HOLLYWOOD ENDINGS

And what about the ending of Cannon’s summer release, “Masters of the Universe”?

A source on the production tells us that an ending had to be shot hurriedly because of money problems. At one point, the source added, first-time feature director Gary Goddard reportedly discussed using a freeze-frame of He-Man (Dolph Lundgren) ready to fight Skeletor (Frank Langella) with “to be continued” superimposed, because the scripted ending was unaffordable.

Goddard conceded that his budget needs increased from $16.8 million to $20 million during shooting (our source figured it at closer to $26 million). But he insisted that he got everything he needed on film except special effects, which are being added in post-production.

As to that alleged cliff-hanger ending: “I wouldn’t take an audience all the way through a movie and then not give them an ending or tell them to ‘come back later,’ ” Goddard said.