Ok folks, settle in, cause this may be a long one. Masters of the Universe, He-Man, MOTU, or however you like to refer to it, was my first thing. I have a photo of myself from 1985 proudly holding my He-Man and Battle Cat. It is something that I have loved since then, and it has never really gone away. I always had some kind of He-Man collectible, be it a figure, a comic book, or whatever.
Where to Watch Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe was released on June 5, 2026. After several months pass from its theatrical release date you will be able to watch it on Amazon Prime.
The Movie Review
It was in the early 2000s it all came back for me. When the 200X Masters of the Universe series started, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia, and I got so into that show, the toys, and pretty much fell in love with He-Man all over again. That show was fantastic and just so much fun, but then when Mattel started doing the Masters of the Universe Classics series in 2008, that was when I really started getting super into MOTU again. Sadly, due to some money issues, I had to let go of my Masters of the Universe Classics collection, and I have never managed to get it back.
The Golden Age of Masters of the Universe
However, we live in an absolute golden age when it comes to Masters of the Universe. We have the awesome Origins line, the Cartoon Collection, Masterverse, and tons more, not to forget the fantastic Masters of the Universe Revelation series that Netflix did! I went in super hard with the Turtles of Grayskull crossover line, and I may have dabbled in the Thundercats crossover line, too.
The Long Road to a New Live-Action He-Man Movie
We had heard for years, I actually think for well over a decade, that there was a new live-action He-Man movie in the works. At first, I was super excited, but delay after delay, director after director, studio after studio, it just felt like this movie was never going to happen! It got to the point where even when I had heard that Nicholas Galitzine had been cast as He-Man and that Jared Leto was Skeletor, I was still skeptical and took a “I will believe it when I am sitting in a theatre watching it” kind of stance.
Why Masters of the Universe Deserves a 10/10
Well my friends, I did sit in a theatre and watch it…. Twice as I write this, and the movie has only been out for a week! Let me say right off the bat, I have to, and I mean have to, give Masters of the Universe a 10/10, there is no way that I could not. For me, this movie was perfect, and pretty much 99 percent of what I wanted in a live-action He-Man movie. Director Travis Knight 100 percent knew the assignment, and he could not have done a better job here. I went to see this on the Saturday of opening weekend, and then I went again on the Monday, and I loved it even more the second time around.
He-Man Returns to Eternia
At its core, this is the basics of what you would expect a He-Man movie to be. Skeletor has invaded, and Queen Marlena and The Sorceress send a young Prince Adam through a portal to Earth with the Power Sword, so Skeletor cannot get his hands on it. Well, Adam loses the sword as he comes to Earth and spends the next decade or so with people thinking that he is crazy as he tells them all about Eternia.
Teela, Beast Man, and the Battle for the Power Sword
I get that Adam being on Earth was something that a few fans were worried about, but it is only a very short part of the movie, and they do it very well. Seeing Adam looking for his Power Sword and being chewed out by his boss was hilarious. After a decade plus long search, he finds it, it sends out a beacon to Eternia, and the movie kicks into high gear with Teela, who is played by Camila Mendes, showing up to rescue Adam, and Beast Man showing up for Skeletor. I have to say that Camila Mendes is perfect as Teela! I loved Teela in Revelations, and I think that her portrayal here is a great blend of the different Teela’s we have had over the years.
Skeletor’s Rule and the Resistance on Eternia
Adam is excited to get back to Eternia, but Teela warns him that it is not like he remembers! Skeletor has taken over, and there is a small resistance trying to fight back. Now, Adam is part of that, and they need him to unleash the power in order to stand a chance. I honestly do not want to go into any more of the plot than that. I will admit, the plot is pretty much what I expected, but there is more depth than you may think. Idris Elba as Duncan (Man at Arms) and him coming to terms with his failure to protect the King and Queen is awesome, and I could not imagine any other actor doing a better job than what Idris Elba did here.
Classic Characters and Masters of the Universe Fan Service
The fan service here is just off the charts. They manage to have a strong lineup of classic Masters of the Universe, without it feeling too stuffed. I loved Trap Jaw and his rivalry with Man at Arms, and the whole Fisto and Ram Man dynamic was a ton of fun. The way the movie handles these weird names was something that I got a huge kick out. However, I will say that I do know some fans who were not keen on the humor and comedy that the movie had. I cannot speak for them, but for me, it all worked.
Action Scenes, CGI, and He-Man’s Transformation
The action scenes and the special effects in this movie are insane! The first time Adam transforms into He-Man was great, but there is a later scene where he fully embraces the power, and when that happened, it was up there with Cap shouting Avengers Assemble in Endgame…. Actually, I think I may have got more excited over this here than Endgame! There are some fantastic battles, and the CGI in this movie is insane; it has a massive budget, and you can see it all on screen.
Masters of the Universe Soundtrack and Box Office Performance
We also have an incredible soundtrack here. I had heard that Brian May was doing the music, but we got actual Queen songs, and they could not have fitted any more perfectly. Now, the thing is, Masters of the Universe is not performing like I feel it deserves to. I remember watching a trailer with my son, who is 18, and he said, “Who is this movie for?” I had no idea what he meant, but it all makes sense now, as the main people who have been going to see this are apparently in the 35 and over range, in other words, people who already loved He-Man.
Why Masters of the Universe Is Struggling to Reach Younger Audiences
I had really hoped that kids would see the trailer, the posters, the toys, and get excited about this and really want to see it. The first showing I went to was mostly middle-aged guys like me, but there were a couple of kids in there. On Monday, there were only three other people in the theatre. From what I have read online, kids who have seen this have loved it, but it is actually getting people into the theatre to watch it that is the problem.
Masters of the Universe 4K and Blu-Ray Release
One thing that is strange is that the home release for this movie went up for pre-order, less than a week after it hit theatres! I found this very strange, but this could be the movie’s saving grace, as it is sitting at number one on the 4K and Blu-Ray pre-order chart as I write this, and you know that I pre-ordered the 4K steel book already! Plus, I will probably end up going to see this for a third time. I hope that when it does hit streaming, and people can watch it in their homes, it finds the huge audience it deserves.
My only complaint about the movie and it is not the actual movie, but it is the awesome merch that they made for this. I have been looking at YouTube videos with real envy of all the people in the states with their cups, popcorn buckets, and more that they are getting in their theatres. Here in the UK, just like with Mortal Kombat II, we have had nothing for this as far as the theatre merch goes! I have gone to a Vue Cinema, a Cineworld, and a Reel Cinema, and there was nothing! Although a staff member at Cineworld kindly gave me a couple of posters. I would have gone in really hard with the cinema merch for this movie if it had been made available.
Final Thoughts
Sorry for this being so long-winded, but I cannot overstate how much I loved this movie! Even if you are not a huge Masters of the Universe fan, at its core, this is just a super fun fantasy action movie with a ton of heart! My wife said that my expectations for this movie were way too high, but when the credits started to roll, and I was waiting for the two credit scenes, I told her it was actually even better than I imagined it would be. I pray that they make a sequel to this!
