Nearly 40 years after the original film, He-Man has returned to the big screen. Masters of the Universe, which is directed by Travis Knight and Bumblebee, arrived in cinemas on June 5, 2026. The film is produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel Films, with Sony Pictures handling international distribution.
The film follows Prince Adam as he returns to his home planet of Eternia to embrace his destiny as He-MaMasters of the Universen and save his home from the evil forces of Skeletor.
The screenplay is written by Chris Butler, Aaron and Adam Nee, and David Callaham, based on the Masters of the Universe toy line by Mattel. The film has a running time of 141 minutes.
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Nicholas Galitzine plays He-Man and the villain Skeletor
Nicholas Galitzine plays the dual role of Prince Adam and his alter ego He-Man. The actor told PEOPLE magazine in December 2025 that bulking up for the role was “the hardest thing” he had ever done. “But there is something incredibly empowering about committing to something so heavily,” he said.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in April 2026, he said, “Truthfully, I feel like I learned a lot about myself and how far I was willing to push myself and really suffering for it. And it took a really, really long time. It’s really not for the faint of heart.”
Jared Leto plays Skeletor, the film’s main villain. He will be the only second actor to play a live-action Skeletor, after Frank Langella in the 1987 movie.
Director Travis Knight revealed that Leto went to extreme lengths on set to intimidate fellow cast members. Knight said, “I think the one thing that he did, which I understood why he did it, was he’s wearing his prosthetic skeletal muscle suit.” Leto also smeared what appeared to be blood on his face while in costume. Knight described this as an act of generosity, saying it gave co-stars “something to play off of.”
Camila Mendes and Idris Elba round out the cast
Camila Mendes, known for Riverdale, plays Teela, the Captain of the Guards of Eternia. She spent months training and building muscle for the role. Speaking to Refinery29, Mendes said, “I always worry whenever you’re playing a character that’s so outwardly strong that the audience is going to” find it hard to connect emotionally.
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Mendes also described He-Man’s story in simple terms, saying: “So many muscles, more muscles than is necessary. Strip all that away, and it’s about a kid that doesn’t feel that he’s enough.”
Idris Elba plays Man-at-Arms, also known as Duncan. He is one of Adam’s key allies as he fights to reclaim Eternia. Alison Brie plays the villain Evil-Lyn, while Kristen Wiig, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, and Charlotte Riley also feature in the cast.
You can watch the first live-action Masters of the Universe film from 1987 for free on YouTube and Tubi.