Written by Since cameras started rolling for the New “Masters of the Universe” Movie early this year, we have been curious about the film’s budget.
Clearly a big budget production made evident by the massive sets and impressive cast, the reporting on the budget back in November 2023 was leaning towards $200 Million Dollars (but possibly as low as $170 Million).
If you recall, when cameras were set to roll back in February 2023 (with the Nee Bros. set to direct and Kyle Allen set to star) Netflix balked at the high price-tag and ended up shutting down the movie over the massive budget. Then Amazon MGM picked up the pieces and the rest is history.
Well now actor Dolph Lundgren (who we are confident will be appearing in the new “Masters of the Universe” film thanks to multiple reports), had something to say when he joined the “Going Deep with Chad and JT” podcast to promote his new Vodka.
Dolph offered this brief tidbit while discussing the responsibility of being the #1 actor on a call sheet:
DOLPH LUNDGREN: "- Masters of the Universe... they are actually reshooting it now in London. It's coming out next year. They are rebooting it. Big budget. 200 Million Dollar Picture."
Dolph Lundgren had nothing further to say about the new MOTU movie nor its price-tag, but coming from an actor who (we believe) will appear in the actual film and subsequently is in the know, a $200 Million Dollar budget seems to be the magic number.
We are just so thankful that Amazon MGM and Mattel believed in this property enough to give the world of Eternia (and Earth) the budget it deserves.
We’ll see you next time!
I really hope they don’t get into much reshoots like Dolph said 😬
@kinggrayskull09 Dolph said there will be reshoots?
@bonezone Dolph says reshooting but he probably meant to say rebooting and corrected himself the second time.
@caliban that’s what I thought at first. But they’ve already finished filming the movie, so why would they be filming again?
@bonezone Well somebody has to replace the toxic Jared Leto…
Exactly what I was thinking. They want their Skeletor to be evil not a perv.
@durendal Good point lol
That won’t happen. They are just old allegations.
A 200 million budget is gigantic and it shows Amazon has faith in this movie. THIS MOVIE IS GOING TO BE HUGE!!!!!
Okay I don’t think you guys know how severe this could be if this movie gets a wrong first impression, bad marketing or in general doesn’t live up to the hype, either from a fan or audience expectation.
If this $200 mill flick bombs or is even considered a Box Office disappointment it could basically kill the franchise, or at the very least put it another long, slow, silent age basically 1991-2001 and 2003-2017
A movie is the only chance for the mainstream audience to get invested in He-Man again.
The film is looking up to be great, but I’m just pointing out the potential severe consequences considering it’s budget.
@slycooperastroboy51 What do you mean 2003 – 2017? The entire Classics run was during that stretch, which many consider to be the apex of MOTU.
You’re absolutely right. That 200m is presumably before another 100 in marketing. In other words, we can do a Transformers One fandom all we want, Joe and Joanna Punter need to show up and bring their kids with them. Anything else will be considered a failure AND a warning from the past.
And yeah, If they try to promote it as a jack of all trades or even worse, a comedy, it’ll bomb harder than Enola Gay to quote Drinker.
Put simply there can’t be any missteps.
In other words, we can do a Transformers One fandom all we want, Joe and Joanna Punter need to show up and bring their kids with them. Anything else will be considered a failure AND a warning from the past.
Here’s the thing, yeah, TFOne’s failure was the most depressing thing in modern Hollywood but by that point, Transformers had a total of seven theatrical live-action movies and the film franchise will eventually bounce back in one form or another, even if it’s not exactly the way people actually want it to a.k.a. sadly it won’t likely be TFTwo. Though suddenly in the last 24 hours there are conflicting reports that Michael Bay is returning to direct another film (WHHYY!!???), Josh Cooley is not directing TFTwo but a separate Live-action film (what?) and five more Transformers films are in the works (???) including the very poorly set up GI Joe crossover film (How are they gonna crossover if audiences haven’t gotten to know a new film version of the Joes?)
Point is, whether you like them or not, Transformers as a film franchise ain’t going anywhere because it’s already far established itself for better or for worse. And another thing, Transformers no matter it’s popularity throughout the years had a presence of some type in any form every year from the end of G1 in 1990 to 2007 with the first Bay film. It was almost always an evergreen property. MOTU not so much.
This is the first He-Man film in almost 39 years made by people who we know really care about the franchise, but is it a guarantee that general audiences will be interested or care? I’m sure so. I think personally the perfect balance for a new film adaptation of a beloved is stuff for audiences to get to know the world and characters and stuff that fans love and will appreciate inclusion. I feel like the Mario movie is a good example.
Even if it’ll look like the He-Man film fans have been waiting for for 2/5 of a century, $200 mill is a humongous risk for this franchise regardless.
Here’s the thing, yeah, TFOne’s failure was the most depressing thing in modern Hollywood but by that point, Transformers had a total of seven theatrical live-action movies and the film franchise will eventually bounce back in one form or another, even if it’s not exactly the way people actually want it to a.k.a. sadly it won’t likely be TFTwo. Though suddenly in the last 24 hours there are conflicting reports that Michael Bay is returning to direct another film (WHHYY!!???), Josh Cooley is not directing TFTwo but a separate Live-action film (what?) and five more Transformers films are in the works (???) including the very poorly set up GI Joe crossover film (How are they gonna crossover if audiences haven’t gotten to know a new film version of the Joes?)
Point is, whether you like them or not, Transformers as a film franchise ain’t going anywhere because it’s already far established itself for better or for worse. And another thing, Transformers no matter it’s popularity throughout the years had a presence of some type in any form every year from the end of G1 in 1990 to 2007 with the first Bay film. It was almost always an evergreen property. MOTU not so much.
This is the first He-Man film in almost 39 years made by people who we know really care about the franchise, but is it a guarantee that general audiences will be interested or care? I’m sure so. I think personally the perfect balance for a new film adaptation of a beloved is stuff for audiences to get to know the world and characters and stuff that fans love and will appreciate inclusion. I feel like the Mario movie is a good example.
Even if it’ll look like the He-Man film fans have been waiting for for 2/5 of a century, $200 mill is a humongous risk for this franchise regardless.
Agreed. From what I gather Paramount have to somewhat pretend a TF movie is in development to keep holding the licence until 2029. Though that’s not to say they aren’t desperately developing something. Bay will kill that franchise altogether if they bring him back though. Nobody who isn’t a zealot wants it. Shit, even a load of the zealots know he’s their Snyder and it’s time to get real!
@durendal I mean like in like content. There was really just comics and from what I know wasn’t the Classics line mostly online or convention exclusive?
really sadly the most impact the franchise had to non-fans in the 2000s after 200x was screwed over by bad toy distribution and TV airings were the Robot Chicken sketches and the iconic “Fabulous Secret Powers heyeyeyeyeyeye” video within the ancient age of memes.
At this stage, every new article makes me a match that would instantly catch fire.
I can’t tell. Is that good or bad mate?
It is reasonable to conclude that this is the budget allocated to blockbusters in the current era. However, the reproduction of an Eternian landscape, its inhabitants, and the mass of unavoidable special effects makes this budget already more adequate, in my humble opinion.
Damn! 200 mil is a lot of cash. Shit better get crazy in the climax. I’m talking a Battle Cat and Panthor fight. Wind Raiders and Rotons. Orko versus Imp.
Human sacrifice. Dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria!
Sorry, you get Earth, and a slack jawed doofus Heman.
$200 Mill is not just a risk for MOTU but for the first film in a franchise in general, but there is a bright side.
– This is Mattel’s second major Hollywood picture after Barbie, a billion dollar hit thanks to the help of an atomic bomb movie, and they definitely want to keep their new positive blockbuster streak going as much as they can with today’s film industry.
Hot Wheels movie with the action and energy similar the now cult classic Wachowski Speed Racer movie? Sign me up.
Thomas the Tank Engine anthology movie framed like the original book series that’s a simple period piece that’s grounded in reality with the exception of the sentient vehicles (of which shouldn’t be questioned) with the all ages British charm and appeal of the Paddington movies? YES YES YES (the five-year old in me would cry of joy if this were a reality)
– This will be the first and most expensive major film for Amazon MGM that’s not James Bond since the two companies merged a few years ago. The fact that the studio is part of one of the worlds biggest corporations means we’ll be seeing ads everywhere.
Grayskull popcorn buckets
One of those new awesome 3D video corner billboards you see in Times Square
A Nicholas Galitzine appearance at the Nickelodeon kids choice awards where the category and award for best cartoon is completely meaningless because it’s always rigged to be Spongebob
It is probably close to 200 million, but he is probably just speculating and has no real clue other than rumors on the set.
Wow… if Dolph is right, then this movie has a budget similar to John Carter of Mars ($260M), which is much larger than I was originally speculating.
Say what you will, John Carter was a damn good movie. It was as accurate to the book as it could have been, and had proper set designs, costumes, and special effects. As a big Carter / Edgar Rice Burroughs fan, I was pleasantly surprised at the movie – and equally as sad that it wasn’t received well by critics.
The reason I bring up John Carter is because I feel it’s the closest thing to cinema MOTU in recent memory without bringing up Thor / the MCU.
With that said, and don’t hate me for saying this, but the MOTU movie would do well to follow in the footsteps of the original MCU movies in so far as the blending of comedy, action, strong writing, and engaging scripts is concerned.