The beloved Mattel franchise Masters of the Universe is 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 1987 film 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.

Masters Of The Universe Latest News

Amazon Reveals the First Official Image From The Live-Action Movie

Though the adaptation is still a ways away, the latest news comes in the form of BTS footage from Masters of the Universe at CinemaCon 2025. Universal Studios participated in the annual movie preview event, and shared some exciting behind-the-scenes looks at the forthcoming live-action adaptation. Unfortunately, the footage shown at CinemaCon isn't for public consumption yet, and hasn't been released. However, ScreenRant was in attendance and has provided a thorough description of the BTS glimpses.

Read the footage description below:

A BTS clip shows He-Man’s sword, with the director talking about the toys he had as a kid. “By the power of Grayskull!” is heard in the background. We see a lot of practical effects (mixed with VFX of course), accurate costumes from the cartoon, and huge physical sets. It ends with He-Man’s hair blowing in the wind.

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:

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 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. ing 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. 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 ed the cast as the franchise's main villain, Skeletor, and he's ed by Sam C. Wilson as Trap Jaw. Villains Goat Man (played by Hafthor Bjornsson), and Tri-Klops (Kojo Attah) will appear as well.

Deadpool star Morena Baccarin has been tapped to play The Sorceress, the magical guardian of Castle Greyskull. Meanwhile, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Captain America: Brave New World) is playing Fisto, He-Man's warrior ally with a metal hand. He-Man's parents will be played by James Purefoy (A Knight's Tale) and Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders), with the former playing King Randor and the latter playing Queen Marlena. Sasheer Zamata (Agatha All Along) will play Suzie, while Jon Xue Zhang (Eternals) is Ram-Man, and Christian Vunipola (Queenpins) is Hussein. All three are He-Man allies.

The confirmed cast of Masters of the Universe includes:

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 Universe will 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.