Some toy brands are effortlessly eternal. Or, at least, inescapable. Mattel struck gold with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie in 2023, but even before that film won a billion at the box office and clinched a few accolades during awards season, the Barbie brand was in good enough shape. Other brands have to work a lot harder to keep interest in their property alive: Transformers and G.I. Joe have each struggled to give their cinematic franchises a new life. It’s not easy appealing to the next generation, especially with traditional toys and action figures — bread and butter for a lot of these brands — largely appeal only to collectors now.
Something like Masters of the Universe, meanwhile, falls somewhere in between blockbuster success and nigh-obscurity. Yes, the 1984 cartoon is a classic, but can this translate into a live-action tentpole? For the first time since 1987, Mattel is trying once more to turn He-Man into the action hero he was always meant to be. The company is partnering with Amazon MGM for a new Masters of the Universe — and though it’s a pretty nostalgic property, it’s also had several animated reboots and continuations over the years. In fact, as of right now, there are two distinct contemporary animated versions of Masters of the Universe on Netflix: a 3D animated reboot called He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2021), as well as the Kevin Smith-created Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021) and its sequel series, Revolution (2023), which use more traditional animation.
Those animated projects have been star-studded and generally well-received. But, it's not been since 1987 that there’s been a big swing of the power sword at box office domination. Here’s everything you need to know about the next big version of He-Man and his Masters of the Universe.
What is the Masters of the Universe release date?
Masters of the Universe quietly began filming in February 2024. Production took place primarily in the UK and wrapped in the summer of 2025. It’s officially set to hit theaters on June 5, 2026, so He-Man fans will have to wait a little less than a year to see this new vision of Eternia.
Who is directing Masters of the Universe?
Animator and director Travis Knight will helm the Masters of the Universe remake. He’s perhaps best known for revitalizing the Transformers franchise with Bumblebee — arguably the strongest entry in that saga — but he’s also been involved in a handful of great films for Laika Studios. He produced ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls before directing Kubo and the Two Strings, making him a great fit for something like Masters of the Universe. Ideally, he’ll bring his unique vision to the live-action film, capitalizing on the whimsy and spectacle that fans will be hoping for.
What is the plot of Masters of the Universe?
Amazon MGM is keeping most details about Masters of the Universe under lock and key, but the studio did release an official synopsis when it announced a release date for the film. Where the original Masters of the Universe film, released in 1987, was pretty similar to the plot of Thor — sending its heroes from their far-flung home planet to slum it on Earth — the reboot will flip that fish-out-of-water premise on its head.
Masters of the Universe follows “10-year-old Prince Adam, who crashed to Earth in a spaceship and was separated from his magical Power Sword — the only link to his home on Eternia. After tracking it down almost two decades later, Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor. 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!”
Who is in the cast of Masters of the Universe?
Here are the actors confirmed to star in Masters of the Universe:
- Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam, the rightful heir of the kingdom of Eternos.
- Camila Mendes as Teela, the Captain of the Royal Guard at the palace of Eternos.
- Idris Elba as Man-at-Arms, Teela’s adoptive father and a military advisor to Eternos’ reigning monarch.
- Jared Leto as Skeletor, an evil demon determined to amass enough power to become the master of the universe.
- Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, a powerful witch and Skeletor’s second-in-command.
- Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress, the guardian of Castle Grayskull — the center of all power in the universe.
- Charlotte Riley as Queen Marlena, Adam’s long-lost mom.
- James Purefoy as King Randor, ruler of Eternos and Adam’s father.
- Sasheer Zamata as Suzie, a new character rumored to be one of Adam’s friends from Earth.
- Christian Vunipola as Hussein, another character created specifically for the film, and likely another Earth-bound friend of Adam’s.
Will there be any other secret cast members? Maybe. Original He-Man actor Dolph Lundgren recently told Men’s Journal that “maybe I’ll get involved.”
Is there a trailer for Masters of the Universe?
Amazon MGM hasn’t released a trailer for Masters of the Universe just yet. We’ll update the codex with updates down the line.
Will there be a sequel to Masters of the Universe?
The “original” Masters of the Universe never got a sequel, despite teasing one pretty heavily. But if Mattel’s second attempt achieves success similar to Barbie's, there’s every chance this saga could continue with new movies.
