Masters of the Universe (2026) Amazon MGM/Fantasy-Action-Adventure RT: 140 minutes Rated PG-13 (sequences of violence/action, some suggestive material, language) Director: Travis Knight Screenplay: Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee and David Callaham Music: Daniel Pemberton Cinematography: Fabian Wagner Release date: June 5, 2026 (US) Cast: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Charlotte Riley, Morena Baccarin, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Jon Xue Zhang, Sam C. Wilson, James Wilkinson, Christiaan Bettridge, Sasheer Zamata, Christian Vunipola, Artie Wilkinson-Hunt, Eire Farrell, Kristen Wiig (voice), Gary Martin (voice), Tom Wilton (voice).
Rating: ***
I can’t believe I’m writing the following sentence. The new Masters of the Universe is a good movie. I know, I’m as shocked as you are. I was expecting a total train wreck.
Perhaps I ought to elaborate. Masters of the Universe is good in the sense that it doesn’t feel completely hollow like so many big-budget blockbuster hopefuls these days. It’s a mess, but fun at the same time. I would describe it as goofy. It never takes itself too seriously. It just wants to entertain which brings up an interesting point. Who exactly is the intended audience? Is it the oldsters who grew up watching it in the 80s or youngsters who probably have no idea who He-Man and Skeletor are? Maybe it’s both; I really don’t know. All I do know is that nobody was clamoring for it.
I was a teen in the 80s so I never actually watched the animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-85). It was for kids. I did enjoy the cheesy 1987 movie Masters of the Universe starring Dolph Lundgren (who cameos in the new film) as heroic He-Man and Frank Langella as his nemesis Skeletor. Why wouldn’t I like it? It’s from Cannon. Need I say more? I never thought for a minute I’d actually enjoy this Masters of the Universe, but I really did. I’d even say it’s the best new release this weekend. I’m not being facetious either.
The plot is fairly simple. After a 15-year absence, Adam Glenn (Galitzine, The Sheep Detectives) returns home to free Eternia from the tyrannical rule of the evil warlock Skeletor (Leto, Tron: Ares) and claim his rightful place as heir to the throne. It took him a long time to get home because he lost the “Sword of Power” after he was sent to Earth through a magic portal as a child. When he finally finds it, it sends an alert to Skeletor who sends one of his associates, a vicious creature called Beast Man, to retrieve it. It also alerts Adam’s childhood friend Teela (Mendes, Riverdale) who shows up to save his ass and get him back to Eternia.
The rest of Masters of the Universe is basically Adam discovering his powers (he can transform into a buff hero in a loin cloth) and rallying the troops to make a final stand against Skeletor and the evil sorceress Evil-Lyn (Brie, Together). As you can see, it’s a no-brainer and I don’t mean that as a criticism. I just mean it doesn’t try to be deep by delving into the psychology of the characters although most people on Earth who know Adam think he might be crazy. Surely, he can’t really be from another planet, can he?
I have to give props to any movie that gives a shout-out to Highlander (1986), one of the greatest fantasy films of the 80s. It references it twice actually. The first is an off-hand comment; the second is when Queen’s “Princes of the Universe” plays while the heroes get ready to go to war. It gets better. Brian May contributes his signature guitar solos and riffs to the soundtrack. SWEET! That just makes Masters of the Universe so much cooler.
I do have one complaint about Masters of the Universe. It’s Jared Leto. He’s not a good Skeletor. He never comes off as truly evil or malevolent. He comes off as ridiculous even for this movie. What was he thinking when he was deciding to play the character? Frank Langella knew the material was silly, but he still played it straight (enough). I could see his Skeletor scaring smaller children. I don’t see that with Leto. He just looks like a buffoon.
Now I could sit here and criticize Galitzine’s acting, but what’s the point? It’s not like Dolph Lundgren was some sort of master thespian. He’s not. It was fun seeing him play He-Man. All things considered, Galitzine isn’t too bad in the role. He tries to do more than Dolph did with it in ’87. When we catch up with adult Adam, he’s an office drone working at a Human Resources company for a boss (SNL’s Zamata) who does little more than recite platitudes while smiling a phony smile. He has no real social life outside of failed first dates (NOT the time to discuss your interplanetary background) and interactions with a roommate who not-so-secretly enjoys chick flicks. I suppose the writers (all four of them) could have done worse.
The supporting cast, which includes Idris Elba (the Thor movies) as Man-at-Arms Duncan and Morena Baccarin (Deadpool 1-3) as the Sorceress, looks like they’re having a ball. Why spoil the party? Kristin Wiig contributes her voice to Roboto, a giant “Heroic Warrior” robot reprogrammed to be a domestic due to attacking her creator Duncan.
The special effects in Masters of the Universe are definitely cheesy although not on the level of the OG movie. No, these effects cost money, roughly $200M. At the same time, they look cheap. I think that’s by design. Director Travis Knight (Bumblebee) appears to be trying to recreate the campiness of the 1987 version. And believe me, this Masters of the Universe is campy. It also has some good action sequences including a chase right out of Return of the Jedi (minus the Ewoks).
I’ll leave it at this. I thoroughly enjoyed Masters of the Universe. I really believed I was in for an excruciating, head-splitting experience. I had my Extra Strength Tylenol all ready. I was pleasantly surprised by it instead. I had so much fun watching it. Not all of it is great. Some of it is dumb, but He-Man isn’t actually an exercise in intellect, is it? It’s a solid summer movie.
P.S. Be sure to stick around for three extra scenes during the end credits. I won’t tell you about them. I want you to be surprised. I will say fans will appreciate at least two of them.
