The beloved Mattel franchise Masters of the Universeis returning to the big screen for the first time since 1987, and there are already a ton of exciting updates about the new live-action movie. Debuting in 1982 with the eponymous cartoon and best-selling toy line, the sword-and-sorcery franchise follows Prince Adam (a.k.a. He-Man) who defends the planet of Eternia from the dastardly Skeletor and his minions. Though the series was designed to sell toys, Masters of the Universe grew to become one of the most popular media franchises of the 1980s.
Besides the 130-episode cartoon series that ran from 1983-1985, He-Man and his allies branched out into various comic books, video games, and even feature films. The 1987film starred Rocky IV's Dolf Lundgren as the heavily muscled He-Man, but was something of a notorious flop that was nothing like the popular show. However, with '80s nostalgia at an all-time high, and filmmaking technology finally strong enough to bring Eternia to life properly, another live-action Masters of the Universe movie is on the way. With many details still unknown, the latest news regarding Masters of the Universe is in high demand.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is a franchise that's been going since the 1980s, and its five TV shows vary significantly in quality.
Masters Of The Universe Latest News
Jared Leto Joins To Play A Pivotal Role
With the cast of the remake beginning to take shape, the latest news confirms the live-action Masters of the Universe movie has cast a major villain. Tapping the somewhat controversial musician and actor Jared Leto, Masters of the Universe has finally found its big-bad, Skeletor. Before Leto's casting, Alison Brie was tapped to play the role of the dastardly Evil-Lyn, and joining them will be Sam C. Wilson as the cyborg Trap Jaw. Furthermore, Hafthor Bjornsson will play Goat Man, and Kojo Attah is cast as Tri-Klops.
Masters Of The Universe Release Date
He-Man Returns To The Big Screen In 2026
Though it is quite a ways off, the Masters of the Universe live-action movie is scheduled to be released on June 5, 2026 by Amazon/MGM. The film is expecting a theatrical debut, but details are still fuzzy this far removed from the release date. The premiere could always shift in the intervening years, and various project delays or speed-ups could necessitate a shifting of the currently established release date. Nevertheless, the release date is a good sign that Masters of the Universe is finally returning to the big screen after nearly 40 years.
Shows starring He-Man include:
Show
Release Years
Number Of Episodes
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
1983-1985
130
The New Adventures of He-Man
1990
65
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
2002-2004
39
Masters of the Universe: Revelation
2021
15
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
2021-2022
26
Netflix's Masters of the Universe: Revolution premiered on January 25, 2024, as the third part of the previous series, Revelation.
Masters Of The Universe Cast
Nicholas Galitzine Stars As He-Man
Though most of the ensemble has yet to be filled, the starring role of Prince Adam/He-Man has found its actor in the upcoming live-action Masters of the Universe film. Rising star Nicholas Galitzine will pull double duty as Prince Adam and his superhero alter-ego He-Man, and it offers the young actor his first big break into the mainstream. Joining Galitzine is Riverdale alum Camila Mendes who will play Prince Adam's Royal Guard Captain and personal sorceress, Teela.
Community and GLOW star Alison Brie has been cast as Evil-Lyn, Skeletor's second-in-command, but the role of He-Man's arch-nemesis has yet to be cast. The addition of Evil-Lyn all but guarantees that Skeletor will appear, but no word has come on how the iconic '80s villain will factor into the story. Furthermore, Idris Elba is set to appear as Duncan (Man-at-Arms), a crucial He-Man ally and adoptive father to Teela in most versions of the story.
Musician and actor Jared Leto joined the cast as the franchise's main villain, Skeletor, and he's joined by Sam C. Wilson as Trap Jaw. Villains Goat Man (played by Hafthor Bjornsson), and Tri-Klops (Kojo Attah) will appear as well.
The confirmed cast of Masters of the Universe includes:
Actor
Masters of the Universe Role
Nicholas Galitzine
Prince Adam/He-Man
Camila Mendes
Teela
Alison Brie
Evil-Lyn
Idris Elba
Duncan (Man-at-Arms)
Jared Leto
Skeletor
Sam C. Wilson
Trap Jaw
Image via Max
Hafthor Bjornsson
Goat Man
Kojo Attah
Tri-Klops
Masters Of The Universe Story
Will It Be He-Man's Origin Story?
it stands to reason that Masters of the Universe will be an origin story that will more-or-less recreate what was seen in the cartoons and comics
Though Netflix's controversial He-Man show attempted to expand the franchise, the live-action Masters of the Universe movie will be the biggest exposure the series has gotten in decades. Because of that pressure, the details around the movie's plot need to be perfect to not only please long-time fans but make the movie entertaining for newcomers as well. While the development of the Netflix movie yielded quite a few story details, it's safe to say that those are all gone since the streamer canceled its plans and shipped the IP off to Amazon.
However, it stands to reason that Masters of the Universewill be an origin story that will more-or-less recreate what was seen in the cartoons and comics. As an infant, Prince Adam was sent from Eternia to Earth where he lost connection with his magic sword. However, when he reached adulthood, Adam found the sword and was returned to Eternia. Fighting as He-Man, Prince Adam must then protect the kingdom from evil-doers like Skeletor. While amendments to the main story are possible, those details will likely remain intact.
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Prince Adam returns to Eternia after years on Earth to battle Skeletor. To succeed, he must confront his past and transform into He-Man, harnessing the immense power needed to save his world.
Director
Travis Knight
Writers
Chris Butler
, Aaron Nee
, Adam Nee
, Dave Callaham
Custom Image by Dalton Norman
Image via Max
English (US) ·