Despite their best efforts, 1987’s Masters of the Universe wasn’t the savior The Cannon Group or Mattel were hoping for. The film grossed only $17 million on a $22 million budget and received mostly negative reviews. Still, the franchise continued onward and was rebooted numerous times with new animated series and toy lines. Since 2007, a new live-action film has been in development between various studios, including Warner Bros. and Sony. Various directors, including John Stevenson, Jon M. Chu, Jeff Wadlow, McG, David Goyer, and the Nee Brothers, were once attached. After Netflix tried and failed to make a movie, Amazon MGM Studios bought the rights in 2023. The studio hired Bumblebee director Travis Knight to helm the project with a $170 million budget. After several decades spent in development hell, Masters of the Universe finally hit theaters in June 2026.
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Synopsis
Everything is peaceful on Eternos, the capital of the planet Eternia, when the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto) launches an attack. Accompanied by his second-in-command, Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie), Skeletor seeks the Sword of Power from Castle Grayskull. To protect the sword, the castle’s guardian, the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin), entrusts it to young Prince Adam (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt). She sends him to Earth, but he accidentally loses the sword and his only chance of returning home to Eternia. 15 years later, Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) searches for the sword while working a Human Resources job. He finally finds the sword but is attacked by Beast Man until Teela (Camila Mendes) saves him. She takes him back to Eternia, which lies in ruins, and Skeletor rules with an iron fist. Accompanied by Teela, her father Duncan (Idris Elba), and Roboto (Kristen Wiig), Adam must unlock the power to become He-Man.
Review
The 2026 Masters of the Universe feels like what the 1987 movie should’ve been if it had an appropriate budget. I’m not saying you need lots of money to make a good movie, but there are times when it’s necessary. It’s like how the newer Dune movies could bring to life what the 1984 Dune couldn’t due to limited funds. While the original film’s lo-fi effects have their charm, the newer film could afford to be a more faithful adaptation. Travis Knight and his team managed to create everything Gary Goddard tried to do back in 1987. Also, while the original took the material much more seriously, this newer adaptation has a sense of humor. It does poke fun at the source material, but it feels more like a celebration than outright mockery. You get the sense that the filmmakers loved the cartoon but recognized its goofier elements.
Though lacking Dolph Lundgren’s imposing presence, Nicholas Galitzine does a great job as Adam/He-Man. He brings a lot of humanity to the role, and seeing him transform, both metaphorically and literally, is incredible. Surprisingly, Jared Leto makes for an excellent Skeletor, playing the character in a way that’s both intimidating and humorous. Idris Elba steals the show as a drunken washup trying to reclaim his honor as Man-At-Arms and prove his worth. Camila Mendes is also memorable as Adam’s childhood friend, Teela, who can more than hold her own in a fight. While she doesn’t get much to do, Alison Brie is stunning as Evil-Lyn and has some great moments with Leto. The other actors do a solid job, but many of them feel more like background extras than three-dimensional characters. Still, fans of the cartoon will enjoy seeing their favorite characters brought to life.
As I mentioned before, advances in technology have allowed filmmakers to realize things they couldn’t have decades ago. In this film, it’s both a blessing and a curse, since many Eternia scenes come off as giant green-screen scenes. Sure, I’m glad most of the runtime takes place on Eternia instead of Earth, but there’s this weird artificiality present. Granted, you could chalk this up to the film trying to emulate a live-action cartoon, and it succeeds. Also worth mentioning is Daniel Pemberton’s score, whose mix of rock and synth adds to the overall sense of fun. It helps that former Queen guitarist Brian May contributed to the score, adding to the 80s fantasy feel. At slightly over two hours, the pacing is decent, but a good 12-20 minutes could’ve been trimmed. Overall, Masters of the Universe is a fun if slightly imperfect adaptation of the classic cartoon.
Masters of the Universe is in theaters.
Where to watch Masters of the Universe (2026)
