A new era of Mattel’s Masters of the Universe (MOTU) franchise arrives this summer with the July 23 premiere of Masters of the Universe: Revelation on Netflix.
Revelation — Part 1 is a five-episode story arc that follows a cataclysmic battle between He-Man and Skeletor in which Eternia is fractured and the Guardians of Grayskull have become scattered. Teela sets out to reunite the broken band of heroes and solve the mystery of the missing Sword of Power in a race against time to restore Eternia and prevent the end of the universe.
Today, Mattel and Netflix released the first set of official stills from the new series along with fresh insight from series showrunner and executive producer Kevin Smith along with Rob David, executive producer and vice president, content creative, Mattel Television. Additionally, Mattel formally unveiled the Masterverse, a new line of super-articulated action figures.
Kevin Smith on Growing Up with Masters of the Universe
“I watched all of the TV series growing up, it was everywhere in the ‘80s,” Smith says. “These characters started off as toys and ended up becoming part of the global pop culture fabric. So much of this show has been possible because of the love and fandom surrounding this franchise. There’s just so much love and affection for this world at every level of production. A big reason we got such top-tier voice talent is because people genuinely want to be a part of this world. So many of us were touched by these stories and these characters early in our lives and were so happy to come back to Eternia. But even if you’ve never watched a single episode of the show or don’t know this universe at all, you can jump right into the story. It’s a really classic, universal action-adventure epic about growth, discovery, magic, and power. This series explores destiny in a fresh way. There’s a lot of reconciling with secrets, betrayal, trust, acceptance, love, and ultimately, loss.”
Smith says that the new series picks up where the original animated series — He-Man and the Masters of the Universe — left off.
“This is a continuation of that story,” he explains. “We’re playing with the original mythology and characters, and revisiting and digging deeper into those original, unresolved storylines from the original show. Visually we also made the conscious decision to lean into the original MOTU line of toys for inspiration as well. Mattel owns this entire vast library of that artwork, so right away we wanted the show to open with classic pieces of that artwork. Mattel has been committed to this look since they first started as a toy line in the ’80s, and now we’re leaning into it and honoring it.”
In a blog posted on Mattel’s corporate website this morning, Rob David echoed Smith’s love for the franchise and the enthusiasm of the team tasked with rebooting it.
“I have been a fan of MOTU since I was a kid, when I first spotted a He-Man toy towering over all the other action figures in the toy store,” David says. “Playing with my He-Man action figure awakened my imagination and it’s been a dream come true to have the privilege of helming the further development of He-Man’s narrative for Mattel. The love and nostalgia for He-Man runs deep in this team, from the creative execs and production crew at Mattel Television, to the writers, to the artisans at Powerhouse Animation, to our partners at Netflix and our showrunner, the iconic filmmaker Kevin Smith.”
Enter the Masterverse
Following the success of the ongoing MOTU Origins line of retro-inspired action figures, vehicles, and playsets, Mattel will launch MOTU Masterverse on June 15. The line of 7-inch scale, super-articulated action figures debuts with a core assortment including He-Man, Skeletor, Moss Man, and Evil-Lyn, each with at least 30 points of articulation. The line also includes a Skelegod 9-inch action figure and a 14-inch-long Ultimate Battle Cat.
According to PJ Lewis, vice president, global head — action figures, at Mattel, additional characters will be added to the lineup later this year as MOTU unites generations.
“Our new line, designed for collectors and new fans alike, provides a modern interpretation of these classic characters, and I can’t wait for you to check it out,” Lewis says.
MOTU Masterverse will be available at most major retailers and select specialty outlets.
