Last October Latino Review got word from a source that Kung-Fu Panda director John Stevenson could end up directing a live action He-Man movie. We heard nothing of it for months, until now. Turns out John Stevenson is directing!

From Variety:

Stevenson said the first film came to mind when he was asked to consider the job, and the impression wasn’t a good one. He changed his mind when he went to Mattel headquarters and was shown into a secret lair that contained the visuals created by the toymaker staff.

“There was this locked bunker that you had to be escorted into,” Stevenson said. “It was filled with art, some generated by the Mattel artists, and I looked around, and said, ‘I get it.’ We started formulating a specific vision for costumes, creatures, architecture, and the creation of a mythology and look for a whole world we’ll create.”

Waldo said that Stevenson’s vision to elevate the material matched with Mattel’s desire to see He-Man become a big studio film. Mattel has also brought its “Hot Wheels” film to WB and Silver.

“John had such passion that we found ourselves trying to running to catch up with his vision,” Waldo said.

We have no release date or dates for filming, however we will probably get that info later.

This film could actually work if done right. I hope they don’t make it too child-friendly. I know Mattell have toys to sell but a cheesy fantasy movie will not be appealing!

• Columbia to pick up He-Man?
• Warner Bros. and He-Man part ways
• He-Man gets new name and writer
• Kung-Fu Panda Director For He-Man
• He-Man Dead At Warner Bros