Kung Fu Panda director to helm live-action He-Man movie

Kung Fu Panda director to helm live-action He-Man movieJohn Stevenson, co-director of Kung Fu Panda, is to make his live-action debut with an adaptation of cartoon series Masters of the Universe.

The 80s fantasy show told of Prince Adam's transformation into the heroic He-Man thanks to the magical powers of the fortress Castle Grayskull.

Owned by toymaker Mattel, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was a hugely successful animated series but became a film flop in 1987, in a version starring Dolph Lundgren and Frost/Nixon star Frank Langella.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Stevenson will direct a "gritty fantasy" version for Warner Bros and Silver Pictures, from a script written by Justin Marks.

Marks previously wrote thrillers Fast Forward (2002) and The Stranger (2003) and penned the upcoming videogame adaptation Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.

"Masters of the Universe was a billion-dollar franchise for us in the 80s," said Barry Waldo, Mattel's vice president worldwide entertainment marketing and strategy and the executive producer of the planned He-Man film.

"There are so few of those in the vault; it's one of the crown jewels. So we were looking for a master storyteller."

Director Stevenson has previously worked on the first two Shrek films, Madagascar and James and the Giant Peach and began his career as a storyboard artist for legendary animator Jim Henson.

Warner Bros and Silver Pictures are also developing a feature film based on Mattel's line of Hot Wheels toy cars, it was also revealed.