The actor, who played Veronica Lodge on The CW teen drama, was set to be one of the leads of the revived film series but has had to pull out.
Deadline reports that scheduling conflicts with the Masters of the Universe reboot, which is set to be a mammoth production, are behind this decision.
The science-fiction action film, based on the ’80s toy line and various animated shows, will feature Mendes in the role of Teela, captain of Eternia’s royal guard and defender of Prince Adam/He-Man. He’ll be played by Nicholas Galitzine, who’s been in everything from Mary & George to Red, White & Royal Blue and Bottoms lately.
Masters of the Universe has had a lengthy journey. Warner Bros. was developing it back in the 2000s before it went through multiple directors, writers, and lead actors at Sony through the 2010s. Netflix took over the film, with West Side Story‘s Kyle Allen set to lead, until the streaming service dropped it last year.
Amazon MGM has since picked up the film, and since then Mendes and Galiztine have come aboard, as has Bumblebee director Travis Knight.
“Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor,” the synopsis reads.
“But to defeat such a powerful villain, Prince Adam will first need to uncover the mysteries of his past and become He-Man: the most powerful man in the Universe!”
Masters of the Universe is currently set for release on June 5, 2026.
