Director: Travis Knight
Screenplay: Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee and David Callaham
Based on: Masters of the Universe by Mattel
Starring: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, Charlotte Riley, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Jon Xue Zhang, Sam C. Wilson, Sasheer Zamata, Christian Vunipola, Christiaan Bettridge, James Wilkinson, Kojo Attah, Hung Dante Dong, James Apps, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Stephen Adentan, Arun Bassi, Artie Wilkinson-Hunt, Eire Farrell with the voices of Kristen Wiig, Piotr Michael, Christopher Ragland, Gary Martin, Tom Wilton and Fletcher Glenn
Year: 2026
Country: United States
Running Time: 141 min
BBFC Certificate: 12A
Toys are often based on an existing intellectual property of a franchise – whether it be films, TV series, books, or real-life entities like a sports team. However, in the early 1980s, one toy line bucked this trend. Masters of the Universe began as a range of action figures before expanding into comic books, an animated TV show, films and more.
The toy series featured a range of heroes and villains and proved incredibly popular, bolstered by mini-comics packaged with the toys, as well as spin-off comics and children’s books. Then came a seismic moment. The toys that children loved playing with became so popular that Filmation produced an animated series – He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983).
The popularity of both the toys and the show – which ran to 130 episodes plus specials and led to another hugely popular animated series She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985) – made a feature film feel inevitable. In 1987, Masters of the Universe came to the screen from Cannon Films, starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as arch-nemesis Skeletor.
Whilst it was not the box office success many had hoped for and was not favourably received by critics, it still has an appreciative audience – myself included, as I was the right age for it and still have fond memories of walking up the hill from my home in the snow as a small boy to get stickers for the film’s sticker album. That said, one major issue I’ve always had with the film is how little time we spend on the planet of Eternia, with the movie set almost entirely on Earth.
The franchise has been revived in various forms over the years and in 2026 a new motion picture hit our screens, again titled Masters of the Universe. I was thrilled to see a preview screening in Wells, Somerset, a couple of day’s before the movie’s release, as the toys, animated series and 1980s movie were a huge part of my childhood and still bring a nostalgic smile to my face.
Masters of the Universe opens on the planet Eternia where we meet a young Prince Adam (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt). He is trained for battle alongside other children under Duncan/ Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), but is much smaller than his peers and clearly has little desire to fight. His father, King Randor (James Purefoy) attempts to test him in combat, only to be disappointed by his perceived lack of ability and stature.
Before long, the evil Skeletor (wonderfully played by Jared Leto) and his army launches a devastating attack, destroying the city of Eternos, kidnapping King Randor and forcing Queen Marlena Glenn (Charlotte Riley) and the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) – guardian of Castle Grayskull – to send Adam away with the Sword of Power. The sword is the key to unlocking the powers of Grayskull, and whoever wields it will become the undisputed Master of the Universe. During all of this, Man-At-Arms tries valiantly to defend Eternia but is defeated by Trap Jaw (Sam C. Wilson), a loss that sends him into a spiral of despair.
Adam is transported to Earth but loses the sword in the process. Fast-forward 15 years and we’re reunited with 25-year-old Adam (now played by Nicholas Galitzine) who has become obsessed with finding the Sword of Power to return home, but alienates everyone in the process: colleagues, friends and potential girlfriends.
His relentless search for the sword online eventually pays off when a mysterious lead takes him to a fantasy shop, where the Sword of Power can be found. In a wonderful in-joke, it’s displayed with a life-size model of a figure named Torak – the original prototype name for He-Man.
However, Adam’s reuniting with the sword draws the attention of Skeletor’s forces. He is ambushed by Beast Man (voiced by Gary Martin) before being saved by his childhood friend Teela (Camila Mendes), daughter of Duncan/Man-At-Arms. Together, they return to Eternia, where Adam eventually wields the sword and utters the iconic words – “By the power of Grayskull, I have the power!” – thus transforming him into the super-powered hero He-Man.
Upon his return, Adam finds Eternia under Skeletor’s rule, setting the stage for a battle not just for the Sword of Power, but for the future of the entire realm – a classic clash between good and evil.
That may be a more detailed synopsis than usual, but I wanted to set the stage before things fully settle into the Masters of the Universe territory that fans know and love – and for those wondering, the Earth scenes only take up about 25 minutes of the film, with the majority of the runtime spent on Eternia.
Now, let me be clear: I absolutely loved this film. For just over two hours, I was six years old again, playing with my He-Man figures and imagining epic battles between good and evil. The film is tremendous fun and captures the spirit of He-Man, Skeletor, and the world of Eternia perfectly, with some subtle changes. It’s packed with Easter eggs and fan service, yet still works as an engaging, heartfelt blockbuster with a wholesome message at its core. It’s uplifting, entertaining, and genuinely joyous.
The cast is excellent. Nicholas Galitzine shines as Prince Adam/He-Man, perfectly balancing vulnerability and heroism. Camila Mendes brings strength and warmth to Teela, while Idris Elba is, as ever, a commanding presence as Duncan/Man-At-Arms, who has a strong arc of redemption. Together, they form a compelling central trio, supported by a host of familiar characters who each get their moment in the spotlight, some bigger than others.
Then there’s Jared Leto as Skeletor. He’s brilliant, striking a perfect tone – menacing, theatrical and just the right amount of camp. He commands every scene he’s in, delivering both dark and humorous moments with flair. Alison Brie is equally impressive as Evil-Lyn, though she’s not given enough to do overall. There are plenty of cameos too and throwbacks to the cartoon, 1980s film and toy-line, which I won’t spoil too much. Two I will mention though ad Dolph Lundgren who has a wonderful passing of the torch cameo following his role as He-Man in the 1980s motion picture. The second is Prince Adam’s green pet tiger Cringer, who isn’t in it enough for me but does get one or two moments that choked me up emotionally, in a positive way – it was a joy to see him on screen and he’s well realised.
There are some well-edited action sequences including the opening assault on Eternos – partly filmed in Wells Cathedral in Somerset, hence the reason for the preview screening I went to – an excellent first fight for He-Man, a thrilling airborne chase and a climactic final battle between He-Man and Skeletor that cleverly subverts superhero movie conventions. I won’t spoil it, but it’s a highlight. There are also three excellent end-credit scenes worth staying for.
The script is playful and self-aware, peppered with witty dialogue and more innuendos than you might expect from a family film. It lovingly pokes fun at the He-Man universe while still treating it with respect, delivering a story that feels true to the spirit of the original series. Leto gets many of the best lines, but there’s plenty of humour throughout, including some fun nods to the origins of the characters’ names. One of my small reservations though is that not all of the humour landed for me, and one or two of the jokes are pushed a little too far that they outstayed their welcome. The other reservation I had is I felt it could have been trimmed ever so slightly, but these are small niggles, I thoroughly enjoyed it overall.
Visually, the film strikes a good strong balance between CGI and practical effects. The digital elements help bring Eternia to life without overwhelming the film, and are pretty impressive throughout, and location shooting – including Wells Cathedral and nearby Wookey Hole caves – enriches the look of the world.
The score, composed by Daniel Pemberton and Queen guitarist Brian May, is rousing and memorable. The recurring track “Eternia” is particularly striking, elevating key moments, alongside a selection of well-chosen songs, including a new song by The Darkness, called Masters of the Universe which feels-Queen-esque, just one of the nods to similar films that band penned tracks for: Highlander (1986) and Flash Gordon (1980).
In closing, I had an absolute blast watching this film – and my score reflects that as a long-time Masters of the Universe fan. It’s supremely entertaining, full of heart, and carries a genuinely positive message. I never expected to enjoy a Masters of the Universe film this much in 2026 and went in with trepidation but it’s the film this lifelong fan has been waiting nearly 40 years for. I sincerely hope it’s just the beginning and that it introduces a whole new generation to the magic of Eternia.