Right now, I'm sold.
I don't need a movie that redefines the genre. I don't need a carbon copy of Filmation. I just need a damn He-Man movie that looks like a He-Man movie, and this?
This looks like a He-Man movie.
I'm a little unsure of m'boy Roboto's design, but I don't hate it, either, and that he's there at all is a big win for me.
You mean “she”?
So, some tidbits and observations from the trailer I’ve noticed (just a collection of thoughts, no real order). Not going to touch much on designs, since most are…well…it looks like what they’re supposed to be!
-Adam’s last name on Earth is “Glenn”, which is his mother’s canonical maiden name. His room being filled with astrological stuff also points to that heritage.
-Castle Grayskull now features a crown with a crest styled after the original toy’s design elements. It is also asymmetrical like the toy, rather than being squared off like in most animated portrayals.
-The location of the castle is closer to the palace than portrayed in other media, and is seemingly evocative of the landscape painting done for the 1987 film (per interwebs)
-A number of elements from the Netflix cartoon seem to have made their way in, at least aesthetically. The ethnically and gender diverse core cast, and much of the vehicle elements seemed more in line with that series than the toys or Filmation. Prince Adam’s childhood separation could also be linked to that version as well. This could point to the Netflix series as being a major “starting point” for the film, akin to how the Disney XD Max Steel was the foundation for the ill-fated live action adaption.
-In the collector shop/museum, the toys on display are clearly inspired by Mark Taylor’s original work on what would become Masters of the Universe, including the full size statue of “not-Conan” Vikor.
-Briefly seen in the back of the shop/museum is a display for “Big Jim”. It was a major action brand for Mattel (alongside Major Matt Mason) whose assets would see reuse in the MOTU toy line, famously, the tiger mold became BattleCat. Big Jim and Major Matt Mason are both franchises that Mattel has also been trying to relaunch at varying stages.
-The ship Teela takes Adam to Eternia in is likely a redesigned Talon Fighter, as its design seems to be evoking the Netflix redesign.
-Same goes for the drop ship, which also gives me vibes as the ship used in the Netflix cartoon by the heroes (God, I really wish Painthor would make the cut in this film…)
-The “hoop ships” might be modern reimagining of the old Roton vehicles. One shot shows them chasing what might be new iterations of the Wind Raider or Sky Sleds
-Flying craft with insect wings are also seen, possible reimagining of the Fright Fighter.
-Skeletor makes a grand entrance on what is clearly the classic Filmation “Collector” ship
-Early casting sheets listed an actor for “Goat Man”. In the trailer, a red skinned, horned warrior is seen next to Skeletor. I’m betting this is “Goat Man”.
-Skeletor’s cannon fodder seem heavily inspired by underlings seen in early MOTU artwork.
-In addition to He-Man/Adam, Teela, Man At Arms, and Cringer/BattleCat, the following heroes can be seen or glimpsed: Roboto, Fisto, Sorceress, Mekanek, Ram Man (the later two appearing in group shot towards the end of the trailer with a couple more allies that don’t “pop out” as classic characters)
-Besides Skeletor, the following villains are seen: Evil-Lynn, Beast Man, Trapjaw (fighting He-Man briefly), a creature many are referring to as Spikor (evocative of his sketchbook design), “Goat Man” (the demonic minion seen next to Skeletor).
That’s not EVERYTHING, but those were the things that stood out to me.
This makes me eager to see what Mattel shows at Toy Fair next month. Just from above, the movie is providing a TON of solid fodder for a really solid product line. Arguably, I think Mattel has better options with what I’ve seen from this trailer than Hasbro has gotten with the likes of Bumblebee And Snake Eyes. We’ll see how hard Mattel tries to capitalize here.
