Warner Brothers have made their first smart move since taking on the He-Man live action movie: they're backing out.

Two years ago the WB set their man Joel Silver to work with toy maker Mattel on developing the project. Now the two-year option is up and according to Variety both WB and Mattel are allowing it to lapse in the face of differences over the direction the development was headed.

It hasn't been an easy road for the movie. Nevermind the obvious problems, like the fact that no one really cares about the He-man character any more, or that the first live action He-Man movie (Masters of the Universe, made back in 1987) showed the concept isn't really such a good idea. There have been write/script issues from the start which came to a head in the last few months.

Back in May there was news that a new writer was being brought on board and a bizarre new direction being taken, including the new title Grayskull. At that point it sounded like the entire thing was going to be a disaster and it sounds like WB came to the same conclusion.

What's next for the project? It all depends on whether Mattel can find anyone loopy enough to take up their doomed cause. Fortunately for them, there are plenty of people in Hollywood ready to take up the mantle of making bad ideas into worse movies.