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| Masters of the Universe brings Eternia to life with bold fantasy designs, sci-fi armour, and a clear sense of adventure. |
By Jon Scarr
I grew up in the era where He-Man was everywhere. The toys, the cartoon, Castle Grayskull, Skeletor, Battle Cat, Teela, Man-At-Arms, and that strange mix of swords, monsters, sci-fi weapons, and oversized fantasy villains all had a specific kind of magic to them. Masters of the Universe was never meant to feel realistic. It was bold, colourful, strange, and completely committed to its own world.
A modern live-action Masters of the Universe movie could have gone wrong in a lot of ways. Make it too serious, and you lose the fun. Make it too self-aware, and it starts apologizing for the very things fans remember. Travis Knight’s Masters of the Universe takes a better path by leaning into the franchise instead of trying to sand down its stranger edges.
This is a bright, sincere, and entertaining He-Man movie built around the kind of fantasy adventure Eternia needs. It is not flawless, and the script does not always hit as hard as the cast, music, and world around it. But as a longtime fan, I appreciate that this movie treats He-Man, Skeletor, and the larger Masters of the Universe world with the right mix of respect and fun.
Masters of the Universe Details
Release Date: June 5, 2026
Runtime: 2h 12m
Rating: PG-13
Director: Travis Knight
Screenplay: Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, and Dave Callaham
Starring: Nicholas Galitzine, Jared Leto, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Alison Brie, Kristen Wiig, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, and Charlotte Riley
Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios
Genre: Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Note: This review is spoiler-free.
Eternia Feels Big Enough for He-Man
Masters of the Universe follows Prince Adam, who has been separated from Eternia for 15 years. When the Sword of Power brings him back into the conflict, he finds his home under Skeletor’s rule and has to accept the role he was born to take on. Teela and Duncan, better known to fans as Man-At-Arms, help pull Adam back into the fight as Eternia faces a much larger threat.
That setup is simple, but simple is not automatically a problem for He-Man. This franchise has always worked through clear heroes, big villains, bold locations, and a world where fantasy and sci-fi crash into each other without needing a long explanation. The movie benefits from that directness. It gives Adam a clean emotional starting point, puts Skeletor in control of Eternia, and keeps the story moving toward the adventure fans expect.
The smartest move is keeping Eternia at the centre of the movie. The story does not linger on Earth long enough to make the setup feel stalled, and that helps the film get back to the part of the world fans want to see. Castles, blades, blasters, strange creatures, and larger-than-life character designs are part of the appeal. That is exactly how Masters of the Universe should feel.
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| Masters of the Universe puts Eternia at the centre of the adventure, with bold fantasy designs and a world that feels true to the franchise. |
A Bright Fantasy Adventure With a Playful Edge
The tone is where this movie finds its identity. Masters of the Universe is not embarrassed by the sillier side of He-Man, but it also does not treat the whole thing like a joke. That balance fits this franchise. He-Man needs sincerity. Skeletor needs theatrical villain energy. Eternia needs to feel colourful and strange. The movie lets all of that exist together.
There is a playful edge to the world, and that fits the original cartoon and toys. Masters of the Universe has always been a mix of heroic fantasy, sci-fi action, monsters, warriors, magic, and strange names delivered with total confidence. This movie is at its strongest when it accepts that identity instead of trying to rebuild He-Man into something darker or more grounded.
That approach will not work for everyone. If you want a serious fantasy epic, this probably is not that movie. The tone is broad, bright, and old-school in places. For me, that is the right direction. He-Man should not feel like every other modern action franchise. He should feel like He-Man.
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| Masters of the Universe leans into the bright fantasy energy of He-Man and Eternia with a bold, larger-than-life visual style. |
The Cast Keeps the Adventure Grounded
Nicholas Galitzine plays Prince Adam and He-Man with a softer edge than some viewers might expect. That is a smart choice for this version of the character. Adam cannot just be a muscle-bound hero swinging the Sword of Power. The movie needs him to feel like someone growing back into a world and responsibility he has been away from for years.
Jared Leto’s Skeletor is built around a larger, more theatrical kind of villain performance. That fits the character. Skeletor has never been subtle, and a live-action version needs the confidence to let him be strange, sharp, and over the top without turning him into a parody. The danger with a character like Skeletor is always going too far, but this version gives the movie the kind of villain Masters of the Universe needs.
Camila Mendes as Teela and Idris Elba as Duncan / Man-At-Arms bring important support around Adam. Teela carries strength and urgency, while Duncan brings that steady mentor and warrior presence. Alison Brie’s Evil-Lyn adds another major personality to Skeletor’s side, and Kristen Wiig’s Roboto brings in another familiar piece of the larger franchise world.
The cast is one of the main reasons this version of Masters of the Universe works. A movie like this needs performers who can take the world seriously without flattening its fun. This cast walks that line well.
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| Masters of the Universe gives its fantasy adventure room for character-focused moments alongside the larger action. |
Action, Visuals, and Music Embrace the Franchise
The visual identity of Masters of the Universe is a big part of the appeal. Eternia should not look plain. It should feel like a fantasy world where medieval weapons, sci-fi technology, magic, castles, rockets, cyborgs, and laser fire all somehow belong together. That mix is the franchise.
The action follows that same idea. This is not just sword fighting or just superhero combat. It is fantasy action built around the oversized character designs and battle-ready toy energy that made Masters of the Universe stand out in the first place. Fan-favourite characters like Fisto and other Eternia warriors help make the world feel bigger, even when the movie keeps its focus on Adam, Teela, Duncan, Skeletor, and Evil-Lyn.
Daniel Pemberton’s rock and synth-driven score is also a strong fit for this world. Masters of the Universe needs music that can match the scale of Eternia without losing the fun of its 1980s roots. The score helps the movie feel like a proper He-Man adventure instead of a generic fantasy reboot.
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| Skeletor brings a larger-than-life villain presence to Masters of the Universe, matching the movie’s bold fantasy-action style. |
Final Thoughts on Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe works because it is comfortable being exactly what this franchise is. It is colourful, sincere, strange, action-heavy, and built around a world that only works when the movie commits to it.
The script is not as sharp as the cast, visuals, and music around it. Some viewers may also find the tone too broad or too tied to nostalgia. But I would rather see a Masters of the Universe movie take a big swing at Eternia than try to turn He-Man into something safer and more ordinary.
For longtime fans, this is a strong return to Eternia. For families with older kids, the PG-13 rating makes it worth checking the content first, but the bright fantasy adventure should have plenty of appeal. Newcomers may not connect with every piece of the world, but if you are open to swords, sci-fi, magic, Skeletor, and He-Man played with a straight face and a sense of fun, Masters of the Universe knows exactly who it is for.
Masters of the Universe Review Summary
Liked
+ Eternia feels bright, bold, and true to the franchise
+ Nicholas Galitzine brings a softer edge to Prince Adam / He-Man
+ Jared Leto’s Skeletor fits the larger-than-life villain role
+ Camila Mendes and Idris Elba bring strong support to the adventure
+ The fantasy and sci-fi mix feels right for Masters of the Universe
+ Daniel Pemberton’s rock/synth score fits He-Man well
Didn't Like
– The script is more straightforward than the world around it
– The broad tone may not work for viewers wanting a serious fantasy epic
– Nostalgia does some of the heavy lifting
– Some supporting characters may leave longtime fans wanting more
Overall Rating of Masters of the Universe
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