Masters Of The Universe Review: The Hopecore Movie Of The Summer Is Here
June 2, 2026
In this recent age of Hollywood, when studios have been clamoring to adapt/reboot/continue beloved franchises with new blockbuster entries, one property that’s long been missing is Masters of the Universe. Based on the Mattel multimedia franchise featuring He-Man, who starred in the original animated series from the ’80s, there have been attempts to adapt the premise to live-action before.
In 1987, Dolph Lundgren led a Masters of the Universe movie that was maligned by critics and turned out to be a box office flop, earning only $17.3 million. That didn’t deter Hollywood from attempting to reboot He-Man, though, and another live-action movie has been in development for the better part of the last two decades. It’s had a revolving door of filmmakers and actors attached, until finally landing at Amazon MGM with Travis Knight (Bumblebee) directing.
This new Masters of the Universe stars Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White & Royal Blue) as Prince Adam of Eternia, who’s sent to the human world as a boy, along with the Sword of Power, when his kingdom is attacked by the villainous Skeletor (Jared Leto). 15 years later, Adam and the sword are saved from Skeletor’s henchman by Teela (Camila Mendes), and he’s brought back to Eternia in an attempt to save the land from the villain’s hold.
With characters named Evil-Lyn (Allison Brie), Ram-Man (Jon Xue Zhang), and Fisto (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson), one of Masters of the Universe‘s biggest obstacles to becoming a mainstream blockbuster is the cartoon ridiculousness of the property. Instead of trying to play it straight, though, Knight’s movie leans into the silliness, managing to strike a delightful balance between tongue-in-cheek nods to the cartoon and a grounded story about characters trying to do what’s right. It all comes together in a big, bombastic fantasy adventure that’s worthy of the franchise’s legacy.
Nicholas Galitzine’s He-Man Helps Masters Of The Universe Be More Than A Derivative Action Adventure Movie
One of the reasons Masters of the Universe works so well is that it’s clear the filmmakers have a great deal of love and respect for the source material. As someone who didn’t grow up watching the cartoon or reading any of the comics (I did, however, watch all five seasons of Netflix’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, so I’m not entirely ignorant about Eternia), I never understood the appeal of He-Man. But Galitzine’s empathetic and earnest hero entirely won me over.
When we first meet Adam, both as a child and a 25-year-old human resources worker determined to find his sword, he’s a bit of a bumbling oaf – a well-meaning, good-natured one, of course, but still quite hapless. He’s not the typical, macho hero, and even when he reclaims the sword and declares, “I have the power,” Galitzine still gives Adam a genuine sweetness that directly challenges the ideas of masculinity characters like He-Man seemed to uphold for so long.
In this way, Masters of the Universe portrays a more complex and modern depiction of masculinity and strength. It’s not necessarily Adam’s muscles – which are on near-constant display, thanks to an outfit more revealing than anything worn by the female characters – that make him a hero, but his humanity. This is a story we often see in superhero media, most recently with David Corenswet’s Superman, but also Chris Evans’s Captain America before that. Yet it still feels subversive to challenge audiences’ preconceived notions about these characters.
Masters of the Universe could be to some younger audiences what Star Wars and Lord of the Rings were to us older folks.
Perhaps my only real criticism of Masters of the Universe is how derivative it feels at times. There are a great number of tropes familiar to the genre, like Mendes’ Teela being a more competent warrior than Adam but remaining his sidekick, as well as elements that make Masters of the Universe feel similar to Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. But the movie is entertaining enough, and leans into its unique world/character design enough, that this recycling can be mostly forgiven. I have a feeling Masters of the Universe could be to some younger audiences what Star Wars and Lord of the Rings were to us older folks.
The World & Characters Of Eternia Make Masters Of The Universe A Sprawling, Charming Fantasy Film
Beyond Galitzine, the cast of Masters of the Universe helps to expand the world of Eternia and bring it to life. Idris Elba gives a surprisingly heartfelt turn as Duncan, the king’s man-at-arms and Teela’s adoptive father. His gruff, macho hero, who chooses to run from his feelings of failure, is a direct contrast to Adam, and works well as a nice counterpoint. Kristen Wiig also gives a scene-stealing voice performance as Roboto, providing levity when the film needs it (and sometimes when it doesn’t).
As for the villains, Jared Leto is unrecognizable – both in voice and appearance – as Skeletor. It’s a delightfully campy performance, showcasing Skeletor as a posturing antagonist, the direct antithesis to Galitzine’s more genuine hero, and capturing the cartoonish villain of the original animated series. Though it sometimes leans a little too much into the character’s meme-ability, it still works well. Allison Brie is serviceably evil as Evil-Lyn, though the character and performance show the strain of trying to walk the line between realistic and campy, making her somewhat less enjoyable than Skeletor.
The rest of the cast is rounded out by strong performances from Mendes as Teela; Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress; James Purefoy as Adam’s father, King Randor; and Charlotte Riley as Adam’s mother, Queen Marlena Glenn. Though they’re given much less to do than Galitzine, Elba, and Leto, they help to bring the world of Eternia to life and make Adam’s journey as compelling as it is.
Masters Of The Universe Is Pure Popcorn Blockbuster Fun
The new Masters of the Universe seems tailor-made for the summer movie season, with its thrilling action scenes, simple character journey, and an adventure meant for the whole family to enjoy. (Well, minus young kids – there’s some surprisingly grotesque images and scary deaths for a PG-13 movie.) Its messages of hope and doing the right thing are exactly what audiences need right now, and its CGI is balanced well with plenty of practical effects to keep the movie feeling grounded, even in its fantastical world.
So, if you’re searching for this summer’s hopecore movie (following on from James Gunn’s Superman last year), look no further than Travis Knight’s Masters of the Universe. I can’t speak to whether it’s a faithful adaptation of the source material, but as someone who wasn’t previously a He-Man fan, I’m eager to see where this franchise goes – and there are plenty of indications that Mattel and Amazon MGM are confident that Masters of the Universe could get a sequel.
For now, we’ll have to wait and see whether this film redeems the 1987 movie’s failure and launches a new IP-driven franchise in Hollywood. But with its genuine hope and earnest hero, Masters of the Universe certainly has the potential to be the movie of the summer.
