After languishing in development hell for over a decade and a half, the Masters of the Universe reboot is now less than half a year away from premiering on the 2026 movies schedule. This second film adaptation of the popular franchise, following the 1987 one starring Dolph Lundgren, sees Nicholas Galitzine bringing Prince Adam, a.k.a. He-Man, to life. Following a teasy look at Galitzine’s He-Man wielding the Power Sword from almost a year ago, the first Masters of the Universe trailer has finally arrived, and it looks like a total blast. Gonna need my own power sword after this.
Traditionally, Prince Adam’s only tie to Earth is that his mother hails from there. However, this new Masters of the Universe movie is going several steps further by having Adam crash-land on Earth as a 10-year-old and get separated from his Power Sword. 15 years later, he finally claims his weapon again and ventures back to Eternia, only to discover it’s being ruled with an iron fist by the sinister Skeletor, played by Jared Leto. With the help of allies like Camila Mendes’ Teela and Idris Elba’s Man-At-Arms, Adam will fight to take back his homeworld from this bony brute and embrace his destiny of becoming the mighty He-Man.
The trailer really plays up how "normal" and Earth-y Adam has become, but it doesn't take much beyond a sword-shaped nudge in the direction of heroism, and he is only too happy to jump into action. Which is a good thing, because he'll need every ounce of energy and stamina to take down Skeletor and his minions. (Also, the word normal only half-applies here, since Galitzine is way more bulked-up than most at that age.)
Speaking of...no sign of Jared Leto's face here, so maybe audiences will buy into Skeletor's evil without thoughts of Morbius or Tron: Ares running amok.
It's a fierce look for the villain, and one that will no doubt lead to countless toys produced. (Such is the MOTU cycle of life.) Do I wish his costume better represented the bright blues and purples of the cartoon? Perhaps. Maybe we'll get to see a flashback where his earliest costume skews more colorful in that way.
Of course, this movie is way more than just its core hero and villain. The Masters of the Universe cast also includes Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Morenna Baccarin as the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Fisto, SNL vet Kristen Wiig as Roboto, James Purefoy as King Randor, and Charlotte Riley as Queen Marlena, among others. We’ll also get to see Cringer in his Battle Cat form, but it hasn’t been announced who, if anyone, is voicing the character.
No sign of Dolph Lundgren cameos in the movie, but I'm still holding out hope that his vague tease will pay off in the final film.
Behind the scenes, Travis Knight of Kubo and the Two Strings and Bumblebee fame directed the blockbuster, which gives context for why the digital effects aren't the exact same kind that we're used to. Meanwhile, Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee and Dave Callaham all worked on the script.
Masters of the Universe hits theaters on June 5, 2026. In the meantime, you can catch up with more current He-Man fare by streaming Masters of the Universe: Revelation and the follow-up Revolution, as well as the most recent He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated series, with your Netflix subscription.
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