Alex Litvak and Mike Finch, the scenario writers behind the new title of Predators franchise, were recruited to write the scenario for the science fiction fantasy film Masters of the Universe for Columbia Pictures.

Sony acquired the rights for film adaptation for the Mattel toy line by the same name last fall. The project was initially supposed to be filmed by Warner Bros, where Joel Silver was in charge of the development of the film since 2007. Mattel however took again its rights following a disagreement which has occurred with Silver. The company also left the Warner studios.

The recruiting of the scenario writers is the first concrete step for development of this film adaptation by Sony Pictures and mark a second departure for the project. Mattel must obligatorily give its downstream to the scenario before the operational start-up of the feature film.

In the presentation of their scenario outlines, the scenario writers will have at the same time to convince the studio which the project is adaptable to the big screen and to satisfy the toys company by respecting the integrity of the characters.

Let us recall that the hero in Masters of the Universe was a prince who transformed himself into a warrior (He-Man) to fight against the malicious Skeletor in order to protect a magic world called Eternia.

Masters of the Universe already was the subject of a animation television series and of a motion picture. This feature film was released in 1987 and starred Dolph Lungdren in the role of He-Man and Frank Langella (rencently seen in Frost/Nixon) in the skin of Skeletor.

Todd Black, Steve Tisch and Jason Blumenthal from Escape Artists will produce the project.

Finally, Predators should be released on July 9th.

A first preview of the movie Predators is from now on available on the internet. Right now, we are a few days away from the diffusion of the first trailer which is supposed to be released on March 18th.

Nimrod Antal (Vacancy) was recruited by Fox to direct this feature film which will be produced by Robert Rodriguez and Elizabeth Avellan via the company Troublemaker Studios. Rodriguez also co-scripted the storyline with Alex Litvak and Michael Finch.

In the movie, we will follow a mercenary (Adrien Brody) who is with the head of an elite group of warriors. They will realize that they were brought on an extraterrestrial planet far from the Earth to be used as preys. Except for a discredited doctor, they all are of coldblooded killers and dangerous predatory human, which will be driven out and eliminated by a new race of extraterrestrial warriors without any pity. Those beings are known under the name of predators.

The distribution is also made up of Topher Grace, Laurence Fishburne, Alice Braga, Walton Goggins, Oleg Taktarov,Danny Trejo, Louiz Ozawa and Mahershalalhashbaz Ali.

Predators should be released on North-American big screens on July 7th.