I was optimistic after hearing Travis Knight’s name attached. After seeing the trailer? I feel that faith is justified. Is it 100% Filmation? No, but neither was the Transformers film (2007 OR Bumblebee) a 100% recreation of the cartoon. But, at least on a visual level, the people involved seemed to actually “get” the material. Script is still up in the air, but again, Knight’s resume points to that likely being decent.
The question remains if the film can carve out a spot for itself in the crowded summer market. I’m HOPING that a fun fantasy/scifi adventure (not dissimilar to Thor Ragnarok) can break through a market HEAVILY crowded with sequels and/or remakes. With so many fantasy films skewing to the grim dark “Game of Thrones/Witcher” style or the heavy family friendly side, MOTU can slide down the middle and find success.
My feeling is that, regardless its financial performance, it will not ultimately come down to the quality of the film itself (like Bumblebee)