It’s taken over a decade to get this “Masters of the Universe” remake into theaters. Still, after multiple studios gave up on it, there was a huge lifeline hailing from Amazon, MGM Studios, Mattel Studios (coming off the billion-dollar success of “Barbie”), and director Travis Knight. The movie is finally heading to theaters next month, and the creative team may have discovered the special sauce to bring the alien fantasy world of Eternia to life, after previous iterations struggled to cross the finish line.
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But that’s not all that surprising, as Knight was able to make a critical darling set within the “Transformers” franchise as “Bumblebee” (another 80s toyline/cartoon adaptation). With that, we have a string of early reactions (most of them being shockingly positive) coming from recent press/early screenings of the film (from the trailers, it looks like it has more in common with Marvel’s “Thor: Ragnarok” than the 1980s version that starred Sweden’s Dolph Lundgren), which you can check out below.
#MastersOfTheUniverse director Travis Knight has a genuine reverence for all the incarnations of the He-Man character the MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE action figures, animated & cinematic iterations. Easter Eggs are incorporated with craft & care. I got a little misty at 1 point.
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) May 19, 2026
It's clear that everyone involved with MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE has such an unabashed passion for the source material and its impact on their creativity. While at times feeling like a relic from the 2010s IP grab, it finds its strength in proudly embracing the quirky, campy,… pic.twitter.com/nUaNccHnz4
— Griffin Schiller (@griffschiller) May 19, 2026
Bound to be one of the biggest surprises of 2026 for me — I loved MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) May 19, 2026
I'm a huge fan of a lot of the folks involved, but it was never really my thing growing up and I kind of assumed the same would be true now. Also, based on what I do know of the source… pic.twitter.com/u0ecHjbWgM
#MastersoftheUniverse has a very fun, weird, yet enjoyable last 20 minutes or so. As for the rest of the movie? It’s a mess. Serious played for laughs, laughs played for emotion, it works, it doesn’t, it really tries but ends up being too awkward. Great end credits scenes though. pic.twitter.com/IINjM5uS84
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) May 19, 2026
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE is a hell of a lot of fun. Nicholas Galitzine brings a sweetness to Adam Glenn that makes his take on He-Man memorable and also a fascinating take on masculinity. Fun, fun, fun and features The Man by The Killers so I was IN! pic.twitter.com/6misEcxupu
— Rachel Leishman (@RachelLeishman) May 19, 2026
Masters of the Universe revives Saturday morning cartoon magic with massive action, silly laughs, and real heart! Eternia looks like Rudy Obrero’s box art brought to life in full technicolor glory. And yes, MOTU is absolutely all about them muscles 💪@mastersmovie @BigGoldBelt pic.twitter.com/JLGYGhoVEt
— K.E.V.I.N. Fenix (@FenixDKevin) May 19, 2026
If you missed the hopeful, bright, and upbeat joy that the 1980s once possessed, you have the power to find it again by watching #MastersoftheUniverse. A film bursting with so much life and fun you truly won’t want it to end… but boy oh boy when it does end 👀
— Maggie Lovitt (@maggieofthetown) May 19, 2026
I kinda really wasn't vibing with this for a bit, but once it finally finds its footing, it's undeniably fun and unapologetically proud of its fantastical camp. Skeletor already in contention for one of the most memorable villains of the year 😭 https://t.co/EougT0IgKE
— Andrew J. Salazar (@AndrewJ626) May 19, 2026
Travis Knight crafted a perfect #MastersOfTheUniverse! It knows exactly what it is, and embraces it in all its campy, colorful glory. A love letter to the 80s with a nice (though heavy handed) message about masculinity. I needed a bowl of sugary cereal w/ this. @mastersmovie pic.twitter.com/nPm606iaKa
— The Nerds of Color (@TheNerdsofColor) May 19, 2026
I LOVED #MastersoftheUniverse! Both a love-letter to all things He-Man and a beautiful, bombastic fantasy/sci-fi crowd pleaser that wears its heart on its sleeve. It’s insane this movie exists but I’m so happy it does. I had the biggest smile on my face the whole way through. pic.twitter.com/ZeHwvhBtAk
— Chris Killian (@chriskillian) May 19, 2026
#MastersofTheUniverse is any 80s kids dream come true. It's campy in the absolute BEST way possible. The call backs to the series are incredible and beautifully nostalgic. I love that this cast goes all in and shows what made the original such a classic. Leto's Skeletor NAILS IT pic.twitter.com/aZzPcvnCwN
— Junior Felix (@JuniorFett) May 19, 2026
Another neat element here is a great supporting cast helping out Nicholas Galitzine (Prince Adam/He-Man) with Camila Mendes (Teela), Alison Brie (Evil-Lyn), James Purefoy (Adam’s father King Randor), Morena Baccarin (Sorceress), Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Fisto), Charlotte Riley (Adam’s mother Queen Marlena Glenn), Kristen Wiig (voicing of Roboto), Jared Leto (Skeletor), and Idris Elba (Man at Arms).
An official logline for the movie via Amazon:
Director Travis Knight brings the legendary franchise back to the big screen in this epic live-action adventure. After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam (Galitzine) back to Eternia, where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor (Leto). To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela (Mendes) and Duncan/Man-At-Arms (Elba), and embrace his true destiny as He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe.
The sci-fi fantasy event film has a script penned by Chris Butler, The Nee Brothers (who almost directed the film when it was still at Netflix), and Dave Callaham. Knight has been super busy and has a new stop-motion animated film on the horizon with LAIKA’s “Wildwood.”
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