The teaser for the Masters of the Universe live-action film trailer played heavily on nostalgia for the ’80s cartoon and Mattel toyline. And now, the actual trailer has arrived, and it delivered all the retro vibes you could want. It showcases Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam of Eternia discovering the ancient Power Sword, and using it to become He-Man, “the most powerful man in the universe.” Joining him are Idris Elba as Man-at-Arms, Camila Mendes as the warrior Teela, and Jared Leto as his arch-villain, Skeletor. Directed by Bumblebee’s Travis Knight, it looks like he’s now doing a second iconic ’80s property justice. You can watch the full trailer below:
This is, of course, the second live-action Masters of the Universe movie. The first one came out back in 1987, but bore only a passing resemblance to the cartoon or action figures. It looks like director Travis Knight is staying much more faithful to the original vibes this time. Castle Grayskull looks just like it did back in the day, and unlike the old movie, we actually have Cringer/Battlecat. Although, to be fair, we’re not sure how they would have pulled off a giant green talking tiger back then. One thing it shares with the older film is that there is a component of the film that takes place on Earth. It won’t all be on Eternia.
A new He-Man film has been in some form of development since at least 2007. Back then, John Woo was attached to direct. It then went through a metric ton of different scripts and directors, including, for a time, Wicked’s Jon M. Chu, who will soon direct Hot Wheels. The version that is finally coming out looks like it strikes a kid-friendly tone, while still appealing to the now AARP-ready adults who loved the original series. Early screenings suggest the movie is quite good, so let’s hope the long development hell process actually paid off. Masters of the Universe arrives in theaters on June 5, 2026.