Universal Pictures and Amazon MGM Studios took centre stage at CinemaCon yesterday, with the latter studio putting the spotlight on its long-awaited live-action reboot of Masters of the Universe.
Attendees in Las Vegas didn't see a trailer, but a sizzle reel featuring snippets of footage from the movie's set was revealed. The preview saw star Nicholas Galitzine getting into He-Man shape, with a shot of him rocking the character's classic costume and haircut drawing cheers from those in attendance.
It sounds like some huge sets have been constructed in London, many of which recreate locations on Eternia. "By the power of Grayskull!" was heard at one point, and while there weren't too many talking points, Deadline describes the sneak peek as follows:
"This is clearly the first tentpole take of the Mattel property with many of the characters, i.e. Teela, Man at Arms, Skeletor, looking exactly as the toys and then some. God knows when the studio will drop the reel, but we catch Jared Leto as Skeletor, Camila Mendes training on jump wires and running sideways, and Galitzine in full sword swinging mode. The BTS reel showed the massive castle sets being built with plenty of green screens."
Looking through various reactions on social media, we also have some feedback on Skeletor's appearance. It's said that he "has blue skin and is jacked" but was shown only "as a hooded figure with no face." The iconic villain's appearance will likely be fully CG, meaning the filmmakers weren't ready to remove that hood just yet.
"It’s the rebirth of this incredible world," producer Jason Blumenthal told those in attendance. He later described this as a "rebirth of this incredible world" and said, "the scale is massive." He noted, "We’re not making a cartoon here, we’re making a live action fantasy film."
Director Travis Knight revealed that his love for Masters of the Universe dates back to "pretty much [his] entire life," adding that he "lived and breathed" the story (going so far as to rock He-Man's haircut for a time).
Universal, meanwhile, put the spotlight on the upcoming Wicked sequel, Wicked For Good. The movie, originally titled Wicked: Part Two, is expected to be another huge hit, and Screen Rant has shared the following trailer description:
"The teaser begins with Glinda running outside, and seeing glass cracking on the building. 'Elphaba I know you’re out here. Just come in before the monkeys spot you.' Elphaha then appears behind her in the dark. 'There’s no going back,' Elphaba says, 'This is between the wizard and I.'"
"Fiyero now leads a squadron. 'Our Wizard Lies,' Elphaba writes in the clouds as she flies in the sky. Glinda goes back to the tower/attic where she last saw Elphaba. We then see them together. Glinda leans on Elphaba’s shoulder and says, 'Think of what we could do together.'"
"Fiyero aims a pistol at Elphaba, but quickly turns to aim at the Wizard, betraying him.'“You’re the only friend I ever had,' Elphaba says. Glinda responds, 'And I have so many friends.' Later... 'I’m off to see the wizard,' Elphaba says as she uses her magic to pull her broom towards her, then she’s last shown flying away."
Wicked For Good arrives in theaters on November 21. As for Masters of the Universe, we'll get to see the reboot on the big screen on June 5, 2026. Stay tuned to SFFGazette.com for updates on both movies.