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Blog Masters of the Universe Review: How He-Man Became 2026’s Most Surprising Blockbuster

Masters of the Universe Review: How He-Man Became 2026’s Most Surprising Blockbuster

By the power of Grayskull — He-Man is back, and this time, he’s got the muscle to back it up. Masters of the Universe, Amazon MGM’s massive live-action reimagining of the beloved 1980s franchise, has finally arrived in theaters, and the early numbers suggest this could be the surprise blockbuster nobody saw coming. Starring Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam, Camila Mendes as Teela, and directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee, Kubo and the Two Strings), the film is currently sitting at a staggering 9.2 audience rating on TMDB — a number that puts it in the conversation for one of the best-received blockbusters of the year.

Trailer: Amazon MGM Studios (YouTube)

It’s been nearly four decades since Dolph Lundgren first raised the Sword of Power on the big screen in 1987, and the road to this reboot has been one of the rockiest in Hollywood history — multiple studios, abandoned scripts, and a revolving door of directors that at one point included the likes of Jon M. Chu and the Nee brothers. But against all odds, this summer’s Masters of the Universe has emerged not just as a competent revival but as one of the most talked-about films of 2026, proving that some childhood icons really can make the transition to modern cinema without losing what made them special.

Official backdrop for Masters of the Universe (2026) — CREDIT: Masters of the Universe (2026) — Image via TMDB

The Story: Prince Adam Returns to a Shattered Eternia

Knight’s film wisely avoids the trap of trying to retell an origin story everyone already knows. Instead, Masters of the Universe opens 15 years after Prince Adam was separated from Eternia — a clever narrative device that lets the film reintroduce its world through fresh eyes while building genuine emotional stakes. When the Sword of Power finally calls Adam back home, he discovers that Eternia has fallen under the brutal rule of Skeletor, and everything he remembers has been twisted beyond recognition.

Nicholas Galitzine, fresh off his star-making turns in The Idea of You and Red, White & Royal Blue, brings a surprising emotional depth to the role of Adam. This isn’t the cartoonish He-Man of Saturday morning nostalgia — Galitzine plays him as a man forced to reckon with years of absence, guilt over abandoning his world, and the crushing weight of a destiny he never asked for. When he finally raises the sword and speaks the words, the moment lands with an impact that goes beyond nostalgia bait.

The Cast That Makes It Work

Camila Mendes (Riverdale) is a revelation as Teela, reimagined here as the leader of Eternia’s resistance — fierce, competent, and deeply skeptical of the returning prince who vanished when his people needed him most. Her chemistry with Galitzine crackles with unresolved tension, and her action sequences are among the film’s most dynamic.

The supporting cast is stacked. Alison Brie brings an ethereal quality to the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, James Purefoy sinks his teeth into the villainous Skeletor with theatrical relish, and Morena Baccarin (Deadpool) appears as the warrior goddess who holds the key to Eternia’s salvation. Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson rounds out the cast in a physically imposing role that showcases Knight’s gift for creature design.

“The challenge was always going to be taking something inherently ridiculous — a guy in a furry loincloth fighting a blue-skinned skeleton man — and making audiences care,” wrote one early reviewer. “Against all odds, Masters of the Universe makes you care. A lot.”

Travis Knight: The Animator Who Became Hollywood’s Best-Kept Secret

If there’s a single reason Masters of the Universe works as well as it does, it’s Travis Knight. The Laika animation CEO (and son of Nike founder Phil Knight) has quietly built one of the most interesting directing careers in Hollywood. Kubo and the Two Strings earned widespread acclaim and an Oscar nomination. Bumblebee proved he could handle big-budget IP without losing his voice. Now, with Masters of the Universe, he’s shown he can take one of the most notoriously difficult properties to adapt and turn it into something genuinely special.

Knight’s background in stop-motion animation is visible in every frame. The creature designs feel tactile and weighty rather than weightless CGI. Skeletor’s forces — Beast Man, Trap Jaw, Evil-Lyn — are rendered with a practical-effects sensibility that grounds the fantasy in something tangible. The action sequences prioritize geography and clarity over chaotic editing, a rarity in modern blockbuster cinema.

“I grew up with these characters,” Knight said in the film’s press notes. “To me, they were never jokes. They were mythology. I wanted to make a movie that treated them with the seriousness I felt when I was eight years old, lining up my action figures on the bedroom floor.”

Box Office and Reception: A Surprise Juggernaut

The numbers tell the story. Masters of the Universe has earned a 9.2 rating from TMDB users, placing it among the highest-rated releases of 2026. Critics have been largely positive, with particular praise for Knight’s visual imagination, Galitzine’s lead performance, and the film’s willingness to take emotional risks that most IP-driven blockbusters avoid.

“Masters of the Universe is the rare franchise revival that justifies its existence,” wrote The Hollywood Reporter. “It honors what came before while building something new, something that can stand on its own without requiring viewers to have any prior investment in He-Man lore.”

The film’s success is particularly notable given the property’s troubled history. The 1987 film was a critical and commercial disappointment. A planned reboot spent years in development hell, cycling through Sony, Netflix, and multiple creative teams before finally landing at Amazon MGM. That it has emerged as anything other than a cautionary tale is, frankly, miraculous.

What the Future Holds for Eternia

Amazon MGM hasn’t officially announced a sequel, but given the film’s reception and box office trajectory, it would be shocking if one weren’t already in development. The world-building in Masters of the Universe is rich enough to support multiple films — not to mention the sprawling lore of the original cartoon, the 2002 reboot series, and the various comic book runs that have expanded the mythology over the decades.

The post-credits scene (mild spoiler warning) teases a larger cosmic threat that longtime fans will recognize immediately, suggesting Knight and his team have a multi-film arc mapped out. Whether audiences get to see it will depend on how the film performs in the coming weeks — but so far, all signs point to Eternia sticking around for a while.

Should You See It in Theaters?

Yes, and here’s why: Masters of the Universe is exactly the kind of film that benefits from the biggest screen possible. The landscapes of Eternia — Castle Grayskull, the Dark Hemisphere, the Vine Jungle — were designed to be experienced in a darkened theater with a massive sound system. The John Paesano score, which cleverly incorporates motifs from the original 1980s cartoon theme, is the kind of thing that gives you chills when the horns kick in and Adam finally transforms.

For fans of the original property, the film is packed with Easter eggs and callbacks that reward close attention — but never at the expense of the story. For newcomers, it’s a self-contained fantasy epic that doesn’t require any homework. In a summer crowded with sequels, reboots, and legacy franchises, Masters of the Universe stands out as one that actually got it right.

Sources: Amazon MGM Studios, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, TMDB, Men’s Journal

Did you grow up with He-Man, or is Masters of the Universe your first trip to Eternia? And who’s the one character from the toy box you’re still hoping shows up in a sequel? Let us know below!