guy with the mustache and those calm eyes.

Charli XCX Joins Martin Scorsese's ‘What Happens at Night'

Charli’s role is under wraps, but she's in good company, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Mads Mikkelsen, Patricia Clarkson and Jared Harris leading the cast.

‘Star Wars: Starfighter' Has Cost $226M So Far, and It's Not Close to Done

Shawn Levy's "Star Wars: Starfighter" wrapped shooting last December, well ahead of its May 28, 2027 release. Now we're getting a look at what it's costing Disney — let’s hope this one is a success.

Brad Bird's Next Directing Gig Will Be Live-Action ‘1906’ — and It's Why He Isn't Doing 'Incredibles 3'

Based on James Dalessandro's 2004 novel, "1906" chronicles the San Francisco earthquake and the fires that followed, which killed more than 3,000 people and destroyed over 80% of the city.

Lucrecia Martel's Next Film ‘Gente’ Is Sci-Fi, and the Script Is Finished

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August 19, 2019

3-Hour ‘Midsommar' Director's Cut Screened in NYC

This year’s 12th edition of the Scary Movies festival at Film at Lincoln Center premiered Ari Aster’s extended version of “Midsommar” this past Saturday.

CONFIRMED: Sadie Soverall Exits Brady Corbet's ‘The Origin of the World' Mid-Shoot, Lily McInerny Steps In Lead Role

Sadie Soverall was just let go after briefly filming on Corbet's new film — no official reason given. She had the lead role. Corbet has replaced her, last minute, with Lily McInerny.

Ron Howard’s ‘Alone at Dawn’ Starring Adam Driver and Anne Hathaway Sets Christmas 2027 Release

This is the adaptation of the nonfiction book by Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz. It wrapped production in February and has been in post-production ever since. The film test-screened a few months ago.

Jeremy Saulnier’s Next Film Retitled to ‘Slayground,’ Current Runtime is 2.5 Hours, Plot Details

Jeremy Saulnier’s mysterious A24 project, formerly “October,” still has no release date. You’d think, given that it has been in post-production for almost a year now.

Jemima Kirke and Alexi Wasser to Star in Woody Allen's Next Film

A few months ago, Deadline reported that Woody Allen's next film, set in Madrid and carrying a $14M budget, will be "largely English-language" and feature a "high-profile cast."

Fritz Lang’s ‘M’ Tops the Best Films of the 1930s, According to 100+ Critics

We’ve gone through the decades. The ‘40s ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘2000s, and ‘2010s. — all revisited, argued over. Now, here are the results for the best films of the 1930s.

Critics Poll: ‘Citizen Kane' Named Best Film of the 1940s

The results are in, and according to critics, this decade filled with cinematic riches did not have a better film than Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane.” Nobody should be surprised by this result. “Citizen Kane” changed cinema forever.

Critics Poll: ‘Vertigo’ Named Best Film of the 1950s, Over 120 Participants

It was a closer race than anticipated, but Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” has topped our best of the ’50s poll, besting Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s “Singin’ in the Rain” by just two votes.

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