MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Concept Art Reveals Unused Snake Men Villains
One of the coolest things about big fantasy movies is finding out what almost made it onto the screen. Every blockbuster leaves ideas behind during development, and Masters of the Universe is no exception.
While the movie already packed in a great lineup of classic villains, it turns out there were even more villainous characters originally planned for Eternia.
Newly released concept art has given fans their first look at the Snake Men, a legendary faction from Masters of the Universe lore that was considered for an earlier version of the film before ultimately being left out.
The movie already featured an impressive roster of franchise baddies including Goat Man, Karg, Tri-Klops, Trap-Jaw, Beast Man, Spikor, Evil-Lyn, and, of course, Skeletor. Even with all of those familiar faces, there was apparently room for another dangerous force before the story evolved during development.
Concept artist and creature designer Jerad S. Marantz recently shared early sketches of the Snake Men on Instagram, revealing several unique designs that explored different looks for the reptilian warriors.
Since these were created for an earlier draft of the film, the characters were eventually removed from the story, but now fans can finally see what might have made it to the big screen.
Marantz explained the process behind the artwork, saying: “I got to do a lot of concept art for an earlier version of the masters of the universe film that came out recently. I was a part of a small concept art team led by my good friend and amazing artist @constantinesekeris.
“Constantine brought me on board with our mutual friend @lucanemolato. We would work in conjunction with Costume Designer @ann.foley Ann Foley and her incredible team. It really was a dream project. I cannot express how much fun I had working on all of these characters. Here are some early sketches I did for the Snakemen. They were being considered for this earlier draft of the film.
“A broad range of sketches like these are what I like to do just to get the ball rolling. These open up the conversation for what best serves the story, and budget. I love sketching! Being able to generate a lot of options and communicate ideas quickly in the beginning is so useful!”
The artwork showcases a variety of reptilian designs instead of a single uniform look, giving the Snake Men distinct silhouettes and personalities. It's easy to imagine these creatures charging into battle alongside the other villains of Eternia.
For fans unfamiliar with the Snake Men, they're one of the franchise's oldest and most dangerous armies. Led by King Hiss, they conquered world after world before setting their sights on Eternia.
During that campaign, they established Snake Mountain as their fortress, but the Elders of Eternia eventually defeated them and banished them to another dimension. Only a handful remained behind, leaving Snake Mountain to eventually become Skeletor's headquarters.
In the classic lore, Skeletor would later free King Hiss and the Snake Men, forming an uneasy alliance against He-Man and the heroes of Eternia. Kobra Khan served as the bridge between the two factions, and together they launched multiple campaigns against the forces of good.
Even after Skeletor traveled back in time to witness the Snake Men's original invasion, their alliance still couldn't overcome Eternia's defenders.
Their presence in the original animated series was limited. Kobra Khan appeared in a relatively small role, while Rattlor and Tung Lashor showed up in She-Ra: Princess of Power, though neither was deeply connected to the larger Snake Men storyline.
That finally changed with the 2002 Masters of the Universe animated reboot. The Snake Men became such a major part of the series that its second season was titled Masters of the Universe vs The Snake Men.
The reboot largely followed the original mini-comic backstory of King Hiss and his army invading Eternia before being sealed away, but it introduced one major twist. Instead of joining forces with Skeletor, the Snake Men became enemies of everyone, battling Skeletor's forces and He-Man's heroes alike in a three-way war for control of Eternia.
Seeing these unused designs makes you wonder how close they came to appearing in the finished movie. They have a fantastic look that would've fit right alongside the other creatures and villains already featured on screen.
If Masters of the Universe gets a sequel, hopefully these concepts aren't forgotten. The Snake Men deserve their shot at live-action, and these early designs prove they could make for some seriously cool additions to the franchise.
Masters of the Universe is now playing in theaters and arrives on digital on July 21.