'Masters of the Universe' Eyeing Noah Centineo For He-Man Role

Noah Centineo is in talks to star in Masters of the Universe, the forthcoming adaptation of the Mattel toy line from Sony Pictures. Centineo would play the dual roles of Prince Adam and He-Man -- characters who, like Billy Batson and Shazam, are seemingly distinct entities before a lightning strike initiates a change. TheWrap first reported that Centineo is being considered for the part in the long-in-development film coming from directors Aaron and Adam Nee, from a screenplay by the Nee brothers and rewritten by Iron Man's Matt Holloway and Art Marcum. This would be He-Man's first live-action outing since the much-maligned Dolph Lundgren version from 1987.

David S. Goyer, best known for his work on the Dark Knight trilogy, Man of Steel, and other gritty superhero fare, originally wrote a screenplay and while it will not be used, TheWrap reports that he will keep his executive producer credit. Goyer was briefly rumored to be directing the film, as was Jeff Wadlow. Centineo is best known for his role in Netflix's To All The Boys I've Loved Before, in which he stars opposite Lana Condor, whose Deadly Class for Sony Pictures Television is airing its season finale tonight on SYFY.

Masters of the Universe centers on the battle for power between He-Man and Skeletor, who represent good and evil respectively in the realm of Eternia. He-Man is flanked by a colorful cast of supporting characters, almost none of whom made it into the 1987 movie since that one took place almost entirely on Earth. Skeletor's goal -- to rule the universe -- is a road he sees as going through Castle Grayskull, the source of He-Man's powers and the home of The Sorceress. He-Man's sister, She-Ra, got her own spinoff in the days of the popular He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated series, and that series was recently revived at Netflix. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power will come back in 2019 for a second season.

Masters of the Universe, meanwhile, has been in development hell for years in Hollywood. The property has enough name recognition that Mattel wants to see it adapted as a big-budget, live-action movie, but the cost involved has been a tough sell considering that it has been decades since He-Man was a reliable hit.