Masters of the Universe is a box office flop. Can they really be serious about a sequel?
WARNING: Minor spoiler ahead! By the power of Grayskull, Amazon MGM has the power to revive a franchise that hasnât been big since Choppers were
WARNING: Minor spoiler ahead! By the power of Grayskull, Amazon MGM has the power to revive a franchise that hasnât been big since Choppers were the coolest bikes in town Reports suggest Travis Knightâs Masters of the Universe made just $54m (ÂŁ40m) globally on debut at the weekend, a figure that, while not exactly fatal, would usually be considered a disappointment for a mainstream movie with a budget of more than $200m.
Worse still, this heavily caffeinated, meta take on the 1980s TV show arrived carrying the weight of a major studio relaunch and decades of pent-up nostalgia. On paper at least, its bow looks less like the birth of a cinematic universe than the sort of expensive stumble from which some franchises never recover.
So why then does everyone involved in this thing seem so cheerful? âTravis Knight and the entire cast and film-making team have delivered something truly special,â Amazon MGMâs Kevin Wilson gushed to
Variety. âThis opening is exactly the kind of critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy â building awareness and engagement that will carry well beyond the theatrical window.â Continue reading...
The BriefWire